Pirates!
I pull this theme out for use the week of Sept. 19, Talk Like A Pirate Day. You could use it at any point, though.
I have my husband downing IBC Root Beer all year, getting ready for this event. That way we have lots of child-friendly brown bottles for treasure maps and clues. You could even use one to mail home a newsletter/pictures or invitation to the event (the post office will deliver anything with a clear address and proper postage).
Use gold coins as tokens for the duration of the theme. Students can collect them individually, or as a class.
Draw a map of your playground on these backgrounds and then hide clues around the playground that lead to a final destination or prize. This is a great way to practice map skills (take five large steps north) and teamwork. You can also use this template.
I'm going to be giving each student a charm bracelet (without charms) at the beginning of the year, and they will be able to collect charms on it for each event we do. These charms as so cheap they just beg to included in your celebration. And the amount is perfect for any size classroom-I don't think it's legal in any state to exceed 36 students.
Because we're close the San Francisco Bay, it seems only natural to take the students out on a sailboat when studying pirates and ships. If you are lucky enough to have this field trip opportunity available, use this list of ship parts and numbered diagram to get them ready for life as a crew member! Created by Tamara Rutenber
Here's a great pirate sea shanty for kids to have fun with.
Pirate Ideas- PDF on a cool pirate background
Eye Patch Art- Make beautiful patches for your buccaneers to wear with pride
Pirate Hat- Print the third page out first (blue stars), and then print the hat pieces on the blank 'backside'. When you fashion the hat, the inside will be the cool stars.
Pirate Banner- Print the fourth page first, and then print the banners on the white 'backside'-that way the other side of the pennant will have the pretty stars on it.
Pirate Vocab List from Tamara Rutenber
Pirate Vocab Puzzle 1 and Puzzle 2, to be used with the Vocab List
Creative Pirate Lessons from this site
Create this pin out of felt and a safety pin. You can even draw a skull on each piece of felt with chalk for students to trace with their thread and then wash off.
Under the Jolly Roger- Great theme unit for older students.
Harcourt's Pirate Page (great picture book ideas)
Pirate Recipes- Great chance to incorporate math, following directions and fun!Pirate Packet- Great packet put together by Joanne Griffin
Pirate Pete's Talk Like A Pirate- Lesson created by Katie Uppman (PERFECT for Talk Like A Pirate Day) Activity Sheet
Sweet welcome board by Katie Jensen