Year 8 Week 5 - Asha and the Spirit Bird

🎓 Learning Objectives Covered

• English:

  • Analyse character choices in high-stress situations

  • Experiment with narrative perspective and dialogue

  • Expand vocabulary related to action and emotion

  • Write creatively using dramatic structure

• Geography:

  • Understand infrastructure and transport systems in India

  • Examine how geography impacts opportunity and movement

• Citizenship / Ethics:

  • Explore moral dilemmas and rule-breaking for survival

  • Debate right vs wrong in real-world and fictional scenarios

    
    

Introduction to the Week

This week, Asha and Jeevan are no longer planning or escaping they’re on the move. On the train, they face a real threat: being caught. It’s a turning point. The safety of the home is gone. They must rely on their instincts, trust each other, and think fast.

This is the week where we explore fear, risk, and bravery not as abstract ideas, but as decisions made in the heat of the moment.

Read chapters 12-14.

Reading & Vocabulary: Chapters 12–14

Comprehension Focus:

• What do we learn about travel on the train? What are the risks?

• How does Jeevan act when the ticket inspector appears?

• What do we learn about Asha’s instincts and problem-solving?

• How does their partnership grow in this section?

  
  

Key Vocabulary Words:

Choose 6–8 new words to define, explore, and apply creatively.

• Impulsive

• Inspection

• Authority

• Conceal

• Anxiety

• Scheme

• Suspicion

• Nerve

Task

Write a short scene rewrite retelling the ticket inspector moment from his point of view. What might he be thinking? What details would he notice? Try to build suspense from a completely different perspective. Use at least 5 vocabulary words.

🌍 Geography Spotlight: Indian Railways

The train Asha and Jeevan take is part of one of the largest railway networks in the world, a system that connects even remote regions to massive cities.

Quick facts:

• India’s railway system serves over 20 million passengers per day

• Some people ride with tickets, others without, often out of desperation

• Conditions can range from basic to opulent

• Trains are lifelines for many rural families to reach opportunity in the cities

For some more facts, watch Mocomi Kids - Indian Railways.

This report by DD India - Indian Railway Turns 172.

Task

Design an Indian railway travel poster that shows both the hope and the challenge of travelling by train. Include visual elements like tracks, cities, passengers, and use text to reflect both the risks and dreams tied to the journey.

⚖️ Other Spotlight: Ethics — Rules vs. Survival

In these chapters, Asha and Jeevan hide from an authority figure and break the rules, not because they’re reckless, but because they have no other option.

Let’s explore:

• When is it OK to break the rules?

• What’s the difference between breaking a law and doing what’s right?

• Would the inspector have understood their situation or followed the rules anyway?

Task

Think of a real-world example where someone broke a rule to help someone else (e.g. hiding refugees, breaking curfew to help a friend). Was it wrong or brave?

Write a paragraph exploring this grey area, using Asha’s situation as a starting point.

🎯 Challenge of the Week

Choose one creative task:

Option 1: “How to Evade a Ticket Inspector” Survival Zine

Create a mini guide or zine titled: “What to Do When You’re Caught Without a Ticket” Include:

• 3 escape options

• 2 smart lies (or ways to deflect questions)

• A risk rating for each method

• A disclaimer about ethics

Bonus: Illustrate key scenes and use at least 4 vocabulary words

Option 2: Scene Script — “The Escape”

Write a short script or play scene showing the moment the ticket inspector arrives and Jeevan’s response.

• Use stage directions and dialogue

• Keep the scene intense and fast-paced

• Try to show Asha’s fear without saying “scared”, use her actions and words

• Use at least 5 of this week’s vocabulary words.