Opening+Activity


 * Opening Activity **

** Objective: ** TLW read and discuss their reactions, opinions, and feelings to a variety of scenarios related to different cultures and the young adolescents struggling to find themselves in the mix of their home culture and the dominate one that surrounds them.

** Standards: (Jeffco) ** ** LA 1 ~ Students read and understand a variety of materials. **

Benchmark G ~ evaluate, analyze, and synthesize text

1.6 read critically; 1.7 read for a variety of purposes; 1.8 adjust reading strategies according to text and purpose;

**LA 7 ~ Students apply complex thinking skills when reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. ** Benchmark E ~ express and defend an opinion based on evidence. 7.3 analyze and interpret a variety of information and ideas 7.5 evaluate information and ideas to form and support a reasoned opinion.

** Rationale: ** Research has proven that students learn better with content embedded in themes. Thematic units are especially effective in English classes because they “bind together a number of apparently dissimilar elements including literature, media, and popular culture" (Donelson and Nilsen 2009). The intent in this lesson is not promote stereotypes, but through the use of authentic experiences found in good young adult multicultural literature and other media, bring awareness to the challenges that bicultural students face during their adolescence.

** Materials: ** All literature should be displayed in order to engage the students in their discussions. Movie: //Spanglish// __ For each group of 3-4 __ 1 scenario card Discussion questions for each group

** Instructional Method: ** This lesson will be taught primarily through student led Instructional Conversations. Students will discuss their opinions and learn from each other and their own experiences. They will also talk about how they do or do not relate to the lives of the characters in the scenarios.

** Tasks ** : 1. Explain to students that in an effort to make them more culturally aware and responsive as well as have an opportunity to share and learn about the cultures of some of the students in the class (depending on class make-up) the students are going to begin a new unit of study on multicultural literature. 2. First share the clip from //Spanglish// where Christina comes home with Deb, and her mom, Flor discovers her daughter’s dyed hair. End the clip after Flor has tried to give a letter to Deb explaining her feelings. Engage students in conversation about their initial reactions, why they think both women behaved in the ways that they did, and what they might have been thinking. 3. Have the students move into groups of 3-4 and pass out a different scenario card to each group. (Double up if needed). 4. Tell them that they will have a discussion leader and a recorder to take notes. All members must participate equally in the discussion. 5. Have the students read the scenario cards and begin the discussion by having each person share their initial reaction. 6. After the students have shared their opinions the discussion leader will read the other discussion questions soliciting responses. 7. The recorder will take note of what was said and who said what. 8. After the conversation the students will compare and contrast their responses. 9. Finally the students will share their scenario with the class and some of the highlights of their conversations.

** Assessment: ** Students will be assessed both formally (from the discussion questions) and informally on their participation. They will be graded on the thoughtfulness of their contributions to the group discussion. All students in the group will be responsible for providing an initial reaction to their scenario as well as their opinions and feelings. Each student will then need to participate in sharing their findings will the class. The students will be rated on a rubric for their participation and presentation.

** Scenario Card 1 **

** A Mexican-American 16 year-old girl discusses with her parents her desire to attend college out of states. Her parents, immigrants from Mexico are not used to the idea that young adolescents leave their home to attend school. They inform their daughter that she will be staying at home and attending a college nearby. **

(Adopted from __Just Like Us__ by, Helen Thorpe)

** Scenario Card 2 **

** A Japanese American high school student brings her class schedule home after registering for a new semester. Her father sees that she is registered for AP Physics. He tells her that he does not feel that his daughter should focus on science classes, and tells her to take a typing class instead. **

(Adopted from the television series //FlashForward//)

** Scenario 3 **

** A fourteen year old girl has been stranded in a new land and a new culture. She is not sure if she will ever see her family or home again. The island has become like a second home for her. She has even fallen in love. Her father arrives and she decides to go back home with him leaving behind her love and new life, the life she thought would be hers from now on. **

(__Nation__ by, Terry Pratchett)

** Scenario 4 ** **A twelve year old, well-to-do girl living in Mexico finds out that her father has died. Later she and her mother are told that their home, a ranch house on a grape vineyard now belongs to the bank because women are not allowed to own property. To avoid the problems with the bank (owned by the girls uncle who tries to extort her mother), the two flee to the United States. In the States the girl has to learn the ways of migrant workers and adjust to her new life. ** (__Esperanza Rising__ by, Pam Muñoz Ryan)

**An African American girl, living in the projects wants to apply to a prestigious boarding school. She, despite the fact that her mother goes to jail and her father is not really around, works very hard and knows that she will write a great essay to submit with her application. The one problem is: Who will sign her application to give her parental consent to apply to the school? ** (__Standing Against the Wind__ by, Tracie L. Jones)
 * Scenario 5 **

**A teenage boy, half Mexican and half White decides that he does not fit in at his private school, where students judge him by the color of his skin. “Danny is convinced that it is his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico.” Even though he does not speak Spanish, he decides to spend the summer with his father’s family. ** (Mexican Whiteboy by, Matt de la Peña)
 * Scenario 6 **

** Scenario Discussion Questions **

Names of group members:

Have a recorder write down some of the highlights from the conversation. Every question does not need to be answer by each member, but make sure there is representation of each person in the group.

Scenario #

1. What were the initial reactions of the group members?

2. What was surprising to you about the situation?

3. Can you relate to the situation, why or why not?

4. Has anyone in your group ever experienced anything similar?

5. What would you have done in that situation?

6. How do the responses of group members compare and differ?