Set sail with Catalpa and test your history knowledge with this fun word search activity!

In the picture book Catalpa by Mike Lefroy and Joy Lefroy, a daring rescue mission is set in motion to free a group of Irish political prisoners from Fremantle Prison. Enter the high seas of the 1870s and learn the meaning behind words like ‘scrimshaw’, ‘gaol’ and ‘whaleboat’. Where does each word connect to the Catalpa story?

Perfect for Years 3–8, Catalpa explores themes of compassion, heroism and bravery, standing up for your beliefs, and creativity. Our free teaching notes are perfect for History classes and include more activities and discussion questions, such as:

• What events were taking place in Ireland in the mid-1800s, and why did this lead to a Fenian uprising? What was the Fenians’ aim?
• Research Morse code and how it works, then use it to send and decipher messages with a classmate.
• Why is the ship Hougoumont an important part of Western Australian history?