Haitian/Haitian American Curriculum Third Grade Social Studies Lesson Plan The Pirates of the Caribbean Content/Theme: The Caribbean Grade: Third Grade Primary Benchmark SS.3.G.2.1 Label the countries and commonwealths in North America (Canada, United States, Mexico) and in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica). Time: 1-2 class periods Objectives: 1. Students will understand the location of the Caribbean islands. 2. Students will be able to recognize the natural resources of many Caribbean islands. Teacher Preparation/Materials: Included map and materials Read Aloud Book: Pirates: Robbers of the High Seas, Gail Gibbons Book can be borrowed on loan through Webcat check with your library Student Activities: 1. Show a map of the Caribbean. Point out each island and place the names of the islands on the map. 2. Show students the natural resource known for each island. 3. Tell students about how Columbus explored these islands. 4. Read the book: Pirates: Robbers of the High Seas, by Gail Gibbons. 5. Discuss with the class how sometimes pirates would come to steal the natural resources of the Caribbean islands. 6. Have Students fill out their map to include names of the islands, their resources, and a possible pirates route (Draw a pirate flag on the map to represent the pirates). Review of Lesson/Assessment: Write a narrative about how a pirate would travel to different Caribbean islands and steal their natural resources. Tell students to go to the media center to find a story about a famous pirate.
Research and write a first hand account of life aboard a pirate ship. Research and report on Mel Fisher and his modern-day treasure hunting techniques. Build a scale model of a pirate ship or a Spanish Galleon. Draw a large map showing the location of pirate hideouts in the Caribbean. ESOL Strategies: Alternative Assessment, Modeling, Read Aloud Resources: Hermann B. & Montas M. (1975). Haiti, editions du Pacifique. Insight guide the Dominican Republic & Haiti. (2001). London England: The Discovery Channel. Rodman, S. (1978). Haiti: The Black republic. Devin-Adair, Co. Rogozinski, Jan. (2000). A brief history of the Caribbean. New York: Plume Publishing Co.
Multicultural Information (for teacher): The terrain of the islands of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and Jamaica made them the perfect hideaway for the Pirates of the Caribbean. Long fertile valleys and a favorable climate helped to provide an ample food supply for pirates and runaway slaves alike. As early as 1530 escaped or freed animals had multiplied into vast herds covering Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. Pirates operating in this area came to be known as buccaneers from the French word boucanier ( barbecuer ). The bucaneers learned to grill and smoke meat from the local Native Americans who used this method to preserve food in the tropical temperatures. Spanish colonists called the same smoking process barbcoa, and it is the Spanish word that passed into English as Barbecue. For about 50 years bands of men from the colonies of the Lesser Antilles would provide an ample supply of pirates. They were a combination of failed planters, former servants, runaway slaves and petty criminals. A party of men merely had to find a ship and follow the prevailing winds to islands rich in land and cattle. Up until 1697, tobacco was the main cash crop of Cuba and Haiti, After 1713, a steady supply of slaves became available and the planting of sugar crops in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba became very profitable. The Dominican Republic had been a valuable resource with the gold that was found there. In addition, both Haiti and Cuba and Jamaica produced coffee beans as well as sugar. Many hardened pirates made the island of Tortuga (located just off the northern coast of Haiti) their home base and launched their raiding and plundering operations from there. Often times French ships were not attacked because they were supplying Haiti with goods. British and Spanish ships however, suffered greatly at the hands of brutal French pirates. Some pirates were even granted a commission during the Second Dutch War. The most infamous of these was the Briton Henry Morgan who led three bloody raids between 1667 and 1671. Morgan sailing with an armada of 10 ships attacked the Spanish strongholds of Puerto Principe in Cuba and Porto Bello. Morgan was eventually paid an enormous ransom of 100,000 pounds for the safe return of the towns. In 1685, England and France signed a treaty in which they promised not to encourage buccaneering expeditions against each other s colonies. As with criminals of today, most pirates would look to attack easy targets, and many would not hesitate to attack a ship from their own country. Some of the last pirates were excellent navigators who could sail out of the sight of land for
months. Pirates of the Caribbean were have known to sail as far north as Maine, across the Atlantic to West Africa and the South Seas. EVERY ISLAND HAS TREASURES Directions: Match the country with its natural resource during the time of the Pirates of the Caribbean Haiti GOLD Dominican Republic Cuba TOBACCO Jamaica SUGAR
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