Pirates in the Classroom

Ahoy!

As some of you may know, today, September 19th, is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Here at Prestwick House, an occasional "arrr" or "avast" can be heard throughout the office.

You're probably wondering what this has to do with teaching or English language arts. Thanks to some great information posted on the official web site for International Talk Like a Pirate Day, you too can partake in a fun pirate-themed day and make it educational for your students! The site lists pirate curriculum and lesson plans (and links) from other teachers, including:

• 4th to 6th grade language arts lesson plans
• Some world history, social studies, and math lesson plans (you could share with other teachers)
• A Talk Like a Pirate Day lesson plan based on Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Perhaps you could show the video of Treasure Island, or begin using our Teaching Unit which includes nautical, pirate and general vocabulary, a multiple choice and short essay test, as well as discussion questions.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is already upon us, but now you can start planning for next year's events, even if yer a landlubber!

In Memoriam: Madeleine L’Engle

I just got the news today, that Madeleine L'Engle, author of the young adult favorite, A Wrinkle in Time, passed away on Friday.

Ms. L'Engle first wrote A Wrinkle in Time over 45 years ago, yet it's impact is still felt today. It's one of those books that opens a child's eyes to the power of imagination and the joys of reading. Though I can't remember the details of the story clearly, I still remember sitting at my desk in grade school using spare moments to catch a few more pages of A Wrinkle in Time.

Ms. Le'Engle may have passed on, but her books are still popular in classrooms for the joy they bring to students.

Link to New York Times Story.