Teacher's Guide for FACES ^® Bahamas Issue

Bahamians
Ornithologists
Plumage
Lamellae
Archipelago
Cay
Gran bajamar
Bootlegging
Jitney
Union Jack
Goombay
Strident
Plunder
Waylay
Letter of Marque
Sloops
Connotation
Coral polyp
Invertebrates
Zooxanthellae
Photosynthesis
Symbiotic
Conquistadors
Ambergris
Conch
Marinated
Sauteed
Patois
Dirge
Wake
Hamaca
Guanahani

1. What do flamingos and whales have in common?
2. Why were flamingos once considered an endangered species?
3. Why do flamingos face into the wind while resting?
   
   Find out more about flamingos at the library or on the Internet.

"Welcome to the Bahamas" (p. 8 - 13) and "Through Time: the Bahamas" (p. 12 - 13)

Produce a class media time-log. Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group to 1 - 3 important events / periods in Bahamian history (using information in the article and the timeline on pages 12 - 13). Ask each group to research, write, and record (for 'radio' or 'television' viewing) a 2 - 3 minute news report. Present these reports in class.

"New Providence: Paradise for Pirates and Privateers" (p. 14 - 16)

1. Why did pirates call New Providence Island a 'pirate heaven'? Read the entire article before answering this question.
2. Ask each student to imagine that they're an apprentice pirate serving on a ship captained by Mary Bonney, Edward D. Teach, Charles Vane, Henry Morgan, or another famous pirate. Write a one-week pirates 'log' or diary about the adventures (and mishaps) on board.
3. Using library or Internet resources, find out more about the lives of Captain Woodes Rogers, Mary Bonney, Edward D. Teach, Charles Vane, Henry Morgan, William Kidd, Mary Read, 'Calico Jack' Rackham, and Alexander Selkirk. Ask small groups of students to write poems or anagrams about one or more of these individuals. Share these with the class on a bulletin board, wall display, or special in-class 'Pirates News' publication.

"Minding Your 'Do's' and 'Don'ts' in the Bahamas" (p. 18 - 20)

1. Before reading the article "Minding Your 'Do's' and 'Don'ts' in the Bahamas," ask the class to make a list (either individually or as a class) of 6 - 10 'good manners.'
2. After reading the article, compare and discuss Bahamian good manners with expectations in the United States. Keep a running list comparing the two sets of rules on the board (see below). At the end of the discussion, ask the class to vote: which behavior code would they rather follow? Why?

"Metropolis of the Sea" (p. 22 - 25)

1. Learn more about the Andros reef by using library resources or visiting the internet sites listed at the end of "Metropolis of the Sea." Ask small groups of student researchers to present their findings in short 'reef-u-mentaries' (3 - 5 minute panel presentations).
2. Coral reefs are built of many thousands of layers of limestone, some going back more than 150,000 years. Could the first inhabitants of the coral reefs have passed on any survival tips (or wisdom) to their offspring? Discuss how coral polyps may have adapted to the changing environment on the ocean floor.

"Black Cords and Bibles" (p. 21), ""Weddings - Bahamian Style" (p. 33), and "Bahamian Funerals" (p. 39)

Read and discuss each article. Discuss how these customs and superstitions compare to those practiced by students in class.

"Seeking Freedom: Eleuthera Island" (p. 26 - 28)

1. Why did the French colony on Eleuthera Island fail?
2. What happened to the Adventurers? Ask each student to pretend he or she is an Adventurer, then write a letter describing life on Eleuthera Island to relatives 'at home' in England.

"Goggle Eyes, Grunts, and Johnnycakes: Foods of the Bahamas" (p. 30 - 32)

1. After reading the article, ask small groups of students to create fictional menus for a new Bahamian restaurant. Compare the results.
2. Ask several small groups (with adult supervision) to make 'Johnnycakes' using the recipe on page 31. Ask other student groups (all with adult supervision!) to find other authentic Bahamian recipes online or at the library and prepare these. Bring the results to class for a Bahamian taste test.

"Going to School in the Bahamas" (p. 36 - 38)

1. Read the article. Compare and contrast the Bahamian educational system with your community and state system.
2. How does the Bahamian school system compare to public education in Great Britain? Look for answers in the March, 2001, issue of FACES ^®, in the library, or online.

"The Men From Heaven" (p. 40 - 43)

Ask a small group to present "The Men from Heaven" to the class. If you're having a 'Bahamian Taste Test Day' in class (see the lesson suggestions for "Google Eyes, Grunts, and JohnnyCakes: Food in the Bahamas" (p. 30 - 32), this play could provide the entertainment!

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Updated: 11/21/09 02:15 pm
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