Rebecca Fundator English 203: First Crossing Chapter 1 February 8, 2013

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes: The students will read Pam Munoz Ryans short story, First Crossing, and analyze the point of view of an adolescent boy from Mexico as he crosses the Mexico-America border without documentation. Students will write a letter from Marcos perspective to his mother. They will be asked to include information from the text to relate to Marcos mother in a letter. Students will also analyze what information they believe Marcos character would omit in his letter to his mother and why.

Content Standards: Common Core ELA Reading Standard 6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. Common Core ELA Writing Standard 3a: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. (Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events).

Materials/Resources/Technology: First Crossing by Pam Munoz Ryan Smart Board YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV-j44vB_Vo

Start of Class: Write, Pair, Share Activity: Which claim/sentence from the Take A Stand activity yesterday stuck out the most to you and why? Did you agree or disagree with most of your classmates? (3 min independent writing time to respond to question3 minutes to share with a classmate next to you5 minutes to discuss as a class)

Introduction of Lesson:

I will introduce the topic for the next two class period, explaining that today (and into the next class period), we will be reading Pam Munoz Ryans short story, First Crossings. I will give a brief synopsis of what the story will be about (this short story is about an adolescent boy from Mexico who crosses the American borer with his father (without papers) to work as migrant worker in a field.) I will explain my expectations for students during this lesson (while we are focusing on this short story, you will analyze the point of view of a character with a point of view and cultural experience outside of the United States. Later in this lesson, probably next class period, you will write a letter from a characters perspective relaying pertinent information from the reading, while analyzing what information to include and omit, as well as why you that information should not be relayed to others.)

Lesson Instruction: The teacher will ask students to pull out their copy of First Crossing. The teacher will begin reading Chapter One, First Crossing, using DR-TA. o Break up reading with directed questions, alongside more basic questions, such as What have you heard about Tijuana? o Display pictures of Tijuana/Baja California to demonstrate what a border town looks like. o Read p. 1-3. Do any of you know what a Coyote is? Can you explain for the rest of us? o Read p. 3-4. Marcos father says, I wouldnt keep doing this if it wasnt worth it. What would make a dangerous journey with consequences like those listed in this paragraph worthwhile to you? o Read p. 4-6. Why did Marcos father leave to work in America? What are the consequences for Marcos familyboth good and bad? o Read p. 4. How do other Mexican immigrants spend their time in America? o Read p. 5-8. What surprises Marco about the coyote? What does this tell you about gender expectations in Mexico? o Read p. 8-10. What does Marco believe about his fathers loyalty to Mexico over America? Why might Marco be an unreliable source to make that judgment about his father? (he never sees his dad) o Read p. 10-12. How are the immigrants treated by the coyote and her workers? (dehumanizedluggage, lambs). o Read p. 13-16 (He lifted the hood.). Would you keep trying to cross the border if you were unsuccessful 5 times in a row? How do you think the coyote is going to try to cross the immigrants?

o Read p. 16. What does Marcos decision not to watch his father climb inside the hood of the car say about their familys situation? (Desperate). o Read p. 16-17. Try to connect with Marcos character and experience as you read the rest of the chapter (p. 17-21) independently. Discuss questions students have from the rest of the story. o How does hearing the other immigrants stories about their first crossing make Marco feel? Why does Marco laugh (alongside his fellow travelers) about their co-misery? o Do you think Marco would go through another experience of crossing the border given how traumatic his first experience was? While some people may think Marcos crossing experience is unusually traumatic, invasive, and dehumanizing, this is actually a shockingly common experience. Show YouTube video about dangerous crossings (6 min). o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV-j44vB_Vo o Ask students to express their feelings after the news story: were you surprised by the
other children who have experienced a similar journey crossing the border? Did you initially believe that Marcos story was unique and uncommonly traumatic?

Assessments/Checks for Understanding: I will be formatively assessing student progress throughout the lesson by engaging students in interactive reading by utilizing DR-TA and asking engaging discussion questions that require students to analyze what they are reading. If students do not understand the reading material, their answers to discussion questions should reveal any discrepancies, and I can immediately elaborate any information and correct students misconceptions. The lesson closing letter-writing activity formatively assesses plot information that students took from the short story, as well as required students to identify with Marco, the main character, to reflect on what information he would want to include and omit in his letter to his mother in Mexico.

Closure/Wrap-Up/Review: Ask 2-3 students to volunteer to share one thing they learned from Marcos story today. Remind students that their letters from Marco to their mother will be due at the beginning of class the following day.