©2009-2010 by Danny Graham II
Do you have students who would enjoy discovering a bounty of technology treasures in a pirate-themed camp? If so, set sail on an adventure to uncover Technology Treasures. Campers (a.k.a. pirates) spend the day high-tech treasure hunting (geocaching), creating digital stories, and unearthing other technology gems.
Planning
Every camp needs campers; or in this case, every pirate ship needs pirates. Send home flyers and applications with potential pirates.
Make sure your ship stays on course by following an agenda.
Camp Activities
Pirate Puzzles/Games - As campers come in, give them something they can work on independently until everyone arrives. These pirate puzzles are in SMART Notebook Software, and students can utilize the pen and highlighter tools as they work. If you do not have SMART Notebook Software, you can download a viewer. We are also providing the same games in PowerPoint format (just in case). The last page on both files is a link to a virtual pirate treasure hunt.
Pirate Vocabulary Brainstorming - Pirates have their own way of speaking, matey. It is important to brainstorm and discuss pirate vocabulary so that campers can think like a pirate the rest of the day. We brainstorm using SMART Notebook Software, but you can use whatever you like.
Pirate Puzzles/Games - As campers come in, give them something they can work on independently until everyone arrives. These pirate puzzles are in SMART Notebook Software, and students can utilize the pen and highlighter tools as they work. If you do not have SMART Notebook Software, you can download a viewer. We are also providing the same games in PowerPoint format (just in case). The last page on both files is a link to a virtual pirate treasure hunt.
Pirate Vocabulary Brainstorming - Pirates have their own way of speaking, matey. It is important to brainstorm and discuss pirate vocabulary so that campers can think like a pirate the rest of the day. We brainstorm using SMART Notebook Software, but you can use whatever you like.
Pirate Names - Every camper needs a cool pirate name. We provide a pirate name generator that magically reveals each camper's pirate name. Honestly, there is nothing magical about it. We just use colors and object order in SMART Notebook Software to make it seem that way.
Name Tents - To help us remember our pirate names, campers create name tents to place on top of their computers. Use a PowerPoint template to get campers started. Encourage them to change the font and insert pirate clipart.
Name Tents - To help us remember our pirate names, campers create name tents to place on top of their computers. Use a PowerPoint template to get campers started. Encourage them to change the font and insert pirate clipart.
High-Tech Treasure Hunting - A pirate's day is not complete without a little treasure hunting. Our pirates go high tech with GPSs (Global Positioning Systems). Prior to the camp, treasures (caches) are hidden outside the school and coordinates are noted. Campers are assigned to a ship - Scurvy Serpent, Sea Dragon, or Black Storm. To teach our campers about geocaching, we give each crew a set of coordinates, teach them how to enter these coordinates in their GPS, and send them out to find their loot. When they locate their treasure, campers find all of the swag to turn them into real pirates - eye patches, spy glasses, bandanas, gold jewels, and Jolly Roger flags.
Now, the pirates are ready to begin their real adventure - using treasure maps (GPS coordinates) to find three treasure locations and retrieve pieces of paper (we will call them clues) from each. The clues are actually various pirate objects and phrases that will be used by the campers later on to create their own high-seas adventures. Once the crew locates three treasures and each pirate retrieves a clue (pirate objects and/or pirate phrases) from each, they return to get further instructions.
How We Become Pirates - We all know that pirates have their own jargon, matey. To help campers create background knowledge for their orginial stories, we read How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long.
Pirate Adventures - Pirates enjoy telling about their adventures almost as much as the adventure itself. Have a discussion about what makes a good story and let campers brainstorm. The end result will be a photo story, so campers should think about what pictures they need to convey their ideas. Use a storyboard to guide them into thinking about various photo story elements - pictures, sound effects, music, and narration. Each camper must incorporate the pirate objects or phrases found earlier during high-tech treasure hunting into their stories.
Pirate Adventures - Pirates enjoy telling about their adventures almost as much as the adventure itself. Have a discussion about what makes a good story and let campers brainstorm. The end result will be a photo story, so campers should think about what pictures they need to convey their ideas. Use a storyboard to guide them into thinking about various photo story elements - pictures, sound effects, music, and narration. Each camper must incorporate the pirate objects or phrases found earlier during high-tech treasure hunting into their stories.
Pirate Pictures - Hang up a simple backdrop and grab a couple of pirate costumes. Give campers a chance to take pictures to use with their stories.
Digital Adventures - Each camper uses his/her storyboard, digital pictures, and other elements provided for them (music, sound effects, graphics) to create a digital story using Microsoft Photo Story. Microphones are provided so campers can narrate each picture. Campers take their completed photo stories home on CD. If time allows, view the campers' web shows one of the following ways - project and show "movie style" or have campers carousel around the lab viewing each story.
Note: We provided a folder of pirate music, sound effects, and graphics on an accessible network folder.
Music - Use Free Play Music to find a good selection of instrumental music. Just search for "pirate".
Sound Effects - We searched the web for free sound effects - explosions, swords clanking, etc.
Graphics - We searched the web for free graphics - pirate ships, islands, etc.
Note: We provided a folder of pirate music, sound effects, and graphics on an accessible network folder.
Music - Use Free Play Music to find a good selection of instrumental music. Just search for "pirate".
Sound Effects - We searched the web for free sound effects - explosions, swords clanking, etc.
Graphics - We searched the web for free graphics - pirate ships, islands, etc.
Take-Home - There are several treasures from the day's loot that each pirate will take home: pirate name tent, pirate swag (eye patch, spy glass, etc.), Photo Story CD, and a parent letter. An optional photo CD can be purchased.