They Live in Guinea
Middle/High School Lesson Four



Procedure


Synopsis

Viewing Time: 11 minutes. Start at the frame of the crock pot in Buck's store. The end credits include the names of the watermen in the video

In Buck's Store

Linda and Ronnie and the others are sitting at a table in Buck's store. Buck is fixing lunch for everyone. Linda says, "We done gone the way of the dinosaurs. Maybe not this year, but next year. "

Ronnie's back is worse. The doctor tells him to quit working on the water or risk being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Linda sees changes happening all around her. The watermen are becoming extinct and it is not their fault.

The Watermen on the Dock

The scene switches to the men standing on the dock. They are frustrated about the government regulations. They had the best oyster year in a long time. They caught the state's quota of 80,000 bushels 6 weeks before the season ended, and the government closed the James River anyway. One of the men is getting ready to go over to crabbing instead. Others can't do anything but harvest oysters because they don't have the equipment. They will be out of work.

Linda has hired Calvin to go out clamming with her. She will have to sell the family boat. Ronnie has become an independent trucker.

Billy Kellum's Boat

The Kellums arrive safely at the marina. Vernon Carter is painting the name on the boat. Gail christens it and they launch it.

Back at the Store

At the store, Buck says the world around Guinea has changed a lot in his lifetime. In the 1960's, there were between 10,000 and 12,000 watermen along the Virginia part of the Chesapeake. Young people could look forward to working the water. Now there are fewer than 4,000. Eleven million people are competing for the use of the Bay. The number will continue to grow. The Guinea watermen work hard and love what they do, but their future is uncertain. It is a shame to see their traditions and way of life disappearing.

Mr. Hogge is optimistic that he will finish repairing his nets. He says to just keep pushing along. There are always nets to mend.

Before Viewing

Ask students what they would do if they were in a situation like that of the watermen. Remind them that Ronnie said he had a bad back. Invite them to predict what might happen to him. Tell students the last segment will summarize some of the changes in the lives of the watermen.

During Viewing

Introduce the vocabulary words. Show the fourth section of the video. Continue recording as in previous lessons, using the Video Note-Taking Form for Lesson 4. Remind students to jot down key terms, names, events, dates, and questions on the left side of the form. Notes should be taken in sequential order.

After Viewing

After watching the video, have students work in previously established small groups to extend each other's information. Students may want to take turns reading their individual notes aloud so that other members of the group can add information they may have missed. All new information should be recorded on the right hand side of the Video Note-Taking Form.

Summary

Use the Points for Discussion to review the information with the whole class. Meet with the whole class and develop the post-graphic organizer for Lesson 4 to summarize the key points from the video. At this point, you may wish to re-play the video tape or continue on with other activities. Allow time for students to complete the KWL and the Anticipation Guide.



Extensions Lesson Four

I. Vocabulary


Ask students to construct sentences using the following vocabulary words.
extinct They're becoming extinct, and it's not their fault.
(No longer living or in use.) noun
quota The watermen caught the state's quota of 80,000 bushels 6 weeks before the season ended.
(A set amount) noun

II. Notetaking-Form 4

III. Post Graphic Organizer 4

IV. Projects

  1. Research one of the current problems in the Chesapeake Bay. Write a report describing the problem and what is being done to solve it.

  2. Make a short picture book for elementary aged students. Explain the main themes in the video. Illustrate your picture book.

  3. Design a board game to go with the video. Use information from the activity sheets to make questions.

  4. Participate in a panel discussion of the main topics presented in the video.

  5. Make up a quiz-show type game based on information from the video.

  6. Make a crossword puzzle about the video.

  7. Pretend to be a waterman 20 years from now. What will Guinea belike? What will you tell your children?

  8. Write a newspaper article based ont he video.

  9. Compare and contrast the Guinea area with another area that also has a vanishing way of life.

  10. Compare and contrast the problems of the watermen with the problems of another cultural group.


Assessment Lesson Four

Note: Discuss questions with students, or choose a few and have them write short answers.

  1. Why does Linda say they have "gone the way of the dinosaur? What does she mean?" Do you agree or disagree?

  2. Do you agree or disagree with Linda? Why?

  3. What has happened to Ronnie? What does he do for work?

  4. What does Linda do about the fishing?

  5. Why does Linda sell the boat? How do you think she feels about it?

  6. What were the men at the dock talking about, and how did they feel?

  7. What happened to Gail and Billy's boat?

  8. How many watermen were in the Virginia area of the Chesapeake in 1960?

  9. How many are there now? How many do you think there will be in the year 2000?

  10. What does Buck say about the watermen?

  11. What does Mr. Hogge say about the fishing nets?

  12. What is your opinion of regulation?

  13. If you were in Ronnie's situation, what would you do?

  14. How much did your ideas about Guinea change after watching the video?

  15. Which of the people in the video would you most like to meet? Why? What would you talk about?

  16. Which section of the video did you enjoy the most? Why?

  17. Evaluate the musical selections used. Were they effective in setting a mood for the video? Which musical selections would you choose?

  18. Would you like to work on the water with the watermen for a day? Why or why not?

  19. What kind of non-verbal messages did you get from the various people on the video?

  20. Pretend Guinea is electing a new mayor. Which person from the video should be the new mayor? Why?


Summary Extension


  1. Pricing Chart


Summary Assessments


  1. Matching Test
  2. Matching Test Answers
  3. Essay Test


Top of Lesson 4