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Unit Plan the House on Mango Street Unit Plan The House on Mango Street By Jessica DeMarie Fall 2005 Introduction Unit: The House on Mango Street 9th grade 50-minute periods 3 weeks Overview: This unit plan is for the novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The unit will be taught over the course of three weeks. There will be a variety of activities and strategies used over the three weeks, as well as a final writing project and an evaluative exam. As it is a multicultural novel, culture will in fact be a supplemental part of the overall unit. Students will learn several important concepts and will be able to relate much of the content of the unit to their own lives. Theme: The theme of this unit plan is identity and finding ones own identity in the process of growing up. In the novel we see the main character Esperanza growing up and finding out who she really is. She identifies herself with her name, her house on Mango Street, and her cultural heritage. Her home becomes a part of her and makes her who she is. This unit plan explores these ideas from the novel and relates them to the students’ own lives as well. Concept: There are several concepts covered throughout this unit. Students will learn about literary elements such as theme, symbolism, and juxtaposition. They will also learn about culture – what it means to Esperanza as well as what it means to themselves. Many different themes from the novel will be analyzed and related to the main theme of the unit, identity. Students will also learn writing skills, such as how to write a vignette. This will become part of a larger project towards the end of the unit. Rationale: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is an important novel to include in the canon of adolescent literature. It is filled with literary concepts that will be useful for understanding the novel as well as be applicable to future forms of literature. It also deals with subject matter that is very relatable to students at the 9th grade level, such as growing up and coming into ones own. Classroom Makeup The creation of this unit plan has a specific class structure in mind. There are twenty-five students in this heterogeneous 9th grade class – fifteen are females and ten are males. This is a multicultural class with nine students of Hispanic descent, seven students of African-American descent, two students of Asian descent, and seven students of Caucasian descent. Because this is a multicultural novel, there is already the implication that culture will be included in the unit. This is true; however, the lessons will also relate the cultural matter to students’ own lives, as well as allow students to explore and research their own cultures if they decide to do so. This is also an inclusion class. There are five students with ADD/ADHD, three students who are dyslexic, and four students who are alliterate. Several measures have been taken in order to include these students in the normal aspects of everyday learning activities. For the students with ADD/ADHD it is important that classroom distractions are kept to a minimum. For this reason, the majority of the material that will be posted around the classroom will be relevant to the unit. Much of it will be individual student or group work. It is also to keep these students organized, which is why students will have their notebooks divided into four sections: Literary Vocabulary, Journal Entries, Writing, and Responses. This is to aid students with ADD/ADHD in staying on task and on track throughout the unit. There are also a variety of strategies used as to not bore students with any sort of attention deficit issue. Students will experience short lectures, group work, writing activities, individual assignments, presentations, and hands-on learning as well. To ensure the success of students with dyslexia, there is no point at any time in the unit where a student is forced to read aloud. Students will be asked to participate on a volunteer basis only. If there is any time where a student does not want to read aloud, the teacher will assume the responsibility. These students will also be allowed extra time on the exam, or the option of an oral exam if necessary. For the students who are alliterate/non-readers, again, a variety of strategies will be used. Many of the lessons will be related to real life situations so they become more tangible to students who do not like to read. There are also several graphic organizers used throughout the lesson as hands-on material for these students. Also, there are times during the unit when other students or the teacher will read aloud. This well help the material reach the students who are otherwise reluctant to read it themselves. Day 1 Lesson Overview: This lesson allows the students to get to know the author of the book we will be reading for this unit. By researching Sandra Cisneros, students will get an insight into the novel The House on Mango Street. Concept: Connecting author to literature to provide background knowledge in preparation for reading Performance Objectives: SWBAT use researching skills to find information on Sandra Cisneros. SWBAT make connections between their findings and the novel. SWBAT relate author’s culture to culture in literature. Materials/Resources: Handout Poster paper Markers Library/Internet Lesson: 5 minutes – Explain to the class that we will be starting the novel The House on Mango Street. In order to understand the origins, style, and cultural aspects of this novel, students will be asked to research the author, Sandra Cisneros. Students will be put into five groups of give students. Each group will be assigned a different topic to research (See Handout). 15-20 minutes – Take students to the library. Each group will sit together around the computer and begin researching their topic. Students will use the guiding questions to help jumpstart their research but must also come up with some questions of their own to answer. Students must record the information they have found as well as cite the websites where they found the information. 15 minutes – Bring students back to the classroom. Students will be responsible for creating the poster to present to the class. They must include the information they have found, including the website address, in a well-organized manner so that the rest of the class will be able to learn from the presentation. Students will then give a brief but concise presentation of their information to the class. Posters will be hung up around the room for the remainder of the unit. 10 minutes – Relate Cisneros to her novel. Read following review of novel to the class: “Told in a series of vignettes stunning for their eloquence, The House on Mango Street is Sandra Cisneros’ greatly admired novel of a young girl growing up in the Latino section of Chicago … It has entered the canon of coming-of-age classics. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, The House on Mango Street tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh realities and harsh beauty. Esperanza doesn’t want to belong—not to her rundown neighborhood, and not to the low expectations the world has for her. Esperanza’s story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become.” Ask students to make connections between what this novel is going to be about and the information they discovered about Cisneros. Use guiding questions such as: “How does Cisneros biographical information relate to the novel? What are the cultural similarities between Cisneros and Esperanza? Is The House on Mango Street written in Cisneros’ known style of writing? Based on your research, where do you think the inspiration for this novel came from?” Homework: None. Handout for Day 1 Sandra Cisneros Research Project Directions: Each group has been assigned a specific topic. Now, you must research your topic using the Internet. You may use any of several search engines to do so: Google, Yahoo, AskJeeves, etc. Use the questions as your guidelines, but try to go beyond them and find as much information as possible. Record all information as well as the website where you found it. Group 1: Biography Where and when was Cisneros born? Who are her parents and/or siblings? Where did she grow up? Go to school? Etc. Group 2: Writing Career When did Cisneros start writing? Did she have formal training, and if so, where? What else has Cisneros written? What other genres of writing is she known for? Etc. Group 3: Influences Who has influenced Cisneros? Why did she start writing? Does her culture influence her writing? Are there recurring themes or ideas in her work? Etc. Group 4: Reviews and Critiques What do others say about Cisneros’ work? Are there positive reviews/negative critiques? What do others say about her style of writing? Etc. Group 5: Other Jobs and Interests What else has Cisneros done? Where has she worked? What are her interests/passions? Etc. Day 2 Lesson Overview: This lesson teaches students about style and more specifically, the vignette. Concept: Style – the vignette Performance Objectives: SWBAT define and identify style. SWBAT define and identify vignette. SWBAT recognize Cisneros’ use of the vignette in The House on Mango Street. Materials/Resources: Lecture notes on transparency Overhead Projector The House on Mango Street Lesson: 15 minutes – Give short lecture on style and the vignette (See Notes). Students should take notes in the literary vocabulary section of their notebook.
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