Pop-up Pirate Pragmatic Skills

This summer in while thrifting I discovered Pop-up Pirate. by Tomy. My hope was to use it as a reinforcer, but found it to be a great visual way for my students to think about conversational turns and staying on topic. This is how to play:

1. The pirate is placed into a spring-loaded barrel and rotated to randomize the unlucky slot.

2. Players must take it in turns to insert plastic swords into slots in the side of the barrel.

3. If a player inserts the sword into a specific slot (which changes randomly every time the game is played), the pirate is launched out of the barrel.

This is how I modify it:

There are four colors and each color has six swords, making it perfect for a group of up to 4 students to take up to six conversational turns (each with a different color). Every time they add to the conversation they place a sword in the barrel. It can also be played by designating the colors as questions or comments to encourage a mix of both comments and questions if a student only makes comments or only asks questions. When the pirate pops up we end a conversation topic. Students take turns picking a topics.

I am finding that this game also motivating to students as they like to pick topics, watch the pirate pop-up and think of questions and comments. Overall very fun for Summer Social Skills.