Post #7 - Multimodal Composition

 

I read the book Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman. I decided to make an info-graphic for my mini multi-modal composition because I wanted to make a timeline of events. I used Visme and here's the link for my project: 

https://my.visme.co/view/vdkyprjp-dry-timeline

I've done info-graphics in the past and I feel like they are so easy to use and you can create a whole different project every time. This was my first time using the charts and graphs feature. I have mixed emotions about how the project turned out. I wish I would've done the timeline in landscape rather than portrait. I think I would've had more room to work and it wouldn't look so chaotic. Yet, I like the chaos because the whole premise of the novel is frenzied and chaotic on their search for water. So in a way the squished timeline really works. I love the color scheme, because it nearly matches the colors on the book cover and the colors are warm indicating heat and dryness. I think the colors are a good representation of the novel overall, hot and dry, and everything is thirsty, people, animals, and the earth. I really like the clip art graphics I chose too. I like the "plainness" of the graphics and each picture represents some major portion of the novel. Obviously the water tap initiating the Tap-Out in southern California, the group of five people represent Alyssa, Garrett, Kelton, Jacqui, and Henry, the water bottles, which have become the only source of water for people during these five days, and then, of course, the flame, which represents the wildfire wreaking even more havoc and danger to the suffering people.  

I think my timeline gives a good synopsis of the events while simultaneously leaving out some crucial parts that only the reader would be able to discover for themselves. The whole idea of the timeline is not just summarizing the plot, but could be looked at as a kind of reality, events that probably would happen if this sort of disaster occurred - to include the lack of FEMA support. I thought that was an important factor to include in this novel because in reality, FEMA has had history of not responding in enough time. I think that could lead to a great discussion in a classroom setting. 

I really loved this novel and it really scared me too. It was just so realistic and it made me fortunate that I'm living in Wisconsin, where it seems like there's a lake every 20 miles in every direction. However, I have family that live in Arizona, New Mexico, and California so it really had me fearing for them. I found an interesting article about the authors that I thought would be worth sharing for anyone who is looking to read this book or already has read it:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/78204-fiction-frighteningly-reflects-fact-in-dry.html 

 

The novel did make me water conscientious and I realized how much water my family uses and wastes in a single day. Here's a website with some interesting facts about water consumption in the US:

https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts

I also found a fun water consumption footprint calculator that calculates everything you use water for (and some things you didn't realize used water). My personal water footprint uses about 1,900 gallons per day! That's seems so crazy to me, but after taking the quiz it kind of makes sense! Here's the link if you want to see your water consumption footprint:

https://www.watercalculator.org/