This book is an exciting story about 3 youn time-travelers who end up on an island with the cruel pirate known as Blackbeard! Although the boys try to hide from Blackbeard, that wouldn’t make much of a story- and they are caught and taken aboard his ship. This story is enticing and makes you want to continue reading to find out what happens next.
When introducing students to a new unit, you want something that will hook their interests. Not all units are as exciting as one about pirates- there are lots of different avenues to take to get students excited about pirates-but this is a great book to use as an introduction to the student of pirates. It could go even farther and discuss the pirates use of transportation, the origin of pirates, etc.
Like we discussed in class, as students read their historical fiction or non-fiction books, they can compare the information in the book to what they find during their internet workshop. This could then lead into a discussion about the references of the information they now know. Being critical about the content they read is a healthy way to start their education. Not everything you read is true, in books or online.
I enjoyed this book, and am excited about the rest of the pirate unit.
-I Poems-
Using an “I Poem” is an effective way to integrate language arts into any other subject that may be being taught. Math could be questionable…but I suppose an I Poem could be written about a multiplication problem, and the rules it must abide by.
Looking over the power point, I am thrilled to see just how many different areas of research were incorporated during the drafting of these I Poems. Students had to really dig down deep in order to successfully write a factual poem. An important part of this process to ensure that students get to see adequate examples of I Poems before they are expect to produce ones themselves. Introducing them to the different children’s literature books, that are written through the I Poem perspective really allows students to know what kind of structure theirs’ should be resemble.
Although The Not-So-Jolly-Roger is not completely factual, there are still areas that could be used as a part of an I Poem about Blackbeard the pirate. This book tells Blackbeard‘s real name, what ship he captained, dates that he was pardoned, as well as the date of his death. All of that information can be validated through outside research.
This would be a fun, research-oriented activity to do with students. Whether integrating science or social studies, it takes creativity and knowledge to write this kind of poem.
The last slide in the power point said, “Students understand and remember ideas better when they have to transform those ideas from one form to another. Apparently it is in this transforming process that author’s ideas become reader’s ideas, rendering them more memorable” (Pearson & Fielding, 1991, p. 847)- This is key in this entire process. I am excited to do it!
