ARRRRRG! 2nd Grade Torn Paper Pirate Collages

I did this lesson years ago with 3rd grade students, but felt that my 2nd graders could handle the skills and creativity needed.

First day we read part of the book "How I Became a Pirate" by Melinda Long and Illustrated by David Shannon -- I love to read the pirate parts with my best pirate voice!  We only read the first half because otherwise they don't get enough time to work.  While I read the book their job is to look at the pirates - their hair, hats, ears, noses, beards, clothes.... etc.

After the book is over we briefly talk about how the pirates are all different - different shapes, some have hair some are bald some have hats some have handkerchiefs, some have earrings, some have eye patches... and so on.

I do a quick demonstration on how to fold their paper for their head in half then tear it -- stressing that they need to tear slow and if it isn't perfect it's okay!  In fact most of the time the heads that are imperfect are the best!  During my demonstration I also talk with them about thinking about all the other pieces they need as shapes - they are not going to tear a full eye patch from one piece of paper, but instead can tear a triangular shape for the patch and long rectangles for the strap around the head.

The students then pick the color they want for their head out of many skin tones and their background color and off they go!

I spend the class encouraging the ideas and problem solving that my students do.


The next class the students finish up their pirates - giving necks and shoulders, sometimes whole bodies!  After their done tearing the paper the students then use oil pastels to give the final details on the pirate and the background - giving the pirate some place to be.

This is the pirates ship driving license picture!

I have a few students who are not allowed to do fantasy or pirates - so they collaged a person instead of a pirate.