If you’re looking for a beautiful read-aloud to spice up your classroom, Dick King-Smith’s The Crowstarver is the book for you! This charming tale about an unusual friendship between a young boy and a crow offers children plenty of teachable moments.
Here we will provide an overview of this fantastic story – from themes and vocabulary that can be explored to fun activities that help reinforce important concepts.
With our guidance, teachers can bring the magic of The Crowstarver into their classrooms with creative lesson plans that engage students in meaningful and memorable learning experiences.
Related: For more, check out our Planning Overview of I Was A Rat by Philip Pullman here.
The Storyline of The Crowstarver
Bestselling author Dick King-Smith captures the essence of rural life during the Second World War in his novel The Crowstarver. Readers follow Spider Sparrow as he is discovered in a lambing pen and grows up surrounded by animals. From horses to wild otters, Spider has an affinity with every animal he encounters.
His attempts at crow-starving – scaring away crows from newly sown wheat – become more than just a job but an adventure as he makes allies with all kinds of creatures and learns vital lessons about friendship, loyalty and bravery.
Key Themes In The Crowstarver
Friendship
The Crowstarver is a story of friendship between Spider and the animals he meets, as well as an exploration of the indescribable bond that can exist between people and animals.
Loyalty
Spider shows tremendous loyalty to his family, friends and village throughout the novel, learning more about himself and the nature of belief.
Bravery
Through his adventures in The Crowstarver, Spider learns the true meaning of bravery and that courage isn’t only found in physical feats and staying true to oneself.
Characters
Spider Sparrow
The protagonist of the story, Spider, is a foundling in a lamb pen who has an affinity with animals of every kind. He possesses a unique gift that allows him to connect with all sorts of creatures and a strong sense of loyalty and bravery that leads him on remarkable adventures.
The Animals
The animals surrounding Spider form an ever-growing cast of characters in the novel. From sheep and horses to wild otters and foxes, each animal has its personality and plays its part in teaching Spider valuable lessons.
Teaching Opportunities
- I am exploring themes of loyalty, bravery and friendship.
- Identifying how being different can be a strength rather than a weakness.
- It understands the importance of respect and empathy for humans and animals.
- They appreciate the power of kindness and connection between people, animals and their environment.
- I am exploring the idea that courage can come in many forms, not just physical feats.
Lesson Plan 1
Objectives:
- To understand the importance of loyalty and bravery in a variety of situations.
- To identify how being different from others can be a strength rather than a weakness.
- To explore the idea that courage can come in many forms, not just physical feats.
Introduction:
Explain to students that in this lesson, they will discuss and explore themes of loyalty and bravery as expressed through the characters, actions and messages within the story. Ask students to share their thoughts on these topics and what makes an individual brave or loyal.
Main Teaching Points:
Discuss how Spider exhibits courage by standing up for his beliefs, even when faced with difficulty and danger. Discuss how his unique gift sets him apart from other characters in the story and how it proves advantageous in certain situations.
Explore examples of loyalty between animals, between animals and people, as well as loyalty between human characters.
Reflection:
Discuss why respecting humans and animals is essential and identify ways to show empathy towards them. Talk about why kindness is crucial when interacting with others, including those who may have different beliefs or values from ourselves.
Please encourage students to think about what lessons we can learn from Spider’s story about being brave, loyal, and respectful of those around us.
Lesson Plan 2
Objectives:
- To understand the power of kindness and connection between people, animals and their environment.
- To appreciate the importance of respecting both humans and animals alike.
Introduction:
Explain to students that this lesson focuses on understanding why it is necessary to act kindly towards people and animals – which Spider demonstrates throughout his journey in the story.
Ask students to reflect on times they have shown kindness towards someone else or experienced service themselves; this could prompt exciting discussions!
Main Teaching Points:
Discuss specific examples from the text that demonstrate Spider’s empathy for other creatures, such as his interactions with sheep stuck in trees or helping fox cubs return home safely – without any expectation or reward for doing so!
Talk about how even small acts of kindness make an immense difference – like sharing food with a hungry creature – emphasising again how important it is to show respect towards all living things regardless of size or species.
Think about why kindness towards nature is vital too; talk about preserving our environment by picking up rubbish we find lying outside (no matter who put it there) or leaving wildflowers undisturbed when out walking so animals can use them for food/shelter etc…
Reflection:
Lead students into a discussion based on what they think words like ‘bravery’ mean; are there other types beyond physical feats? Talk further about themes surrounding differences such as race/gender/religion etc…and why these should be respected no matter what our beliefs are
Website Resources
The first link is to a resource page for the classic children’s story, ‘The Crow Starver’, by Dick King-Smith. It includes audio clips, discussion points and ideas for story performances.
The second link is to a website giving a brief overview of ‘The Crow Starver‘. It details the story’s plot and moral themes and provides a list of related books or stories by the same author.
The third link is a PDF download containing an adapted script for ‘The Crow Starver’ designed for school assemblies.
Finally, the fourth link is to an educational site which provides background information and resources on Dick King Smith’s life. It works, such as biographical details, book reviews and extracts from some of his stories.
FAQ for Teaching ‘The Crow Starver’ in Schools
What is ‘The Crow Starver’?
‘The Crow Starver’ is a classic children’s story by Dick King-Smith. It tells the tale of a brave and loyal crow who overcomes adversity, makes friends with some unlikely companions and ultimately proves that being different can be an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
What resources are available when teaching this story?
There are lots of valuable resources available when teaching this story. A resource page provides audio clips, discussion points and ideas for performing the story ([https://theatrealibi.co.uk/resource/the-crowstarver/]). An adapted script for school assemblies can be downloaded here ([http://www.st-lukes.devon.sch.uk/resources/pdfs/crowstarver_script.pdf]). There is also background information and resources on Dick King Smith’s life and work, such as biographical details, book reviews and extracts from some of his stories on this educational site ([https://www.twinkl.com.au/teaching-wiki/dick-king-smith]).
What themes does this story explore?
This story explores loyalty, bravery, kindness and respect towards humans and animals. It also looks at how differences between people can be seen as something to embrace rather than fear or reject – emphasising the power of connection regardless of our beliefs or values!
What learning objectives can I set when teaching ‘The Crow Starver’?
Learning objectives should include the following:
It understands the importance of loyalty and bravery in various situations.
Identifying how being different can be a strength rather than a weakness.
I am exploring why it is necessary to show kindness towards both humans and animals alike and appreciate the need to respect those around us regardless of their beliefs or values.
