Contests Update

Due to mailing issues, anyone who previously mailed in a contest entry must resubmit their entry to the below address to enter the contest or by emailing [email protected]. Emailed entries do not need to be resubmitted. The deadline for all contests has been extended to December 15, 2023.

 

(Name of contest)

c/o Scholastic

Storyworks 3 4th Fl.

130 Mercer St.

New York, NY 10012

Still shot from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie
peepo/Getty Images
Time Machine,

A Pirate's Life for You!

Take a thrilling ride aboard a pirate ship in the year 1700, when pirates ruled the seas.

By Alex Winnick
From the September 2023 Issue
Lexiles: 500L-600L, Easier Level
Guided Reading Level: O
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

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Think and Read: Knowledge Building

As you read, think about what it would have been like on a pirate ship.

Whoosh! A salty sea breeze blows through your hair. A huge ship approaches the shore. It’s beautiful, with 10 tall sails and smooth wooden sides.

Today’s your lucky day! You’ve been looking for work all morning. A job on a ship like this could pay a lot of money.

You climb aboard and find a man with a black hat and a long sword. He looks you up and down and decides to hire you. As the ship leaves shore, you spy boxes with glittering gold coins and sparkling jewelry. It’s unusual for a ship to carry all these riches. Unless . . . 

You spin around. A black flag flutters in the wind. It has a skull and crossbones.

Oh no—you’re on a pirate ship!

Whoosh! A salty sea breeze blows through your hair. A big ship comes to the shore. It’s beautiful. It has 10 tall sails. It has smooth wooden sides.

Today is your lucky day! You’ve been looking for work all morning. A job on a ship like this could pay a lot of money. 

You climb on and see a man with a black hat and a long sword. He looks at you for a moment. Then he decides to hire you. As the ship leaves the beach, you see boxes. The boxes have shiny gold coins and sparkling jewelry. Ships don’t usually carry these types of riches. 

You turn around. A black flag flies in the wind. It has a skull and crossbones. Oh no. You’re on a pirate ship!

peepo/Getty Images

No Turning Back

No Turning Back

Shutterstock.com

Today is definitely not your lucky day. Pirates are dangerous thieves. They sail the ocean, attacking other ships.

The ship’s first mate stomps toward you. She’s second in command.

“Ahoy!” she calls, giving you a pirate’s greeting. “You’ll be our cabin boy.” That means you’ll be cooking, cleaning, and helping the crew.

“Get these below deck!” she shouts, pointing at wooden barrels. Gulp! The barrels are huge! As you roll them down a ramp, she yells another order.

“Raise the sails!” she barks. Your hands burn as they slide against the rope. The truth sinks in: There’s no turning back now.

Today is not your lucky day. Pirates are very dangerous. They are thieves. They attack other ships on the ocean. 

The ship’s first mate comes toward you. She’s second in charge. 

“Ahoy!” she says. This is a pirate’s greeting. “You’ll be our cabin boy.” That means you’ll be cooking, cleaning, and helping the crew.

“Get these below deck!” she yells. She points at wooden barrels. Gulp! The wooden barrels are huge! You roll them down a ramp. She yells another order.

“Raise the sails!” she shouts. Your hands slide against the rope and burn. The truth sinks in. There’s no turning back now.

Under Attack

Under Attack

 Sarin Images/The Granger Collection 

Walk the Plank?

Movies show pirates making people walk the plank. This didn’t happen often. But pirates did leave people on deserted islands to punish them!

After you spend hours scrubbing the deck, it’s time to serve lunch. Today’s menu? Rotting fish with a side of dry biscuits. You slop the food into bowls and head below deck. 

A group of boys called powder monkeys waves to you. They are about your age, but their job is more dangerous. They load cannonballs into the cannons!

As you eat, rats scurry by. Worms crawl out of your biscuit, and the ship rocks from side to side. Uh-oh. You grab a bucket just in time. Blech! You puke up most of the meal. 

You’re starting to feel better when—BOOM! The ship shakes wildly. You hear screams as two more explosions rattle the air.

You run upstairs and realize: You’re under attack! The powder monkeys race to the cannons, ready to fire. 

But wait . . . where did those explosions come from? You see a ship sailing away. Phew! That was close.

You spend hours cleaning the deck. Then it’s time to serve lunch. Today’s menu? Rotting fish with a side of dry biscuits. You serve the food into bowls and head below deck. 

A group of boys called powder monkeys waves to you. The powder monkeys are about your age. They have a dangerous job. They load cannonballs into the cannons!

Rats run by as you eat. Worms crawl out of your biscuit. The ship moves from side to side. Uh-oh. You grab a bucket just in time. Blech! You throw up most of the meal. 

You’re starting to feel better when you hear a BOOM! The ship shakes. You hear screams. There are two more explosions in the air. 

You run upstairs and realize something. You’re under attack! The powder monkeys run to the cannons. They are ready to fire. 

But where did those explosions come from? You see a ship sailing away. Wow! That was close.

Sailing for Treasure

Sailing for Treasure

ScreenProd/Photononstop/Alamy Stock Photo 

Captain Jack Sparrow is a character from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

As the sun is setting over the ocean, you spy the captain studying a map. What are these pirates planning next? Before you can get a better look, he turns around. 

“Plans have changed,” he grunts. “We sail for more treasure—no room for cabin boys! We’ll drop you at shore.” 

You let out a sigh of relief. Your back aches, and your heart is still racing from the attack. But you survived a day as a pirate!

The sun is setting over the ocean. You see the captain studying a map. What are these pirates planning next? He turns around before you get a look.

“Plans have changed,” he yells. “We sail for more treasure. There’s no room for cabin boys! We’ll drop you at shore.” 

You let out a sigh of relief. Your back hurts. Your heart is still racing from the attack. But you survived a day as a pirate! 

THINK AND WRITE CONTEST

Write a paragraph about a time or place you’d like to visit and why. Your idea may be used in a future Time Machine! Our online skill builder will show you how! Five winners will each receive a Scholastic Store e-gift card.


PLEASE NOTE:

Due to mailing issues, the deadline for all contests has been extended to December 15, 2023. Please note: Anyone who previously mailed in a contest entry must resubmit their entry to the below address to enter the contest. Emailed entries do not need to be resubmitted.


(Name of contest)

c/o Scholastic

Storyworks 3 4th Fl.

130 Mercer St.

New York, NY 10012

THINK AND WRITE C0NTEST

Write a paragraph about a time or place you’d like to visit and why. Your idea may be used in a future Time Machine! Our online skill builder will show you how! Five winners will each receive a Scholastic Store e-gift card.


PLEASE NOTE:

Due to mailing issues, the deadline for all contests has been extended to December 15, 2023. Please note: Anyone who previously mailed in a contest entry must resubmit their entry to the below address to enter the contest. Emailed entries do not need to be resubmitted.


(Name of contest)

c/o Scholastic

Storyworks 3 4th Fl.

130 Mercer St.

New York, NY 10012

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Jump on another pirate ship in “The Search for Pirate Gold,” a narrative nonfiction story about a famous pirate who wouldn’t give up. Then watch a video read-aloud from author Lauren Tarshis herself! 

Ahoy, matey! Learn the meaning behind pirate slang in the quirky poem “Pirate Patter.” Students will practice rhyming couplets too. 

For more time travel, grab your shining armor and read “Life in a Castle,” a Time Machine filled with scary dungeons, knights in training, and grand feasts. 

Before setting sail like the pirates once did, you’ll need to be an ocean expert. Read “Fascinating Facts About Oceans” to learn six fun facts. 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building

5. Differentiate and Customize

Struggling Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, Creative Writing

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading

 

  • Ask students to predict what this article will be about based on the headline, subhead, and images on pages 20-21. Review the predictions after reading
  • Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 20 and the Think and Write box on page 22.
  • You may want to play the video “Pirate Fact vs. Fiction” to provide background information before reading the article.

 

Preview Text Features and Vocabulary 

  • Before reading, point out the terms glittering (shiny), flutters (flaps in the air), and plank (a skinny board hanging off a ship) and review their definitions. Go over any other vocabulary terms that may be challenging for your students.
  • Point out the illustration on pages 20-21. Five bursts explain details about pirates; ask students to call out details they notice.

2. Close Reading

  • Read the article as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the Read-Aloud.
  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions using all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck.
  • You may challenge students to either underline or highlight any details that are specific (or unique) to the particular time or place visited in the Time Machine.

Close-Reading Questions

  • Read the opening section. What is unusual about this ship? This ship is unusual because it is carrying lots of riches like glittering gold coins and sparkling jewelry. (descriptive details)
  • Read the section “No Turning Back.” Who are pirates and what do they do? Pirates are dangerous thieves. They sail around the ocean, attacking other ships. They try to take treasure like gold coins. (supporting details)
  • Read the section “No Turning Back.” What are some of the responsibilities of a cabin boy? Some of the responsibilities of a cabin boy include cooking, cleaning, and helping the crew. (supporting details)
  • Read the section “Under Attack.” What is different about the job of a cabin boy and the job of a powder monkey? A cabin boy mostly cooks and cleans. A powder monkey loads cannonballs into the cannons. A powder monkey’s job is more dangerous. (compare and contrast)
  • Read the section “Sailing for Treasure.” Why do you think the captain is studying a map? The captain is studying a map to figure out which way to sail in order to find more treasure. (inference)
  • Look at the photograph, drawing, and captions at the top of page 22. What is one detail you learn about pirate ships from these text features? Answers will vary. Sample answers: Pirates used the crow’s nest to watch for enemies. Pirates used cannons called long guns to shoot 8-pound cannonballs. Most pirates didn’t make people walk the plank. They punished people by leaving them on deserted islands.

 

Critical-Thinking Questions

  • Would you want to visit a pirate ship in the year 1700? Answers will vary. Sample responses: Yes, because it would be very exciting and I could get treasure like jewelry or gold coins. No, because it would be very hard work and it’s extremely dangerous, especially if another ship attacks. (supporting an opinion)
  • Look at the photographs, drawings, and captions on pages 20-22. Which do you find most interesting? Why? Answers will vary. (text features)

3 Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Knowledge Building

  • Discuss the writing assignment in the Think and Write Contest box on page 22.
  • Distribute our Where Should We Go Next? Skill Builder and have students complete it in class or for homework.

Text-to-Speech