Learning Goals
Development of Content Understanding (Key Concepts and Ideas)
- Students will understand how Sandra Cisneros’ identity and culture influences her writing
- Students will understand and identify recurring themes in the novel
- Students will explore different aspects of home and identity and how they impact who a person is or becomes
- Students will use evidence from the text to support an argument and or ideas
Enabling Students to Experience the Power of Their Minds and Their Capacities as Learners and Doers (Powerful Learning)
- Students will write in the persona of main characters in the novel
- Students will make connections between the novel and aspects of their own life (i.e. home, culture, family, identity)
- Students will show their understanding and new knowledge in various ways (i.e. graffiti posters, found poems, narrative writing, collages)
Ways of Knowing and Academic Literacy
- Students will develop an understanding and practice of literary terms including: simile, metaphor, personification, vignette, tone, diction, symbols, comparing and contrasting, character development, coming of age story, analyzing, foreshadow
- Students will identify the figurative language used by Sandra Cisneros and incorporate it into their own writing
- Students will engage in collaborative work including peer support and editing
Literacy Development
- Students will engage with the text in many different ways: peer and individual reading sessions, read-aloud and audio books listening, small/large group discussions
- Spanish speaking ELL students will have access to both English and Spanish translations of the text
Development of Trust and the Classroom as a Learning Community
- Students will engage in large group discussions during read-aloud and audio book listening sections, often these conversations will require students to share personal or unique life experiences and ideas
