Yo-Ho-Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me!

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (link takes you to Wikipedia; here is the official site).  Next to Christmas, this may just be my favorite!  🙂  A little known secret is that I’m an avid pirate-lover.  I love all things Pirate (except for the baseball team)!  Today my little family of five is celebrating. 

Avast me hearties, I said as we left this morning.

Well, shiver me timbers, Steph said in surprise when she saw her favorite cereal.

Ahoy Mateys, Hannah practiced telling her friends before walking out the door this morning.

And my absolute favorite, Sam (our two year old) said to me the other night as I was taking off his Pirate costume he has for Halloween (yes, the little guy is obsessed too): Momma, I’m a pirate.  I don’t need jammies.  I am Swashbuckling Sam.  I’m a pirate, don’t take it off.  Momma, you landlubber,  WALK THE PLANK!

(Yes, that is honestly a direct quote.  He has had to wear an eye patch for a few hours each day for the past six months in order to correct his “crazy eye,” hence he has perfected his pirate-lingo!)

I think it would be fun to celebrate this in our Writing Workshops as well.  Here are a few ideas — I limited them so this post wouldn’t be crazy-long! Avast ye —

1. Make maps in your writer’s notebooks.  Use “X” to mark the spot where stories have happened.  Need more inspiration for some kooky maps?  Check outSara Fanelli’s book, My Map Book.
2. Use International Talk Like a Pirate Day as a way to enter into a conversation on voice.
3. Read Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies to talk about the importance of writing with meaning.  (Henry is an avid reader — another excellent use for this book — and helps the Buccaneers survive due to all of the knowledge he has gleaned from books.  It may be a stretch, but I think it would work for a lesson on writing with meaning!)

Here on the home front, we have been reading pirate books all week and tonight we will eat “Fish & Chips,” drink root beer from the dark bottles and watch Peter Pan.

Savey, Mateys?

From TWT_2