For the past two years I have used the Pirate theme to begin the school year. It's a fun way to introduce children to your class.
Before the first day of school:
- decorate the outside bulletin board with a pirate picture (pirate, ship, or treasure chest) and gold coins. You could have "Meet the Crew", "There's Treasure to be found in Grade ___"., "Welcome Aboard Grade __ ", "Ahoy Mateys", etc. I have drawn simple coins and xeroxed them on gold colored paper then written the student names on each one.
- Buy gold foiled chocolates that represent coins. I found mine at Dollar Stores. These are "treasures" that I keep in my treasure chest on my desk and are given out as rewards. (class helpers, internet quest completion, etc.)
- Make up an "Application to Join the Crew". You can have a lot of fun making up questions to get to know your "crew" better. The usual "tell me about your family, interests, hobbies, favourite subjects, etc" is a lot more fun when you tell them that we might need some extra hands on our sister ship and need to shanghai the rest of the family.
Rules on Board - Pirates had their own rules about how to behave and punishment for breaking these rules. It was a strict code of conduct and punishment was harsh. Together you can use this introduction of a pirate's life to make your own code of conduct in the classroom.
Other subjects/ideas:
- Writing: Make up a wanted poster for a pirate of your own. Include his or her name, physical description, where he was last seen, what he is wanted for and the reward offered. Add a coloured picture of your pirate.
- Art - Your personal "Jolly Roger" locker labels - introduce the various flags of the pirates and discuss how they were personalized. Students can make their own and use something from their own interests. (Skull and hockey sticks, music notes added, soccer balls, etc.)
- Health - Pirate's Diet - where on the food pyramid do you put turtles? What's missing? what's scurvey?
-Social - Map Skills - I mainly use Pirates to introduce map skills. After teaching grids I used a variation of Joan Bigelow's Gilligan Island game. My variation:
Print out the blank grid. Brainstorm some ideas on the board as to what "pitfalls & dangers" may await treasure hunting pirates on a tropical island. Snake bite, pick up poison dart frog, quicksand, etc. Students are directed to place 4 ships and 1 "X" for the treasure on the map. They may draw inlets or rivers to hide their ships inland. Now they add 9 - 10 "Pirate Pitfalls" as discussed above in squares of their choice. Colour and get ready to play. Each Captain has 7 crew members. If you land in a "pitfall" you must cross off one of the crew. The game is over when all 4 ships and the treasure are found or all 7 crewmen fall.
Treasure Hunt - Phys. Ed. After learning directional skills we make a treasure map and go on a treasure hunt in phys.ed. I give each group a set of easy riddles to go to various places on the playground and find information. I look for permanent fixtures as much as possible. "I am green & yellow and wave in the breeze. Go to the north side of the school and look up...look way up" The answer would be our Saskatchewan flag. They find the answers and then race back to the "Captain" for their reward.
Pirate Quest