YEAR 8 ENGLISH

SKELLIG

Rene Maloney 2015

DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE
David Almond uses a lot
throughout the book Skellig.

of

descriptive

language

In partners, describe a member of your class using as

many adjectives as you can. It is your partners job to listen
carefully and guess who you are talking about. If they
guess correctly, they get a turn.
Remember to talk about

Their
Their
Their
Their

appearance
likes and dislikes
voice
habits

Rene Maloney 2015

SENSE WRITING
Read Chapter 2 of Skellig.
In this chapter David Almond describes the inside of the garage as
Michael is standing in the doorway shining a flashlight into the
darkness.
Read through the description on Pages 3 & 4 and jot down, using the
table below, examples of the author using the different senses to
describe the place

See
-

Roof was rotten

Hear
-

Touch
-

Cracked lino

Scratching from one of

the corners

Smell
-

Stank of rot and dust

Rene Maloney 2015

GARAGE

Draw an illustration of the garage using only information from the

book. When you finish label the drawing using quotations from the
text

Rene Maloney 2015

SIMILES
A simile is a comparison of one item with another. It can
usually be spotted by the use of the words as or like to bring
two ideas together.
For example
George ran away from them
Could become
George ran like a fox chased by a pack of hungry hounds.
The first sentence makes sense but the second create an
image in our minds which is more effective.
Fit these adjectives into the sentences below.
fast
flat
slippe
ry

pale
sharp
black

blind
thin
colourful

light
noisy
wise

(1)Without his glasses, he's as ____________ as a bat.

(2) That's a pretty dress! It's as _____________ as a rainbow.
(3) Be quiet. You are as ______________ as a herd of elephants.
(4) Are you feeling sick? You are as ______________ as a ghost.
(5)Her hands are dirty. They are as ________________ as night.
(6)She's quick. She's as _______________ as lightning.
(7)After he squished it, it was as _______________ as a pancake.
(8) I can't grab it. It's as _______________ as an eel.
(9) She is so skinny. She's as _______________ as a toothpick.
(10) Don't touch that broken glass. It's as ______________ as a razor.

Rene Maloney 2015

IMPROVING SIMILES
If you want to say a kid is very noisy you
can say:
He is as noisy as an elephant.
That is an ok simile, but we can improve
it by thinking of something even noisier
than an elephant. Well, what is noisier
than an elephant? A whole herd of
elephants. And so a better simile might
be:
He is as noisy as a herd of elephants.
If you want to say something is old you could
say:
It's as old as the pharaoh.
Some pharaohs are 5000 years old after all.
But, how can we improve that? By thinking of
someone even older than the pharaoh like the
pharaoh's grandmother. So we can improve
this simile like this:
It's as old as the pharaoh's grandmother.
Try to improve the following similes.
It's as smelly as socks.

It's as dangerous as a shark.

It's as cold as a milkshake.

Rene Maloney 2015

THE MAN IN THE GARAGE

How does the author introduce you to the man in the
garage? What words does he use to describe him?

dusty ancient suit (pg. 149)

Rene Maloney 2015

TRUE OR FALSE
Read the statements below then decide if they are true or false

Statement
Michael and his family have moved in to a

True False

new home
Michael is excited about the new house
Michaels parents are worried about their
new born baby
The garden is overgrown and contains an
old run down garage
Michael misses his friends and his old home
Michael is neglected by his parents
Michael is an introvert and a secretive boy
Michael discovers a dead body in the
garage
Michael is close to his parents

Rene Maloney 2015

MINA
What are your first impressions of Mina? What words or phrases
could be used to describe her?

Rene Maloney 2015

RESEARCHING ANGELS
Fill in the table below with research notes on the topic of
Angels.

TOPIC
Definition of
the word
angel

NOTES

Origin of the
word angel

Different
religions that
believe in
angels
Different
types of
angels

Famous
stories about
angels
Purpose of
angels

Physical
appearance of
angels

10

Rene Maloney 2015

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions; remember to include page
numbers to show where you found your answers.
Chapter 1-2
1. Who is the man in the garage?

2. Why is he there? Is he real?

3. Who is Ernie Myers? Do you think he will be important to

the story?

Chapter 3-4
1 How is the conversation between Mum and Michael
different to the one at the end of Chapter Two?

2 Why does Michael refer to Doctor Dan as Doctor Death?

11

Rene Maloney 2015

3 What was Michaels first thought when he saw the man in

the garage?

4 Give three ADJECTIVES (describing words) from Page 7

that describe things in the garage.

Chapter 5-7
1. Why did Michael want to catch the bus to school after they
moved houses?

2. What does Michaels dad find in Chapter 6?

3. Why does Michael think he is dreaming in Chapter 6?

4. What does the old man ask Michael for?

12

Rene Maloney 2015

5. What happens at the end of Chapter 7?

Chapter 8-9
1. What were numbers 27 and 53 on the Chinese menu?

2. What did the baby do to Mum when she was fussing over
Michael?

3. What were Mum and Michael teasing Dad about?

4. What were used to describe people in Chapter 8 (Clue:

there are three!)?

5. What meals did Dad order for Mum and himself from the
Chinese Takeaway shop?

13

Rene Maloney 2015

6. How many different types of birds are mentioned? Can

you name them all?

7. Mina says Michael is seen as dangerous to the birds.

Why?

Chapter 10-12
1. What lesson does Michael have with Rasputin? What are
they learning about?

2. Sometimes I think she stops breathing, I said. Then I

look at her and shes fine. Who says this and to whom?
What does it tell us about the way Michael is feeling?

3. Read pages 35 and 36. Describe the mood of Michaels

parents. Give reasons for your answers.

14

Rene Maloney 2015

4. What does Michaels mother say shoulder blades are for?

5. On page 37, Michaels mother says, Maybe thats why

she has such trouble staying here. What is she talking
about?

Chapter 13-15
1 What was the name of Minas cat?

2 Where did Mina take Michael in Chapter 13?

3 What was in the room?

4. What is Minas motto? Where is it located?

15

Rene Maloney 2015

Chapter 16-17
1. The man in the garage says that 27 and 53 makes a
change from what?

2. When Michael asks the man in the garage what he should

call him, the man offers four names. What are they?

3. Who wrote the poem that Mina reads to Michael?

4. What word beginning with P describes the hollow
structure of birds bones?

Chapter 18-20
1. What is suggested for those who suffer from arthritis?

2. Who is Doctor MacNabola?

3. What craft activity was Minas doing when Michael

arrived? What was she making?

16

Rene Maloney 2015

4. Where does Michael take Mina?

5. What is calcification?

Chapter 21-23
1. How does Mina describe the old man?

2. What does Michael dream about in Ch. 22?

3. At dawn, Mina and Michael carry him to the empty house.

What is his name?

17

Rene Maloney 2015

18

Rene Maloney 2015

Chapter 24
Match the sentences in Column One (1-7) with the correct one
on Column Two (a g).
Column One

Column Two

1. In the beginning of the

chapter

a. lying halfway up the first

floor staircase

2. When they look for Skellig

b. that their new friend has

the wings of an angel

3. Eventually they discover

him exhausted

c. they are unable to find

their mysterious friend

4. It is a promising sign that

Skellig

d. and the two children help

him up the stairs

5. Skellig wishes to move up

higher

e. Mina removes his jacket

to make him comfortable

6. Once they have given

Skellig some food

f. Michael and Mina enter

the old building

7. Michael and Mina are

amazed to discover

g. was able to move without

help from anyone.

Chapter 26 30
1. Mina has a dictionary out. For what word is she looking?

19

Rene Maloney 2015

2. From what does Mina believe birds have evolved?

3. Why do you think that Michael is so upset when Leakey

and Coot come by?

4. Why does Dad nail some more boards across the garage
door?

5. Leakey has a nickname for Mina, what is it?

6. Unfortunately, Michael and Mina have an argument. What

was it about?

20

Rene Maloney 2015

Chapters 31 35
1. During the night, where do they find Skellig?

2. As they watch, what is bringing food for Skellig?

3. When Michaels father comes looking for them, what

excuse do they give for being out so late?

4. Who is the poet Minas mother sings about?

5. They are going to operate on the baby tomorrow at the

hospital. What kind of operation?

Chapters 36 40
1. How does Mina compare herself and Michael to the baby
chicks?

2. Why does Mina want Michaels help?

21

Rene Maloney 2015

3. About which goddess does Minas mother tell Michael?

4. While Minas mother watches out for the baby birds, Mina
and Michael go to the empty house. What do they find?

5. Why do you suppose Michael fainted?

6. When he feels for his heartbeat, why is Michael worried?

Chapters 41 46
1. How does the nurse describe the babys heart?

2. Who do you suppose Michaels mother saw in her dream?

22

Rene Maloney 2015

3. Is Skellig human? In words, how would you define Skellig?

4. Why does Skellig thank Michael and Mina?

5. His baby sister comes home on a Sunday. What does

Michael do with the little white feather Skellig had left?

6. What name do they give the baby?

23

Rene Maloney 2015

MICHAELS DIARY
Imagine that you are Michael. A lot has happened to you in
recent weeks and you decide to record your thoughts and
feelings in a diary (see the template on the next page). Use the
questions below to help you brainstorm some ideas.

List the main things that have happened:

Now complete a quick brainstorm of some of the thoughts and
feelings you have had about these things.
For example: angry, upset, left out

Add some more of your own.

-

24

Rene Maloney 2015

Dear Diary,

Im feeling very confused about things. Ive got a lot on my

mind. Firstly, Im worried about the baby

The man in the garage is always in my thoughts.

Ive also met somebody new, shes called

Key words:
house

garden

25

Ernie Myers

garage

school

Mina

Doctor Death

baby sister

Rene Maloney 2015

Friendship

Mina and Michael have very different lives. Their friendship is

based on mutual respect and understanding for each other.
Find three examples from the novel to illustrate this

Quote/Example How does this show respect and

understanding?
Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

26

Rene Maloney 2015

27

Rene Maloney 2015

Themes
The main themes in Skellig are;
- Faith
- Hope
- Loss

28

- Love
- Friendship

Rene Maloney 2015

Fill in the table below using FOUR of the themes listed

above. Then use the story to show what David Almond
(the author) is saying, what themes are linked and which
characters show the theme. Where you can, include
quotations to support your views.
- Theme:
- What does the author
say about this theme?
- What other themes are
linked to this one?
- Which characters
demonstrate the theme
in either a positive or
negative way?
- Theme:
- What does the author

- Theme:
- What does the author
say about this theme?
- What other themes are
linked to this one?
- Which characters
demonstrate the theme
in either a positive or
negative way?
-

- Theme:
- What does the author

say about this theme?

say about this theme?

- What other themes are

linked to this one?
- Which characters
demonstrate the theme
in either a positive or
negative way?
-

- What other themes are

linked to this one?
- Which characters
demonstrate the theme
in either a positive or
negative way?
-