Pirate Project
David Balfour gets kidnapped by Hoseason, a pirate friend of
David's uncle, Ebeneazer Balfour. David spent several days on a ship
with Hoseason and his crew. He became a cabin boy aboard the ship
Covenant.
You are a cabin boy on a pirate ship. What is it like to be a crew
member on a pirate ship? What is it like to be a pirate?
- Each Pirate team will create a scaled map (using ratios and
proportions) of the world. (See Maps and Mazes by Gillian
Chapman & Pam Robson for ideas.) The maps must include the
following:
- The seven oceans
- The seven continents
- Early colonial sailing trade routes between Europe and the
Americas
- Each Pirate team will write a paper about pirates. The paper
must include the following:
- A history of pirates which can be found on the Internet at
http://www.cac.org.uk/pirates/pirates.htm
- A distinction between pirates, privateers and buccaneers
- The pirates' lifestyle on land and sea
- The type of food the pirates ate
- Their code of conduct
- Information regarding weapons, treasure and their ships
- Each team will research a famous pirate: William Kidd or Sam
Bellamy. They will create a display that represents their pirate
and write a brief history of their pirate. The display will
include the following:
- The name of the pirate's ships and the ship's flag (If
possible)
- The pirate's birth date, life history including what led
him to become a pirate and how and when the pirate died
- A map plotting the routes of where the pirate sailed
- Each pirate team member must do one of the following
individual tasks:
- Research and create a display showing three forms of
weaponry used by pirates.
- Write five ship log entries written by William Kidd or Sam
Bellamy.
- Research and display three pirate flags. Allow students to
create their own pirate flag. Students must describe the
meanings of its symbols and colors.
- Do a role play. You are the newest member of William Kidd's
or Sam Bellamy's ship. What is your name and what do you do?
Write a journal entry describing you first adventure as a crew
member.
- Research and make a model of a famous pirate ship. Use
recyclable items to make the ship.
- Each team member will keep a personal journal or log of
progress towards completion of the team project. Each team member
will include individual and team work that is completed, stories
of successes and failures and any other information they want to
share with the teacher.
- Each team member will assess other team members in their
group. (See Team Member Assessment
Rubric)
Possible Resources:
- Information regarding pirates can be found on the Internet at
http://www.cac.org.uk/pirates/pirates.htm
- Pirates: Fact and Fiction by David Cordingly and John
Falconer (Collins & Brown Ltd., 1992)
- Pirates by Karen McWilliams (Franklin Watts, 1989)
- Eyewitness Books: Pirates by Richard Platt (Alfred A.
Knopf, 1994)
- Pirates by Rachel Wright (Franklin Watts, 1991)
- The Seafarers: The Pirates by Douglas Botting
(Time-Life Books, 1978)
- Under the Black Flag by David Cordingly (Random House,
1995)
- Captain Kidd and the War Against the Pirates by Robert
C. Ritchie (Harvard University Press, 1986)
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Mercant Seamen,
Pirates and the Anglo-American Maritime World, 1700-1750 by
Marcus Rediker
Go to:
Scotland and Pirates Lesson
Schedule and Summary of Lessons
Lesson Plans List