about the cayPhillip is excited when the Germans invade the small island of Curaçao. War has always been a game to him, and he’s eager to glimpse it firsthand–until the freighter he and his mother are traveling to the United States on is torpedoed.
When Phillip comes to, he is on a small raft in the middle of the sea. Besides Stew Cat, his only companion is an old West Indian, Timothy. Phillip remembers his mother’s warning about black people: “They are different, and they live differently.” But by the time the castaways arrive on a small island, Phillip’s head injury has made him blind and dependent on Timothy. book themeThe Cay's theme primarily focuses on discovery. Discovery requires experience and reflection.
Essential Questions: · What is available to learn? · How do I discover new knowledge? · What are the avenues for learning? · How do I find what I want to know? · How do I manage all that I am learning? Unit Focus Question: · What types of experiences and reflections are necessary for a person to discover, understand, or change? PRE-LESSON QUick WriteDescribe an important experience in your life that caused you to discover, explore, and even change your attitude toward a person who was different from you.
example of a great focus question answer from the cayFOCUS QUESTION #1
CLASS A For my character, I chose Timothy. He is a wise, experienced old man. He likes to think ahead and have a plan to keep himself and Philip alive. He puts Philip's needs before himself. For instance, on p. 35, he says, "D'large kag 'ave a way o' losin' its veree size." He is explaining to Philip that water is useful. That's why I think that Timothy is a wise, experienced old man. CLASS B The character I chose is Timothy. Timothy's character traits are helpful, caring, and thoughtful. He is helpful because he let Philip have the warm side of the raft. He is caring because on p. 46 it says, "I began hitting him and I remember him saying, 'If dat will make you bettah, go 'ead." Timothy is also thoughtful because he cares about Philip's feelings. He asks him how his head is feeling. This is how Timothy is helpful, caring, and thoughtful. activity files
focus questions by chaptersChapters 1-4: In yesterday's activity we focused on the character traits of Timothy and Phillip. Timothy is patient, thoughtful, and empathetic, while Phillip is self-centered and impatient. Choose one of these two characters and one of his character traits and support your position with details and/or quotes from Chapters 1-4 of The Cay.
Chapters 5-8: You have heard Rodgers and Hammerstein's viewpoint that people are taught to fear and hate others who are different from them. Since we know that prejudice means "an opinion that is formed without knowing or understanding all the facts," describe how this compares with the way Phillip was brought up at home. Chapters 9-10: Chapters 11-13: Identify three of the most important happenings within these chapters. Which event do you believe will have the greatest influence on Phillip's future? Chapters 14-15: Authors sometimes take characters on journeys that we do not expect. Phillip's journey has taken us to a climax we may not have expected. Looking back at Phillip's journey, what three events have led up to this climax? Predict what you expect to happen next. Chapters 16-18: We have seen how a legacy one person leaves can have a lasting impression on another. Choose one of the following writing prompts: 1. Think about your own life and write about the legacy you would like people to remember you by. Explain what your legacy would be and how it will affect others. 2. Think about a legacy someone else has left to you. Explain what it is and how it has affected you. |
book trailerThe book trailer for The Cay can be found here: http://bit.ly/160ijul
Photo of CURAçAO:photo of a german u-boat: |
the_cay_focus_question_2.pdf | |
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