Lesson One: "On the Question of Race"
Goals
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1.
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To introduce students to poetry by comparing and contrasting two quite similar versions of the same poem.
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2.
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To guide students to reject stereotypes as a meaningless way of generalization.
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Learning Objectives
As a result of this lesson students will:
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1.
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Practice their oral reading skills.
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2.
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Practice their reading comprehension skills.
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3.
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Learn how to deal with poetry.
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4.
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Learn basic poetry terms such as stanza (
estrofa
) or verse (
verso
), etc.
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5.
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Broaden vocabulary.
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6.
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Understand the dangers of stereotypes.
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7.
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Start thinking about the concept of identity.
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Materials
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-Graphic organizer.
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-Copy of Enrique Aviles´ and Michelle A. Banks´ poem
"On the Question of Race"
(juxtaposed in the same page.)
Initiation
"Pass the bull" strategy: after introducing the curriculum unit to the students, I will toss the bull around asking them what are their expectations and what they are hoping to learn.
Procedure
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1.
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Students will be given a graphic organizer in which they will have to write words or definitions that the word poetry suggests them. (In Spanish!!) Some of the students will read their reactions aloud.
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2.
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A volunteer will go to the board and write Hispanic and Black in two different columns. Students will do the same thing in their notebooks. (Students will be reminded that RESPECT is one of the golden rules in my classroom)
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3.
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Students will be asked to brainstorm to fill in the two columns, giving characteristics of the two groups.
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4.
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The teacher will start questioning everything on the board, breaking their arguments, without giving them the "right" answer.
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5.
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The teacher will make groups of 3 or 4 students.
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6.
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The teacher will give students the
"On the Question of Race"
poem.
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7.
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Different students will be asked to read the poem aloud. The two poems will be read together, so a student will read Enrique´s stanza, followed by a student reading Michelle A. Banks´ same stanza (therefore, some of them will be repeated, but some others will show the difference between "Hispanic" and "Black.")
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8.
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Students will get into their groups and discuss the poem. They will argue about stereotypes.
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9.
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Students and teacher will go through the poem, analyzing it. The teacher will "play fool" and let students to explain the poem to her.
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Closure
The teacher will divide the class in two groups. One group will defend the use of stereotypes and the other group will be against them. The teacher will give them some time to prepare a short strategy for a debate that will take place.
Lesson Two: Pablo Neruda
(This lesson plan is to be developed in one 82-minute period. However, it can be changed according to teachers needs)
Goals
To introduce students to the process of reading, understanding, and appreciating poetry.
To help students look for a poem to recognize different voices.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to:
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1. Develop active reading, writing and oral language skills.
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2. Develop listening comprehension skills.
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3. Understand, analyze and interpret a poem.
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4. Compare different interpretations of the same poem.
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5. Broaden vocabulary.
Materials
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-Copies of Pablo Neruda´s "
Poema XV"
(from
Veinte poemas de amor y una canción
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desesperada) in Spanish and a good English translation.
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"Poema XV"
(Vol. 1, song 4) in
Marinero en tierra: tributo a Neruda.
Warner Music
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Chile, 2004.
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"Poema XV"
(song 5) in
Neruda en el corazón
. BGM Music Spain, 2004.
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-Computer, speakers, internet access.
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-Brief handout (biography and concise description of his main works) on Pablo Neruda.
Special Needs
Students are familiar with the writer because they have previously researched and read about Neruda on the website www.fundacionpabloneruda.cl.
Initiation
"Pass the bull:" students will be asked brief general questions about the author and his work.
Procedure
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1. Different students will read aloud the brief handout on Neruda´s life and work.
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2. The teacher will ask students different questions: (search for information)
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3. The teacher will read "
Poema XV
" to students in Spanish, asking them to verbally
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describe what it means and what its content is.
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4. The teacher will provide students a copy of the poem with blank spaces (could be
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verbs, or adjectives...)
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5. Students will listen to the poem read by Alejandro Sanz. They will listen to
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the poem several times in order to make sure they fill in the blanks appropriately.
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6. Different students will read out loud one stanza, giving their responses to the
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blanks and explaining the meaning of that particular stanza.
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7. Students and teacher will discuss the poem in detail: go over new vocabulary and
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the meanings of the different images. After this, the teacher will provide students a
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copy of the English translation of the poem to make sure everyone has understood it.
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8. Students and teacher will listen to Adriana Varela´s tango version of the poem.
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9. Students and teacher will discuss and compare both versions. Teacher will ask them
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specific questions about their reaction to the different versions.
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10. Teacher will ask students to write a 8-10 line paragraph describing personal
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reactions to the poem and a second 8-10 line paragraph comparing and contrasting
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both versions.
Closure
Students will listen Pablo Neruda´s reading of his own poem.
Assessment / homework
Students will be asked to look for their favorite poem to bring to class to share.
Lesson Three:
Down These Mean Streets
, Piri Thomas
(This lesson plan is to be developed in an 82 minute class. However, it can be changed according to teachers needs)
Goal
To understand and analyze the connections between film and literature and how both represent and explore human experience.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to:
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1. Search for information in a text.
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2. Develop their reading and listening comprehension skills.
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3. Identify and analyze cultural aspects of the Puerto Rican world
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4. Make inferences about ideas implicit in a written text in order to compare them to its
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adaptation on screen.
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5. Understand how writers or film directors manipulate stories in order to achieve a
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desired effect.
Materials
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-Piri Thomas´
Down These Mean Streets
and its adaptation in film titled
Every Child
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is Born a Poet: Life and Work of Piri Thomas
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-DVD player, TV.
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-Handout with specific questions on the chapters of the book /memoir to help students
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understand the film better.
Special Needs
The teacher has already introduced students to the autobiography, its parts and main themes. Students were asked to answer the questions on the handout for homework.
Students and teacher have previously read and discussed a couple of chapters from the book.
Initiation
"Pass the bull" strategy: ask students some questions about the main actions of the chapters we have read. How does Piri Thomas use his voice? Describe his emotion state in chapters. Is he persuasive, argumentative. . .?
Procedure
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1. Different students will read aloud the questions in the handout so they can answer
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them and the whole class can engage into a discussion.
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2. Teacher and students will take notes while watching specific fragments of the
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film. Students will have to work in groups of three in order to present a task that
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will be given to them at the end of the movie.
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3. The teacher will give different groups their tasks and some time to get ready to go
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through their notes.
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4. Different groups will briefly present their reactions to their tasks.
Closure--Assessment
Students are asked to write their 8-line reaction to the movie in an index card that the teacher will collect.
