• Choose one of the following creative options:

• Write a first-person story: Pretend war has broken out where you live. Decide whether you would stay or leave, and describe what you take, where you go, and what your journey is like.

• Write and record a CNN-style news report from the beach in Havana as Isabel and her family leave. Use facts and emotion to bring the scene to life.

Success Criteria:

• I write from a personal or realistic perspective.

• I show understanding of the characters’ challenges.

Research one of these historical leaders:

• Adolf Hitler (Germany, 1930s)

• Fidel Castro (Cuba, 1959–2000s)

• Bashar al-Assad (Syria, 2024)

• Present your research in a poster, video or slideshow.

Include:

• Who they are

• What decisions they made

• How their leadership affected people like Josef, Isabel or Mahmoud

• (Optional): Create a passport Mahmoud might have used to enter Turkey. Include name, date, place of birth, nationality, and important stamps or symbols.

Success Criteria:

• I give clear and accurate historical information.

• I connect the leader’s actions to the characters’ stories.

• I explain the impact these decisions had on real people.

Record a short video on Youtube answering:

• Which character do you identify with the most? Why?

• Which character do you like the most?

Then choose one creative task:

• Build the St. Louis ship in Minecraft.

• Create a scene or drawing showing life below deck.

• Write a diary entry as Josef reflecting on life aboard the MS St. Louis and his father's behaviour.

Success Criteria:

• I explain my character choices thoughtfully.

• I show empathy for the character’s feelings and decisions.

• I create something that reflects events from the book with detail and care.