Grade Level: 4
Topic: The Cay
Subject Area(s):
_X_ Reading,
Writing,
__ Mathematics
GT Differentiated Exemplar Lesson
ELAR TEKS/Student Expectations:
__ Science
__ Social Studies
Essential Question(s):
 What can you infer about the relationship between Phillip
and Timothy?
 How does Phillip’s character evolve during the story?
 What different Thematic Connections are there in this
novel?
Assessment(s):
__ Pre-Assessment
X Formative
X Summative
GT Scope and Sequence Skills:
Student Learning Styles:
(Aligned with 21st Century Skills
_X_ Auditory
Framework & College and Career
_X_ Visual/Spatial
Readiness Standards)
_X_ Kinesthetic
_X_ Creative Thinking
__ Other
_X_ Critical Thinking
_X_ Communication
__ Research
4.6 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make
inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and
provide evidence from text to support their understanding.
Elements of Depth and
Complexity:
__ Language of the Discipline
_X_ Details
_X_ Patterns
__ Trends
__ Rules
_X_ Ethical Considerations
__ Unanswered Questions
__ Over Time
_X_ Different Perspectives
__ Big Ideas
Lessons and Activities
_X_ Whole Class
_X_ Small Group
_X_ Independent Activity
PART ONE:
Resources:
Class set of The Cay novel by Theodore Taylor
Whole Class: After reading the novel, The Cay, ask students to discuss the Thematic Connections sheet
(Project on the document camera. Attached below.)
On Grade Level: Divide students into groups of three and give each group a different thematic
connection to respond to as a group.
GT Level Group: Divide students into groups of three and give each group a different thematic
connection to respond to as a group. Ask students to provide evidence from the text for their
responses.
(There are over 200 copies in the AISD iBistro system,
along with teaching materials and AV.)
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District
Whole Class: Groups share their responses on an anchor chart for the class to review.
Thematic Connections (scroll down)
PART TWO:
Whole Class: Project The Cay Challenge Investigation (See Resources Column) with the document
camera. Review the challenges with the students.
On Grade Level: Students work individually on their Challenge projects. Set the points to 60.
The Cay Challenge Investigation *extracted from
Differentiating Instruction With Menus Language Arts
by Laurie E Westphal:
http://www.slideshare.net/carmengray33/the-caychallenge-investigation
GT Level Group: Students work individually on their Challenge projects. Set the points to 100.
Whole Class: Students choose one of their Challenge projects with the whole class.
Defining Moments in The Cay Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/Enrichmentarea/definingmoments-in-the-cay
*Extension: Use the Defining Moments in the Cay as a model for an extension activity idea for
students who can do more.
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District
THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Survival–The skills necessary for Phillip and Timothy to survive on the raft are very different from the skills they need on the cay. How does
Timothy instinctively know what they must do? Discuss why Timothy feels so strongly about teaching Phillip survival skills once they are on the cay.
At what point does Phillip feel that he has graduated from Timothy’s survival course? How will Phillip’s experiences on the cay and his relationship
with Timothy help him survive in life?
Fear–Discuss the many fearful scenes in the novel. At the beginning, Phillip’s mother tries to protect him from fear, while his father tries to help him
face it. Discuss how his mother’s protective nature actually creates more fear in him. How does Timothy help Phillip deal with this emotion? Does
Timothy have his own fears? How does Phillip’s fear sometimes turn to loneliness? What does Phillip mean when he says, “It was as if my
blindness were protecting me from fear”? (p. 114)
Anger–Phillip says, “At one point my fear turned to anger.” (p. 46) Discuss the relationship between fear and anger. Why is Phillip angry with his
mother? Phillip pushes Timothy to a fit of anger, and Timothy strikes him. Phillip says, “Something happened to me that day on the cay. I’m not
quite sure what it was even now, but I had begun to change.” (p. 72) Discuss what causes Phillip’s outburst of anger. Ask students to discuss what
they think happened to Phillip that day.
Courage–Ask students to define courage. Debate whether courage can be taught, or whether it is something innate. How does it take courage for
Phillip to accept his blindness and learn to contribute to his own survival
on the island?
Racial Prejudice–Ask students to identify direct quotes from the novel that indicate that Phillip is prejudiced. Explain what Timothy means when he
says to Phillip, “[Your mother] started dis terrible wahr, eh, young bahss?” (p. 38) How are prejudices learned? Discuss how Timothy deals with
Phillip’s racial remarks.
After Phillip is rescued, he tries to tell his parents about Timothy, and says, “I had the feeling that neither of them really understood what had
happened on our cay.” (p. 136) Ask students to brainstorm the words that Phillip might have used to explain what had happened. Discuss whether
he can change his mother’s attitude.
Friendship–Ask students to describe Phillip’s friendship with Henrik van Boven. How are their lives different? Explain what Phillip means at the end
of the novel when he says, “I saw Henrik van Boven occasionally, but it wasn’t the same as when we’d played the Dutch or the British. He seemed
very young.” (p. 136) Discuss Phillip’s relationship with Timothy. At what point in the novel does Phillip begin to accept Timothy’s friendship?
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District
Process Assessment
Teacher observes the following:
Process Observation - Frequency
Student uses correct terminology during interactions with peers and teacher.
Seldom/Never
Occasionally
Often
Consistently
Process Observation – Frequency
The student is able to guess the genre of a book by its criteria.
Seldom/Never
Occasionally
Often
Consistently
Process Observation – Quality of Creative Thinking
Typical of Peers
Student uses creativity throughout the stages of the task.
Fluent Thinker
Flexible Thinker
Unique and Original
Process Observation – Quality of Analytical Thinking
Typical of Peers
Student analyzes information during the task.
Fluent Thinker
Flexible Thinker
Unique and Original
Product Assessment
Score
Genres
Booklet
Critical Thinking
3
Student compares and contrasts
fiction and non-fiction books.
The content highlights unique information
for the two genres and shows connections
to books not previously read aloud in class.
Student applies knowledge of the
distinguishing characteristics of genres to make
predictions and verify the predictions.
2
Student compares fiction and nonfiction books.
Includes distinctive information for each
genre in the booklet. The content easily
connects to the books read aloud in class.
Student applies knowledge of the
distinguishing characteristics of genres to make
predictions.
Includes distinguishing information for each
genre in the booklet.
Student predicts the contents of a book.
1
Student distinguishes between fiction
and non-fiction books.
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District