Our Parents Were Kidnapped by Pirates

This Context Clues worksheet features the poem “Our Parents Were Kidnapped by Pirates,” ideal for students in grades 4–6. In this playful story, pirates make the mistake of capturing two parents—only to end up swabbing decks and doing chores under their strict supervision. Students are asked to identify unfamiliar words in the poem and use context clues to determine their meanings, strengthening vocabulary and critical reading skills. This activity encourages close reading, inference, and creative thinking, while the poem’s humor and surprise ending make it especially engaging for upper elementary readers.