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| Don't forget to RSVP for the High Tea this Sunday... |
Firstly - the magical whiteboard erasers that aren't actually whiteboard erasers... I've yet to try them myself- but next time I'm at the supermarket I will be picking up a pack of them.
Secondly, the instructions for the Pirate Game. While they don't make for great reading- they are fun to act out and play. I have played this with everyone from preps to year 7 children and they all seem to love it...
PS- To those lucky people who were at the workshop last weekend... check your inbox late tonight for new copies of your certificates with 5.5 hours of PD on them... your discussions were so valuable I was hesitant to cut them short... meaning we ran over and can record 5.5 hours of PD for the workshop
Drum-roll please... I give you... The Pirate Game (which I didn't think of myself but play almost daily)
With the younger grades I often begin with a story… the actions are in the table below.
We are on a pirate ship. When the pirate captain comes along I’ll say “Captain’s coming” and we will all salute. Show me your best salute…
O dear, it looks like the floor is dirty. But on a ship the floor is called the deck. Let’s clean it before the Captain comes back. Grab your imaginary scrubbing brush and scrub that deck for me.
O no, the Captain’s back. Captain’s coming! (they salute) and now he’s grumpy. He’s awful when he’s grumpy he makes an awful sound (show them the grrr and the action).
He’s still grumpy- o dear- he’s going to make you walk the plank. Make sure you have your balance (demonstrate action). O no, there are 3 fearsome creatures that can get us now. There are sharks. Show me your best sharks and make this noise 3 times (see table). There are crocodiles. But not just any crocodiles, these crocodiles can eat you all up in just 3 bites- and they are quick. O no, you guys are young and quick- you should be much quicker than me. Try again. Then there is the scariest of all- but luckily it’s a long way away. What has 4 legs on one side, 4 on the other and lives in the ocean. Yes. An octopus. Luckily this giant one is far away (show action).
You can introduce the family of the Captain, have lots of fun with the directions (I find getting them to point with their eyes closed is fun)… and when you want to trick them introduce the Admiral.
I explain that the Admiral is like the Principal of a school. In charge of lots of classes (or ships). I also say that the Admiral is prone to headaches- so we whisper our “eye eye sir” to keep the noise down. When the Admiral is on the ship the students can ignore all orders and stand at attention until the Admiral leaves. This allows for lots of “I said scrub the deck- why are you ignoring me you awful child?!!!” fun. It’s not until you say “at ease” that they can follow your orders (it means the Admiral is gone).
Verbal Instruction | Sitting Action | Standing Action |
Captain’s coming | Salute, sit up straight | Salute, stand to attention |
Scrub the deck | Lean down and scrub the floor or desk with an imaginary scrubbing brush | Duck down to scrub the floor with an imaginary scrubbing brush |
Look for treasure | Use both hands to make either a telescope or binoculars and look through these while turning head from left to right | |
Climb the rigging | Mimic climbing a rope ladder with your hands. | |
Cannonballs | Bring both hands to your mouth and gasp (there’s a cannon ball coming right for you- it’s scary!) then duck down in the shape of a cannonball to avoid it. | |
Captain’s wife- talk about showing her respect | Boys can bow, girls can gather imaginary petticoats and curtsey, or they can bow too | |
Captain’s daughter- talk about how “awful” the children are, scoundrels etc | Twirl your pointer finger around near your ear (like you are twirling a ringlet) and call out “woot woo” | |
Captain’s son | Hold up both arms to show biceps, and make the “grrr” noise. | |
Captain’s grumpy | Bring your arm at right angles over your body and make a “grrrr” sound. | |
Walk the plank | Put arms out slightly (like a penguin really- say its for balance) and wiggle a little | |
Crocodiles | Three very quick claps. | |
Sharks | Hands on head with palms together like a sharks fin, and make the jaws “na na” sound 3 times. | |
Giant squid/octopus | Wave fingers (8 of them) and lock thumbs together to make a head. Make a glub glub glub noise (optional) | |
Admiral is coming | Salute and WHISPER “Eye eye sir” (he gets headaches)- and stay in this position until he goes (at ease) | |
At ease | Wipe hand over forehead and say “phew” | |
Bow | Point to the front (where the teacher is standing) | Run to the front |
Stern | Point to the back (behind the children) | Run to the back |
Starboard | Point to the right (when facing the teacher) | Run to the right |
Port | Point to the left (when facing the teacher) | Run to the left. |
Look for treasure | Explain they have a choice between telescopes or binoculars. Make a cylinder shape with each hand and put to each eye (binoculars) or to one eye (telescopes) and turn head slowly from left to right. | |
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