For over two decades, first graders at Crestview Elementary have been setting sail on a thrilling, week-long Pirate Week adventure, filled with pirate lore, literature, and hands-on learning activities. Guided by the creative storytelling of their teachers, this year’s students embarked on a treasure hunt after receiving a mysterious call from a legendary pirate, revealing hidden treasure on Crestview’s grounds. 

"The great-great-great-grandson of an old pirate called the teachers," said Saundra Wimberley, First-Grade Teacher. "He said that his ancestor used to live on this land and hid a treasure that they could now find. They’d have to follow the clues and pieces of maps. Shiver me timbers! Yer map skills had to be good to find what he left!"  

Throughout the week, students eagerly followed clues, pieced together maps, and used their knowledge of cardinal directions to navigate the school grounds. From uncovering clues under the pirate flag to digging up a real buried treasure, the young pirates were engaged and excited at every turn. 

"Students looked forward to each day's clue, putting the pieces of the map together, and using cardinal directions to figure out the next place to find the next clue," said Megan Winnett, First-Grade Teacher. "They were excited and engaged during our adventures!" 

The pirate-themed lessons extended beyond just treasure hunting. The students embraced pirate culture by dressing up, learning pirate lingo, and even inventing their own pirate names. They wrote about ships, created their own maps, and explored pirate-themed literature.  

"Children dressed as pirates, wrote like pirates, enjoyed prize-winning literature, learned pirate lingo and sea chanties, invented their own pirate names, shared the booty, and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure," said Wimberley. "And thankfully, nobody had to swab the deck or walk any planks!" 

First-Grade Teacher Wendy Killough emphasized that the experiential activities played a crucial role in helping students grasp and appreciate the learning experience.  

"The activities during Pirate Week made this experience more realistic for them, helped them listen and follow directions, and work together with others,” said Killough. “Many students were so engaged that they brought the excitement home, creating their own maps and involving their families in treasure hunts.” 

Leading up to the treasure hunt, students were introduced to the basics of map reading and navigation.  

"We created maps and talked about cardinal directions. We read stories that had maps and looked at real maps," said Kay Adams, First-Grade Teacher. “The hands-on nature of Pirate Week inspired students to bring their newfound knowledge home, where many created maps and engaged their families in treasure hunts of their own.” 

Pirate Week has become a cherished tradition at Crestview, leaving a lasting impression on students for years to come.  

"Pirate Week is something they remember many years later!" said Killough. "As we were burying our treasure the night before, some past students came over to talk to us. They were so excited for this group of students and had the best time recalling all the Pirate Week experiences they had when they were in first grade." 

Thanks to the dedication and creativity of the Crestview first-grade teachers, Pirate Week continues to be a memorable and enriching experience for young learners year after year.