Introduce the story to the class by explaining that they will be examining changes in a landscape and culture over time. Point out Isle de Jean Charles on a U.S. map, and ask students what they might surmise about the island or its culture from its location. Show students photos of the island from 1963 to 2010. What differences do they notice in the photographs and what do they think may have caused the changes?

Assign students to read the article as homework, pointing out that they will be talking about it in class the next day. Encourage them to pay attention to changes in the landscape and to the people living on the island.

1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups, and assign each group a focus, such as land changes, water changes, plant and animal changes, or community changes.
2. Have pairs or groups reread the article with their focus in mind, using highlighter pens to mark places in the article where they find that kind of change.
3. Draw a chart on the board with the headers "Then," "Now," "Changes," and "Causes," and direct students to copy it into their journals or on plain paper. Instruct pairs or groups to fill out the chart using the information they highlighted in the reading.
4. Pair up groups that focused on different kinds of changes, and have them identify connections between their two groups' findings.
5. Call the class together to discuss the story, asking such questions as:

• What connections did your group identify between land, water, plants and animals, and the community and culture of Isle de Jean Charles?
• The oil industry has altered the environment of Isle de Jean Charles, but also brings jobs to the region. What other trade-offs of positive and negative consequences are apparent in this story?
• Louisiana is planning to spend $50 billion over 50 years to restore the coast and construct a new levee system. However, the state has decided to leave Isle de Jean Charles outside of the new levees because including it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and help only a few dozen people. Do you think that is a fair decision? What criteria would you use for prioritizing what to save?
• As climate change causes greater melting of polar ice, many more islands and other coastal areas will likely be engulfed by rising sea levels. What does this story tell us about the changes we might expect and how to address them?

Give students one of the following reflective writing prompts to demonstrate their understanding of the story:

1. Referring to the declining shrimp in the area, Isle de Jean Charles resident Burt Knight says, "You don't need to kill all the chickens, just break all the eggs." What does he mean by this? How might this expression apply to the Isle de Jean Charles landscape or the residents themselves? (CCSS.ELA.RH.11-12.2)
2. The author says that one solution to living in diminishing coastal communities like Isle de Jean Charles may be to try to make do with less. Another possibility is for residents to relocate. What are the pros and cons of each of these reactions? Can you think of other solutions? (NGSS.HS-LS2-7)