Goals:

1. The students will learn about Caribbean culture.
2. The students will gain basic knowledge of Caribbean cooking through the preparation and sampling of Caribbean food.
3. Each student will work cooperatively with other students.
4. The students will gain basic knowledge of Caribbean currencies.
5. The students will become familiar with Caribbean folk songs and poetry.
6. The students will experience blindness in order to form a deeper understanding of the novel Timothy of the Cay.
7. The students will understand the importance of trust and the role of a leader.

Resources/Materials:

1. Caribbean Recipes (Possible Sources: Caribbean Cookbook at http://www.nando.net:80/prof/caribe/caribe.com.html, Kaufman, Cheryl. Cooking the Caribbean Way. Lerner, 1988).
2. Cooking utensils, ingredients for recipes, and ovens.
3. 3) Information on Caribbean Currency (Possible Source: http ://www.turq.com/facts.html#Currency).
4. Blindfolds.
5. Caribbean Folk Songs (Possible Source: Burgie, Irving. Caribbean Carnival: Songs of the  West Indies.Frane Lessac, illus. Tambourine, 1991.)
6. Caribbean Poetry (Possible Sources: Agard, John and Grace Nichols. A Caribbean  Dozen: Poems from Caribbean Poets.  Cathie Felstead, illus.  Candlewick, 1994.; Lessac, Frane.  Caribbean Canvas. Lippincott, 1989.; Nichols, Grace. Come on into My Tropical Garden.  Lippincott, 1990.)

Time:

Preparation (Steps 1-4): 1.5 hours; Cooking, Presentation, purchasing of, and clean-up of food: 3 hours; Trust walk: 1 hour;  Reading of Poetry and Songs: 1 hour; Essays: 1 hour.

Total: 7.5 hours.

Procedure:

Part I:
1. Prior to the day of this activity, have students form groups of 3-4.
2. The groups should
   a) choose a Caribbean recipe which they would like to make.
   b) choose a Caribbean poem or proverb to read to the class.
3. Purchase the ingredients for the recipes (Students could each contribute money).
4. Prior to the day of this activity, have students explore Caribbean currency and make money which represents the currency.  In order to keep the currency uniform, the teacher and students should decide upon a specific island's currency (Possible island: Curacao).
   a) The students will formulate a chart listing the value of the following U.S. currencies in Caribbean currency:
   1. $.05
   2. $.10
   3. $.25
   4. $.50
   5. $1.00
5. Each group of students will prepare their Caribbean dishes on the day of the activity.
6. Each group will set up a table to sell their dishes and decide upon a price to charge for their Caribbean dish, dessert, or drink.  Each group should select music to play at their table (Possible Selections: Bob Marley, Jimmy Buffet). The students in each group should also rotate places so that each student has a chance to purchase food and still have a member of their group selling their food.
7. The teacher leads the class in learning and singing some Caribbean folk songs.
8. Each group presents the Caribbean poems or proverbs which they have prepared.

Part II:

1. Divide students into pairs and give each pair of students a blindfold.  Have the students determine who will be first to be blindfolded.  Explain to the students the importance of trust and the importance of a leader's role.  The leader in each pair will lead the "blind" student around the inside or outside of the school.  The leader should take the "blind" into unusual places so that the "blind" will experience what Phillip did in the novel's The Cay and Timothy of the Cay by Theodore Taylor.
   a) Students should begin their walk and be given time to lead their partner.
   b) Have the students switch roles.
2. Students should write a short essay on their experience as a "blind student." (Possible questions to reflect on: What surprised them?  Did they notice anything different about  the school?  What senses became the most important once they could not see?  Have the students reflect on the importance of trust in the "blind" walk.  Did their leader do anything that caused them to lose trust?).

Assessment:

1. Each group must turn in the recipe that they have selected.  (Criteria for success = the recipe is for a Caribbean food or drink).
2. Each student must turn in the chart of relational currencies.  (Criteria for success = the chart is complete with U.S. dollar amounts compared to the chosen islands values. The chart must be 100% accurate or students will need to make corrections).
3. Each group must make and present their Caribbean recipe.  (Criteria for success = students attempted to make the recipe and charged a reasonable amount for retail).
4. Informal observation of each group's poetry presentation.  (Criteria for success = the students read a Caribbean poem or proverb and read it accurately, with expression, and fluently (See Rubric A)).
5. Informal observation of students participation in the trust walk.  (Criteria for success = students actively participate and do not lead other students into danger).
6. Students will turn in the short essay on the trust walk.  (Criteria for success = the essay reflects on the experience and how it helps them understand Phillip.  The essay is well written (See Rubric B)).
7. Each group member must submit an evaluation of the contribution of every member of  the  group.  (Criteria for success = Each team member must have made a substantial contribution to the group (See Rubric C)).

Curricular Strands and Major Concepts:

1. Language Arts: Following the directions of a recipe.  Communication skills. Presentation of a poem.  Learning a Caribbean song. Writing a reflective essay.
2. Math: Determining the value of U.S. dollar amounts in a Caribbean island's currency. Measuring of Ingredients.  Selling a Caribbean food product.
3. Social Studies: Culture of the Caribbean.  Understanding of what it means to be "blind."

Possible Extensions:

1. Have students dress according to Caribbean apparel.
2. Compare the differences in the values of currencies in the different Caribbean islands.
3. Read the book My Little Island by Frane Lessac [Lippincott, 1984].  The book teaches students about plants, animals, food, the market, fishing, school, music, and celebrations through Lucca, a young boy returning to his former island home for a wedding.

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Caribbean Cruisers - developed by Sara Bork, Carrie Kriescher, Candice Murphy, & Melissa Randall