• Invitation to inquiry
• Open minds
• Stimulate curiosity

• Build background knowledge
• Connect to content
• Discover interesting ideas

You will soon be reading the historical novel The Cay by Theodore Taylor in Language Arts class. The novel's setting (place and time period) is the Caribbean region in 1942 during World War II, a tumultuous time in world history! 

In this story you will meet the two main characters shown on the book cover below, Phillip and Timothy. Use the resources below to get an overview of The Cay:

• Watch the student-created book trailer below. *YouTube video may be played by the teacher at school or by students from home.
• Examine the book cover illustration below; click on the book cover for a larger image.
• Listen to an excerpt from the Audiobook below.
• Skim some book reviews.
• Read The Cay: In A Nutshell / Why Should I Care?

Now, predict some plot events and possible conflicts in the story. What do you think the story will be about? Do you think this will be a story of survival? A story about relationships? Or both? Share your predictions with classmates as directed by your teacher.

Before you begin reading The Cay, you will need to develop some background knowledge about the historical and geographical context of the novel and about the author, Theodore Taylor.

• Use the Background Resources to take a "virtual visit" to the Caribbean during World War II. 
• Use the About the Author resources to meet the author, Theodore Taylor, who will share some of his life experiences and how they influenced the story of The Cay.
• As you use the digital resources to build your background knowledge:
  • Begin your Inquiry Journal by responding to these Inquiry Journal Prompts.
  • Engage in an Inquiry Circle conversation to revise your predictions about The Cay based on your new knowledge.

In The Cay, the main character Phillip is a victim of not just one, but two disasters! In this research task, you will have an opportunity to investigate a real life modern disaster. Perhaps you have personally experienced a disaster, know someone who has experienced a disaster, or have some recollections about a disaster featured in the news. Discuss these experiences or recollections in an Inquiry Circle and then share out with your Inquiry Community.

Researching modern disasters will enable you and members of your Inquiry Community to answer the Essential Inquiry Question:

Click on the Task and Product tab above to continue your inquiry!

• Explore interesting ideas
• Look around
• Dip in

Example of an Infographic about the cost of disasters from Fema

Video: Summary Writing

You will be investigating a modern disaster in order to create an Infographic that summarizes important facts about the disaster and highlights its effects on people and their relationships.  An Infographic is a visual representation of information, data or knowledge that presents complex information quickly and clearly. Have a look at some examples:

• This Infographic utilizes several pieces of text and graphics about Earth Day.
• This Infographic on the Water Cycle utilizes charts and data.
• This Infographic uses text, graphics, charts, and graphs to answer the question, Just How Massive is Google Anyway? -- AND information sources are cited at the bottom.

You and your classmates will share your Infographics to learn from each other about how the various disasters affected people and their relationships. Understanding the experiences of real people who have experienced disasters will provide insight into the characters, plot, and themes you will encounter in The Cay.

After reading The Cay, you will synthesize evidence from your research and examples from the novel to support your stance on whether the story is more about survival or relationships in a written argument.

• Click on the Assessments tab above to preview the scoring tools that will be used to evaluate your research process, Infographic, and written argument.

Explore

Explore several major disasters of the early 21st century in order to select a research topic and summarize important facts:

1. First, read the introduction to each disaster below in Disasters in the News.
2. Then, use the links in the left column to visit a LiveBinder of resources about each disaster. Use exploratory search strategies like browsing, scanning, and skimming a few resources to get an overview of each disaster.
3. Use your Inquiry Journal or this Stop and Jot organizer to record your reactions and questions about the disasters you explore.
4. Select one disaster that intrigues you the most for further research.
5. Use 1-2 reference sources from the LIveBinder to gather important facts about the disaster you chose for a written summary.
   Use these questions as a guide (the 5 W's and How):
   • What happened? When and where did it happen?
   • Why did this happen? What caused it?
   • What were the major effects?
   • Who was affected? How many people were affected?
6. Use your notes to write a summary. See this video for help with summary writing.

• Evaluate the achievement of learning goals
• Reflect on content
• Reflect on process

The following scoring tools may be used or adapted by you and your teacher to evaluate your research process and your final product and presentation.

You will use these assessments throughout your inquiry process to plan, make decisions, monitor your progress, and evaluate your achievement of your inquiry-based learning goals.

• Pause and ponder
• Decide direction
• Identify inquiry questions

Questions

Essential Inquiry Question:
Inquiry Focus Questions:

1. How can relationships between people change as a result of a disaster?
2. What types of conflicts can occur as a result of a disaster?
3. How are new relationships formed as a result of a disaster?
4. How are other relationships affected affected by a disaster? (people and their pets, people and their environment, etc.)
5. Which disaster victim's story was most memorable to you and why?
6. What quotes express disaster victims' experiences in a powerful way?

• Gather important information
• Go broad (search)
• Go deep (read)

Apply effective search strategies to locate and evaluate sources and digital content that will deepen your understanding of a modern disaster. Use the recommended resources and search tools on the Disaster Resources tab of the Student Resources page.

1. Read deeply from credible resources and apply reading strategies to construct meaning. Focus on the disaster's impact on people and their relationships during your inquiry.
2. Use the Inquiry Log to make choices and track your inquiry journey.
3. Use strategies and tools for note-making, documentation, and reflection as you gather information, as directed by your teacher:
   • Use the Gather Inquiry Journal: Go Deep or Cornell Notes to help you write about important ideas you find and reflect on what you have learned from the resources.
   • Gather powerful quotes (disaster victims' own words) and summarize personal narratives of disaster victims' experiences.
4. Demonstrate digital citizenship and avoid plagiarism by paraphrasing or quoting information, and by citing your sources for a Works Cited list.
   • Consider using an online citation generator like EasyBib, BibMe, or Son of Citation Machine to format your citations (MLA format).

• Reflect on learning
• Go beyond facts to make meaning
• Create to communicate

Analyze your research notes to reflect on your learning.
What new insights have emerged in response to the Essential Inquiry Question:

Create an Infographic to communicate new meaning and understanding through graphics and words. Use Glogster, Prezi or Micrsosoft Publisher software to create your Infographic, as directed by your teacher. Be sure to include facts and statistics from your written summary of the disaster as well as examples, anecdotes, quotes, and insights about how people and their relationships were affected.

Use these resources to help you create your Infographic:

• Sample Infographics:
  • Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - Interactive Infographic created with GlogsterEdu
  • Preparing for a Natural Disaster - Example of an Infographic that might be created using Microsoft Publisher
  • Natural Disasters - Interactive Infographic created with Prezi
• Glogster Tutorials:
  • Glog It! (ReadWriteThink) GlogsterEDU Video Tutorials (GlogsterEDU)
• Prezi Basics (from Prezi Academy)
• Microsoft Publisher Quick Reference Guide

Evaluate your Infographic according to the scoring criteria for the format you used:

• Glogster Rubric
• Prezi Rubric
• Microsoft Publisher Rubric

After reading The Cay, synthesize evidence from your research and examples from the novel to support a written argument on whether this novel was more about survival or relationships. Use the Argumentation/Opinion Text-Based Writing Rubric as a guide to writing a well-supported argument.

• Learn from each other
• Share your learning
• Tell your story

You and the other members of your Inquiry Community will share your Infographics to learn from each other about how the various disasters affected people and their relationships.

Sharing is a two-way process: it involves speaking (as a presenter) and listening (as an audience member). As an audience member during this sharing session, you will use the Student to Student Evaluation of Share Presentations to record your comments and feedback to the presenters.

• Record interesting facts you learned from the presentation.
• Provide feedback to the presenter.
• Support your comments with specific reasons and examples.

• Evaluate the achievement of learning goals
• Reflect on content
• Reflect on process

• Evaluate the achievement of your inquiry-based learning goals by completing the
  Self Reflection on Inquiry.

Extend your learning:

• Check out this Infographic on Preparing for Natural and Manmade Disasters to learn how you and your family can be prepared if disaster strikes in your own community!