Syllabus!

ENGL 4800 Hispanic Literature Unit Syllabus

Presenters:

Lauren Axt Lauren.m.axt@wmich.edu
Miranda Henson Jennifer.m.henson@wmich.edu
Cheryl Koerts-Brock Cheryl.l.koerts-brock@wmich.edu


Objective:

1). A look into the current life of Hispanic Americans in Kalamazoo, 2). understanding their experience in American schools, 3). understanding what is important about utilizing Hispanic literature in the classroom, 4). how it helps students, and why it is a valuable cultural studies unit for high school classrooms.

GOAL:
Finish Reading House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros by Friday March 19th
Each Blog should be a minimum of 200 words. You should be blogging at least once a day, if not more.

Calendar:

Tuesday, March 16th

• The Current Life of Hispanic Americans in Kalamazoo

• Understanding Hispanic Literature

Thursday, March 18th

• Hispanic Culture and Hispanic Students in American Schools

• Writing Prompt, Hispanic Art, Article Discussion

Tuesday, March 23rd

• Panel

• How Hispanic Literature is helpful to all Students

• Why Hispanic Literature is important in the Secondary Classroom

Thursday, March 25th

• Using Hispanic Literature in the Classroom

• Discussion of The House on Mango Street

Materials:

Book to Buy

• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisernos

English Journal Article

• Appreciating Ethnic Diversity with When I was Puerto Rican by Colleen A. Ruggieri

Article

• The Culturally Diverse Classroom: A Guide for ESL and Mainstream Teachers By Katie J. Brigaman

English Journal Article

• Expanding the Circle: Hispanic Voices in American Literature By Patricia Ann Romero and Don Zancanella

Article

• Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers: Using Latino Children’s Literature in Teacher Education By Kathy Escamilla and Sally Nathenson-Meija

Short Story

• Arturo’s Flight (from An Island Like You) By Judith Ortiz Coffer

Picture Book

• Just Like Home: Como en Mi Tierra By Elizabeth L. Miller and Mira Reisberg

DAY 1: A look into the Life of current Hispanic Americans

Homework to be completed before Day 1:

• Create a Blog on Blogger.com
• Click on Create a Blog and use your WMU e-mail to make an account.
• Follow http://L5axrhispanic.blogspot.com
• We will be using this for the entire unit!

• Read The Culturally Diverse Classroom: A Guide for ESL and Mainstream Teachers By Katie J. Brigaman
• Read Expanding the Circle: Hispanic Voices in American Literature By Patricia Ann Romero and Don Zancanella

• Blog about your experience learning about Hispanic Americans in Kalamazoo and look at least two other peoples blogs.
• Blog about each Article.
• You should have 3 blog entries before class Tuesday March 16th.

Activities:

• Discuss our new found Kalamazoo Hispanic American Experiences
• Group Activity- KPS Annual Report, Blog, Why?

1. http://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/
2. http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/data/rea/
3. http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
4. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos.htm
5. What is the experience of Hispanic Students in schools?
6. And what can we as language arts teachers do to help?

• Introduction and Background information, Cultural Article
• The Culturally Diverse Classroom: A Guide for ESL and Mainstream Teachers By Katie J. Brigaman
• Expanding the Circle: Hispanic Voices in American Literature By Patricia Ann Romero and Don Zancanella
  

Homework:

• Blog about what you learned about Hispanics in the Kalamazoo Schools, in general, and from in class presentations.
• Finish reading Appreciating Ethnic Diversity with When I was Puerto Rican by Colleen A. Ruggieri
  
• Read Arturo’s Flight for Thursday
• DON’T FORGET TO BE READING HOUSE ON MANGO STREET BY FRIDAY MARCH 19th.

DAY 2: Hispanic Culture and Hispanic Students in American Schools

Activities:

• Writing Prompt: IN CLASS BLOG
• Based on Arturo’s Flight: If you were Johann, what would you have said to Arturo about his experiences and situation? Why?
• Discuss story
• Article Discussion for Appreciating Ethnic Diversity with When I was Puerto Rican by Colleen A. Ruggieri
• Picture book, Group Activity
• Students Lives Biography: Group Activity
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzHuTekNLHg
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCEZ9VzMikA
• Introduce Reading List for final project.

Homework:

• Read Article and Blog about it. Why is this important? Find anything interesting?
• Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers: Using Latino Children’s Literature in Teacher Education By Kathy Escamilla and Sally Nathenson-Meija
• Create three Discussion questions for the Panel, We will collect these on Tuesday
• Find book for final project by Tuesday March 23rd. Post it in your blog with brief description of why you choose it.
• DON’T FORGET TO BE READING HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

DAY 3: Panel, How Hispanic Literature is helpful to all Students

Don’t forget to have a Hispanic Literature text/book to use for your final project by today.

Activities:

• Panel
• Debrief, Discuss-Talk about panel/information.
• Blog for
• Final Project Assigned

Homework:

• Blog about the Discussion Panel, What did you learn? Was it valuable/pertinent information?
• Blog about House on Mango Street. Your reaction, your reflection, how does it compare to what you’ve learned so far, how would you teach this novel in your classroom? MAKE THIS ATLEAST 500 - 1000 words.

DAY 4: Using Hispanic Literature in the Classroom

Activities:

• Discuss themes and ideas of House on Mango Street
• Relevance to Hispanic Culture and relevance in a Secondary Classroom
• Linking Aspects for House on Mango Street
• What is your Heritage Blog. Talk about importance of having literature that relates to culture/heritage.
• How can you connect with your Hispanic students with your culture.
• Go over final project in depth, questions.

Homework:

• Final Project