The beloved act "Pirate School: The Science of Pirates!" is a refreshing twist on the "Mad Scientist" show meme. Sailors were early meteorologist, engineers, astronomers, and mathematicians. Long before scientists wore lab-coats, seafarers of all stripes pushed the boundaries of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to help make their lives better.
Much like the questing citizen-scientists of old, students will explore their own rebellious curiosity for science. How is wind made? How is a sail like a wing? What are the forces behind a cannon ball's flight? How did sailors “heave” and “ho” such heavy objects? How are navigation, time-telling, and map-making all math related? These and other mysteries are revealed and explored during "Pirate School! The Science of Pirates" with immersive audience participation and memorable, grade-appropriate, oversized demonstrations:
- Science = Weather (Air pressure, wind, the Bernoulli Effect, etc.)
- Technology = The Forces behind a cannon balls flight (The Magnus Effect, Lift, innovation, etc.)
- Engineering = Simple Machines (The pulley and mechanical advantage, etc.)
- Math = Navigation (Fractions, mapping, compasses, and clocks, etc.)
Historically, seafarers have pushed science and technology forward, and who better to captivate and expand children’s horizons than the swaggering stuff of Pirate School and things that go “boom!”
- Best for: family audiences and grades 2-6
- Performance: 1 hour long
Course / Strand | PK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Science | §112.11 PK.8(A) | §112.12 K.8(A) | §112.13 1.8(A) | §112.14 2.8(A) | §112.15 3.8(A) | §112.16 4.8(A) | §112.17 5.8(A) |
Math | §111.11 PK.3(A) | §111.12 K.2(A) | §111.13 1.2(B) | §111.14 2.2(C) | §111.15 3.3(A) | §111.16 4.3(A) | §111.17 5.3(K) |
ELAR | §110.11 PK.2(A) | §110.2 K.1(A) | §110.3 1.1(E) | §110.4 2.1(E) | §110.5 3.6(E) | §110.6 4.6(G) | §110.7 5.6(E) |
