Teacher's Guide To "Smugglers at the Lighthouse" - Clyde Woolman

TEACHER GUIDE TO ‘SMUGGLERS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’ 

The free Guide was written by a recently retired educator of over 30 years of experience and can be downloaded from the 

author’s website at www.clydewoolman.com 

Dear Teacher – About the Guide: With the diversity of learning needs in classrooms placing substantive 

demands on preparation and resources, reasonably priced, quality student material that can be used 

year after year is a valuable addition to your ‘tool kit’. The guide includes questions and activities using 

several teaching approaches to novel study, thus providing the flexibility and support you need. The 40+ 

page guide has four distinct components; 

Intro.: For time-strapped teachers who may not have the time to read all the novels read by their 

students, there is an 11 page chapter-by-chapter synopsis of the novel. 

Part 1: For teachers wishing to stimulate discussion on the novel’s theme without a great deal of 

detailed follow-up questions/activities, there is a one-page student question answer sheet on Inner 

Strength and Courage of Conviction, highlighted by the 13 year old protagonist Ben grappling between 

the ease of ‘artificial’ change from external sources such as the silver band, money, or drug-use, and 

change originating from inner strength and conviction. 

Part 2: For teachers wishing to use the novel to emphasize Broad Extensions and Connections there 

are three one-page question/activity sheets on each of the following topics; 

3.1 The Aboriginal Culture Extension, (with teacher background), particularly in the 

first part of the novel when the eagle is so prominent, 

3.2 The Coastal Rainforest Connection (with teacher background), especially in the 

middle segment of the novel as Ben, Kyle and Ally hike the West Coast Trail, 

3.3 The Tolerance and Friendship Connection, emphasized in the final portion of 

the novel as Ben and Booling develop a strong friendship. 

Part 3: For teachers wishing a more detailed approach there are chapter-by-chapter questions and 

activities, (including alterations for students in the United States), with one easily photocopied page for 

each of the 19 chapters with a 10 page teacher answer key at the end,. The activities have a range of 

difficulty and variety of tasks, emphasizing both specifics and broader extensions in the following areas; 

4.1 A section on Checking Out the Characters, for detailed student work on the 

main characters in the novel, 

4.2 Promoting Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness, using 

the novel to enhance student knowledge from material directly in, or related to, 

the storyline, 

4.3 Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding by using the novel as a launch 

for students to explore broader issues and topics, 

4.4 Letting students ‘get in the novelists head’ by Predicting the Future Plot. 

If you have any comments please feel free to contact the author at clyde@clydewoolman.com I hope 

your students enjoy Smugglers at the Lighthouse and they may be interested in the second novel of the 

Ben Tavers series, Yurek: Edge of Extinction, also published by Moosehide Books of Ontario. 

Thank you – Clyde Woolman - Author

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SYNOPSIS 

‘SMUGGLERS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’ 

For teachers in the United States the synopsis and Teacher Guide uses Canadian spelling so a few words may be slightly 

different (travelling vs traveling or honour vs. honor etc.) Metric measures are switched to miles/feet for student activities. 

Chapter 1: Persistent Predator: 

There are no ‘strong words’ in this chapter. 

Ben Tavers is a 13 year old who has been living in Vancouver for a year with his mother Sarah while his 

father lives in Toronto. With his formative years in Toronto, Ben is an ardent supporter of the Maple 

Leafs and his prized possession is a puck he had snared while watching a Leafs game. Prone to 

daydreaming, Ben’s peers think he is a ‘space cadet’ and ‘weird’, has no friends his own age and is 

occasionally bullied. Ben prefers friendship with elderly people who he finds less judgemental and has a 

strong bond with Mr. Sung who owns a small neighbourhood general store. With the upcoming spring 

break Ben was hoping to see his father but finds that this will not be possible. 

While picking up some salmon at a local fish market for Mr. Sung, Ben is accosted by a strange eagle 

which lands on the ground near the boy, seemingly attempting to communicate, though Ben logically 

assumes the bizarre bird simply wants the fish. Walking, striding, and finally running up the street, Ben 

is followed by the now-airborne bird. He runs into two grimy men and manages to escape them and 

duck into the safety of Mr. Sung’s, shop, panting and gasping for breath. 

Chapter 2: Thwarting the Thugs: 


Entering the shop before opening time, Ben’s tousled appearance worries Mr. Sung who asks the boy to 

relax and sit at the old-fashioned lunch counter and have a glass of pop from a hose and nozzle 

dispenser. The two grimy men enter the store, and the leader Frank, while holding Mr. Sung at the front 

door, is convinced there is another person in the shop and orders his partner Joe to search the aisles. 

Ben manages to hop behind the counter and stay hidden. 

When Joe approaches the counter, Ben leaps up and using the nozzle of the ‘pop gun’ sprays Joe’s face, 

temporarily sending the dumb thug in retreat. Recovering, Joe launches himself at Ben but slips on the 

wet floor and bashes his head against one of the stools. Frank grabs his groggy partner and hauls him 

out of the shop, swearing revenge. 

Laughing at the dumb duo, Mr. Sung and Ben congratulate each other and the elderly man gives Ben a 

present, an old silver band from the area near India as a ‘thank-you’. Mr. Sung claims that there are 

legends that say the silver band has magic power. Ben scoffs at the claim seeing only an ordinary 

trinket, but accepts the gift to please Mr. Sung.

Chapter 3: To the End of the Earth: 

‘Strong word’ notice – 16 year old Kyle says “smart ass” in an argument with Ben on page 32. 

synopsis cont. 

Ben’s mother suggests he visit his 16 year old twin cousins during the spring break and hike a portion of 

the famous West Coast Trail. Kyle and Ally live in Bamfield, a tiny village on the west coast of Vancouver 

Island. 

Ben has only met Kyle and Ally once before when they visited Vancouver. Kyle is impulsive and 

headstrong and Ally more thoughtful and caring. Dressing in an unfashionable outdoors manner and 

used to the very small Bamfield, the twins had been surprised by Vancouver, loving the rides on the 

escalators and gawking at the diversity of people. Kyle did not adapt well to the variety of people, 

calling them ‘different’ and mocked Mr. Sung’s poor English-speaking ability, getting a reaction from Ben 

that almost became an uneven fight with Kyle older, bigger, and much stronger than Ben. Ally generally 

acts as the peacemaker between the two. 

A true ‘city-boy’ who had never been on an overnight hike, Ben agrees to travel to Bamfield and makes 

sure that he take his Maple Leafs puck for ‘good luck’. He believes the silver band, which he has 

forgotten about, had been moving across his desk-top on its own. Ben thinks the cause may have been 

an earth tremor but the band’s movement has caught his attention and almost without thought crams 

the bracelet into his pack. 

After taking the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, Ben is met by Kyle and Ally, with their mom 

driving a dust-covered old truck. They begin the trip to Port Alberni and then onto the winding gravel 

road that will take them to Bamfield and the ends of the earth. 

Chapter 4: Turmoil in the Truck: 

‘Strong word’ notice – 16 year old Kyle calls the eagle a “crazy son of a bitch” and uses “piss off’ on page 36 in an argument with 

Ben. 

Ben and Kyle sit in the open back deck of the old truck as it bumps along the winding, pot-holed gravel 

road. Ben shows Kyle the silver band which fails to impress the older teen who thinks only wimps wear 

jewellery. An eagle attacks the boys and Ben believes it is the same one as in Vancouver, though Kyle 

regards that as impossible. The older boy believes the strange ‘off-kilter’ eagle has been hovering 

around the abandoned lighthouse along the West Coast Trail, south of Bamfield. 

After dive-bombing the duo, the eagle lands on top of the truck’s cab and the commotion causes Ben’s 

aunt to lose control and the truck hits a deer just as the eagle flies away. Kyle swears revenge on the 

eagle though Ben thinks the bird was somehow trying to communicate with him.


The deer has a badly injured leg and is put in the back and driven to Bamfield, though only Ben believes 

it has a chance of survival. Along the way, while wearing the silver band, he caresses and soothes the 

stricken animal and when they arrive in the village the deer hops out of the truck and bounds away. 

Strangely tired and serene, Ben has no explanation for the deer’s sudden recovery. 

Chapter 5: Raw Rookie: 


Tiny Bamfield is cloudy, misty and rainy, and is divided in two sections. Ben marvels at the water taxi 

that takes them across the narrow inlet to the second segment of the village. Kyle and Ally’s house is a 

neat bungalow with giant fir trees, ferns and dense vegetation growing in the yard. Ben is surprised that 

the house is full of modern conveniences and he and Kyle watch a hockey game and for once the older 

boy is impressed with Ben, liking the puck and the story of how Ben had snared it out of the air in the 

Toronto arena. 

Ally helps Ben load his borrowed pack, explaining the need to be cautious of the weight. She notes 

Ben’s love of fantasy novels and describes her ‘distance education’ learning. At the start of the West 

Coast Trail the next day Kyle refuses to bring a rifle on such an easy hike, particularly since the bears will 

not be out of hibernation. Realizing that he is totally out of his depth, Ben worries about any journey 

where they might need a rifle and have a remote chance of meeting bears. At chapter’s end Kyle tells 

him to stop worrying and nothing will happen on an easy hike like the one planned. 

Chapter 6: Myth, Magic and Lucky Charms: 

‘Strong word’ notice – Ben uses “piss off’ on page 56 when yelling at the attacking eagle. 

Ben is enthralled at his first view of a gigantic, majestic beach with no other people on it except the 

three hikers. As they rest, Ben leaves Kyle and Ally for a walk along the beach and is suddenly attacked 

by the same eagle, swooping from the sky and forcing the boy to run in the opposite direction from his 

cousins. Seemingly in one of his trances, Ben finally recovers in time to fling, first sand, and then his 

hockey puck at the attacking bird, smacking its wing and forcing the eagle to fly away awkwardly as 

Ben’s puck falls in the ocean, lost in the foam. 

The hikers climb onto a ridge and Ben experiences the dense multi-layered vegetation of the coastal 

rainforest. He is not a good hiker and his feet and back ache and he has trouble keeping up. They travel 

across a swing rope-and-plank suspension bridge spanning a canyon and Ben is exhilarated by his 

successful crossing. On the other side Ben suddenly asks Ally if she believed that changes could come 

from magic like the legends of the silver band, and Ally says she believes change comes from within a


person, not from an external force. Predictably Kyle is uninterested in such talk and refuses to believe 

that Ben used the band to help the injured deer, though Ben is now convinced that is what happened. 

Chapter 7: Strange Signals: 


The trio walks along the muddy trail and Kyle teases Ben to watch out for giant mud holes that can suck 

a person under. On a rocky headland the eagle arrives, flying spastically since its wing is now broken 

thanks to Ben’s shot with the hockey puck. Surprisingly the bizarre bird has recovered the puck from the 

ocean and clearly wants a trade. While Kyle wants to kill the injured creature, Ben senses the desire and 

he trades the silver band for the hockey puck, much to the astonishment of Kyle and Ally. 

That night and morning Ben learns about outdoor camping meals of powdered eggs and chafes at Kyle 

and Ally’s insistence on ‘low impact’ camping. During the evening the trio spot strange lights coming 

from offshore ships to the abandoned lighthouse close to them and where Kyle has previously seen the 

strange eagle. Curious about the coded signals, the trio decide to hike to the nearby Canyon Bridge 

before deciding what to do. Ally is concerned that the bridge, over a much deeper canyon they had 

crossed that day, will be too much for Ben as she had almost fallen off the same bridge a short time ago. 

Ben is anxious to see the bridge and cross the chasm, happy that he has the hockey puck back, which is, 

in his mind, his good-luck charm. 

Chapter 8: Chaos at the Canyon: 

‘Strong word’ notice – 16 year old Kyle uses “piss off” on page 73 in an argument with Ben. 

The torrential morning rain has stopped and the hikers find themselves at the canyon. Kyle does not 

wish to cross, (though Ally did not tell him about her near-fall, Kyle had heard about it) and he is worried 

about the strong wind enhancing the sway of the bridge. 

Ben taunts Kyle, displaying unusual bravado and wanting to show that he is not scared. Though Ally is 

wary of crossing as well, Ben finally convinces them that they should cross, though Kyle insists they 

should have a plan, which consists of Kyle and Ally going first, getting to the other side and throwing Ben 

a safety rope in case he loses his nerve while crossing. If he panics, Kyle and Ally can pull him up, or 

along, with the rope. 

Nervous and scared, Ben inches his way across the bridge and suddenly a giant cedar, which had been 

hanging over the canyon for many years, finally gives way and crashes downwards, a last-second twist 

preventing total disaster. Even though the cedar misses Ben, it destroys the bridge and Ben is caught in 

a mess of tangled rope and broken planks, dangling by a rope over the deep chasm below. From the far


side Kyle instructs the boy on what to do and Ben slowly gathers his wits and follows the directions, 

finally hoisting himself upward onto the broken deck. The only available route is to slither ‘snake-like’ 

back to the Bamfield side of the bridge, which Ben barely manages to do. 

Finally safe on the Bamfield side of the canyon, Ben watches in horror as Kyle and Ally are captured by a 

group of thugs. The leader, Gus, tells one of the men not to shoot Ben, and the man stares at the boy, 

stating that he thinks he has, “seen that kid somewhere”. 

Chapter 9: Bizarre Behaviour for a Beast: 


Stuck on the other side of the canyon, Ben debates whether to try to find a way across or return to 

Bamfield to get help. He contemplates sliding down the cedar to the bottom of the canyon but that idea 

is abandoned. Wanting to cross to the other side, Ben spies a narrow trail leading down a steep hill to 

the river, a trail used by wild animals to access the river for drinking water. 

A torrential rain starts as Ben follows the narrow path snaking downwards in a series of tight 

switchbacks. Through the rain Ben catches a glimpse of a shadowy, hunched black shape, slowly moving 

up the trail towards him. Convinced the shape is a bear, (despite Kyle’s statement for it to be too early 

for the animals to be out of hibernation), Ben lifts a large rock over his head and readies to drop it on 

the bear coming up the trail. 

As Ben stands on the outer edge of the path and raises the rock, the muddy trail gives way and Ben 

slides down the hill on his rear end, the rock falling away and missing the bear. Like a crazy toboggan 

ride Ben quickly arrives at the bottom, happy that the ride has provided some distance from the 

creature. He lands with a splat in a circular mud pool. Joy turns to worry and then panic as he finds he 

cannot get out. 

At the end of the chapter, the shadowy shape has arrived near the pool and Ben realizes it is not a bear 

and ‘looks almost human’. The shape can speak, and it warns Ben not to wiggle so much as it tries to 

find a way to pull Ben from the mud. 

Chapter 10: Meeting of the Minds: 


The hunched, wrinkled old man in the black cape has one arm dangling uselessly as he asks Ben to pull 

out a rope from a jacket pocket and throw it to the edge of the mud pool where he will use it to pull the 

boy to safety. Without any weight on the end, the throws fall short until Ben ties one end of the rope to 

his hockey puck and throws it to the old man. Though seemingly decrepit, the old man, named Booling,


is able to pull Ben to safety. Exhausted, he tells Ben to wait in a nearby cave where he promises to meet 

the boy later. 

Booling enters the cave later but his answers to Ben’s many questions are confusing, adding to what is 

already a very mysterious persona. Initially Ben believes Booling may be a wizard as he seems to know a 

great deal, revealing that Kyle and Ally are being held prisoner in the lighthouse by an evil drug smuggler 

and admits he has been following Ben. The boy notes that Booling’s eyes seem familiar and similar to 

those of the eagle. Booling’s injured arm mirrors that of the eagle’s broken wing and seems too much of 

a coincidence. The old man admits that he did attempt to communicate with Ben through the eagle. 

Booling also states that he has wanted to stop the drug smuggler for some time but needed the magic of 

a silver band, and had discovered that Mr.Sung had one. Booling pulls out the bracelet, thanks Ben for 

the use and returns it to the boy. 

Initially Ben believes the old man to be a ‘nut-bar’ but his willingness to accept differences in people 

lead Ben to start believing at least some of Booling’s fantastic yarn. 

Chapter 11: The Dynamic Duo: 


This chapter emphasizes the growing friendship between Ben and Booling and thus mirrors the ‘dynamic 

duo’ of Batman and Robin, whose names Ben cannot believe Booling does not know. The pair manage 

to cross the river using boulders as stepping stones and Booling is much taken by ‘thumbs-up’ and ‘highfive’ 

gestures that make him feel more connected to humans. 

Booling explains that while it is true that the silver band can change objects and alter events, it takes 

much energy and desire and each use saps the owner’s energy. Also, as a warning, Booling states that 

using the band should be for good purposes only, and even when the intent is good, bad results may 

occur, likening it to a person who wins the lottery, which is presumably good, but then the person may 

change and lose all his or her old friends which is a negative outcome. He tells Ben that the best change 

comes from within and even though events alter and objects change with the band’s use, the person’s 

being remains the same. 

At the end of the chapter Ben and Booling climb to the top of the cliff on the lighthouse side of the 

canyon only to find Frank and Joe guarding the broken bridge. Joe in particular is concerned over what 

the evil smuggler called ‘the Boss’ will do with Kyle and Ally.

Chapter 12: Stupid Scoundrels Get the Slip: 



Ben uses the silver band to reflect sunlight to the far side of the canyon and Joe panics, thinking there is 

an ‘army’ on the other side, or even signalling to another group on their side of the canyon. Frank 

orders Joe to start hacking away at the few remaining ropes so what’s left of the bridge will fall into the 

canyon. 

Just as they are cutting away, an imitation wolf howl from Booling convinces Frank and Joe that there is 

danger on their side of the canyon and they back up onto the damaged bridge. As Ben and Booling dash 

into the open and down the trail, the dumb thugs realize they have been tricked and scramble forwards, 

their movement and weight finally breaking the ropes they had been cutting. The bridge loosens from 

the cliff edge and the pair swing in the air like ‘misfit Tarzans’. Ben is amazed that the Booling can repair 

the ropes from a distance, thus preventing the thug’s demise, without the aid of the silver band though 

it makes the old man extremely tired for a time. 

As Ben and the recovered Booling make their way to the broken lighthouse, (though the Boss has 

repaired the dock), the boy is filled with thoughts of using the silver band to exact severe revenge on the 

Boss. Seemingly knowing the boy’s thoughts, the cautious Booling warns Ben to eliminate such thinking, 

and Ben shows his frustration with a mini-tantrum. 

Frank and Joe come scooting down the trail and Frank realizes that they are going to have to make up a 

lie since the Boss will be most unhappy with the truth – that the two thugs had allowed a boy and a 

crippled old man to sneak past them. 

Chapter 13: Cutthroat Cooperation: 

‘Strong word’ notice – the adult thug Frank uses “bastards” on page 123 referring to the rival drug gang who he claimed 

attacked him and Joe. 

This chapter shifts to Kyle and Ally, being held prisoner in the lighthouse tower by the Boss. Thin and 

well dressed, the Boss is intelligent, cruel and mentally unstable, with a good dose of paranoia. The 

patrol leader Gus has told the Boss about Ben on the other side of the canyon, and the Boss believes the 

boy will scurry back to Bamfield and inform the police. The Boss has only one of his boat captains arrive 

the day before a drug transfer and he orders the man to travel along the coast and capture Ben before 

the boy can each Bamfield. 

Frank and Joe arrive and tell the Boss an entirely different story, a lie dreamed up by Frank. The thug 

tells of an army of a rival drug lord on the other side of the canyon with Ben. Frank and Joe had 

supposedly battled hard against bigger numbers, (hence their injuries) but had to retreat back to the 

lighthouse to inform the Boss.


Thinking Joe, “too dumb to lie”, the Boss believes the yarn and now needs to leave even earlier than 

expected. He sends his men to the hillsides to guard the lighthouse against enemy attack and tells Frank 

and Joe to imprison Ally in the root cellar. Then he turns to Kyle and bargains – Kyle will lead the boats 

away since the Boss no longer has his boat captain, or Ally will be killed. Kyle says he will pilot the boats 

if Ally is freed and the Boss agrees though he never intends to keep his word. 

Meanwhile, Ben and Booling are puzzled as the men flock to the hillsides and Ally is taken to the root 

cellar. They decide to rescue Ally first and sneak along the beach to the point just beneath the root 

cellar, which sits on the top edge of the headland. Ben pops up from the beach and surprises Frank and 

Joe, taunting them to chase him. 

Chapter 14: A Helping Hand to a Fallen Foe: 

‘Strong word’ notice - the adult thug Frank uses “stupid little shit” in describing Ben in an argument on page 131. 

Surprisingly Frank and Joe do not take the bait, until Ben states that he will tell the Boss about the lies 

the thugs have concocted and that the only real enemy ‘army’ at the lighthouse is a boy and a crippled 

old man. Petrified of the lie being exposed, Frank and Joe chase after Ben, with Joe falling behind on a 

gimpy leg. 

Ben scampers along the beach and decides to head for the rocks at the shoreline, confident that Frank’s 

injured arm will disrupt the man’s balance and make it hard for him to follow. The man manages to grab 

Ben’s coat and pulls the boy backwards. Instead of resisting, Ben goes with the force and the surprise 

knocks Frank into the water and he slams his head on the rocks causing a deep gash. 

As Ben scrambles to the beach, he watches Joe’s unsuccessful attempts to pull Frank from the water and 

the thug begs Ben to help. After much internal debate, Ben agrees and helps Joe lug the dazed Frank to 

the cave where Ben plans to meet Ally and Booling. 

As Ben has been grappling with Frank and Joe, Booling has rescued Ally from the root cellar and a racket 

from the tower takes people’s attention, allowing the pair to escape and travel along the beach to the 

cave. 

Initially there is a high level of distrust in the cave, particularly from Ally (who carries a stick) and the 

confused Joe. Joe finally asks Booling to help Frank and the old man replies that only Ben can assist the 

thug. 

Chapter 15: Haste Makes Mistakes: 

‘Strong word’ notice – the adult thug Frank says, “it’s your ass” on page 147 in a disagreement with adult guards and 16 year 

old Kyle uses “ass-holes” on page 147, directed at Frank and Joe who he believes may have hurt Ben.


Using the silver band, Ben first heals the gash on Frank’s head and then the man’s arm and the thug is 

grateful that someone besides Joe has risked personal safety and taken the time to help him. He asks 

that Ben heal Joe’s leg after the tired Ben recovers and Booling warns that to do so will mean the band’s 

magic will be reduced for some time. Hearing this, Joe bravely refuses treatment. 

Frank knows that once the Boss hears the truth, he and Joe will be punished and that, coupled by Ben’s 

kindness, has convinced him to join forces with Ben, Ally and Booling and rescue Kyle. The group 

devises a creative yet dangerous plan to enter the lighthouse tower where Kyle is imprisoned. 

Frank and Joe haul Ben to the lighthouse tower, the boy their fake prisoner, and manage to talk their 

way past the guards, telling them that they have captured the little kid and the Boss, (who is not in the 

tower) wants him and the ‘big kid’ at the dock. As they ascend the stairs Joe notices a pistol on the 

counter. 

Upstairs in the tower, Kyle is initially wary of Frank and Joe and tells of his fight with the Boss that 

caused the racket in the tower. Ben congratulates him, telling him that the noise had helped Ally escape 

from the root cellar. With the guards waiting below there is a need for haste. Ben uses the silver band 

to alter the lines on the nautical charts and Joe stuffs them into a cylinder. Ben is tired from using the 

band and the others are in a hurry to leave before the guards realize there is something amiss. As Ben 

and company depart the silver band is left lying on the floor of the tower. 

Chapter 16: Dealing With a Devil: 


The rain is pelting down and the Boss is at the dock. The word has spread that the enemy ‘army’ is 

simply one kid and the Boss’ men are returning to the dock area, making it impossible for Ben and 

company to sneak to the cave. Ben hopes the alternate plan ‘B’ of meeting Booling and Ally at Mud Bay 

can be realized. 

The Boss is told that the girl has escaped from the root cellar and the smuggler calls the tower only to 

have the guards inform him that Kyle has been taken away by Frank and Joe and the Boss realizes that 

his former henchmen are working against him. 

Except for the Captain, (who has returned from the fruitless journey along the coast to catch Ben) and 

other hand-picked pilots, the Boss orders the men to search for Ben, Kyle, Frank and Joe, and is 

surprised to see the foursome approach the dock with Ben willing to deal the charts for a boat. The 

Boss realizes he has left his gun in the lighthouse tower, (the one that Joe had seen) and the boat that 

Ben wants is the Captain’s since the boy knows it works. The Captain whispers to the Boss that the radio 

is broken and the gas tank has not been filled since returning from the coastal search for Ben.


Meanwhile, realizing something has gone wrong, Ally and Booling leave the cave where they were to 

meet Ben, and approach the lighthouse tower, abandoned by the guards who are now searching for Ben 

and company. Booling fiddles with something on the counter while Ally finds a flashlight and the pair 

head upstairs. From there they can see the dock where Ben is bargaining with the Boss and Booling tells 

the young woman he is going to try to turn on the massive light in the tower as a diversion and allow 

Ally and the rest to escape in the resulting chaos. 

Chapter 17: Dockside Disaster: 

‘Strong word’ notice – 16 year old Kyle uses “asshole” on page 164 when describing the drug lord who he believes has hurt his 

sister Ally. 

The men have had enough of the Boss and his bizarre orders and are returning to the dock. The Boss 

tells Ben he could easily overpower the boy and his three companions and take the maps and Ben 

replies he would throw the charts in the water. The Boss tells Ben he could order one of his men to 

shoot Ben, but Ben has positioned himself so that a gunshot would topple him into the water along with 

the charts. The Boss silently curses at the boy’s clever thinking. 

As Ben and company near the end of the dock where the Captain’s boat is tied, the Boss lies and states 

that he has recaptured Ally. Ben is doubtful though worried, and Kyle loses his temper and charges the 

Boss, knocking the smuggler down before realizing he cannot take on all the men. Frank helps Kyle 

escape and the two run down the dock while Joe attempts to start the boat and Ben tries to untie the 

rope that holds the craft to the wharf. Kyle and Frank jump on, exhorting Ben to climb aboard, but Joe 

misunderstands the ‘go for it’ yell and starts the engine. Ben’s leap to the craft falls short and tumbles 

into the freezing water. The Boss pulls Ben from the water and hauls him towards the tower to get his 

gun and exact revenge on Ben for ruining his carefully planned operation. 

Chapter 18: Torment in the Tower: 


The bright tower light comes on illuminating the dark sky and the men, fearful of police or Coast Guard 

detection, scramble to the boats, the altered charts to be used as their guide to travel along the coast. 

The Boss, holding Ben near the tower screams at them to stop but they pay him no heed. The Boss’ 

woes continue as the soggy and groggy Ben manages to pull his hockey puck from a pocket and slam it 

into the Boss’ head making the man even more deranged than he had been before. 

At the tower the Boss retrieves his gun and hauls Ben upstairs where he slugs the boy, sending him into 

a semi-conscious state. Then, the smuggler clambers up the metal staircase to the very top where the 

giant light bulb is located and finds a dark hunched shape, (Booling) lying prone on the floor. To make


sure the shape is dead, the Boss steps on the strange shape’s wrist and there is no reaction. The Boss 

also finds what looks to be an ordinary silver band but leaves it, believing the old man would have 

nothing of value. 

With Ben again, the Boss prepares to shoot the meddling boy and fires, only to find the pistol has no 

bullets. This sets the Boss into a maniacal tirade and he tosses the ‘useless’ gun down the stairs. 

Just as the Boss is about to throttle Ben with his hands, he is surprised by an intruder with a flashlight 

and a gun – Ally. The young woman has seen the Boss drag Ben to the tower and come to rescue the 

boy. Of course the Boss knows the gun has no bullets so he taunts Ally to shoot, which, after grappling 

with her conscience, she does. 

Chapter 19: Power in the Palm of a Hand: 


There are bullets in the gun but Ally has aimed at the windows and shattered what remains of the glass 

in them. The gunshot and the surprise of real bullets sends the Boss further into mental decay. Ally 

explains that Booling had found the gun on the counter earlier and fiddled with the weapon, 

withdrawing the bullets and giving them to Ally. The Boss seethes at his mistake but brags that “the old 

goat is dead” and Ally hands Ben the gun while she goes to check on Booling. 

Ben feels the power of the gun in his hand and the lure of power, either through money, drugs, guns or 

the silver band is strong. He battles with his conscience and steels his conviction and decides in the end 

not to shoot the Boss. 

Ally arrives from the top of the tower with Booling, further surprising the now fully deranged Boss. 

Booling explains that the Boss had stepped on Booling’s damaged arm, the one linked to the eagle’s 

broken wing. This, coupled with leaving the gun in the tower and throwing the gun down the stairs 

almost directly to Ally were major mistakes, though nothing compared with the Boss failing to pick up 

the silver band, misjudging it for a cheap trinket. 

Shortly after, Kyle, Frank and Joe paddle the out-of-gas power boat to the dock and inform Ben, Booling 

and Ally that the altered charts had sent the boats carrying the thugs into the rocks at the mouth of 

Canyon River and the smugglers will soon to be picked up by the Coast Guard. 

Booling offers to give the silver band to Ben who refuses, preferring to make changes from within rather 

than ‘artificial’ external sources, a significant lesson he has learned about the power to change.

THE THEME OF ‘SMUGGLERS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE’ 

INNER STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION 

(the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment) 

A theme is a broad and general thread that runs through the novel and one in ‘Smugglers at the 

Lighthouse’ involves a person’s Inner Strength and the Courage of Conviction. While small and 

sensitive, Ben has a reservoir of inner strength as he is largely unbothered by the lack of friends his own 

age, fights with the eagle, is brave enough to trade with the bizarre bird and steels himself to cross the 

canyon despite the presence of what he believes to be a bear. Even with the power of the silver band to 

change events and alter objects, Ben becomes convinced that real change comes from within a person 

while the Boss believes strength and power come from external forces such as drugs or money. 

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each section) 

External Sources of Strength – the False ‘High’: 

1. Ben initially believed that holding the gun gave him power and changed him, similar to the high 

he had when using the silver band. Can power be addictive like a drug, and can it change a 

person’s character? Why or why not? 

2. The Boss claims that, “Money gives power…” Is that true? Does having a great deal of money 

change a person’s character or personality? You may wish to set up a debate on the topic. 

3. Research what has happened to various people who have won a large amount of money in a 

lottery. How did the winnings affect their lives? 

Inner Strength: 

1. Though it is very difficult, in the end Ben avoids the lure and addictive power of the silver band 

and the pistol. What makes some people better able to rely on their inner strength to make 

changes, while others rely more on external sources such as drugs or money? 

2. Booling claims that while the use of the silver band can change events quickly and easily, there 

are ‘side-effects’ to its use and often the change you would want actually turns out badly. How 

is this similar to drug usage and why relying on yourself to make the changes you need, (as 

Booling claims is the correct way) may have longer-lasting, more positive effects? 

3. At times it may take a great deal of courage to continue to rely on yourself rather than external 

sources. One example is the number of professional cyclists who have been caught using drugs 

to enhance their performance while others, who knew about the cheating, continued to stay 

‘clean’. Research to find out the views of one or two high level athletes who have stayed away 

from steroids and how they have felt about the ‘cheaters’.

BROAD EXTENSIONS AND CONNECTIONS 

THE EARLY PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE ABORIGINAL CULTURE EXTENSION 

Usually a story has broad links to ideas, places or events. Sometimes an author can use a story as a 

connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses 

the connection to add meaning, understanding and viewpoint to help the reader become more involved 

with the story. 

One example in Smugglers at the Lighthouse is an Aboriginal Culture Extension, particularly in the early 

portion of the story when the eagle is so prominent and it may, or may not, represent another being. 

Possible activities to build and learn more about this connection are below. 

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and certain questions in each section) 

Aboriginal People: 

1. What Aboriginal nation lives in your area? Sketch a map of your area to show the territory 

included in the traditional lands. 

The Eagle: 

1. The eagle has particular importance in west coast Aboriginal culture. Research the link between 

the eagle and Aboriginal culture. 

2. Although officially a hawk, the eagle-like Seattle Seahawks football team’s logo is heavily 

influenced with an Aboriginal design. Copy and colour the Seahawks logo on a blank sheet. 

3. Research where, and for how long, eagles live, what they eat and how large they grow and what 

their status is regarding endangered species. 

Salmon: 

1. Salmon is particularly important in Aboriginal Culture on the west coast of Canada and the 

United States. Ben purchases one variety of salmon for Mr. Sung – sockeye. What are the other 

varieties of salmon and how are each different from the other? You may wish to draw a 

diagram to show the differences. 

2. Most people are amazed by the sight of salmon fighting their way upstream to spawn in the 

same river where they were born. In a poster with diagrams show the various stages of the 

salmon life-cycle. 

Shaman: 

1. In the chapter with the deer Ben is described as ‘shaman-like’. Explain the term shaman and 

what would be meant by ‘shaman-like’. 

Totem Poles: 

1. Research totem poles that were common amongst the Aboriginal people of the west coast of 

what is now Canada and the northwest of what is now the United States.

TEACHER BACKGROUND 

THE ABORIGINAL CULTURE EXTENSION 

The Eagle: 

Question #1: The eagle is regarded as a sacred animal in west coast Aboriginal culture, 

representing core values and/or powers such as strength, loyalty, honesty and compassion. Eagle 

feathers have a very important ceremonial role. 

Question #3: About one-third of all bald eagles are found in Alaska or British Columbia, the 

‘bald’ name coming from an old English word ‘balde’ which meant white. Females are bigger than 

males, (6 kilos to 4 kilos – 13.2 to 8.8 lbs.) and the adult wingspan is about 2 metres (6-7 ft.) They eat 

fish, small birds and rodents. Eagles can live up to 50 years in captivity but few live that long in the wild. 

The eagle is on a B.C. “blue list’ of vulnerable or sensitive status, and in the United States was on the 

endangered list to 1995, then moved to the threatened list and, in 2007 was taken off. 

Salmon: 

Question #1: The five varieties of Pacific Salmon are Sockeye, Spring or Chinook, Coho, Pink 

and Chum. In the United States’ King’ is often used in place of the name Spring or Chinook. Other 

names used for the five varieties are, ‘Red’ for Sockeye because of its deep red meat and their red 

colour when they spawn, ‘Silver’ for Coho because of their especially silver skin, ‘Humpies’ for Pink due 

to the hump on their back when they spawn and ‘Dog Salmon’ for Chum because of their dog-like teeth. 

Chum is usually considered the least desirable eating experience, and like Pink, is often canned. Sockeye 

and Spring, both high in fat and flavour, are usually considered the best salmon to eat. 

Question #2: Pacific Salmon are born in fresh water and migrate to the ocean. They return to 

reproduce in the area where they were hatched, fighting to swim upstream in the rivers they had 

travelled down many years before. With the rivers often flowing down mountainous terrain, the rushing 

water and steep inclines makes it difficult for the salmon to swim upstream and many fish resort to 

leaping in the air to make their way further upwards. In several areas fish ladders have been built to 

help the salmon return to their spawning grounds. Once reaching their destination (or die trying), 

salmon will spawn and then die. 

Shaman: 

Question #1 A shaman is someone who can, usually through an altered state of 

consciousness, have access to the world of spirits. Typically the person enters a trance-like state so to 

appear, as Ben does, as shaman-like, would refer to a trance-like state. 

Totem Poles: 

Question #1: Totem poles were usually carved from Western Red Cedar, and though the 

wood is decay resistant few totem poles survive more than 100 years in the wet climate of the west 

coast. They were erected for a wide variety of purposes and even the commonly held belief that “low 

man on the totem pole” was the least important with the most important at the top, did not always 

apply. Though forming a powerful representation and signal, totem poles were not worshipped as 

deities.


THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE COASTAL RAINFOREST CONNECTION 


connection to tell more about an idea, place or event. The author uses the connection to add meaning, 

understanding and viewpoint to help the reader become more involved with the story. 

One example in Smugglers at the Lighthouse is the Coastal Rainforest Connection throughout the story, 

with special importance in the middle segment as Ben, Kyle and Ally hike along the West Coast Trail. 

Possible activities to learn more about this connection are below. 


The Land: 

1. Using a blank outline map of either Vancouver Island or the southern half of the Island, trace the 

route of the West Coast Trail from Bamfield to Port Renfrew and note important geographic 

sites and/or camps along the way. 

2. Pacific Rim National Park lies north of the West Coast Trail. Research the park or choose a 

National Park near your community by completing a map, a written report or a picture display. 

You may wish to compare the two parks. 

3. Emily Carr is a famous Canadian artist who completed many paintings of the west coast 

rainforest. Research the life and/or artistic work of Emily Carr. 

4. The border between Canada and the United States runs through a series of islands which have a 

coastal rainforest climate. In Canada they are called the southern Gulf Islands and in the U.S., 

the San Juan Islands. Trace a map of the area and the main islands, showing the international 

boundary. 

The Weather: 

1. Strong winds are common on the west coast of Canada and the United States. Hurricanes and 

tornadoes are other examples of extremely strong winds. Choose one of those two and explain 

how they are formed and when and where they usually occur. 

2. The coastal area around the West Coast Trail is a portion of an area known as ‘the Graveyard of 

the Pacific’. What is the meaning of this term and the link to the West Coast Trail? On a blank 

map of the Pacific Northwest of the United States and coastal British Columbia, outline the area 

known as the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’. 

The Plants and Animals: 

1. Though not mentioned in the story, orcas, (killer whales) are common on the west coast of 

Canada and are the logo of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team. Draw one or both of an orca 

or the stylized version that is the emblem for the hockey team. How are they different? 

2. Cedar trees are common in the west-coast rainforest and the wood from the trees is very 

popular. What are some of the common uses for the wood and why is it used so much?

TEACHER BACKGROUND 

THE COASTAL RAINFOREST CONNECTION 

The Land: 

Question #1: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve stretches 125 km. (77.6 miles) between Tofino 

and Port Renfrew B.C. on the west coast of Vancouver Island. There are three separate sections, 

Long Beach, between Tofino and Ucluelet, the Broken Is. and the West Coast Trail. The park was 

first created in the early 1970’s and re-negotiated in 1987. 

Question #2 Emily Carr was born in Victoria B.C. in 1871 to an English family. She studied in 

London and Paris and was influenced by the post-impressionist artists’ use of distortion and colour. 

Her fascination and love of the west coast rainforest environment and the Aboriginal people and 

culture of the area was the focus of most of her paintings and she gained recognition in the 1920-30 

period, relatively late in her career. Many of her most famous paintings hang in the Vancouver Art 

Gallery. 

The Weather: 

Question #1: Hurricanes, also called typhoons, form over warm water in the summer and 

early fall. The energy source is water vapour evaporating from the ocean surface. The water vapour 

rises, cools, and condenses, forming clouds and warming the air around it. If the top of the cloud is 

not removed by a wind shear, heat will continue to build causing low pressure to form in the middle 

with a spiral of wind inwards. The swirling wind evaporates more water for more energy. When 

hurricanes hit land, they can no longer gather the energy from the water vapour. The calm ‘eye’ is 

the original low pressure area. Category 1 hurricanes are from 119 to 152 kmh. (75-94mph) and 

category 5 ones are over 249 kph. (154mph). 

Tornadoes are similar in development in that warm and unusually humid air of 

the late afternoon or early evening causes water vapour to rise and condense rapidly, releasing 

energy. If this occurs ahead of a cold front or near a collision of two fronts, the rapid updraft can 

cause a vortex. The spinning air from the cloud is trying to suck up any remaining moisture, acting 

much like a straw coming downwards from the main cloud. The dark funnel appearance is caused 

by dirt and dust in the swirling wind. 

Question #2 The ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’ is a term usually describing the Pacific coastline 

from northern Oregon to the northern tip of Vancouver Island where hundreds, perhaps thousands, 

of ships have been lost and destroyed over the centuries. The combination of fog, wind, storms and 

currents have historically made the area very difficult for shipping. 

The Plants and Animals: 

Question #2: Western Red Cedar is decay-resistant and therefore popular in the fence posts, 

decks, siding and roofing. The aromatic oils discourage moths and cedar often lines chests to store 

clothes, blankets and other linens. Cedar’s light weight, strength and dark, warm sound also make it 

a popular choice in building guitars.


THE LATER PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE TOLERANCE AND FRIENDSHIP CONNECTION 

(the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment) 


connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses 

the connection to add meaning, understanding and viewpoint to help the reader become more involved 

with the story. 

One example in Smugglers at the Lighthouse is The Tolerance and Friendship Connection, especially in 

the later portion of the story when Ben and Booling develop a strong friendship and the relationship 

with Frank and Joe changes. Possible activities to build and learn more about this connection are below. 

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each section) 

Tolerance: 

1. Booling believes Ben has a high level of tolerance. What does tolerance mean? Why do you 

believe some people have a high degree of tolerance while some people are very intolerant? 

Your school or school district probably has a goal of developing tolerance, or at least working to 

prevent intolerance. Can tolerance be taught? If you were the teacher how would you teach 

people to be more tolerant? 

2. Ben claims that “different is cool.” What is your view about how you and your fellow students 

treat others who are seen as “different” and is being different really as ‘cool’ as Ben says? 

3. Discrimination is one form of intolerance towards others, usually because of issues such as race, 

ethnic origin, gender and others. Do you believe there is discrimination against women in 

today’s society? You may wish to set up a debate on the issue. 

Friendship: 

1. In the initial stages of the friendship between Ben and Booling, Ben’s tolerance for Booling being 

‘strange’ was a key factor. In what ways is tolerance linked to friendship and in what ways is 

friendship much more than tolerance? 

2. How is the friendship between Frank and Joe different than the one between Ben and Booling? 

Does this mean that friendships can look different from one another and be based on different 

things? Support your viewpoint. 

3. Ben is usually arguing with his cousin Kyle and gets along better with Ally though they do not 

seem to be friends in the normal sense of the word. How is the relationship between relatives 

similar and different from friendships with non-relatives? Do you consider your brother, sister 

or cousin to be a close friend? Why or why not?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES 

CHAPTER 1 - PERSISTENT PREDATOR 


Checking Out the Characters: 

1. Ben will not be able to see his father over the spring break. Besides the disappointment at not 

going to a hockey game, how do you think Ben feels about not seeing his dad and what hints are 

in the story to lead you to that conclusion? 

2. Why is Ben having such a difficult time fitting in at school? Who are his only friends and why 

does he not connect with them? 

Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness: 

1. Most Canadians and Americans live in cities, often called urban areas. Even in cities humans 

share the environment with ‘urban wildlife’, and a common one is mentioned in this chapter – 

the seagull. Why would seagulls be valuable to the urban environment? 

2a The story mentions that many people often move to the suburbs, (outer areas), of big cities. 

Often these people drive into the city to go to work and then drive home again after work, 

causing the ‘rush hours’. 

a) In Canada, if you travelled 35 kilometers to work five days a week, and your car can 

travel 5 kilometers to a litre and a litre of gas cost $1.10, how much would a 

traveller (commuter) be spending in gas every week? 

b) In the United States, if you travelled 25 miles to work five days a week, and your car 

used 20 miles to the gallon and a gallon of gas was $4.25, what would a commuter 

pay? 

Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding: 

1. Maple leaf Gardens used to be the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team. What is 

their arena called now and what is the seating capacity? Pick four other arenas in the National 

Hockey League (NHL) or National Basketball Association (NBA), and find their capacity, (the 

number of spectators they can hold). Rank the five from largest to smallest. 

2. Ben is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs who, along with the Montreal Canadiens, has a long 

history in the National Hockey League. How many years has each team been in the league and 

how many Stanley Cups has each team won? Pick three other teams and see how long they 

have been in the league and how many Stanley Cups they have won. American students may 

wish to pick the New York Yankees and four other major league baseball teams, note the years 

in the league and rank the number of World Series victories. 

Predicting the Future Plot: 

1. In this opening chapter the eagle is a persistent predator. What do you think the eagle is really 

after? Do you think the eagle is Ben’s friend or foe? Support your prediction with statements 

and/or action from the story.



CHAPTER 2 - THWARTING THE THUGS 



1. Frank is clearly much brighter than Joe and the author has tried to show this with word choice. 

Give examples from what Frank said or did to support the idea of him being smarter than Joe 

and examples from what Joe said or did. How would you describe the relationship between 

Frank and Joe? 

2. When Mr. Sung gives Ben the silver band he is concerned Ben won’t take it because he thinks 

teenage boys don’t like to be different. But Ben claims that he doesn’t care. Describe Ben’s 

attitude and is the ‘price’ he is paying for being different, (no friends his own age), too steep? 

Make sure to give reasons to support your response. 


1. Some of the food in Mr. Sung’s shop came from China and India, two very large countries. A 

dispute over land claims makes China 3 rd or 4 th and India 7 th in total area, (which includes inland 

water as opposed to solely land area), and are China is 1 st and India 2 nd in population – both 

about 4 times the population of the United States and 40 times that of Canada. Print, sketch or 

trace a map of the area of the Asian continent with China and India and write in the populations 

for each. Include major cities of Shanghai and Beijing (China), Delhi, Mumbai, (Bombay) and 

Kolkata, (Calcutta) in India and include neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Nepal. Note 

on the map the extent of the world’s greatest mountain chain – the Himalayas, and include the 

location of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain from sea level. 


1. Mr. Sung’s store sells cous-cous and falafel. What are these foods made from, how are they 

served and in what countries are they most popular? What are similar foods to cous-cous and 

falafel. 

2. What causes pop to be so fizzy and why does it go ‘flat’ after a time? 

3. Mr. Sung’s small shop is an old-fashioned ‘General Store’ and some of these General Stores 

were quite small, around 100-150 square meters, (1,076-1,614 sq.ft.) Using either a measuring 

tape or by pacing, find the width and length of your classroom in meters, (or feet). Multiply 

those two numbers and you will have the square meters (or feet) of your classroom. Ask if you 

can find the square meters, (or feet) for a larger room like the library, the gym or even your 

school’s playing field. 


1. Find hints, (at least two) from Chapter 1 and 2 that Frank and Joe will be seen later in the story. 

What role do you think they will have?



CHAPTER 3 - TO THE END OF THE EARTH 



1. How would you describe Kyle’s personality? Why do you think he does not get along with Ben 

very well? 

2. Why do you think Kyle and Ally would be out of place in a city like Vancouver? How much do 

you think where a person grows up, (small town, countryside, large city) affects that person’s 

ideas and view of the world? 


1. Ben thinks there might have been an earth tremor and his school has earthquake drills. Why do 

earthquakes and earth tremors occur much more frequently on the west coast of British 

Columbia and the United States than in the Canadian prairies, Ontario, or the mid-west of the 

United States? In a brief answer, state what causes earthquakes to occur. 

2. Tsunamis can be the result of earthquakes and travel at up to 800 kilometers an hour (497 mph) 

in deep water of about 15,000 feet or 4,572 meters, (they travel slower in more shallow water). 

How long would it take for the fastest tsunami to cross from the coast of China, across the 

Pacific Ocean, to Canada or the continental U.S., assuming deep water all the way across and a 

distance of approximately 7,800 km? (4,846 miles). 


1. Kyle and Ally liked to ride the escalators in Vancouver since there were none in the small village 

where they lived. When were escalators invented and how do they work? How fast do they go? 


1. Ben has a debate with himself about whether to take his Maple Leafs hockey puck. What uses 

could a hockey puck have on the upcoming adventure? 

2. What do you think was the explanation for the silver band appearing to slide across the top of 

the desk and apparently shaking in an attempt to get Ben’s attention?



CHAPTER 4 - TURMOIL IN THE TRUCK 



1. How is Kyle’s reaction to Ben wearing the silver band in keeping with what we know of Kyle’s 

character? Support you view from descriptions or activity in the story. 

2. Ben’s mind keeps drifting since he tends to be a daydreamer. Kyle thinks this means Ben is a 

“weirdo” and a “space cadet”. Is Kyle’s view of Ben’s behaviour similar to the views of most 

young people? 

Learning About the Environment and/or Wilderness: 

1. According to Transport Canada there are more than 100 collisions every day between large 

animals and cars. Research the relatively new idea of ‘Wildlife Crossing Areas’ particularly those 

found in Banff National Park in Canada, recognized as a world leader. 

2. Kyle scoffs that “Mr. Williams knows about fish, not deer.” The obvious difference between fish 

and mammals, (fish live in water and mammals on land) does not apply since dolphins and 

whales are mammals and live in water. What are some major differences between fish and 

mammals? 


1. Research how fast an eagle travels when it is diving for food and how fast a cheetah can run 

when it is chasing prey. Now time your fastest run over a distance of 100 meters. If you 

multiply your time by 10, the number you get will be the time it takes you to run a kilometer. 

The number is probably in seconds so convert the seconds into minutes and seconds by dividing 

it by 60. Now you know how long it takes you, at top speed, to run a kilometer. Divide that 

number into 60 and you will get your top speed for kilometers per hour. How did you match up 

against the eagle and cheetah? 

2. For American students, after researching the speed of an eagle diving or cheetah running, time 

your run over a distance of 100 yards then multiply your number by 17.6 (there are 1,760 yards 

in a mile). Your number is in seconds so convert the seconds into minutes and seconds by 

dividing by 60. Now you know how long it takes you, at top speed, to run a mile. Divide that 

number into 60 and you will get your top speed for miles per hour. How did you match up 

against the eagle and cheetah? 


1. Kyle predicts that he will kill the “crazy eagle”. If someone gets a chance to do so later in the 

story and does not have a gun, how do you think the person will attack the eagle? 

2. Surprisingly, the injured deer was healed and jumped out of the truck when they arrived in 

Bamfield. What do you think happened?



CHAPTER 5 - RAW ROOKIE 



1. What impressions do you have of Kyle and Ally? How are the twins similar in personality and 

how are they different? Use examples from the story to support your point of view. 


1. The gravel road from Port Alberni to Bamfield is approximately 90 kilometers, (56 miles). If it 

took someone two hours to drive the road, what is the average speed? If the driver went at an 

average speed of sixty kilometers an hour (37 mph) how long would it take to travel from Port 

Alberni to Bamfield? How long would it take if the person averaged seventy-five kilometers an 

hour? (46.6 mph) 


1. Kyle mentions that the hockey game they watch on T.V. is listless and believes the players are 

not trying hard enough. How many games are there in a National Hockey League season and 

what is the average salary per player? If a player was making the average salary, how much 

would they earn per game? 

2. The school Kyle and Ally attend is a Distance Education school, (some provinces or states may 

have slightly different names). These involve the student staying at home, using computers and 

other technology to get help from a teacher. Some programs have group meetings or a ‘regular’ 

class that meets occasionally such as once per week. What are the positive and negative 

aspects of this type of education? 

3. Kyle and Ally’s village is too small to have a ‘regular’ school. Usually there needs to be about 20- 

30 students in one grade or, at the most, two grades before there is a ‘regular’ class with a 

teacher. How many students are in your class and how many are boys and how many girls? If 

your school has 450 students and each division has an average of 25 students, how many 

divisions would there be? Why can there be more teachers than divisions but never more 

divisions than teachers? 


1. On page 49 Kyle states to Ben, “You’re not going to be bear breakfast!” What do you think will 

happen if and when Ben meets a bear?



CHAPTER 6 - MYTH, MAGIC AND LUCKY CHARMS 



1. Ben goes into a trance when he first sees the enormous beach and later when he is ‘attacked’ by 

the eagle. His reaction to these two quite different events is much the same. What impression 

does this give you about Ben’s personality? 

2. Kyle congratulates Ben in this chapter even though he is usually picking on his cousin. How 

does this action still fit with Kyle’s character? 


1. On page 57 Kyle mentions that glass balls that had torn away from Japanese fishing nets used 

to land on the west coast of Vancouver Island and Ben and Ally think it is a myth. It is actually a 

fact, and glass balls have not been used for many years, explaining why there are now so few 

that are found. A more controversial Japanese marine activity today is whaling. Investigate 

why Japanese whaling is so controversial today. 

2. If the glass ball was bobbing along at 5 kilometers a day, (3.1 miles), how long would it take for 

the ball to reach from Japan across the Pacific Ocean to Canada’s west coast or that of 

Washington State? What other debris from the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean has, and will 

continue to wash up on the west coast for some time? 


1. The hikers cross a cable suspension bridge. How are these bridges held up? Investigate several 

famous large suspension bridges used for car traffic, pick one and either draw a picture of the 

bridge or a map of the water that it crosses and the land points the bridge connects. 


1. Ben’s hockey puck is lost in the ocean. Assuming Ben gets it back, how do you think that will 

happen? 

2. What do you think Kyle will do if he ever meets the eagle again?



CHAPTER 7 - STRANGE SIGNALS 



1. What is your impression of the eagle to this point, from the ‘attacks’ on Ben in Vancouver, in the 

truck and on the beach? How has its willingness to trade the puck for the silver band affected 

your view? 


1. Kyle claims that mud pools can “suck you under”’ making them similar to quicksand. What is 

quicksand and does it really pull you down so you eventually cannot breathe? 

2. One of the most famous and widely used codes is Morse Code. Find out about the background 

of this code, the basics of how it works and when it was used. 


1. Dots and dashes can form part of a code like the signals the hikers saw from the ship. You can 

make your own code. Try using a dot for the number 1, a dash for the number 2 and an ‘x’ for 

the number 3. Make up three more symbols for numbers 4, 5 and 6. Then try your code by 

writing the numbers 455, 261, 3,262 and 64,531. If you can extend your code to the number ‘0’ 

and add numbers 7, 8 and 9, you can write any number in your code including telephone 

numbers and street addresses. 

2. A hockey puck is hard and would be difficult for the eagle to carry. Pucks are made from 

vulcanized rubber which is rubber treated with high pressure and temperature. The term 

vulcanized comes from one of two references to ‘Vulcan’. What are these two ‘meanings’ of 

Vulcan and which one gave the name to vulcanized rubber? 


1. There is something strange going on at the lighthouse. What do you think is happening? 

Provide reasons and clues for your prediction. 

2. The eagle has spent a lot of time and effort to obtain the silver band. What do you think the 

eagle intends to do with the bracelet and how is that linked to the hikers? 

3. Assuming Ben gets the silver band back, how do you think that will happen?



CHAPTER 8 - CHAOS AT THE CANYON 



1. Why do you think Ally never told Kyle about her near-fall from Canyon Bridge? 

2. Why do you believe Ben is insistent upon crossing Canyon Bridge? Is this consistent with his 

character? Why or why not? 


1. Ally states that rain falls heavily in the tropics and then can stop suddenly. What and/or where 

are the tropics? Name ten countries with territory in the tropics. 

2. Monsoons are a special type of tropical rainfall. Explain what and when the South Asian 

monsoon affects India. 


1. Engineers are a group of people who having training in the building of bridges, dams, pipelines 

machinery, power lines and other large structures. A generation ago, engineers were mostly 

men but now more women are becoming engineers. Math is a very important subject for 

engineers since building large structures includes using Math to calculate weight, height, length, 

pressure and many other considerations. There are many types of engineers. Research to find 

out the difference between civil electrical and mechanical engineering. Do you think you may 

be interested in engineering when you are older? Which classmates would be good engineers? 

2. Draw two pictures, each on one-half of a blank sheet of paper of how you visualize Canyon 

Bridge, before Ben’s crossing and then after the damage caused by the tree with Ben hanging in 

mid-air. 


1. What do you think caused the massive trunk to veer slightly and miss the bridge, thus 

potentially saving Ben? 

2. Who do you believe has captured Kyle and Ally and what does he, she or it, plan to do with 

them? 

3. Who is the thug who, when looking at Ben across the canyon, claims, “I think I’ve seen that kid 

before?”



CHAPTER 9 - BIZARRE BEHAVIOUR FOR A BEAST 



1. Ben decides to try to cross over the canyon rather than going back to Bamfield to get help. 

What does this say about his character and why is this consistent with what you know about him 

already? 

2. Why is it logical for Ben to believe the black shape is a bear even though Kyle said it was too 

early for the animal’s to be out of hibernation? 

Learning More About the Environment and Wilderness: 

1. Ben is initially worried about meeting a bear and believes he is being tracked by one in Chapter 

9. Choose between a written explanation of a black bear’s size, eating habits and hibernation 

pattern, or a drawing that labels the size, their most common food and a diagram showing the 

wake and hibernation cycle. 

2. Assume that the hikers had travelled at 3 kilometers an hour, (1.86 mph), and they had hiked 

from 9:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the evening the first day, with an hour for lunch and two 15 

minute breaks. Then they hiked at the same speed for another 10 minutes on the second day. 

How far is Canyon Bridge, in kilometers, from the start of the trail? 


1. Ben’s ride down the hillside on his rear end was described as a luge ride without the snow. 

Complete a bar graph from showing the number of medals; Gold, Silver and Bronze won by the 

following countries in luge events at the Winter Olympics since luge became a sport in 1964 – 

Germany 70 medals, Austria 18 medals, Italy 16 medals, Soviet Union/Russia 7 medals and the 

United States, 4 medals. 

2. Luge is not the only Winter Olympic Sport where the athlete rides on a sled and races down a 

hill. Research the sport of Skeleton and how it differs from Luge. When did the sport become 

part of the Winter Olympics and what three countries have won the most medals? 


1. Who is the creature and has it appeared previously in the story? If so, who was it? Support 

your prediction with logical thought. 

2. How do you think the creature is going to help Ben get out of the mud pool?



CHAPTER 10 - MEETING OF THE MINDS 



1. What words would you use to describe Booling’s character? 

2. What is Ben’s initial response to Booling and how does it change? How is this eventual reaction 

consistent with Ben’s character? 

3. How does Booling’s explanation about his relationship with the eagle link well with the 

encounters Ben and the eagle had in chapter 1, chapter 4, chapter 6 and chapter 7? 

4. In previous novels that you have read is there anyone who had similar characteristics as Ben and 

Booling? 

Learning More the Environment and/or Wilderness : 

1. Booling claims to have moved the old cedar tree. You can tell how many years fir and cedar 

trees have lived by the number of rings that indicate new growth each year. But the rings are 

not always evenly spaced when they are measured. Explain why and what clues that could give 

about what the environment was like in certain years? 

2. Booling has a habit of not always answering the question directly. Some people believe that this 

is a good skill to have for certain jobs. With a partner make up a series of questions about an 

environmental disaster. Then choose one person to be the journalist and have him or her ask 

the questions to the other person who will role play as the ‘expert’. But, have the expert talk a 

lot but not answer the questions. See if there are any tricks you can learn to do this better with 

practice. Later, you can switch roles with your partner. 


1. It appears Booling can communicate using thoughts rather than words. This is called telepathy 

and some people claim that they are at least a little telepathic. Go on-line and see what 

scientists have to say about human telepathy. 


1. At the end of the chapter Booling claims he is “old and tired.” What do you think will happen to 

him near the end of the story?



CHAPTER 11 - THE DYNAMIC DUO 



1. Booling claims that while the silver band can alter events and change objects, the real person 

(the being) using it remains the same. What does he mean by this? (this is a difficult question!) 

2. Booling obviously enjoys a simple hand gesture like a ‘high-five’. What is it about his character 

that would make him be so taken with that kind of small gesture? 


1. Draw a map of how you see the area with Canyon River, the bridge, the path Ben finds, the hill 

he slides down, the mud pool and the cave where he and Booling rest on the other side, and 

finally include where Frank and Joe are. Be sure to indicate the directions for Bamfield and the 

lighthouse. 

2. Since you cannot draw a large piece of land on a piece of paper you need to use a scale to show 

distance. Assuming the trail from Bamfield to Canyon Bridge is 12 kilometers, (7.5 miles) draw a 

line that shows that distance with a scale of 1cm to 0.5km (or 1 inch to 1 mile). Using the same 

scale, draw a line with the distance from your home to school. Choose three other distances 

and use the same scale to draw a line for each, (make sure you label or title each line). Check an 

atlas or road map to see the scale they use. 


1. One of the nicknames for the Batman and Robin characters in the comics and movies is ‘the 

Dynamic Duo.’ Complete some research on the origins on Batman and Robin comic books. 

When did the series start and what is the value of some of the old collector comic book 

editions? 

2. As with a ‘high five’, hand gestures can provide a quick and simple message. One of the most 

famous hand signals was a two-fingered ‘V’ gesture in the 1940’s. What did the signal indicate 

and what were the circumstances behind it? Who made the signal so famous? 


1. How are Ben and Booling going to sneak around the guards without being seen?



CHAPTER 12 - STUPID SCOUNDRELS GET THE SLIP 



1. Ben is usually calm but in this chapter he ‘loses it’ and snaps, growls, yells and swears while 

kicking his pack. Soon he has calmed down. Why do you think people Ben’s age (13) can have 

such quick mood swings? 


1. The lighthouse is situated in a circular peninsula, a circle being one of the important shapes in 

geometry. Why were circular structures used so much for towers in castles even when they are 

more expensive to build? 

2. Draw a map of what you believe the lighthouse compound looks like, including the location of 

the tower, the root cellar, the north beach and the cove. 


1. Ben uses the silver band to reflect light and light travels pretty fast – almost 300 million metres 

per second! (186,282 miles per second). One of the smartest scientists in history, Albert 

Einstein, developed a theory in the early part of the 1900’s and still believed today, that nothing 

could travel faster than the speed of light. Einstein’s Math and Physics are very complicated and 

part of his work in physics helped lead scientists to the construction of the first atomic weapon 

after he had left Nazi Germany in the 1930’s. Research Einstein’s view of atomic and nuclear 

weapons after World War II and the first atomic weapons had been used on Hiroshima and 

Nagasaki. 

2. Joe is running on a gimpy leg and we assume it is not broken because we believe few people 

could run, or even hobble fast, with a broken leg. However, a hockey player, playing for the 

Toronto Maple Leafs in a playoff hockey game in the 1960’s actually scored the winning goal 

while playing on a broken leg. Check out what occurred with some quick research. His name 

was Bobby Baun. 


1. What kind of lie will Frank come up with and will Joe remember it well enough to help with the 

fake story? 

2. Frank has always been the leader between him and Joe but despite this they always seem to get 

in trouble, such as in Mr. Sung’s grocery store and at the bridge. Do you think Joe will ever be 

able to take the leadership away from Frank or at least contribute more? Why or why not?



CHAPTER 13 - CUTTHROAT COOPERATION 



1. The Boss wanted as few boat captains as possible to see his operation. What does this say 

about his personality? 

2. On page 122 the Boss believes that Joe is, “Too dumb to lie.” What do you think he means by 

that statement and does it take intelligence to lie? Why or why not? 


1. The Coast Guard is an important service for those who work in the marine environment and the 

Boss is confident that the Coast Guard will never catch him. What is the Coast Guard and when 

did it start? What careers are available in the Coast Guard and do you think it may be an 

interesting place to work? Of your classmates who do you think would be a good captain of a 

Coast Guard vessel and why? 


1. Clothing is an important part of work and fashion. Some jobs require men to wear a suit and tie 

and women to wear a dress, skirt or dress pants. Why would some businesses insist on this type 

of dress code? The Boss is dressed neatly and cleanly but is very evil. What role do clothes play 

in how other people think of a person’s character? Do the clothes that your fellow students 

wear say something about their character? Why or why not? 

2. The lighthouse tower is an octagon shape, an eight sided building. Draw an octagon with equal 

sides. Draw other shapes of rooms and buildings such as a hexagon and a pentagon, (note that 

a former Olympic sport, the pentathalon, had five events). Find and write down objects in your 

classroom that are rectangles, triangles, squares and circles. What are the most common two 

types of shapes? 

3. The lighthouse is run-down by age and neglect. When an object loses value over time due to 

age it is called depreciation. One of the most common objects to depreciate in value is a car. If 

you purchased a new car for $20,000 and it depreciates 10% a year, how much is the car worth 

when it is three years old? 


1. The Boss ordered his one boat captain to go north and search for Ben who the Boss thought was 

heading back to Bamfield. What impact might this have in later chapters?



CHAPTER 14 - A HELPING HAND TO A FALLEN FOE 



1. Give your impressions of Joe’s reaction to Frank lying hurt in the water. How does this indicate 

the type of character Joe is and how does it show a slight change in him? 

2. Similar to question one, Joe’s reaction to Booling shows some changes in Joe’s character. 

Explain. 


1. North-south directions can be tricky. Find a map of Canada and locate the St. Lawrence River in 

Quebec/Ontario and the Mackenzie River in the North West Territories. Both rivers flow to the 

north which is toward the top of your map. Using your atlas find another river in Africa that 

flows through Egypt that does the same. How is this possible? 

2. Ally is rescued from the root cellar that often used sod as a covering. What is a root cellar and 

what is sod? 

3. Ben and Frank tumble into the shallow water where the ocean meets the low-lying land. There 

are many places where large rivers flow from low-lying land into the ocean. What are formed 

when this occurs and why is the land so valuable? 


1. Frank tried to angle his run to shorten the distance and thus catch Ben before the boy hopped 

down to the beach. Many people who are good at sports or other games seem to naturally 

understand the math about angles. Pool is a game which is almost entirely dependent upon 

the player knowing angles, games of almost pure geometry. Check out the rules and purpose 

of the game of pool. For an additional challenge you may wish to investigate the game of 

billiards. 


1. What do you think Frank and Joe will do if Ben is successful in healing Frank? 

2. How are Ben, Booling and Ally going to rescue Kyle from the lighthouse?



CHAPTER 15 - HASTE MAKES WASTE 



1. In this chapter Joe has shown more ability and confidence than he has in the past. Name at 

least two occasions to prove this point. 

2. When Kyle meets Ben again in the lighthouse, Kyle notes a certain change in his younger cousin. 

What is it and why do you think this has happened? 

3. After Frank has been healed there is a specific instance that indicates he has changed, even 

before he agrees to help Ben. What is it? 


1. The measurement for travelling in the marine environment is in knots. Land travel, in Canada, 

European countries like France, Italy and Germany, and in Asian countries like Japan, China and 

India is measured in kilometers, while the United States uses miles. One knot per hour equals 

1.85 kilometers an hour and 1.15 miles per hour. If the boat was travelling 15 knots per hour 

how fast was it going in kilometers per hour and how fast in miles per hour? 

2. A navigator controls, directs and/or maps out the movement of ships and airplanes from one 

point to another. Act as a navigator to a blindfolded partner to move from your classroom to 

the gym avoiding touching or guiding and using only your voice as directions. 


1. The Boss has men lifting and carrying crates because there is no machinery at the abandoned 

lighthouse. If a person can lift and move twenty crates in an hour what is the rate, in minutes, 

for one crate? If the same person is operating a forklift and can lift and move three hundred 

crates in an hour what is the rate for one crate? How many times more efficient is the one 

person using the forklift? 


1. Joe spied a pistol on the counter in the lighthouse. Whose pistol is it and how could its location 

be a factor in what happens next? 

2. The silver band has been left in the lighthouse tower. Who do you think will retrieve it and to 

what ends will he or she use it?



CHAPTER 16 - DEALING WITH A DEVIL 



1. While the Boss is the leader, the men clearly do not like him. Is it possible to be a good leader 

even if the followers do not like you much, or is being well liked more important? 

2. What are some characteristics of a good leader lacking in the Boss? Which students in your 

class or school would be good leaders and why? 


1. In this chapter it is raining yet again in the Bamfield area. Complete a bar graph for the 

precipitation (rainfall and snowfall) in Bamfield, B.C. and for the town or city where you live, (or 

the one that is closest). What comparisons can you make between the two? 

2. Create your own island that will have considerable rainfall in a city the eastern side and very 

little in a city on the western side. You can do this by indicating the direction of most of the 

windstorms (east to west) and a mountain range that sits near the eastern city. Name your 

island, the cities and the mountain range. Much coastal rainfall in British Columbia or 

Washington State occurs when the wet air from the Pacific Ocean is forced up over mountains 

right at the ocean shore. As the air is forced upwards, it cannot hold the moisture and it 

condenses into clouds and eventually rain. This is the windward side. The other side of the 

mountains is said to be in a rain shadow (the leeward side). 


1. The men are close to a mutiny. What is a mutiny? The Mutiny on the Bounty is probably the 

most famous mutiny in history since it has been made into at least three movies – 1935, 1962 

and 1984. Investigate the movies, when were they made and who were the stars? 

2. Ben and the Boss are making a deal through bargaining. This is very common and usually a 

contract is written. What is a contract and why are they so common? Try bargaining for an item 

owned by a classmate by offering money (pretend you have lots of cash!) Try writing up a 

contract when you agree on a price. What are some conditions that should be included? (this is 

a difficult activity!) 


1. We know the boat has no gas so how will Ben and Kyle escape – or will they? 

2. Will Booling be able to turn the huge light on, survive and, if so, how will he escape?

. 



CHAPTER 17 - DOCKSIDE DISASTER 



1. Ben stays strong-willed as he bargains with the Boss. But the Boss spots a weakness and uses it 

to his advantage. What tactic does the Boss use and how does it affect Ben? 

2. Frank has appeared to join forces with Ben and Kyle. In this chapter we see that Frank truly has 

changed by the direct action he takes. What is the direct action and how does it help? 


1 Ben is pulled out of the cold water just before he begins to suffer from hypothermia. What is 

hypothermia and the opposite health threat, hyperthermia? 

2 Ben plans to bargain the charts for a boat. The charts will have lines that show nautical depth. 

Contour lines on a land map show elevation. Find a topographic map which shows contour lines 

and work to understand them. Draw a rectangle as a map of an area and, using contour lines, 

show a steep cliff and a wide-broad valley, (this is a difficult activity). 

3 Tying good knots is a useful skill for boaters in a marine environment. Obtain a length of rope, 

research the following three types of knots and then try tying them, the slip knot, the anchorbend 

and the bowline knot. 


1. Ben runs along the dock and takes a jump to the boat. With a partner measure how far you can 

jump from standing still. Try this three or four times to get an average. Then do a slow walk 

and do the jump, measuring the distance for the same number of times to get an average. Then 

do the jump from a fast walk, and finally a run, (using the gym or outside). Make a chart with 

the average length of the four types of jumps. What conclusion can you make and can you 

explain why? 


1. Kyle, Frank and Joe have clambered onto a boat with no radio and very little gas. How are they 

going to help Ben? 

2. The Boss is going to take Ben to the tower. Soaked and tired, how will Ben be able to escape 

before the evil smuggler gets him inside?



CHAPTER 18 - TORMENT IN THE TOWER 



1. On page 173 the Boss claims that, “Money gives power…” Is that true? Does having a great deal 

of money change a person’s character or personality? Why or why not? 

2. Compare Ally’s character in this chapter with the young woman near the beginning of the story. 

How has Ally changed? 


1. Lighthouses are a common sight on two of Canada’s three coasts, Pacific and Atlantic, (the 

Arctic coast has very few), and on the east and west coast of the United States. Until recently, 

people worked in them and many were in very isolated places. What would life be like growing 

up in a lighthouse? 

2. Travelling in the winter wilderness may require snowmobiles and the marine environment, 

boats, usually powered by engines measured in horsepower. One unit of horsepower is about 

750 watts of power and some of the light bulbs in your house will be 60 or 100 watts. How 

many 60 watt light bulbs would it take to make the same energy as one unit of horsepower? 

How many 60 watt light bulbs will it take to make the same energy as a 60 horsepower boat 

engine and a 350 horsepower car engine? 


1. The workers are not very loyal to the Boss and when scared, run away. Their motivation is very 

low. Find out more about motivation. Are there some activities in which you are really 

motivated and others that you are not? Are some adults able to motivate you while others 

can’t? Try to explain the techniques coaches or teachers use that work to motivate you. 

2. Ben has used the hockey puck twice to strike another person or animal not wearing pads or a 

helmet, the eagle early in the story and now the Boss. Using a diagram or drawing of a hockey 

player, explain the pads each one wears including the helmet. 


1. Booling is near dead and to make sure, the Boss steps on his arm, cracking and breaking the 

bones. If Booling is not dead, is there any way he would not have cried out in pain? 

2. Ally pulls the trigger of the gun at the end of the chapter. What do you think happens?



CHAPTER 19 - POWER IN THE PALM OF A HAND 


Helping You Check Out the Characters: 

1. Ben claims that holding the gun gave him power and almost changed him, similar to the high he 

got when he used the silver band. Can power be addictive like a drug and can it change a 

person’s character? Why or why not? 

2. Why do you think Ben gave the silver band back to Booling? Do you think this was a wise 

decision on his part? Would you have done the same if you were him? 

3. The Boss was clearly somewhat unstable before and after getting bashed on the head with the 

hockey puck and learning of all his mistakes, he has become deranged, (mad). What are at least 

four mistakes the Boss has made? 

4. From other stories have you encountered other characters with personalities similar to Kylke 

and Ally? 

5. How would describe how you felt about Frank and Joe at the beginning of the story and at the 

end? 


1. The Boss was described as a tyrant. What are the leadership characteristics usually associated 

with tyrants? 

2. The story is approximately 57,000 words. Estimate the number of full and partial hours it took 

you to read the book. Convert that number into minutes, (hint – remember how many minutes 

are in an hour). Now you have two numbers, the total words and the total minutes. Calculate 

how many words you read in a minute, (hint – if reading the book took you 57,000 minutes then 

you read one word a minute! – you will likely be a much faster reader than that!). 

Predicting the Plot: 

1. If you were to set another novel with Ben and Booling, that emphasized more myth and magic 

and with a mythical creature, and it was set in Canada or the U.S., what ideas would you have? 

2. If you were to set another novel featuring Ben and Booling, but only one of Kyle or Ally, which 

one would you pick to not be in the next novel and why? What kind of character would you 

replace him or her with? (the second novel – Yurek: Edge of Extinction has only one of Kyle or 

Ally!) but has a new character – Yurek). 

3. You probably knew that the hockey puck was going to be of some use to Ben since he 

considered it his ‘good luck’ charm. In what three ways did he use the disc in the story?

Chapter 1 Answer Key: 

TEACHER ANSWER KEY 

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDENT ACTIVITIES 

Characters: Question # 1 – Ben tries to mask his feelings by saying he is ‘fine’ and gets 

annoyed when his mother questions him further. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question # 1 – Proficient scavengers, seagulls eat, or try to eat, almost 

everything and consume a great amount of dead animals and organic litter that otherwise could decay 

and be a blight or a health issue in the urban environment. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question # 2a – $38.50 - a total of 175 km. and for every 5 kilometers it costs 

$1.10 for gasoline so 175 km in total would cost $38.50 a week in gas. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2b - $26.56 – a total of 25 miles a day is 125 miles per week and the 

car gets 20 miles to the gallon thus using 6.25 gallons at $4.25 per gallon. 

Extending: Question # 1 - The Air Canada Centre is the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs 

with a seating capacity of 18,800 for hockey and 19,800 for Toronto Raptors basketball games. 

Extending: Question # 2 - The Montreal Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, 22 since NHL 

teams became the sole competitors for the cup in 1927. Toronto teams have won 13 Stanley Cups. The 

New York Yankees have won 27 World Series while the St. Louis Cardinals are second with 11. 


Characters: Question # 1 – There are two direct examples where Frank shows he is smarter 

than Joe, first he notices Mr. Sung’s slip of the tongue and secondly he realizes the half-drank pop mean 

someone else is in the shop. Generally he bosses Joe and Joe accepts it. 

Extending: Question # 1 - Cous-cous is a whole grain pasta from wheat and can look similar 

to short grain rice. Falafel is fried chick pea, (garbanzo bean) patties most often found in pita bread 

sandwiches. Both foods are popular in the Middle East and North Africa region. 

Extending: Question # 2 - Carbon dioxide gas is put under pressure and when released 

causes the liquid to fizz. If you shake a can of soda the carbon dioxide mixes more quickly with the air 

making the liquid fizz more. The pop becomes flat when the carbon dioxide has been released. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question # 1 - According to plate tectonic theory, giant plates float in the earth’s 

crust and these plates bump or grind against each other causing earthquakes. The plates that are most 

active with movement rim the Pacific Ocean, often called the “Ring of Fire” for the high level of 

earthquake and volcanic activity. The central part of North America is not an area where two or more 

large plates are present and therefore the risk of plate ‘collisions’ and the earthquake and/or volcanic 

activity is not nearly as high. 

Pg. 1

Chapter 3 cont. 


CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDENT ACTIVITIES cont. 

Enviro./Wild: Question #2 – Just under 10 hours – It is about 7,800 km. in distance (4,846 

miles) so travelling at around 800 km per hour, (497 mph) would take just under 10 hours. 

Extending: Question # 1 - Escalators were first patented in 1859 but the first one was not in 

use until 1896 at Coney Island in New York. With steel steps that move on a track with a continuous 

loop they move at between 1-2 feet per second with a common rise of about 30%. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Wildlife Crossing Areas are human-constructed underpasses or 

overpasses to allow wild animals to cross a human barrier such as a major highway. As of 2007 there 

were 24 such crossings in Banff National Park with an estimated 84,000 animal crossings over 25 years. 

17 more have been planned or are already built. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Mammals are warm blooded in that their blood temperature 

does not change with the environment temperature like fish who are cold blooded. Mammals have hair 

cover while fish have scales and fish breathe through gills while mammals have lungs. Mammals give 

live birth and have females have mammary glands, (hence the term ‘mammal’) to produce milk to feed 

their young. Fish do not have mammary glands and 97% of the species lay eggs to reproduce. 

Extending: Question #1 – if a child runs 100 metres in 25 seconds it is 250 seconds for 1 

kilometer, and 250 seconds translates to approximately 4.066 minutes to run a kilometer at the same 

speed. Take the number of minutes in an hour (60) and divide that by the amount of time it takes to run 

1 kilometre and the number will be around 14.7 kmh. A child taking 20 seconds will be running at about 

18 kmh. and a child taking 30 seconds to run 100 metres would be at about 12 kmh. An eagle diving for 

food has been estimated to travel between 120-160 kmh. and there has been a claim of a cheetah 

chasing prey at 114 kmh. but most believe a more realistic 97 kmh. 

Extending: Question #2 – if a child runs 100 yards in 25 seconds and a mile is 1,760 yards 

then the multiple of 25 seconds times 17.6 (the number of 100’s in a mile) is 440 seconds. The total of 

440 seconds in minutes/seconds is 7.33 minutes (440 divided by 60) to run a mile and the miles per hour 

is 8.18 (60 minutes divided by 7.33). Using the same math process a child who runs 100 yards in 20 

seconds would be running at 9.77 mph and a child who ran 100 yards in 30 seconds would be running at 

6.8 mph. An eagle diving for food has been estimated to travel between 74.5 and 99.4 miles per hour 

and there has been a claim of a cheetah running at almost 70 mph though most believe a more realistic 

60 mph. 

Pg. 2




Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – 45 km. per hour to take 2 hours; if averaging 60 kph. it would take 

1.5 hours to go 90 km. If the driver averages 75 km. per hour it would take1.25 hours. Using miles a 

person would be travelling 28 mph to take two hours; if averaging 37mph it would take approximately 

1.5 hours and if averaging 46.6 mph it would take 1.25 hours. 

Extending: Question # 1 - There are 82 regular games - according to Forbes Magazine the 

average salary is $2,400,000 for 2011-12 so the average player would make $29,268.00 per game! 

Extending: Question #3 – 18 divisions if the school had 450 students and 25 in each 

division. A division will always have a teacher but some divisions may have two teachers. 


Characters: Question #1 – Ben becomes trance-like at the majesty of the deserted gigantic 

beach which is a natural reaction. His trance-like state while under attack is not normal behaviour and 

thus signifies a hint for the future direction of the story. 

Characters: Question #2 – Though Kyle sees Ben as a ‘city wimp’ he is impressed with Ben 

firing the puck at the eagle and breaking its wing since he is a teen of impulsive action and is relatively 

aggressive. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – There is a ban on whaling for commercial purposes from 1986. 

Japan continues to engage in whaling for scientific research which is allowed in the International 

Whaling Agreement Agreement and which Japan does conduct. However, the meat from these whales 

find their way onto store shelves. Many environmental groups believe this ‘whaling for scientific 

research’ is thinly-disguised commercial whaling. 

Enviro./Wild: Question #2 – 4.26 years or almost 4 years, 3 months; at 5km. per day (3.1 

miles per day), the glass ball would travel 1,825 km. (1,134 miles) in a year, taking just over 4 years to 

travel 7, 770 km. (4,828 miles). The debris from the 2011 Japanese earthquake will be washing up on 

the B.C., Washington and Oregon coast for many years, causing concern for many environmentalists. 

Extending: Question #1 - The deck is suspended from cables. Towers hold up the cables 

and these types of bridges are used for long spans. They also provide a great deal of support for the 

material required, making them relatively economical to build. The Lions Gate in Vancouver and Golden 

Gate in San Francisco are examples. 

Pg. 3




Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 - Quicksand is a mix of sand, water and clay and if disturbed it 

liquefies, (like stirring yogurt) with the sand and clay sinking to the bottom. The quicksand is twice as 

dense as a person so a person would only sink about half way and not drown or suffocate, but it is very 

difficult to be pulled out. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 - Morse code originated in 1836 and by the 1920’s was used 

extensively in naval operations since, unlike radio waves, it can be received in poor signal conditions. It 

was replaced in 1999 as the international standard for maritime communication. 

Extending: Question #1 – Vulcan has two common meanings today. In ancient Roman 

mythology Vulcan was the god of fire and in the Star Trek series Vulcan is the home planet for the 

Vulcans who are allied with Earth and focus on reason and logic rather than emotion. Spock is perhaps 

the most famous fictional Vulcan. The term to vulcanize rubber comes from the Roman God of fire as 

extreme heat is used in the process. 


Characters: Question #1 – Ally would not likely tell her brother of her near fall from Canyon 

Bridge since she values her competence in the outdoors to the point where it is an important 

component of her character. To admit to an almost fatal mistake would be difficult, especially to her 

brother. She does underestimate Kyle however, because he had heard about the near-fall, keeps his 

knowledge hidden and is sensitive to Ally’s need to successfully cross the bridge. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – The 23.5 degree tilt of the earth causes the sunlight variance of 

winter and summer, that is most extreme at the poles. The Tropic of Cancer is 23.5 degrees, the 

furthest north direct sunlight will be on June 21. The Tropic of Capricorn is 23.5 degrees south with the 

same effect on December 22. The area between - the Tropics, has relatively little differential in sunlight 

length from summer to winter. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Air temperature over water is much more constant than that over 

land. In hot months (June-September) the Indian land mass air is much warmer than the air over the 

oceans. Warm air causes gas expansion and low pressure. Air moves (in the form of wind) from high 

pressure over the moist oceans to low pressure over the subcontinent. Hot air rising rapidly over the 

land, cooling and then condensing adds moisture to the ocean-based winds and rains. 

Extending: Question #1 – As a quick simple summary - Civil engineers plan/construct roads, 

bridges and dams and lectrical engineers plan/construct the making of electrical equipment, power lines 

and wiring in buildings and airplanes. Mechanical engineers design/construct machines, tools, robots 

and vehicles. 

Pg. 4




Characters: Question #1 – Ben’s decision to not return to Bamfield and try to cross the 

canyon to rescue his cousins displays bravery, loyalty and a streak of stubbornness that we are 

beginning to see from the young teen. 

Characters: Question #2 – it was logical for Ben to assume the shadowy shape was a bear 

since vision was difficult in the pouring rain, the figure was black like a bear and it was hunched over, 

similar to a bear walking on all four legs. In addition there could be little other explanation for such a 

shape in the wilderness. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 - 30% heavier just before hibernation, black bear males can weigh 

up to 250 kilograms (550 lbs.), but that is rare. Females are about one-third smaller. In the fall-winter 

they hibernate for 3-5 months with heartbeats dropping from 40-50 per minute to 8. Vegetation is 85% 

of the diet with ants, bees, small animals and salmon forming the remaining 15%. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – 20 kilometers, (12.42 miles) – they hiked 6.5 hours the first day, 

which, at 3 kmh. (1.86 mph) is 19.5 kilometres, (12.09 miles). On the second day they hiked for 10 

minutes travelling at 1 km every 20 minutes, (3 kmh.) so in 10 minutes they would have gone another .5 

of a kilometer. Using miles, on the second day they travelled one sixth (10 minutes of a 60 minute hour) 

which is an additional .31 of a mile. 

Extending: Question #2 - Skeleton became an official Winter Olympic Sport in 2002 and the 

athlete lies face down on a sled with no brakes or steering and go down the same track as luge. As of 

2010, the most medals have been won by the United States (6), Britain (5) and Canada (4). 


Characters: Question #2 – Ben initially is doubtful of Booling to the point of mocking him. 

However, the boy’s naturally high tolerance level for those who are different, coupled with his believing 

that Booling’s eyes seemed familiar and Booling’s knowledge of their trip to date, begins to cause Ben to 

shift his view. 

Characters: Question #3 – In chapter 1 on the Vancouver dock and chapter 4 in the truck, 

Ben felt the eagle was trying to communicate. While it seemed like a true attack in chapter 6 on the 

beach, the eagle did retrieve the puck and in chapter 7 did trade the puck for the silver band. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – The growth of a tree, as indicated by the distance of the rings, 

would be affected by the climate for that year, with wide rings indicating weather ideal for growth and 

narrow ones indicating poor growth conditions such as drought. 

Extending: Question # 1 - There has been no proof of telepathy in well-controlled 

experiments. Some claims may be ‘Cold Readers’ - very skilled at signals from others by noticing body 

language, age, clothing, hairstyle, speech and ethnicity and then making ‘educated’ guesses. 

Pg. 5




Characters: Question #1 – Booling enjoys small hand gestures like ‘high-fives’ since it helps 

him make a connection with humans, especially young people. 

Extending: Question #1 - Batman first appeared May 1939. In ‘mint’ condition the 1940 

edition with the first appearance of the Joker is valued at around $120,000. The 1941 issue with the first 

mention of the Batmobile is valued at $6,800. The condition is a prime factor in the value. 

Extending: Question #2 - In the period from the fall of France (mid 1940) to the entry of the 

Soviet Union, (mid 1941), Britain was the last major remaining country at war with Nazi Germany, 

(Canada was fighting with Britain and the U.S. joined in Dec. 1941). The British Prime Minister, Winston 

Churchill, made the ‘V’ sign popular as a symbol of victory in the days when victory was very doubtful. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – The most common reason was sightlines for ease of defence. 

First and foremost castles were defensive military structures and towers were taller so soldiers could 

see further and they were usually round for range of sight. 

Extending: Question #1 – Though he had warned U.S. President Roosevelt of Nazi 

Germany’s potential to build an atomic bomb and though he favoured fighting the war to defeat Nazi 

Germany, Einstein was opposed to the use and spread of atomic and nuclear weapons, even though 

some of his work in physics helped make the technology possible. 

Extending: Question #2 – In the 1964 Stanley Cup finals Toronto was down 3 games to 2 

against Detroit. In the 3 rd period in a tied 6th game Bobby Baun blocked a shot. He refused to have an 

X-Ray, insisting only on icing the leg. Baun played in overtime and scored the winning goal of the 6 th 

game less than 2 minutes into overtime. It was found Baun’s leg had been broken earlier in the game 

when blocking the shot. The Maple Leafs won the seventh game of the series and the Stanley Cup. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 - Canada has the world’s longest coastline as it has three oceans, 

Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic and the United States the Atlantic and Pacific as well as a long coastline on 

the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guards in Canada and the United States are responsible for Marine 

Search and Rescues, assisting with navigation and monitoring the coastline. They are not a military 

service, that marine task is done by the Canadian and American Navy. Coast Guard careers range from 

deck hands, navigators, and engineers, to electricians, marine mechanics, cooks and clerks – a very wide 

range! 

Pg. 6




Extending: Question #3 – Most students will answer $14,000 since they will take 10% off 

the first year, ($2,000), then the same amount in 2 and 3. However, since the car is worth $18,000 in 

year 1, the 10% depreciation is $1,800 not $2,000. And thus, since the car is worth $16,200 in year 2 the 

depreciation is $1,620 in that year, not $2,000. However, the point is still made with students regarding 

the concept of depreciation. Other items can appreciate in value over time with examples being some 

real estate, some Art, some antiques and some precious metals, largely due to the law of supply and 

demand. 


Characters: Question #1 – Joe struggles with all his might to pull the prone Frank from the 

water and pleads with Ben to help him. He realizes Ben will be reluctant and scared, so Joe shows 

empathy as he promises not to hurt the boy. 

Characters: Question #2 – While Joe is predictably wary of Booling, he does muster enough 

courage to speak to the old man and ask him if he can help Frank. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 - The Mackenzie and St. Lawrence rivers appear to be flowing 

upwards only because they flow north, which, in most maps, is towards the top. The elevation is the key 

issue since water flows downhill and the land where the river starts is higher than the coast where it 

ends. Elevation is not shown on flat paper maps and can be difficult to visualize. The Nile River in Africa 

is similar in that it flows from the highlands of East Africa northwards (seemingly up on a map), to its 

mouth in Egypt. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Root cellars were very popular, particularly in rural areas and 

prior to refrigerators. They were constructed wholly or partially underground and food was stored in 

relatively constant cool temperature and steady humidity. This kept food cool but not frozen in winter 

and cool enough to discourage spoilage in summer. Often root cellars were covered with sod which is 

the root-laden soil beneath grass or turf. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #3 – Large slow moving rivers across relatively flat land often carry a 

great deal of silt giving them a muddy look. When the river meets ocean water, it slows down and 

‘dumps’ the silt. Over time the silt builds up and forms islands of silt above the river waters. These flat 

islands are very fertile and excellent farmland, the Fraser River delta in Richmond and Delta B.C. being a 

good example, as is the very large and fertile deltas formed by the Mississippi River in the United States 

and Nile River in Egypt. 

Extending: Question #1 - 8 ball is commonly referred to as pool, though there are other 

pool games. There are 16 balls, one of which is the white cue ball which you use to shoot. There are 7 

striped and 7 solid balls and the object is to sink one group of seven, (solid or striped), into one of the 6 

pockets and then sink the black-coloured 8 ball before your opponent. 

Pg. 7




Characters: Question #1 – Two good examples of Joe’s growing confidence is that he is able 

to join in lying to the guards and has the good sense to grab the metal cylinder to store the altered 

nautical charts. 

Characters: Question #2 – Ben is more confident with Kyle since he has more information, 

has helped rescue Ally, has used the silver band and has a plan to rescue all of them. Kyle has been left 

out of all this as a prisoner in the tower. 

Characters: Question #3 – A good example of the change in Frank was his query to Ben, 

asking the boy to heal Joe, and then not arguing when Joe declined the offer. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 - 27.7 kilometers per hour – this is a good estimating exercise since 

the 1.85 differential is close to double so at 15 knots the answer will be close to 30. 17.25 miles per 

hour is roughly the equivalent pace. 

Extending: Question #1 1 crate every 3 minutes; if the rate is 300 crates every 60 

minutes then it is 5 every minute or 15 every 3 minutes – 15 times faster 


Characters: Questions #1 & 2 – One definition of leadership is “organizing a group of people 

to achieve a common goal” and that of a leader to “exert influence to enlist the aid and support of 

others”. Most early leadership theory focused on certain traits that leaders have and thus leadership 

could be transferred from one situation or activity to another. Later, others noted that effective leaders 

in some situations were not in others sparking a ‘situational’ theory of leadership. Trait theory has 

made somewhat of a comeback recently. 

Extending: Question #1 – A mutiny is a group of people, most often in a military setting, 

plotting to overthrow an authority or those in command. The 1789 mutiny on HMS Bounty was led by 

officer Fletcher Christian against commanding officer William Bligh. Bligh was forced into a lifeboat with 

his supporters and cast adrift near Tahiti, eventually making his way to England and continued 

command. Christian was portrayed by Clark Gable (1935), Marlon Brando (1962) and Mel Gibson 

(1984). Charles Laughton (1935), Trevor Howard (1962) and Anthony Hopkins (1984) have played Bligh. 

The 1935 film was nominated for 6 Academy awards and won Best Picture while the 1962 movie, 

nominated for 7 Oscars, was shut out. 

Pg. 8




Characters: Question #1 – Ben cares about others and their safety and the Boss senses this 

as a weakness and tells the boy Ally has been captured. The Boss also senses fear in Ben and this also 

helps prompt his lie about Ally’s re-capture. 

Characters: Question #2 – When Kyle charges at the Boss and knocks the evil man down he 

quickly realizes that he cannot fight all the Boss’ men. Frank has run behind Kyle and helps pull the teen 

away from the scene and they both run to the boat. 

Envir./Wild.: Question # 1 - Hypothermia occurs when the body cannot replace the heat 

being lost and body temperature drops. Hyperthermia is the body overheating and the body to protect 

organs from water loss so a person stops its natural coolant – sweating, (perspiration). 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Contour lines join areas that have the same elevation so as an 

example, on an island they would look like a strange circle connecting all the points that were, as an 

example, 100 meters (yards) in elevation. Contour lines that are spaced closely together would show a 

steep incline or decline since there is very little land between the lines of 100 meters and 200 meters, 

(yards). When contour lines are spread apart they show a great deal of land between the changes in 

elevation so the land is relatively flat. Experienced hikers are adept at reading contour lines to know the 

topography of the area in which they are hiking. 


Characters: Question #2 – Ally has shown a tendency to be less cautious, she returns to the 

lighthouse to save Ben – she trusts Booling to lead her from the root cellar, and she is more aggressive, 

carrying a stick to the cave to meet Frank and Joe and using a pistol in the showdown with the Boss. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – 12.5 is the number of 60 watt bulbs to equal one unit of 

horsepower energy. 750 is the he number of 60 watt bulbs to equal a 60hp boat engine, (60hp x 12.5). 

4,375 is the number of 60 watt bulbs to equal a 350hp car engine, (350hp x 12.5). 


Characters: Question #2 – Ben refuses the silver band, preferring to make whatever changes 

he desires on his on rather than relying on external ‘forces’. 

Characters: Question #3 – Some of the mistakes the Boss made include…leaving his gun in 

the tower, throwing the gun down the stairs, failing to realize Booling was not dead by stomping on the 

damaged wrist, and failing to realize that Ally’s gun had bullets. 

Pg. 9




Extending: Question #1 – Originally a tyrant was a person who seized power illegally in 

ancient Greek states. The more modern term refers to a single ruler who is harsh, cruel, self-interested, 

egocentric and often paranoic about remaining in power. Middle Eastern rulers Saddam Hussein in Iraq 

and Moammar Gaddafi in Egypt were usually considered tyrants who were deposed. Hussein was 

captured, convicted and hanged for ordering the killing of over 180 civilians and Gaddafi, Libyan leader 

since 1969, was deposed in 2011. A civil was ensued and he was captured and killed in the fall of 2011. 

Predicting: Question #3 – Ben used the hockey puck to fight off the eagle on the beach, add 

extra weight to his rope that he threw to Booling so the old man could pull him from the mud hole and 

to smack the Boss in the head while trying to escape in the storm near the tower. 

Pg. 10

Teacher's Guide To "Smugglers at the Lighthouse" - Clyde Woolman

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