The Cay

By Theodore Taylor

In order to prepare for our Survival Fieldtrip, each Sixth Grade classroom read a survival story.  Ms. Pearl's class read The Cay.  The main character is Phillip, a 12 year-old boy who is trying to survive during WWII.  In the first few chapters, we are introduced to various seagoing vessels found in Phillip's turbulent, war-torn world.  There is the infamous U-boat which causes Phillip to abandon the ship he was on, which was headed for Miami.  There are also schooners which Timothy hoped would rescue them.  And there is, of course, the old raft that saves there lives.  Rafts are the most basic of all water crafts.  In this case the raft is merely a collection of planks laid across some oil drums lashed down. 

The assignment was to create a  model raft.  Each student needed to include all items that were necessary for them to survive an indefinite time at sea.  For example, Phillip's and Timothy's raft does not have a sail, rudder, compass, or any other item which might allow them to continue on to Miami.  The students' models could include these items if they felt they were necessary for survival.

Raft Projects 2002-2003