K-3 Activities

Grades K-3

Minnesota State Standards: The standards in kindergarten through grade 3 require students to master fundamental understandings that prepare them for in-depth study of history, geography, economics, and civics and government later on. These understandings include concepts associated with familiar local environments and current times to faraway places and distant times. In addition to learning key concepts, students begin to apply essential disciplinary skills including civics skills, geospatial skills, economic reasoning and historical inquiry. Content in the early grades is balanced among the four social studies disciplines with no single discipline emphasized over another.

Although Daniel Defoe/Captain Charles Johnson's text is likely too difficult for students in kindergarten through third grade to fully comprehend, the story of Mary Read and Anne Bonny and the historical concepts it introduces are nonetheless valuable to students in this age group. Students can follow Read and Bonny's adventures in Europe and the Caribbean, gaining an understanding of globalization, trade, colonialism, and women's roles in the early and mid modern periods. While certain concepts may prove a bit difficult for this age group, their attempts to grapple with the complexity of the story will foster skills in geospatial reasoning, civics skills, economic reasoning, and historical inquiry.

Questions to consider:

  • What reasons did Mary and Anne's parents have for dressing them as boys? Was it a good thing or a bad thing?
  • How did Mary and Anne get from Europe to America? Do you think their journies were difficult?
  • What do you think it was like to be a woman and a pirate in Mary and Anne's time?
  • Draw a picture! What do you think Mary Read and Anne Bonny looked like?

Pirate Coloring Pages for K-3 Students