Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

Cruising in the Caribbean

Day 1: Melvin and Morris Board the Ship
Yesterday mom stuffed us in a suitcase. The indignity! When we went to Vegas six years ago, we got to ride in the airplane. This time no such luck! Mom said it was just too expensive to book us as official guests in the cabin. I guess its really our own fault. She and dad were going to go on their first cruise together in two years and wanted to leave us at home. We pestered and pleaded with her until she agreed to take us. She said we could stow away in her suitcase. We are going on a Caribbean cruise. The Caribbean area is shown on this map. The Caribbean Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean which is found between the Islands shown on the map, Central America and the top of South America. Mom was very excited because her room got upgraded to a balcony room. I asked mom what upgraded meant. She replied, Thats when you pay for one kind of cabin and get a better one for the same price. We booked a room with an obstructed view. Obstructed means that there is something in the way. In this case, it means you get a window, but mostly what you see is a life boat. Right in front of the window! The lifeboat obstructs your view of the ocean. This time they gave us a balcony room. Thats where you have a little porch of your own where you can sit in the open air and watch the waves go by. Balcony rooms are very expensive, so your 2011 abcteach.com

Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 dad and I are very excited that we got one for the same price we were going to pay for our original room. Then, she stuffed us in the suitcase! We had to go through customs before we got on the ship. I dont know exactly what going through customs means, but there was a bright light that came right through the suitcase at one point and I could see all of Morriss bones. How did that happen? We were in the suitcase a LONG time. We could hear what was going on in the ship, but it was all very confusing. First, they called everybody out on deck for a mustard drill. Maybe they were having a cookout. We like mustard on hamburgers and hotdogs. When mustard drill was over we could hear the captain talking over the intercom system. He welcomed everybody aboard and told them dinner would be served in the dining room or they could eat in the caf. Hmmmmmmmaybe mustard drill isnt about eating. Ill have to ask mom. I guess I should tell you that we are on what is called a cruise. On a cruise, you get on a big ship and take a vacation. Our ship has fourteen decks. A deck is like a story or separate level in a building. Some decks have different things on them like theaters, restaurants, pools and even stores. Other decks just have rooms where people stay. Some decks have rooms and other things on them! A cruise ship is like a huge, floating hotel. The picture below isnt our ship, but it shows what a cruise ship looks like.

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 Finally, mom let us out of the suitcase. Morris looked a little ill and said we had heard all about the mustard drill, but he wasnt hungry, because his tummy hurt. The mustard drill wasnt about eating, after all. Mom explained the whole thing to us after she finished laughing. Muster drill is a practice that humans do to make sure they can get off of the ship safely in case there is an emergency. They do muster drill before the ship takes off. It is like a fire drill. An alarm sounds. The alarm is seven short blasts on a horn followed by one long blast. On this ship, deck five is where they keep the life boats. People are assigned to different Muster Stations depending on what deck their cabin is on. When they get to the Muster Station crew members explain what will happen if there is a REAL emergency. Everyone practices putting on their life jackets. The captain talks to everyone for awhile over the intercom and explains more about emergencies at sea. Emergencies at sea are when things happen like a fire on the ship, or if the ship became damaged and started to sink. If there was a real emergency, people would go to their assigned muster stations and get into the life boats. The boats would be lowered into the ocean and people would be evacuated, or taken away safely, from the ship. I want to go home, Morris said. I dont like emergencies. You and dad never said anything about emergencies. There wont be an emergency, mom said, Muster drill just helps you know what to do if something should happen. Even if there was an emergency, everyone would be safe because there are plenty of lifeboats.

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 The life boats would sail off and take the people to land safely. What about the moose? We didnt even get our own life vests! Mom said we would be okay. I dont know about that. Morris, and I bugged mom until she let us practice muster drill in our stateroom using the extra life vest in the closet. I felt squished, and Morris kept blowing the whistle. As usual, we both got in trouble, but this time it wasnt my fault at all! As soon as our own private Muster Drill was over, Morris and I explored the cabin. As I said before, we have a balcony room. A balcony has an acrylic (hard, clear plastic) wall with a rail on top of it, so you dont fall off of the boat. I climbed on top of it immediately. Melvin, mom screamed, Get OFF of the balcony rail. You might fall overboard!

Melvin sitting on the balcony rail

Morris and Melvin in the chair.

I looked over the rail. It was a long way down! All I could see was water in every direction. I decided mom was right and sitting here was NOT a good idea, so I climbed down carefully and went to sit with Morris in the chair. Mom and dad went off to have dinner in the dining room. WE called for room service and ate on the balcony! 2011 abcteach.com

Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

Name: ___________________________
Directions: Use the information on pages 1-4 to answer the questions below: 1. Why did Melvin and Morris have to stow away in a suitcase?

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
2. What does upgraded mean? A. to get a free room on a cruise ship B. to get a better room for the same price C. to get a room on a higher deck of the ship D. to get two rooms for the price of one room 3. Read this sentence from the text: We pestered and pleaded with her until she agreed to take us. Another word that means almost the same as pleaded is __________________. A. complained B. argued C. begged D. cried 4. Why does Melvin say that a cruise ship is like a huge floating hotel?

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 5. Using your knowledge of fire drills and the information about muster drills from the text, explain how a muster drill is like a fire drill on the lines below:

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

6. What happens after the alarm sounds for a muster drill, but BEFORE people practice putting on their life jackets? A. The captain talks about real emergencies at sea. B. People go to their assigned muster stations. C. The crew show people how to get into life boats. D. People board the ship and go to their cabins. 7. Why did Morris say he wanted to go home after mom explained what Muster Drill was? A. He was afraid the life boats would drive off without him. B. He got into trouble because Morris kept blowing the whistle. C. He didnt have his own life vest and hadnt practiced muster drill. D. He was afraid there would be a real emergency aboard their ship. 8. Why did Melvin decide that mom was right and he should get off of the balcony rail?

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

Cruise Ship Vocabulary

Before we tell you more about the cruise, I guess wed better explain a little bit about cruise ships! Even the smallest cruise ship is REALLY big! The most important thing to know about cruise ships is that you never call them boats! People on the ship get really upset if you do. Another important thing to know about cruise ships is that they have their very own set of special words you use when you are talking about the ship or things on the ship! Heres a few: 1. Board: Someone will say, Its time to board now. This means you get on the ship. When you get off the ship, you disembark. 2. Deck: Buildings have floors or stories. Ships have decks. When someone says, My room is on deck 5, this means that they are on the 5th floor of the ship! 3. Stateroom: Your house has rooms. Ships have cabins, or staterooms. They mean the same thing. There are different types, or categories of staterooms: A. Interior staterooms: Each deck has hallways. The rooms closest to the middle of the ship are interior staterooms. These rooms do not have any windows, because if they did they would open into the hallway and all you would see would people walking up and down the hallways. These rooms are usually smaller than other rooms. They have a closet, a small bathroom with a shower, a little area with a couch or chair to sit on and one or two beds. They all have a television. These rooms usually cost less than other rooms on a ship. B. Outside staterooms: These rooms have windows on the outside of the ship. You can see the ocean and sky out of the windows. They have small bathrooms. (Some bathrooms have bathtubs in the outside rooms on some ships. Most ships just have showers in these rooms.) The rooms are usually

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 a little bigger than the interior staterooms, but they have the same things in them: Televisions, couches, beds and chairs. C. Outside staterooms with Balconies: These rooms have all of the same things as the outside rooms, except that they have ceiling to floor sliding glass windows that open onto a small porch, or balcony. You can go out in the fresh air and watch the ocean and sky from your balcony. The balcony has a small table and chairs to sit in. D. Mini-Suite with Balcony: The word suite (pronounced-sweet) means a group of rooms that someone stays in. These are larger rooms that have a bedroom, bathroom with a tub, and a sitting area with a sofa. Usually, these are sofa beds, which mean you can have another person in your room. These are great for families on vacation. These rooms also have private balconies. You also get extra special service when you stay in a suite! E. Deluxe Suites: These suites are called different things on different ships, but they are the biggest! They usually have two bedrooms, a living room, a small kitchen and dining area, one or two bathrooms with tubs, and one or two balconies. Like, a junior suite, you also get extra special service! 4. Starboard and Port. When you are on the right side of the ship looking to the forward, or front of the ship, you are on the starboard side. When you are on the left side of the ship, looking to the front of the ship you are on the port side. 5. Forward and Aft: When you go forward, you go towards the front of the ship. When you go aft, you go to the back of the ship. 6. Port of Call: This is a place where the ship stops that has an area where the cruise ship can dock or anchor. Some ports of call do not have docks. The ships have places where they can drop their anchors. People ride small boats called tender boats to get from the ship to the shore. Other ports have docks, where the cruise ship can tie up to the dock with huge, thick ropes. People can walk off the ship on to the dock in these ports. 2011 abcteach.com

Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

What is a Deck Plan?

This is an example deck plan. A deck plan is a map showing what is located on a deck. This deck only has interior and outside staterooms. No staterooms on this deck have balconies. This deck plan does not show locations of stairs or elevators. Directions: Use the information on pages 7 and 8 to label the following parts of the ship on the deck plan: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Aft Forward Port side Starboard side Interior staterooms Outside staterooms

Dear Readers, A deck plan on a real cruise ship is about twice as long as this one. It has about twice as many staterooms, too! Mom said we needed to tell you we just drew this one to show you how it works.

Melvin and Morris

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 Cruise Lines charge different prices for different rooms on the ship. How much they charge also depends on what week of the year you want to travel. Prices are always shown based on two people staying in the same stateroom. The prices shown are per person. If one person chooses to go on the cruise alone, he or she usually has to pay the same price as two people would pay. Here is a chart showing prices for cabins, or staterooms, on our ship. (These are example prices)

Stateroom category
Interior stateroom Large Interior Stateroom Outside Stateroom with an Obstructed View Large Outside Stateroom Large Outside Stateroom with Balcony on Decks 4 and 5 Large Outside Stateroom with Balcony on Decks 7,8, and 9 Mini-Suite with Balcony Deluxe Suite with Balcony

Room Price per person if there are 2 people per room, or double occupancy

$389 $419 $469 $659 $879 $929 $1,509 $2,159

1. Morris and Melvins mom booked an outside stateroom with an obstructed view. How much did she have to pay for her and their dad to stay in this stateroom? Show your work and record your answer in the space below:

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1 2. The room they were upgraded to was a large outside stateroom with a balcony on Deck 7. How much money did they save by receiving this upgrade? Show all your work and record your answer in the space below:

3. How much less does an outside stateroom with an obstructed view cost for two people than a large outside stateroom?

4. Which of the following could you use to calculate how much more a deluxe suite would cost for two people than a mini-suite? A. ($2159 + 2) 2($1509) B. ($2159 2) - ($1509 2) C. 2($2159) ($1509 + 2) D. ($2159 X 2) - ($1509 X 2) 5. Prove your choice is correct by solving problem 4 in the space below.

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

Answer Keys: Reading Comprehension: pp. 5 and 6

1. (Answers will vary) Suggested answer: It was too expensive to book a room for 4 people. Since Morris and Melvin are so small (and stuffed animals) they could be packed, or stow away in a suitcase. 2. B. to get a better room for the same price 3. C. begged 4. (Answers will vary) Suggested answer: A cruise ship has many rooms for people to stay in and many different things to do, such as swimming, shopping, fitness centers and watching shows. Hotels have rooms for people to stay in and many different things for people to do. Most have swimming pools, fitness rooms, shops, and some have shows.) 5. (Answers will vary) Suggested answer: A fire drill is when you practice leaving a building safely if it catches on fire. You have a special way to go out and an appointed place to meet. A muster drill is when you practice leaving a ship safely in case of an emergency at sea. You have a special way to go to a muster station. At the muster station there are life boats to get on so you can leave the ship safely. 6. B. People go to their assigned muster stations. 7. D. He was afraid there would be a real emergency aboard their ship. 8. (Answers will vary) Suggested answer: Melvin looked down and saw that it was a long way down if he fell in the ocean. Also there was no land anywhere, so he couldnt swim to safety.

DECK PLANS p.9

Forward

Port Outside staterooms Interior staterooms

Starboard

Aft

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Integrated Theme Unit / Cruising the Caribbean Part 1

Answer Key: Math 1. $469 +$469 or $469 X 2 = $938 2. $929 + $929 or $929 X 2 = $1,858 $1,858 $938 = $920. She saved $920. 3. $659 + $659 or $659 X 2 = $1,318 $ 1,318 - $938 = $380 4. D. ($2,159 X 2) - ($1,509 X 2) 5. 2 people in a deluxe suite = $2,159 X 2 = $4,318 2 people in a mini suite = $1,509 X 2 = $3,018 $4,318 - $3,018 = $1,300

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