Islands of Adventure: Class 1: At the Admiral Benbow

Tomorrow I begin teaching a class on Treasure Island and other adventurey books for boys age 6-9. The class is held at the "Out of the Box" co-op that meets here in my neighborhood. I'm going to have eight little boys. Here's my lesson plan for day 1:

Sing!
Fifteen Men on a Dead Man’s Chest
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me

Choose a Pirate Name! Mix and Match from the list:

Salty Jude Fourfingers
Crazy Jack LePlank
Scurvy Jim Pegleg
Blue John The Goat
Captain Bogg Swashbuckle
Swarthy Mack Cutthroat
Briny Tom Doubloon
Scabby Kracken Swordswaller
Red Flint Musketmouth
Rummy Hank Gumbo
Mad-eye Bill Fishlip

Make a Pirate Flag! Not all pirates flew the Jolly Roger. In fact, each designed his or her own flag. Cut your symbolic elements out of white and red paper, and glue them onto your black flag.
Typical pirate flag elements: Bones, skulls, hearts, swords, hour-glasses, skeletons, stars, letters, numbers.

Learn Some Pirate Lore! Parents: These terms are relevant to the reading selection for next week and will be discussed in class. There won't be a quiz or a test.

1. Bearings 7. Compass
2. Sea chest 8. Mate
3. Tarry pigtail 9. Skipper
4. Capstan bars 10. Keep your weather eye open
5. Walking the plank 11. Dry Tortugas
6. Spanish Main 12. Man who sails before the mast

Assignments for next time:

Reading Assignment: Chapters 1-3 of Treasure Island
Research: One “piratey term” from the song “Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum”
Optional: Piratey Destinations To Visit Online (with an adult):
Pirate Flags: http://pirateshold.buccaneersoft.com/pirate_flags.html
Fifteen Men on a Dead Man’s Chest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhXbhK9tL6U Yo ho, Yo ho, a Pirate’s Life For Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wT8ZNsKNZc