What this unit was
A five-week project-based unit for grades 6 through 8, taught at Collins Middle School in Salem, Massachusetts, in the summer of 2026. Students studied maps, the Atlantic world, and the people who chose piracy in 1717. The unit was built on the Whydah Gally: a slave ship turned pirate ship. She wrecked off Cape Cod on April 26, 1717, and was rediscovered in 1984. One question steered every day of it: "Why would a person choose piracy in 1717 — and how would they want you to tell their story?"
ABOUT THE TODAY BANNER: Every day page below mentions a red TODAY banner. That banner ran the live class. It picked the current day on its own and let a teacher override it. It no longer exists. Use the day index below to find your way around instead.
The twenty days
More from the unit
These pages round out the archive.
Student story maps (Showcase) → Full curriculum guide → Unit at a glance → Printable handouts → Choose your project → Old crew deck → The LEAP unit planner → The dashboard, as taught →