2007 Printable Manual - Texas State Library and Archives ...

Sail Away With Books!
similar ones available in your collection, or National Geographic Pirates web site,
www.piratesinfo.com/main.php to develop trivia questions. Divide the group into teams
of five or six children. Each team will be asked a question and have five minutes to
answer or the other team can attempt to answer the question. Give a prize to the team
with the most correct answers. Let the children choose new teams and play several
rounds.
Find The Hidden Treasure
Use the children’s department floor plan or create a map of the children’s area and copy it
on to tan paper. Design four or five maps to be used by teams of children. Each team will
have a map with “Dewey Clues,” such as those suggested below, to find a hidden
treasure. Pirate maps usually say things like “go past the dangerous rocks,” “pass the
water falls,” etc. The library map might say things that lead the treasure hunters past key
Dewey book areas. Some clues might include:
A dog makes a fine pet.
A book about Florida.
A book about pirates.
Have the clues lead to a bag or treasure chest of treats and treasures, such as candy,
inexpensive necklaces, bookmarks, etc. To make a treasure chest, cover a shoebox or
other small box with tissue paper or wrapping paper and decorate it with stickers, glitter,
and sequins.
Talk Like a Pirate Day
September 19 is “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” self-declared by a couple of crazy guys and
endorsed by humorist Dave Barry. Since it is a made-up holiday, declare any day of your
choosing to be “Talk Like a Pirate Day” at your library. Ask staff to dress up like pirates
and to use as much pirate lingo as possible. For basic lingo and other program ideas, go
to International Talk Like a Pirate Day , http://talklikeapirate.com/howto.html. Check out
the kid-friendly pages for chants, activities, and PG-rated lingo. The site also includes
links to other sites, including one that provides party ideas. Select additional activities
from The Great Pirate Activity Book by Deri Robins. This children’s book includes
patterns and instruction for building a pirate ship, dressing like a pirate, and holding a
pirate-themed party.
Web-Based Activities
Awesome Stories
www.awesomestories.com/movies/pirates_caribbean/pirates_caribbean_ch1.htm
Although some areas of this site require registration, it’s easy and free to register your
library. This article provides the story
behind the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, and
provides hyperlinks to primary documents and maps.
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