Anecdote. An anecdote is a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident. Although anecdotes are often the basis for short stories, an anecdote differs from a short story in that it lacks a complicated plot and relates a single episode. As you read, note one or more anecdotes that the author shares in “Chac.”

External Conflict. An external conflict is a struggle that takes place between a character and something outside that character. Whom or what is Alan Rabinowitz struggling with in “Chac”? What struggles do other characters encounter in “Chac”? Use the graphic organizer to the right to keep a list of your findings.

• Geography Connection. “Chac” takes place in Central America in a small country called Belize, located on the Caribbean Sea, east of Guatemala and south of the Yucatán in Mexico. When Alan Rabinowitz went to Belize in 1983, it was thought to be one of the few remaining areas where jaguars were still abundant and roaming freely. Rabinowitz tracked the jaguars and attached radios around their necks so he could follow their movements and study their habits. He then established the world’s first jaguar reserve, called the Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve, in Belize. “Chac” comes from Rabinowitz’s book, Jaguar.
• Jaguars are larger than leopards and smaller than lions and tigers. They usually spend their time alone, except when they’re mating. Jaguars are good swimmers and can climb trees. They make their homes in tropical jungles and river valleys in Central and South America. Jaguars are an endangered species and are threatened by logging and slash-and-burn agriculture in Central and South America.
• The Maya are the only truly indigenous people of Belize. The jaguar played an important role in the ancient Mayan civilization. In ancient times, Mayan royalty wore jaguar skins, and jaguar designs were incorporated in weavings.

What struggles have you had to face when trying to stand up for what you believe in?