Franklin Watts downloadables
for every child’s learning journey
Classics Retold
This series of adaptations of well-known stories is designed to introduce
young readers to the classics. Divided into short chapters and illustrated
with modern black and white artwork, each title offers the reader
an accessible and exciting read.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Professor Aronnax and his men are held prisoner on board the submarine Nautilus,
piloted by the mysterious Captain Nemo. Deep under the sea, they glimpse the lost
city of Atlantis, dodge icebergs and do battle with a giant squid. But will they
ever manage to escape from the Nautilus?
Worksheets
These downloadable worksheets are designed to help readers extract as much meaning
as possible from the book by tackling a combination of literacy and comprehension tasks.
• In Your Own Words asks readers to look at some of the more obscure words used in the
text, and to explain what they might mean in their own words.
• What Happened Next? is a creative writing task, where readers are asked to imagine what
became of Captain Nemo and his men after Aronnax’s escape, and to write a short
continuation of the story.
• In the News asks readers to tackle a different type of creative writing by writing a short
newspaper-style report on what happened to the lost city of Atlantis. Tips on how to write a
newspaper article are given on the worksheet.
Titles in the series (click here to find out more):
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This sheet accompanies Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,
published by Franklin Watts.
www.franklinwatts.co.uk
Name..............................................
Date: ..............................
Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
In Your Own Words
Write down in your own words what you think these words from
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea might mean. Look back at the page
where the word appears to get some ideas.
1. memorable (p.5)..............................................................................................
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2. desperate (p.6).................................................................................................
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3. plunged (p.7)....................................................................................................
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4. exotic (p.12)......................................................................................................
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5. encrusted (p.20) .............................................................................................
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6. invaded (p.28).................................................................................................
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7. disaster (p.35).................................................................................................
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8. rammed (p.42) ...............................................................................................
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Now try writing a sentence
of your own using a word
from above.
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This sheet accompanies Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,
published by Franklin Watts.
www.franklinwatts.co.uk
Name..............................................
Date: ..............................
Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
What happened next?
At the end of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,
Professor Aronnax wonders what happened to
the Nautilus and its crew after his escape. Did
they get sucked into the whirlpool? Did they
finally meet their match with a mighty warship?
Or perhaps they ran aground again?
Imagine what might have happened next to
Captain Nemo and his men, and write it down
in the space below. If you run out of space,
you can continue on the back of this sheet.
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This sheet accompanies Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,
published by Franklin Watts
www.franklinwatts.co.uk
Classics Retold: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
In the news
For years, people have argued about whether Atlantis really existed.
Many believe that it was part of an island that was flooded by an
enormous wave. Imagine that you are a journalist. Investigate Atlantis in
your library or online, and write a short newspaper report about what
actually happened to the mysterious lost city of Atlantis.
When you’re writing a newspaper report, try to include the following:
• An attention-grabbing headline, such as ‘Whole Island Swallowed Up
By Giant Wave’.
• Short paragraphs that tell the reader:
where the story took place
when the story took place
what happened, in the order in which it took place.
• A photo or drawing and a caption that describes
what can be seen in it.
• A quote from someone who was there
when the events happened (a witness).
For example, someone who saw Atlantis
disappear might tell a journalist: ‘I was
fishing far out at sea, when suddenly I saw
the biggest wave I have ever seen. It covered
Atlantis in seconds. The whole island
disappeared under the sea, never to be
seen again.’
• Your name.
Look at a real newspaper article to see
how your report should be set out.
You can write on the back of
this sheet or type it
up on a computer.
This sheet accompanies 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,
published by Franklin Watts
www.franklinwatts.co.uk