Goals:

1. The students will read and discuss The Cay or Timothy of the Cay with other students.
2. The students will complete Literature Circles role sheets.
3. The students will map the journeys of Timothy and Phillip.
4. The students will put the events of the stories on a timeline.
5. The students will present The Cay or Timothy of the Cay to the class.

Resources/Materials:

1. Multiple copies of the following (one book for each student):
   Taylor, Theodore. The  Cay.New York: Avon, 1969.
   Taylor, Theodore. Timothy of the  Cay.  New York:  Avon, 1993.
2. Multiple copies of each of the role sheets.
3. Multiple copies of the map of the Caribbean and Eastern U.S. (one for each group).
4. Large pieces of white construction paper (one for each group).
5. Rulers, pencils, and crayons or colored pencils.
6. Multiple copies of self evaluation and group evaluation sheets (one for each student).

Description of Literature Circles:

Literature circles are small, temporary discussion groups who have chosen to read the same story, poem, article, or book. While reading each group determined portion of the text (either in or outside of class), each member prepares to take specific responsibilities in the upcoming discussion, and everyone comes to the group with the notes needed to help perform that job. The circles have regular meetings, with discussion roles rotating each session. When they finish a book, the circle members plan a way to share highlights of their reading with the wider community; then they trade members with other finishing groups, select more reading, and move into a new cycle. Once the readers can successfully conduct their own wide-ranging, self-sustaining discussions, formal discussion roles may be dropped.

Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circles:Voice and Choice in the  Student-Centered Classroom. York, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 1994.

Brief Descriptions of the Books:

The  Cay:
A boy named Phillip and a black man named Timothy get shipwrecked on an island in the Caribbean. Together they learn to survive and change their attitudes about judging a person by the color of their skin.
 

Timothy of the  Cay:

This is the sequel to The Cay; however, it can be read without reading The Cay first. This book focuses on the effects of Phillip's stay on the island with Timothy and gives background on the issues Timothy dealt with as he grew up.

Time:

Not including the time it takes to read the novel, it will take approximately 13 hours (Part I: 2 hours, Part II: 3 hours, Part III: 1 1/2 hours, Part IV: 1 1/2 hours, Part V: 3 1/2 hours, and Part VI: 1 1/2 hours).

Procedure:

Part I: Day one of the unit
1. Introduce the books The Cay and Timothy of the Cay and their relevance to the unit on The Caribbean. Students will have to present one of the books at the end of the unit.
2. Review Literature Circles.
   a) Groups will be composed of four or five students who choose the same book.
   b) Each of the four or five students will have a role in the group: Discussion Director, Literary Luminator, Illustrator, Summarizer, Creative Connector,  or other possible roles.
   c) The groups will meet every day for the next eight or nine days to discuss the story.
   d) At each meeting, the students will decide the number of pages and switch Literature Circle roles. By the end of the novel, each student should have had each role at least once.
   e) The novel needs to be half completed by the fifth day of the unit, and totally completed by the ninth day of the unit.
3. Explain that at each meeting, the students will up-date the map of the Caribbean and Eastern U.S. so it coordinates with Phillip's and Timothy's journeys throughout the book.
4. Explain that at each meeting, the students will also up-date a timeline of Timothy and Phillip's lives using a large sheet of white construction paper.
5. Divide the students into groups of four or five according to the book they chose to read.
6. Pass out a novel and role sheet. (Each student in the group must have a different role.)
7. Instruct them read the first chapter silently. When they are finished they are to fill out the role sheet.
8. After the students finish the role sheets, compare and contrast the ways the role sheets were completed so that students see that there are many ways to look at aÝ story.
9. Pass out a map of the Caribbean and Eastern U.S., a large sheet of white construction paper, and a ruler to each group.
10. Ask each group to plot out the location of Phillip and Timothy on the map and list the events of the story so far in the form of a timeline on the white construction paper. Note: There will be two separate timelines for The Cay and Timothy of the Cay  on this sheet of paper, so the students may want to draw two lines going the length of the paper.
11. Finally, have each group decide the number of pages to read and who will have which role for the next day.

 
Part II: Procedure for each meeting for the first and second weeks of the unit.

1. Up-date the map and timeline for the story so far.
2. Go over each of the roles in the group to discuss the story.
3. Decide the number of pages and switch roles for the next meeting.
4. Students hand in the role sheets.

 
Part III: Day four of the unit.

1. Up-date the map and timeline for the story so far.
2. Go over each of the roles in the group to discuss the story.
3. Decide the number of pages and switch roles for the next meeting.
4. Students hand in the role sheets.
5. Remind the students that they will do a project at the end of the unit to "sell" their book to the class.
6. Go through the evaluation of the project and participation in Literature Circles.

   
   Possibility:

   a) Brainstorm criteria for project as a class.
   b) Discuss methods of grading including self evaluation, evaluation of group members, and project evaluation by classmates.
   c) Decide grading rubric based on the responses or your own ideas.
7. Brainstorm ideas as to how to do this i.e. commercial, skit, news program, etc.

 
Part IV: Day six of the unit. The students should be about half way through their books.

1. After labeling the map and timeline, ask the students a series of questions regarding distance, time, rate of travel, and degrees. Optional: Students could come up with the questions on their own.
2. Instruct the students present their maps and timeline to the class. Discuss similarities and differences among the maps and timelines.
3. Discuss any questions or problems about the stories or Literature Circles.
4. Instruct the students go back into their groups to discuss the role sheets, decide on the number of pages, switch roles, and discuss possible project topics.
5. Collect the role sheets.

 
Part V: Day seven and nine of the unit.

1. Instruct the students meet to up-date the map and timeline, discuss role sheets, decide on the number of pages, and switch roles.
2. Give the students time, possibly an hour, to work on their projects.
3. Collect the role sheets.

 
Part VI: Day ten of the unit.

1. Instruct each group, one at a time, present their book in the manner in which they thought would be best to "sell it."
2. After each presentation, you may want to have the class evaluate the group either by giving them a letter grade and reason for it or your own ideas.
3. Conclude Literature Circles by asking the students to evaluate themselves and their group members by using the evaluation sheets provided or your own rubric.

Assessment:

1. Observation of student participation in Literature Circles groups. (Criteria for success = Observation of active listening (eye contact with the speaker and gestures or comments of understanding) and discussion with other group members regarding the book or similar issues during the meeting times.)
2. Each student will turn in his/her role sheets for each meeting.

   
   Criteria for success = Evidence of reading the book.

   a) Summarizer - Write a paragraph summarizing the events and list at least three key points about the section of the book.
   b) Illustrator - Draw or write descriptive words depicting a scene during that portion of the book.
   c) Literary Luminary - Locate at least three passages, reason for choosing, and list who will read for that portion of the book.
   d) Discussion Director - Write at least three possible discussion questions or topics that are relevant to that portion of the book.
   e) Creative Connector - Write a paragraph making some connection to the story and list three questions that help make other group members make connections to the story.
3. Each group will turn in a map showing the journey(s) of Timothy and Phillip. (Criteria for success = Identifiable lines of the two characters that are 85 percent accurate according to the book.)
4. Each group will turn in a timeline of events. (Criteria for success = The large sheet of white paper needs to have a straight line drawn with time periods in chronological order marked at intervals. The years should have events described next to them coordinating with the book with 85 percent accuracy.)
5. Each group will present their book to the class. (Criteria for success = Options include: Students will answer each question on the self evaluation rubric and evaluation of group members rubric. They could also give each group a presentation grade and support their choice in a few sentences.)
6. Evaluation of total participation in Literature Circles. (Criteria for success =Ý Grades derived from teacher observation, group grade, and individual grade. Possible evaluation tool is included.)

Curricular Strands and Major Concepts:

1. Language Arts: Through discussion in their groups and final presentation, the students will work on communication skills. They will use reading and writing skills to read either The Cay or Timothy of the Cay and fill out the Literature Circles role sheets, self evaluation, and group member evaluations.
2. Math: Students will solve problems dealing with time, distance, rate, and degrees.
3. Social Studies: Students will label a map and construct a timeline.

Possible Extensions:

1. Research the area where Timothy and Phillip traveled.
2. Make the presentations a contest between the groups with the students being the judges. Candy bars or extra credit could be the reward for winning.
3. Use other roles for Literature Circles including Word Wizard or Book Finder.
4. Keep a journal of personal responses regarding the book and Literature Circle groups.
5. Discuss the books with other classes using the Internet
6. Use other adventure books: Lessac, Frane. My Little Island. Lippincott, 1984.

Back to Outline

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