Goals:

1.Ý The students will determine what they would like their profession to be if they were stranded on a deserted island with only two other people and what the benefits and weaknesses of that particular profession would be.

2.Ý The students will demonstrate an understanding of survival techniques by writing a short story describing the events and outcome of their stay on the deserted island.

Materials:

Notecards (one per student)

Paper

Pens

Pre-made "situation" notecards (see description below)

Time:

Approximately two hours

Procedure:

1.Ý Following or during the reading of Shark Beneath the Reef, the class will hold a discussion on careers. With the teacher, the students will discuss what the benefits and drawbacks are in Tomas's situation (stay in school or become a fisherman). The class may wish to construct charts that list the positives and negatives of each decision.

2.Ý The students will then be placed in Tomas's shoes and have to make a similar decision. The teacher will give the students the situation:
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Imagine that you are on board a Carnival Cruise ship that has just sunken deep into the ocean. You and two other strangers who were on board have luckily made it safely to the shore of a remote island. After exploring the island, you and your companions discover that the island is completely uninhabited by humans and you are left to fend for yourselves. You must now find a way to get help, while struggling to stay alive.
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If you were in this situation, what would you like your profession to be?  What type of knowledge would be most useful to you in this situation? Would you be more likely to survive if you were a doctor and knew how to heal various injuries and ailments or if you were a fisherman and able to catch fish to eat?

3.Ý The students may wish to discuss this situation as a class or in small groups before making their decision.

4.Ý After the students have decided what they wish to be, they will write their name and their profession on a notecard. These notecards will then be placed in a hat and the students that are to be "stranded" together will be determined at random (much like real life).

5.Ý The students will then meet in their groups in a secluded corner, away from other people. They will begin writing a journal together describing the events of each day on the island.

6.Ý While the kids are writing, the teacher will come around to each group every few minutes or so and give them a "situation" card that describes a problem that they encounter during their stay on the island.  Based on the professions that they have selected, the group of students must then determine how they will handle the situation and brainstorm what could be done to solve the problem. Some possible examples include:
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One of the members of your group trips on a fallen log and breaks his/her ankle. Immediate medical attention is needed. What will you do?

Your group has gone without food for two days. If you continue to not eat, you will all starve to death. What can you do to locate some food?

You find an abandoned row boat on the beach. It has a large hole in it and is in need of repair, but you have no tools.Ý How will you fix the boat so you can row to safety?
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7.Ý After the students have written in their journals for an hour or so, they will write some type of conclusion to their adventure. They may choose to write an obituary in the newspaper describing their tragic death, or they may wish to write an amazing survival story describing how they were rescued. Each student will write their own conclusion. Regardless of whether they survived or not, each student must somehow incorporate how they were able to use the skills that they had as a __________ (chosen profession). The conclusion must include the benefits and drawbacks of their profession and how it helped them (or did not help them) to survive.

Assessment:

1.Ý The students will be evaluated based on their participation and contribution to the group effort  (Criteria for success = student contributes at least two ideas to the group discussion). This will be done by teacher observation as well as peer evaluations.

2.Ý The students demonstrate in their concluding stories a clear understanding of how career choice impacts survival capability  (Criteria for success = student provides at least five benefits and five drawbacks of their chosen career).

Curricular Standards and Major Concepts:

1.Ý Social Studies - problem solving and implementation of appropriate survival techniques

2.Ý Language Arts - creative writing

Possible Extensions:

1.Ý The students could further research their chosen profession.Ý They will find out pertinent information regarding the person's duties, hours, salary, etc.

2.Ý Parents of students could come into class to speak to the class on their profession.

3.Ý The students could take a field trip to any number of local businesses and offices to gain further knowledge of a variety of professions.

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Coral Reefs - developed by Kristen Treadway, Jenny Mavis, T. J. Beck, & Jim O'Keefe

This page submitted by the St. Norbert College Ocean Voyager ProgramÝ
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