NOAA
Who’s Blue Peter?
Scholars discover who Blue Peter is and how sailors used nautical signal flags on the open waters in order to create their own set of nautical signal flags and send messages to peers.
NOAA
Tied Up In Knots
Challenge scholars to tie knots like a sailor. With help from tutorials and plenty of practice, learners tie the perfect reef knot, clove hitch, bowline and more!
NOAA
Boat Building Challenge
Scholars build a boat using an assortment of materials such as foam plates, aluminum foil, and skewers, then test its buoyancy with pennies. Challenge boat builders to construct the strongest or fastest boat in a healthy competition with...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
Sail Area Calculations
Do bigger sails mean that the sailboat goes faster? Middle and high schoolers compare sailboats, and learn that simply calculating sail area is not enough. A slideshow presentation demonstrates how to calculate the Sail...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
How a Sailboat Works: Hull Speed and Buoyancy
How can you determine the maximum speed of a sailboat? A sailing presentation included with a straightforward lesson plan prompts learners to calculate the maximum speed of a sailboat with a displacement hull. The...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
Sailboat Design Requirements
Sailboat design requires more than a half-circle and triangle sketch. After viewing a slideshow presentation that outlines the requirements for sailboat design, learners draw a design, perform the needed...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
Introduction to Sailboats
The left part of the boat is called what? An informative lesson plan and accompanying slideshow presentation introduce middle schoolers to the terminology and parts associated with a sailboat.
Curated OER
Packing a Sea Chest
Students make a model sea chest, then fill it with provisions for a voyage. They supply a list of the contents of their sea chest, explaining the purpose of each item. The sea chests can be displayed for the school or community.
Curated OER
Defining Success
The class defines what it means to be successful by examining the achievements of Rich Wilson. They create headlines for a mock paper, discuss achieving personal goals, and create a scrapbook of his journey. Tip: Use this resource when...
Curated OER
Sea Liverpool
Students explore Liverpool England's maritime history and development as an important port from its early days to the present. Through hands-on activities and community based instruction, they simulate sailing experiences and life aboard...
Curated OER
Sad Seasick Sailors
Students role play the voyage on the Mayflower. In this United States history lesson, students play the parts of Pilgrims and sailors and discuss how to solve various conflicts during the "journey."
Curated OER
Stephen Crane: The Open Boat
Students explore the genre of American literary naturalism by reading,"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane. They examine the relationship of man and nature through analysis of the characters, narration and descriptive vocabulary.
Curated OER
Sailors and Sharks
Students use the skills of fleeing and dodging in order to avoid being tagged. They begin standing on the ships (mats). One student, the shark, wears a pinney. At the signal from the teacher of "Sailors swim", the sailors scatter to a...
Curated OER
"Aye, Aye, Captain!"
Students explore direction by reading sailing stories in class. For this navigation lesson, students identify the techniques used by sailors in order to travel safely and accurately. Students read stories about sailing in class and...
Curated OER
Sailing Crossword Puzzle
In this language arts activity, students read 14 clues that pertain to sailing. Students figure out the answers to the clues and put them in a crossword puzzle.
Curated OER
Literature: "The Wanderer" by Sharon Creech
Students investigate Internet resources about Sharon Creech's book, The Wanderer. They examine resources on oceans, sailing and journal writing.
Curated OER
Classes of Sailing Vessels
Pupils examine the construction and operation of various sailing vessels. In groups, they use the internet to make flash cards of the different types of classes of sailing ships. They participate in a game in which they use the cards...
Curated OER
Sailing Vessel Installations
Learners identify the parts of sailing vessels. They view pictures of sailing vessels and discuss the purpose of each part. Students build their own installation in class. They share experiences and ideas based on the sailing vessel.
Curated OER
Sunken Jell-O Ships
Students use the internet to research a sailing vessel of their choice. Using toothpicks, they create their own models of the vessel and put into blue jello to appear like it is in water. They write a report based on their vessel and...
Curated OER
Workers on Sea and on Land
Students use photos of sailors and workers in the shipbuilding industry as a reference point to generate questions and investigate the working conditions for resource industry workers in 19th and 20th centruy Atlantic Canada and the...
Curated OER
What Would You Take to Sea? Instructions for Teachers
Students, who are teachers, discover the hazards facing sailors hundreds of years ago as they prepare a lesson to use in their classroom. They examine what each group of students will investigate, and how the findings will be discussed.
Curated OER
Life at Sea: Sores, Scabs, and Scurvy
Learners study the diseases that sailors contracted. They examine the ways that Captain Cook used to prevent illness in his crew.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Sailing
Curriculum teaching the skills necessary to understand the sport of sailing. Website includes suggested readings, lecture notes, and video demonstrations.
Pamela Seed
Rice: Latitude: The Art and Science of 15th Century Navigation
This is a great site to read about how navigation began in Europe and what tools were used. Make sure to read the segments on coastal navigation, maps, and ocean currents.