Saturday, September 19, 2015

Mini Pirate Week 2015!

Ahoy there me mateys!

If you remember my Pirate Day post from last year, then you'll know I put together an awesome Pirate Day with 15 hours notice!

I wasn't going to let that happen this year!  I've been (over) planning this out for awhile.  Knowing that Pirate Day would fall on a Saturday, I decided to do a mini-Pirate week!  We celebrated Pirate's Day Wednesday-Friday!

I started off on Wednesday by showing them a bunch of pirate books I checked out from the library.  As I held up each book, I asked them to tell me if it was a fiction or an informational book.   Then, I read How I Became a Pirate!

Next, we made pirate telescopes out of toilet paper rolls, black paper, red paper, and a skull / crossbones picture.


Then we made our hooks!

Take a red cup, carefully cut a hole in the middle (ADULTS DO THAT STEP), take a sheet of tin foil, roll it up and insert it.


We also decorated parrots.  They could choose between two:


We attached the parrots to cardboard and the kids put them in their hats when they worn them on Friday.

We also made a pirate hat (although it wasn't your typical pirate hat!)
Sometime that afternoon, we watched "The Magic School Bus Takes a Dive."  (Short version is one of Ms. Frizzle's ancestors was Redbeard the Pirate and the kids followed a treasure map to a coral reef.)  The video was actually two-fold in purpose:  1)  The pirate connection of course.  2)  Eventually my students will be choosing our big research project for the year - rainforest, coral reef, or zoo project. :-)

Thursday, we read a short story about a pirate named Mark.  (Story and next activity taken from here) There are many -ar words in the story, which talks about how pirates like to eat chocolate bars for breakfast.  So what did I do?  I bought little miniature Hershey bars for them to eat! :-)



Afterwards, we did an activity about -ar words (From the same SUPER ADORABLE PACKET ABOVE!!!!!!) They read / cut out the -ar words, glued them on a piece of paper, and turned it into a map!




The students were SO focused on this activity! It was amazing!

That afternoon, we discussed things that float and sink.  We experimented with objects I had in my art  bin.  Most of what I had floated - the kids couldn't believe it!!!!


Then I told them that they would be collaborating in order to make a boat.  They had to decided if they were going to make a boat that would float, or a boat they could try to sink.  I made a quick flipchart page to let them vote and then we interpreted the data.  The students compared the numbers using greater than and less than statements.  Then they gave me the 2 addition sentences!

Boat that floats is the winner!

I split the class up into 5 groups and gave each group a bucket of stuff!  (Popsicle sticks, yarn, qtips, masking tape, glue, and more!)  I let them go to town!  They worked for close to 2 hours!






This sweet boy below, wanted to make an anchor and figured out how to do so!  Then he went to each of the groups and showed them how to make one!

Friday!  Definitely dressed up!
The kids LAUGHED so hard when they saw me! :-)

We started off our day with a pirate themed photo shoot! Props came from Oriental Trading! Here are a few of the pics!



My best dressed pirate!  (It was individual student picture day!)

I added the smiley face.


My co-teacher! :-)
After the photo shoot they created their own treasure map.



Then we made pirate faces!


Then it was time for a TREASURE HUNT!  First we put on all of the things we made on Wednesday!






Argh mates! 

If you want to see your treasure, you’ll have to follow my directions!

  1.          Go to the courtyard and look for the clue.  Remember:  Don’t make any noise when you look for the clue!


2.      Go to the room with many colors for the next clue!

3.      Go the room with all of the books.

4.      Go to the room where you go when you don’t feel well.

5.      Go to Mrs. Lynch’s best friend’s room.

6.      Go to Mr. Johnson’s office for a clue.

7.       Tiptop into the office and say, “Excuse me, do you have anything for us?"

8.       Follow their directions to receive your treasure!'

I had this printed out on regular paper which I then sponge painted with watered down light brown paint to give it than old look!  The clues were spread out around the school.

The students had a BLAST on the treasure hunt!  After we found the treasure, we went back to the room, explored the treasure a little bit, and then celebrated by eating pirate's booty!  I had planned on doing a sensory writing with the pirate's booty but we ran out of time.

We had a fantastic Pirate's Week!  Thanks for reading all about it!

Until next time!
~Captain Stacey~

Synergize: Together is Better - Nascar Style

  Created the image with two separate images found on Google. I had the pleasure of teaching summer school this summer.  I was not at my usu...