Pirate Unit Study!

 It is time for another Thirsty Thursday!

Ahoy there, Matey!  We had lots of fun with our pirate unit study.
My children wanted to learn about pirates for all the normal reasons that little kids want to play pirates. I wanted them to learn the reality of pirates, why they are still found in modern times and, having been a sociology major in college, the sociological reasons behind it all. I did my best to create a balance including both ideas. 

We got a stack of pirate books out of the library and the kids enjoyed listening to stories while they colored lots of pirate pictures for their lap book. We also discussed all that was not good about pirates and why they are so dangerous today. 

They moved on to several crafts. They sewed a pirate foam doll (which someone snuck off with before I got a picture), and created a foam mosaic pirate ship and a ship out of modeling clay.
In almost every book we read, the author mentioned the horrible condition of the pirates' teeth. I decided we should study proper hygiene of teeth. I have a little pirate boy who hates brushing his teeth. We reviewed how to brush our teeth and then brushed them. Then I pulled out some little purple dye pills the orthodontist had given us to make sure Goldilocks was brushing well enough with her braces. Everyone chewed them up to see who won pirate status. (I should say everyone BUT Little Red Riding Hood. When she saw her siblings' teeth turn purple, she hid under the bed and would not come out!)Not too bad!!  Just a little purple in the back that the picture does not show.
Awe, my little pirate boy! I told you that you need to brush longer and keep the toothbrush inside your mouth while brushing! Timothy and I did it, as well. Tim had some issues in the back, and I had one tooth near the front that had some purple.  Hmmm! Interesting.

We finished off with a treasure hunt. We made a map by pouring tea on paper and baking it in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Oh, we balled it up first and then flattened it back out so it would be wrinkled before we put the tea on it and baked it. Then I made a map and sent them out on their treasure hunt. It did not take them long! If only I had had a video camera instead of the camera when Tom Sawyer found the treasure box. He yelled gold over and over again at the top of his lungs.  Even the neighbors had to come see what those crazy homeschoolers were up to now.

Of course, after eating all of the chocolate coins we had to go brush our teeth again.  Awe ... I love forming better habits and calling it school.

Blessings,  Dawn