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Reading schedule · Grades 6–9

Treasure Island in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 6–9, in class or at home.

Pacing

Logic-stage readers (grades 6–9) can usually manage a section a week on their own, reading a few chapters most days. Use the questions to move from what happened to why it happened: motives, causes and consequences. A long section can take two weeks without spoiling the plan.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on Treasure Island

Week 1: Chapters 1–6

Read: Chapters 1–6

An old sea captain lodges at the Admiral Benbow inn, kept by Jim Hawkins's family. After visits from Black Dog and blind Pew and the black spot, the captain dies, pirates raid the inn, and the oilskin packet is opened at the squire's hall.

Discussion questions

1. Why is the captain so afraid?
2. What is the black spot, and what does it mean?
3. What does the oilskin packet set in motion?

Escape room: The Old Sea Dog (lockedlessons.com/rooms/treasure-island-chapters-1-6/)

Week 2: Chapters 7–12

Read: Chapters 7–12

Squire Trelawney writes from Bristol about the ship and crew. Jim meets Long John Silver at the Spy-glass, Captain Smollett has doubts, Mr Arrow is lost on the voyage, and Jim overhears something from inside the apple barrel.

Discussion questions

1. Why does everyone trust Silver?
2. Why is Captain Smollett unhappy?
3. What does Jim overhear, and what should he do?

Escape room: The Sea Cook's Secret (lockedlessons.com/rooms/treasure-island-chapters-7-12/)

Week 3: Chapters 13–18

Read: Chapters 13–18

Jim slips ashore, sees Silver strike the first blow, and meets a marooned man. Then Dr Livesey takes up the story to tell how the loyal party leave the ship for the stockade.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Jim go ashore?
2. What kind of man is the marooned sailor?
3. Why does the narrator change to Dr Livesey for a while?

Escape room: The Man of the Island (lockedlessons.com/rooms/treasure-island-chapters-13-18/)

Week 4: Chapters 19–27

Read: Chapters 19–27

Jim reaches the stockade, Silver comes under a flag of truce, and the pirates attack. Jim goes off in Ben Gunn's boat, fights Israel Hands aboard the Hispaniola and returns to the stockade in the dark.

Discussion questions

1. Is Jim brave or reckless to leave the stockade?
2. How does Jim get the better of Israel Hands?
3. What does Jim find when he returns?

Escape room: Adrift at Night (lockedlessons.com/rooms/treasure-island-chapters-19-27/)

Week 5: Chapters 28–34

Read: Chapters 28–34

Jim finds himself among the pirates, a second black spot is sent, and the doctor visits and Jim makes a promise. On the treasure hunt a voice among the trees frightens the pirates, the hole is empty, a chieftain falls, and the ship sails home.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Silver protect Jim?
2. How does Ben Gunn change the story?
3. Is Silver a villain, a hero, or both?

Escape room: Flint's Pointer (lockedlessons.com/rooms/treasure-island-chapters-28-34/)