https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo en-us 2017-01-18 16:00:01 UTC 2025-09-26 21:02:07 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Xmastree.png martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/147853210 In chapter 1 of The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo, the author introduces the main character Liza K Poole. She is a little girl, I assume around the age of 10, who enjoys fishing and spending time in the woods. Liza, her mother, and three other people live in a camp-like community in the woods of the Florida Everglades. Her and her mother moved into the woods to escape her abusive father, who is no longer present in their lives. She is extremely content with her living conditions, unlike her mother. 

At the beginning of the chapter, Liza is fishing in her usual spot, when an official appears to question her about a dangerous alligator by the name of Dajun. She knows of the alligator and wishes for his whereabouts to stay unknown to the official, who is trying to kill him. She pretends to be concerned, so the official will escort her out of Dajun's home to protect him longer. 

The end of the chapter leaves the reader wondering what will happen in the future to Liza and Dajun. Throughout the reading, there were many different teachable moments that could apply to science and/or personal matters. The description of the environment and Dajun could be applied to a unit on reptiles, ecosystems, the Florida Everglades, etc. Regarding personal aspects, I could incorporate how Liza was homeless and/or abused in the past by her father. It could be a great opportunity to share resources on getting help and diversity, without calling individual students out. ]]> 2017-01-18 16:03:01 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/147853210 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/149358622 In chapter 2 of The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo,  the author takes a further look into the people that live in the wooded community. Liza K reaches out to James James, Carusa, and Priscilla about the official trying to kill Dajun. All four of them are extremely nervous about what may happen if he finds Dajun. James James helps come up with a solution to lure him to the Solution pit, where they get their clean drinking and bathing water. The description of the Solution pit was very detailed. When reading this aloud to a class, I could have students use the description in the story to draw what they imagine the pit would look like. After they drew their image, I could pull up what it actually looks like and allow them to compare and contrast the images. Although this method to lure him did not work, James James and Liza are continuously thinking of ways to keep Dajun safe.

A life lesson that I could use to share with my class could be about community. All of the people who live closely together in the woods help one another on a daily basis. For example, Liza's mom let her take Priscilla some soup. She went on to explain how she took her food everyday. This idea of community could be taught and practiced within the classroom environment. Another life lesson to teach could be about homeless people. Many students have misconceptions about why/how people are homeless, yet the book portrays them as being happy, educated, and still pursing their dreams.

]]> 2017-01-25 15:56:01 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/149358622 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/150915868 During this chapter, the official comes back to further search for Dajun. Liza and James James plot to steer him off of his trail. While doing so, Liza's mom was coming back from work to get ready for school. Liza realized that if the official saw her, the whole wooded community would get in trouble. James James followed the sign that they determined for the plot, which led him in the opposite direction. After the official left the woods, Liza spent the rest of the time searching for Dajun up in a tree.

Throughout this short chapter, the author was extremely descriptive when talking about the environment and alligators. I could use this to turn into a science lesson. Liza talks a lot about a culvert. This would be a great environment for students or groups to do further research on to present to the class. There was also information about algae that was even new to myself. To incorporate a life lesson into the book discussion, I could explain to my students about how Liza and her mom were both afraid to be seen by the official. This could be tied back into the idea of them being homeless and content. ]]> 2017-02-01 17:33:48 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/150915868 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/152561672 James James and Liza went to further look in the culvert for Dajun. To their surprise, he was not there either. James James decided that he would look in the canal, because they are running out of places to look. When looking for him, they both realized how bad the water pollution has gotten. Pesticides have been spread in the swamp and killed many little fish. This would be a great time to discuss pollution with my class when doing this book study. Quickly, Liza begins panicking because she realized this pesticide pollution could affect Dajun by the food chain. This could potentially make another great lesson when she spend times discussing what animal has eaten the pesticide and what animals eat those animals. She realizes that this hazardous process could potentially kill and/or harm Dajun. Because this chapter has a lot of information that leads up to a big event occurring, this would be a great place for students in the class to make predictions, either independently or as a whole group.]]> 2017-02-08 18:13:03 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/152561672 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/154125981 Out of all of the chapters we have read thus far, this one had the least amount of action. Most of this chapter was dedicated to building up the plot for something to occur soon. In the beginning James James and Liza K. visit the Water Management Department. James James wants to discuss the pollution that is going on,  however Liza K. would like to get a map of the land to see if there are any other places Dajun may be. She was supposed to pay for the map, but the woman she talked to waived the fee if she provided her name and home address. She panicked and provided the address for the diner. When reading this book aloud to my students, I would pause here and allow students to make predictions about what may happen because of this. I can also use this as an opportunity to discuss why she may have lied and how lying may affect us in negative ways in the future. 
Towards the end of the chapter when Liza K. returned from the office, she was looking for Dajun in the woods. While looking, she heard someone talking that did not sound familiar. Out of fear, she ran back to her community and told Priscilla. Thus far, nothing has really added up with why Priscilla is an important part of the story. This could be a great topic for students to predict and reflect on for a journal entry after the chapter is read aloud.]]> 2017-02-15 18:58:13 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/154125981 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/155482254 During this chapter, there were a lot of discoveries and scientific explanations involved for what has been happening. At the beginning, Liza K.'s mom is talking to her when the topic of the job she wanted to apply for and her father came up. Her mom said that a qualified man was applying for the job she wanted and he was mostly likely going to get it. This could be a great time to discuss gender stereotypes in the workplace with older students and allow younger students to predict what is going to happen. Regarding her father, she discussed with Liza K. that he was going away to therapy and would not be bothering either of them anymore. If this was something that the students reading were concerned about, they now have a peace of mind concerning what may happen. 

For the science aspect of this chapter, James James talks to Liza K. and her mom about his concerns. He pulls out a map and begins discussing the penta-chlorophenol chemical killing the weeds, fish, and spreading further throughout the swamp. This would be a great time to discuss how this type of chemical spreads from one location in the swamp to another via water or other animals ingesting it. At the end of the chapter, Liza K. finally figures out that the purpose of all of the mini Gin bottles Priscilla has is to feed the hummingbirds. This would be a great time for students to go back at their predictions regarding her and see if they were correct. ]]> 2017-02-22 15:36:10 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/155482254 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/157050158 At the beginning of this chapter, Priscilla and Liza K. were investigating where Dajun may be. They decided to make a leave trap where he normally goes to see if it would move. If it did, it meant that Dajun was travelling back and forth from Gumbo Limbo and a mysterious location. James James walked up on the ladies while they were doing their investigation. He told them that he was offered a job, but declined because he did not want to be told what to do. This would be a great opportunity to expand on the lifestyle of the individuals that live in Gumbo Limbo and how they have different views/beliefs. When Priscilla left to go back to her "home," Liza K. explained to James James what Priscilla really uses her mini bottles for. He was surprised and stated that his assumptions were wrong about her. This would be a good opportunity to discuss making assumptions about others and how that may be wrong and hurtful. In a special education setting, this would also be a good time for students to elaborate on how they feel when others make assumptions about them. 

At the end of the chapter, Liza K. stumbles upon a parrot in the woods that scares her. He is repeating things that he has heard. Something that strikes her as a clue pertaining to where Dajun may be is, "He is here, but he isn't here." Before going back to her home, the parrot says something about night time. Liza believes this is an indication that Dajun comes back to Gumbo Limbo at night. This would be a great stopping point for students to reflect back and predict what is going to happen. ]]> 2017-03-01 15:24:36 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/157050158 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/161811820 At the beginning of chapter 8,  I did not predict anything significant was going to occur. It started out slow, with Liza K. walking around the woods looking for Travis and Dajun. During her search, she heard her mom coming home calling her name, excitedly. Her mom announced that she got the manager job at the diner that she had been wanting. She was so happy, because she was told she'd be in charge of two different diners. Upon delivering this news, she told Liza K. that they were going to move out of the woods and into a house as soon as possible. Until then, her mom wanted to get a hotel to stay in. Liza K. was extremely disappointed and hurt by this news. She was distraught about leaving all of her the woods people and not finding Dajun. She went to Priscilla to talk about her feelings. Priscilla told her that a social worker had found her in the woods and was making her relocate to a shelter. This could be a great opportunity to talk about the homeless community and what a social worker/shelter is. When I thought the chapter was about to wrap up, I was surprised when Liza K. found Dajun on his beach at night. She used the clues from Sherlock Holmes to lead her to him. This would be a great point to have students predict what will happen in the last chapter. ]]> 2017-03-22 13:43:05 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/161811820 martinh8 https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/163432247 As the book comes to an end, Liza K. tells all of the woods people about discovering where Dajun has been hiding. James James does not believe her at first and begins discussing how the pollution would have played a major role in his relocation. The author goes indepth about pollution, therefore this would be a great place to stop and discuss the affects of pollution in the community. I could use the resources from the lady who came and spoke from DHEC to plan a mini lesson regarding this subject. At the very end of the chapter, Liza K. figured out that Dajun had been hiding in the lake pit with algae covering his whole body and just his nostrils reaching the surface. This solved the mystery of the missing gator they all had been looking for. After finishing the whole novel, the students could go back and look at their predictors to write about if they were correct or not. ]]> 2017-03-29 14:17:52 UTC https://padlet.com/martinh8/GumboLimbo/wish/163432247