Materials for the lesson

An old map  of  Mediterranean Sea

A compass

Small sacks with fake coins (used in math’s)

Big sacks (used in gym for games)

School bags

The teacher may also bring in class  clothing accessories of the end of 18^th century, usually used for national celebration day  and kept in school material.

Pirate  accessories of school material for carnival or theater such as: treasure map, flag, parrot, pistols, eye patches …

Ship Horn Sound

Layout of the classroom

Furniture is moved close to the walls. Only 5  chairs and 2 benches are left to be used as ports and ships respectively.

Phase 1

The class is divided into 3 groups: Pirates, Greeks (composed by the ship owner, the Merchant who buys and sells goods and the crew) and Local Producers who sell their own goods or buy  imported products.

Two benches serve as  ships: Pirate  ship and    Greek  ship.

The teacher puts a chair  in the middle of the classroom and   says that here is Malta, Pirates’ island. The Pirates write the name of the island on a piece of paper and stick it on the back of the chair. They also put on pirate accessories if   possible and decorate their ship (bench) with a flag or other pirate symbols.

The Greeks are given a ship (a bench),   2 flags,   Russian and   Ottoman for their ship and small sacks of coins.

They are also given a compass and an old  map of Mediterranean Sea.  Arrows   on it mark the different ports where the Greek ship should stop and buy or sell goods. For example Odessa, Constantinople, Chios, Genoa.

The Greeks   stand in front of Malta’s chair and using the compass find the 4 cardinal points (North, South, East, West). According to the relative direction and distance from Malta, the Greeks place chairs in different points  in the classroom to represent approximately the marked ports. One chair represents one port.

Each Local Producer is given the name of a port and he/she writes the name of the port on a piece of paper and sticks it  on the back of the chair that the Greeks placed. He/she is also given the name of a product and 1-2 big sacks. He/she     puts into the  sacks   school supplies       to fill   it and after writing the name of product on a piece of paper, he/she  sticks it on  the sacks.  The teacher gives  each Local Producer a small sack of coins too.

Greeks and Local Producers may wear accessories of this era.

 Phase 2

 With ship horn sound, the Greek ship arrives at the first port following the map. The Owner of the ship gives orders to the crew. The  Merchant meets the Local Producer and negotiates the price and the quantity of the good.

For example: The ship stops in Odessa.

Dialogue

Merchant: I buy all your wheat, two rubles per sack!

Local Producer:   Two rubles cost only the  seeds. Four rubles!

Merchant: Two and a half!

Local Producer:  It’s the best quality of Odessa. No less than three and a half!

Merchant: Three! Last offer! I have to pay sailors and port taxes.

Local Producer: Ok! Deal is closed!

The Merchant gives a sack of coins to the Local Producer and with ship horn sound, the Greek ship embarks for another port and negotiation.

At the next port, the Merchant may sell the product he/she bought and buy a new one.

Phase 3

The Pirates lurk the Greek ship. When the ship is close to Genoa, the Pirates attack the Greeks and take all the money. The action stops.

Phase 4

The groups may change roles. The Pirates become Local Producers, the Greeks become Pirates and the Local Producers Greeks.

This time, the teacher may change the list of products and ports.

Phase 5

The teacher provides more information about   trade at the end of 18^th century. He/she explains why Greeks use 2 flags on the ship and tells a real story about     a famous Greek hero  ‘Miaoulis’  and pirates.