Mary Palmer
This is a list of topics and resources used to introduce the novel, The Cay.
A hurricane is a swirling storm measuring 60-1,000 miles in diameter
that forms over warm ocean waters. Hurricanes start life as a cluster
of strong thunderstorms moving across the ocean, called a tropical
disturbance or tropical wave. Atmospheric conditions must be
just right to turn a tropical wave into a hurricane � less than 5% of
them ever become full-blown hurricanes.
Read the "help" prompts and use the information to create the ideal conditions for a hurricane.
This dynamic hurricane track simulator allows the user to observe the path a hurricane takes in relation to environmental winds associated with area of high and low pressure.
Explore the relationship between sea surface temperatures (SST) and hurricane strength.
When disaster strikes, families need to know where to find the stuff they need. A flashlight's a good start, but it's not enough. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), your family should gather up supplies and keep them all together in a cabinet or in a plastic tub. This Family Disaster kit will provide your family with the bare essentials.
See the typical damage caused by hurricanes at each of the five intensity categories.
Personal narratives of the Jim Crow Era
Kenneth R. Janken
Professor, Department of African and Afro-American Studies andDirector of Experiential Education, Office of Undergraduate Curricula
University of North Carolina
National Humanities Center Fellow
©National Humanities Center
"Personal Narratives" is part of the PBS special, "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow." This section is described by PBS as, "compelling first-hand accounts by people who experienced, endured, and survived Jim Crow."
Discover the coral reef, one of the most diverse ecosystems on our planet. Marvel at the beautiful fish and other life forms that inhabit these incredible but delicate coral reefs.
Learn about the Caribbean islands and browse the extensive Caribbean travel and tourism resources.
As a pre-reading activity for The Cay, groups of students choose and study a Caribbean island, create a final product in the format of their choice, and finally, do an oral presentation to share information learned.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Read the stories that make up Curaçao and the island life. Background stories, news and personal experiences of both visitors and locals.
Corals are composed of thin plates, or layers, of calcium carbonate secreted over time by hundreds of soft bodied animals called coral polyps. Polyps range in size from a pinhead to a foot in length. Each polyp lives in a symbiotic relationship with a host zooxanthellae that gives the coral its color. Zooxanthellae take in carbon dioxide, process it through photosynthesis, and give off oxygen and other important nutrients that are then used by the host polyp. As in all photosynthesizing organisms, this means that corals must be exposed to a sufficient amount of sunlight. This confines most corals to shallow waters that are clean and clear.
