o-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Get ready to take to the high seas and set sail in search of treasure!

This half term, we’ll visit a boat yard, river or harbour to find out about boats and ships of all shapes and sizes. We’ll write about our visit, read information books, investigate amazing sea rescues and write postcards and poetry influenced by the sea. Our science skills will help us to understand how boats float and we’ll design and make model ships using a variety of materials. We’ll study paintings of boats and draw detailed pictures of our own. Our map reading skills will help us to identify different seas and oceans, and we’ll learn about famous sea explorers. Stories of pirates will inspire us to make pirate flags, treasure maps and fact files. We’ll even find out how to talk and sing like a pirate!

At the end of the project, we’ll share our learning with you. We’ll hold a special assembly, set up a maritime museum in our classroom and perform stirring sea shanties. Shiver me timbers; it’s going to be good!

Help your child prepare for their project
The sea is fascinating! Why not take a trip to the coast? Visit the harbour, lifeboat station and beach and take plenty of interesting photographs. You could also make boats from plastic cartons, cardboard boxes and polystyrene trays. Add sails and cargo then see which boats sail around the bath successfully! Alternatively, sing along to some lively sea shanties performed by The Fisherman’s Friends from Port Isaac in Cornwall. Visit their website to access free sample tracks.