Pirates

PIRATES ON STAGE AND SCREEN

	Rob Ossian’s Pirate’s Cove claims to list every pirate movie ever made – and if you think Pirates of the Caribbean was it, this might be the site for you. The alphabetical list has descriptive synopses of over 300 pirate movies, among them six versions of Peter Pan, thirteen of Treasure Island, and such single gems as Disney’s Blackbeard’s Ghost (with Peter Ustinov in the title role), Captain Blood and The Sea Hawk (both starring a swashbuckling Errol Flynn), The Princess Bride, and The Swiss Family Robinson (who, in the grand finale, fend off marauding pirates).
	See here for a list of activities to accompany pirate movie viewings.
	Bake Jack Sparrow’s tricorn hat cookies.
	A terrific version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta The Pirates of Penzance (1983) stars Kevin Kline in fine form as the Pirate King, and Rex Smith and Linda Ronstadt as Frederic and Mabel, the unhappy young lovers. The premise: Frederic has been apprenticed to the pirates by mistake by his deaf nurse (she was supposed to link him up with a pilot), and must remain with them until his 21st birthday, which in Frederic’s case makes for a long apprenticeship, since he was born on February 29th, Leap Year. Rated G.

PIRATE ACTIVITIES

	Dugald Steer’s Pirateology (Candlewick Press, 2006) in the popular Ologies series, purports to be the ship’s log of 18th-century pirate hunter William Lubber. The log, written on parchment-type paper and crammed with creative illustrations, has information about everything from sailor’s knots and navigation to battle tactics, and a lot of appealing interactive elements, including fold-out maps and a working compass (set in the front cover). For ages 8-12.
	Pirate’s Log by Avery Monsen and Jory John (Chronicle Books, 2008) is a 172-page illustrated interactive “Handbook for Aspiring Swashbucklers.” Users pick their pirate name and the name of their ship, list the ten things – just ten – to pack to bring on board, determine (via eye test) which is the best eye over which to wear a piratical eyepatch, and learn the proper pronunciation of “Arrr!” – and there are games, puzzles, challenges, and information on essential pirate activities like swabbing the deck and walking the plank. Fun and funny for ages 8 and up.
Arrr!	Say it like a pirate! How to Talk Like a Pirate – or “On Beyond Aaarrr!”
	Put on a play! The Pirates’ Code is a short reader’s theater script, starring Captain Hook, Long John Silver, Blackbeard, Captain Calico Jack Rackham, and Smee.
	DLTK’s Pirate Ideas for Children has pirate themed coloring pages, puzzles, games, and crafts, among them a milk-carton pirate ship, a paper-plate pirate mask, and a collapsible spyglass telescope.
	Pirate Poems has general instructions for making a pirate paper-bag puppet holding a pirate poetry book. You’ll need colored pencils, scissors, construction paper, a paper bag, and some poetic imagination.
	The Pirate Ship Art Lesson has instructions for making a construction-paper pirate ship on a wavy painted ocean. See the website for some great examples of student projects.
	See Busy Bee’s Pirate Crafts has many activities for preschoolers and early-elementary-level kids, among them a pirate map, pirate hook, newspaper pirate hat, a toilet-paper-roll parrot, and a simple catapult, capable of firing marshmallows and cotton balls.
	Talk Like a Pirate Day Crafts has illustrated step-by-step instructions for a truly terrific rolled-newspaper pirate sword.
	From Artists Helping Children, Pirate Crafts for Kids has a long list of craft projects with instructions. Make pirate treasure chests, puppets, costumes, ships, and pirate-themed greeting cards. Some annoying advertising.
	Barbara Soloff Levy’s How to Draw Pirates (Dover Publications, 2008) includes step-by-step instructions for drawing captain, crew, ship, cannon, gold doubloons, and Jolly Roger. $4.99.
	From Enchanted Learning, Pirates has printable worksheets, quizzes, puzzles, and instructions for making a treasure chest from a shoebox.

PIRATE SHIPS

	See From Cardboard Box to Pirate Ship to make one of your own!
	For LEGO lovers, check out The Pirate Ship Adventure building kit for ages 8 and up.
	Need to name a pirate ship? Check the Pirate Ship Name Generator.
	The New England Pirate Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, has a recreated dockside village, a replica pirate ship, a cave filled with pirate treasure, and a walking tour of buccaneers. It sounds cool. Also see the museum’s Education Curriculum page for projects, activities, and challenges for kids of all ages.
	From the Archaeological Institute of America, Loaded Guns, Barrels of Rum, and a Silk Ribbon is an interesting overview of the archaeology of pirate shipwrecks.
	From Smithsonian magazine, Did Archaeologists Uncover Blackbeard’s Treasure? is an account of the underwater exploration of the wreck that just might be the remains of Queen Anne’s Revenge.