Latino Literature Unit Plan
Step 1: What should students know and be able to do after this unit?
Unit of Study
Big Ideas
Big ideas should be both topical and over-arching and should therefore allow students to consider their own world in light of the topic presented.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions are the lens through which you will examine the content.
Like big ideas, they should be both topical and overarching
.
the human cost of an immigrant people's displacement in an environment of cultural and racial discrimination and economic exploitation (How can I shorten this?)
What’s the price to pay to pursue a better life in a foreign land?
Does Junot Diaz effectively portray the immigrant struggle?
What makes good story telling?
What is the immigrant experience?
Is language an important part of Latino identity?
Why do some Latino writers include Spanish in their writing?
Who does Junot Diaz write for? (audience)
Is Drown a set of short stories, or is it a novel?
What makes a setting sinister? (exploring the “American
Ghetto”)
Is Junot Diaz really
Does the author perpetuate the stereotype or is he challenging the stereotype?
What defines an immigrant?
Is it inevitable to turn out like your parents?
If a man carries machismo qualities, how does that affect his interactions with others?
Content Standards
CRS Power Standards
SUP 501 Locate important details in more challenging passages.
*REL 402 Identify clear relationships between people, ideas and so on in uncomplicated passages.
*REL 403 Identify clear cause-effect relationships in uncomplicated passages.
*MID 402 Understand the overall approach taken by an author or narrator (e.g. point of view, kinds of evidence)
*GEN 402 Draw simple generalizations and conclusions using details that support the main points of more challenging passages
*SUP 402 Make simple inferences about how details are used in passages
*GEN401 Draw generalizations and conclusions about people, ideas, and so on in uncomplicated passages
*MID 401 Infer the main idea or purpose of straightforward paragraphs in uncomplicated literary narratives

*MOW 401 Use context to determine the appropriate meaning of some figurative and nonfigurative words, phrases and statements in uncomplicated passages
*SUP 401 Locate important details in uncomplicated passages
*MID 503 Summarize basic events and ideas in more challenging passages
*revisited power standards from previous quarters
Common Core State Standards
RL 9-10.1 Literature/Informational: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL 9-10.2 Literature/Informational: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
* RL 9-10.3 Literature/Informational: Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
RL 9-10.10 Literature/Informational: By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature including stories, dramas, and poems in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
*Power Standard for Quarter 3
Other Academic and College-Readiness Skills and Habits
(List here other reading, writing, and critical thinking skills to teach and assess this unit)
Vocabulary Study—
Marginalization
Apathy
Submissive
Articulate
Patriarchy
Word Part Study—
Sub
Socratic Seminar Discussion skills
Asking Questions
Content Vocabulary (archetype, prose, mood, tone, setting, craft, imagery, tone, audience, theme: a perspective about a universal topic)
Long Writing Project Planning
Should we do feminist criticism?
Machismo
Marianismo- Traditional Latina roles dictate that females are supposed to live as a martyr in order to satisfy the needs of their family. This cultural trait is also traced to the

Hispanic religious background that is heavily rooted in Catholicism. Some have referred to this tendency of self-sacrifice as Marianismo
(after the Virgin Mary). Marianismo is considered the female counterpart to
Machismo.
Male Chauvinism
What prerequisite knowledge must students have to access the
content of this unit?
The story is written by Junot Diaz, born in Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. Students must be able to connect to Dominican culture.
Students must be able to relate in some way to the immigrant experience as a way of understanding major themes in the book.
What student misconceptions about content do you anticipate students having?
Students may sometimes confuse the tone with the mood.
Using context clues is a big area of growth for students.
What learning activities will tap into perquisite knowledge?
Preview Dominican culture and the immigrant struggle through bachata. Play “Vuela Vuela” by Monchi y Alexandra.
Provide an English translation or have Spanish speaking students translate in a short discussion.
Create a speed dating or other form of small group discussion where students could discuss their connections to immigration.
To some it may be very close to home, others may be second or third generation. Some may not be able to relate at all but my hope is that from hearing other people’s stories they can form connections related to the topic.
What learning activities will address these misconceptions?
Learning cycles will address these separately. Students will examine mood in relation to setting. Students will examine tone in separate lessons. A differentiation strategy might be to provide lower tiers with a list of tone and mood words to use in their discussion.
Continue guided lessons on context clues practice. Find ways to create written response prompts that connect the use of context clues to the author’s word choice/craft. In other words, how can we continue to practice context clues to more rigorous assessments?

What skill and knowledge gaps might you need to fill? What learning activities will address these gaps?
The author uses Spanish words in his writing. He doesn’t always make the meaning of those words clear to readers.
Latino literature either condones or dismisses Latin American archtypes such as machismo or marianismo.
Students need to practice using context clues. We should also spend some time talking about the reason why the author chose to incorporate the Spanish language AND why the author is not making accommodations for readers. One good launching point for this discussion would be reading an essay about language barriers.
Students will learn the meaning of these words and be given examples of them in popular media. Students will then be asked to evaluate the way the author portrays these archetypes.
List of Texts to Be Used in Unit Plan
 Drown by Junot Diaz
 “Second-Gen Residents More Inclined to Risky, Illegal Behavior Than New Immigrants, Study Shows” by Tyler Pager (This article might be a great way to discuss two major topics in the novel: the American Ghetto, and the human cost of an immigrant people’s displacement.) Students could possibly read Aurora at home and discuss this article in class.
 “Which Place is More Sexist? The Middle East or Latin American?”
 vignettes from “The House on Mango Street”
 “Woman’s Work” by Julia Alvarez (maybe…it might be a stretch. We need more articles/short stories/poems the address objectification of women)
 “Women Don’t Riot” by Ana Castillo (more what I was looking for but somewhat for mature audiences)
 excerpts from Borderlands that discuss the role that language plays in identity struggles for 1 st and 2 nd generation
Americans
 “Vuela Vuela” by Monchi y Alexandra (great bachata song about a price you pay when you choose to leave everything behind in search of something better. This song can go with “Aguantando” as well.
 “My Wicked Wicked Ways” by Sandra Cisneros to go with “Aguantando.” Both authors struggle with their fathers’ shortcomings.
 Non fiction articles about the Irish and Chinese immigrants

Step 2: How will you measure student success?
Diagnostic Assessments
Summative Assessments
Loteria Play Card (Project): Students will create a Loteria play card that displays the different male archetypes that are presented in the novel. They will write a brief summary on the back of the play card that explains how the archetypes are represented in the book. Extension: Students can describe what they feel the author is suggesting about this culture/society through these archetypes.
Final Product: Loteria table, playing cards, directions explaining the rules of the game and description of characters.
Literary Analysis: wait for it…wait for it…based on student-generated questions!!! Can we do it? I don’t know what do you think?
Formative Assessments
Autobiographical Incident Narrative (Project): After reading the chapter titled --- students will write an autobiographical incident narrative about a childhood memory. I anticipate it being a week-long project. I have a ton of resources from our humanities retreat that would help us roll it out.
Culminating Focus Questions: Students will complete a one paragraph written response after each short story. These would be used to help them generate questions and ultimately pick a topic for their literary analysis.
Quizzes: Growth, vocabulary and reading checks.
Unit Goal
What will my students know and be able to do after this unit that they couldn’t do before? Why does this matter?
As readers: Apply multiple reading strategies for what they read. Choose from a larger variety of non-fiction reading strategies.
Read a piece of text multiple times. Show GRIT in the face of more difficult texts. Be thoughtful of the types of strategies they apply to a piece of text based on their purpose for reading.

As writers: Be “picky” about the types of evidence they use to defend their claims. Develop writing based on their own inquiry.
Develop personal style through narrative writing. Write a response to literature.
Step 3: Calendar of Daily Objectives (UBD)
Month Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
March
“Aguantando”
“Second-Gen
Students More
Inclined to
Risky Illegal
Behavior”
10
17
Infer main idea.
Summarize basic events.
Identify clear causeeffect relationships in uncomplicated passages.
24
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
11
Locate important details.
Summarize basic events.
18
Reading Check
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Infer main idea.
Summarize basic events.
25
Reading Check
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Analyze relationships between people and ideas.
12
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Analyze relationships between people.
19
Analyze relationships between people.
26
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Infer main idea.
13
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people.
20
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people and ideas.
27
Vocabulary Quiz
Draw generalizations and conclusions that connect to main points.
14
Vocabulary Quiz
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and non figurative words.
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people
21 (80 instructional minutes)
Growth Quiz (add
REL 403)
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and non figurative words.
28
End of Q3
Scholastic Reading
Inventory

April
“Drown”
“Boyfriend”
“Dying
Traditions:
Gender Roles”
“Negocios” pp. 163-208
7
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words and phrases.
“Drown”
8
Reading Check
Analyze relationships between people and ideas.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main points in a book.
“Drown”
9
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
“Boyfriend”
14
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words and phrases.
21
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main themes in a book.
15
Identify and analyze cause and effect relationships.
22
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words, phrases and statements.
Author’s approach.
Identify and analyze cause and effect relationships.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
16
Reading Check
Text purpose and author’s approach.
23
ACT
10
Infer text purpose.
“Dying Traditions:
Gender Roles”
17
Text purpose and author’s approach.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main points in a book.
11
(60 Instructional
Minutes)
Report Card Pick Up
Growth Quiz
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words and phrases.
“Papa Who Wakes up
Tired in the Dark”
18
No School; Campus
Staff development
24
ACT
25
Vocabulary Quiz
Latino Literature
Assessment (Lit
Analysis Work Day)

Day
Day 1
Day 2
Text/ Page
#s
“Irish and
German
Immigration”
Article
“Ysrael” by
Junot Diaz
Learning Targets
Big idea: What defines and immigrant ?
Locate important details.
Summarize basic events.
Big Idea: What makes good story-telling?
Analyze relationships between Junior and
Rafael in Ysrael.
Make simple inferences about how details are used to
Activities
1.
Independent Reading
2.
Do Now: Immigration
Survey
3.
Speed Dating: How can you connect to an immigrant’s story?
4.
Introduce Big Idea and define the word immigrant and emigrate.
5.
Read article about the Irish
Immigration Story into
America
Students will read the article, find the main idea, and GIST details that relate to that idea.
6.
Students will reread today’s article and respond to text dependent questions related to specific sections of a text.
1.
Do Now: Develop three textdependent discussion questions about last night’s article.
2.
Independent Reading
3.
Student-Regulated
Discussion
 Irish Immigrants: What defines an immigrant?
4.
Read pp. 3-14 and Complete
Differentiation to
Provide Appropriate
Challenge for All
Gisting is open-ended.
Speed dating will help students who cannot directly relate to immigration stories find connections throught their peers.
Assessment of
Learning Target
Close reading article and homework.

Day 3 “Ysrael” by
Junot Diaz convey this relationship.
Big Idea: What makes good story-telling?
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people.
CPC chart
 Content: Summarize details about Junior and
Rafael’s relationships
 Process: Explain what those details help you infer about their relationship.
 Craft: Identify the type of indirect characterization used. (Speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, looks)
5.
3-2-1 Reflection
6.
Homework: Write a summary of today’s notes and complete the questions that follow.
1.
Do Now: Complete the DEJ on yesterday’s text.
2.
Independent Reading
3.
Read pp. 14-20 and continue to ask questions and make inferences about the characters.
4.
SRD: What does Diaz suggest about relationships between brothers?
5.
Written Response: What can you conclude about relationship between Yunior and Rafael in “Ysrael”?
6.
Complete the written response. Study Resilient and Compassion for your

Lesson
4
House on
Mango Street
Vignette:
“Our Good
Day” and
“Laughter”
Lesson
5
Drown pp.
23-30
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people. vocabulary quiz.
1.
Vocabulary Quiz (20
Minutes)
2.
Read “Our Good Day” and
“Laughter” and make inferences about their relationships using CPC
Chart.
3.
CPC Chart: Relationships
Between Sisters
4.
T-Chart Brain Storiming
5.
Written Response Question:
What does this author say about sisterhood that is different from what Junot
Diaz says about brotherhood.
6.
Homework: Complete the reading log response and written response.
Top Tier: Prompt them to create a T-Chart of the different ideas the authors convey about sisterhood and brotherhood before writing.
Second Tier: Top Tier:
Prompt them to work in pairs to create a T-Chart of the different ideas the authors convey about sisterhood and brotherhood before writing.
Third Tier: After modeling one example, prompt them to work in pairs to create a T-Chart of the different ideas the authors seem to convey about sisterhood and brotherhood before writing.
Written Response
Question: What does
Sandra Cisneros say about sisterhood that is different from what
Junot Diaz says about brotherhood?
Conflict Organizer
3-2-1 reflection
Big Idea: What makes good story-telling?
Analyze clear causeeffect relationships in uncomplicated passages.
1.
Do Now: Independent
Reading
2.
Revision Mini Lesson:
3.
Revise Written Response
4.
Read pp. 23-30 and practice
GISTing conflicts
5.
Conflict Organizer

Lesson
6
Drown pp.
34-39
Lesson
7
Drown pp.
39-43
Infer main idea.
Summarize basic events.
Big Idea: Is it inevitable to turn out like your parents?
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people and ideas.
Analyze relationships between people.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Big Idea: What makes good story-telling?
What’s the price to pay to pursue a better life in a foreign land?
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Make generalizations about people and ideas in Yunior’s environment.
6.
3-2-1 Reflection
7.
Hw: 30-34 and complete the
Conflict Organizer
1.
Do Now: Reading Check
(Conflict Organizer)
2.
Vocabulary Study:
Submissive and Inevitable
(example: growing old)
3.
Read pp. 34-39: Look for details that help them make generalizations about the members in Yunior’s family
4.
DEJ Journal: Making
Generalizations about
Yunior’s Family (pp. 33-39)
5.
Homework: Finish DEJ
1.
Do Now: “Linoleum Roses”
“Rafaela Who Drinks
Coconut and Papaya Juice
On Tuesdays”
2.
Cornell Notes: Patriarchy (a system of society or government controlled by ment. Ex: In a patriarchal society men are in charge of) Machismo and
Marianismo
3.
Read pp. 39-43 and develop questions to prepare for
SRD. Questions should be text dependent.
4.
SRD
5.
Written Response: On page
36, Yunior observes that,
Top Tier: Independent
Reading
Provide an Important vs.
Nice to Know T-Chart for students who are not
GISTing.
Reading Check
Written Response

Lesson
8
“Which Place is More
Sexist? The
Middle East or Brazil?”
Lesson
9
Lesson
10
“Women
Don’t Riot” by Ana
Castillo
Lesson Finish
Big Idea: What makes good story-telling?
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people and ideas.
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and non figurative words.
Draw generalizations and conclusions about people and ideas.
8.
“About two hours later the women laid out the food and like always nobody but the kids thanked them. It must be some Dominican tradition or something.”
What assumption is Diaz making about Dominicans when they become adults?
6.
Homework: Vocabulary
Review
1.
Do Now: “Woman’s Work”
“Dusting”
2.
Writing Mini-Lesson
3.
Written Response Revision
4.
Non Fiction Strategies:
THIEVE
5.
T-Chart: Which place is more sexist?
7.
HW: Socratic Seminar
Preparation
1.
Growth Quiz
2.
Socratic Seminar Criteria for
Success
3.
Review of Areas of Growth
4.
Inner Circle
5.
Outer Circle
6.
Switch
7.
Reflection
8.
Homework: Socratic
Seminar Reflection
Make simple inferences 1.
Do Now: “Vuela Vuela” by
Growth Quiz
Socratic Seminar
Narrative Final
Draft due
What is the purpose

11
Lesson
12
Lesson
13
Lesson
14
(60 min.)
Lesson
15
“Aguantando”
“Second Gen
Residents
More
Inclined to
Risky Illegal
Behavior”
Close
Reading of
“Corner” in
Aurora on pp.
56-58.
“Drown” pp.
91-101 about how details are used.
Analyze relationships between people and ideas.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Infer main idea.
Vocabulary Quiz
Draw generalizations and conclusions that connect to main points.
End of Q3
Scholastic Reading
Inventory
Analyze relationships between people and ideas.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect
2.
Monchi y Alexandra
3.
Homework: Read pp. 47-65 by Thursday. Create a
Content Process Craft Chart on those pages. Add at least one row per page.
1.
Do Now: Finish Written
Response-Aguantando
2.
Read Aloud
3.
Text Annotation
4.
Re-read with guiding questions
5.
SRD
6.
3-2-1 Reflection
7.
Homework: Finish Aurora and CPC chart
1.
Do Now: Vocabulary Quiz
2.
Finish Non Fiction
3.
Close Reading Read Aloud
4.
Identify Setting: What makes this setting Sinister?
5.
Impact of Setting on
Meaning
6.
Written Response: Text
Comparision
1.
SRI
2.
Vocabulary Quiz
3.
Reading Reflection
4.
Start Spring Break
Homework.
1.
Do Now: Independent
Reading
2.
Read Aloud
3.
Re-read with DEJ focused on character analysis of – in --?
How is Junot Diaz’s intent in “Corner” similar to the author’s intent in yesterday’
Focus Questions on character relationships and character analysis.

Lesson
16
Lesson
17
“Drown” pp.
101-107
“Boyfriend” pp. 111-117
Lesson
18
“Dying
Traditions:
Gender Roles” to main points in a book.
Reading Check
Make simple inferences about how details are used to convey the main idea of the text.
Big Idea: What role does tone play in the development of the central idea of the story
Analyze relationships between people and ideas.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main points in a book.
Infer text purpose.
4.
Partner Collaboration
5.
Focus Questions
6.
Homework: Read 101-107.
Finish the focus questions
1.
Do Now: Reading Check
2.
Discussion of Focus
Questions.
3.
Read Aloud of pp.
4.
Questioning for Deeper
Understanding
5.
SRD
6.
Reread with Focus questions
7.
Written Response
8.
Homework: Complete today’s written response.
Read “Boyfriend” and practice using Metacognitive
Reading Codes as strategies that help you make meaning.
1.
Do Now: Independent
Reading
2.
Read Aloud
3.
Reading Codes
4.
Questioning
5.
SRD
6.
Venn Diagram and Summary
7.
Homework: Read Dying
Traditions and create a CP
Chart focusing on Content and Thinking Process
1.
Do Now: Finish yesterday’s summary
2.
Independent Reading
3.
Writing Mini Lesson
4.
Revision
Reading codes.
SRD for listening and speaking.
Partner time allotted.
Model Read aloud.
Written Response:
What role does the narrator’s tone play in developing the central idea of this story?
What is the central idea of the story? How does Diaz develop this idea through his characters?

Lesson
19
(60 min.)
“Papa Who
Wakes Up
Tired in the
Dark”
Lesson
20
“Negocios” pp.
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words and phrases.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Use context to determine meaning of figurative and nonfigurative words and phrases.
5.
Read Aloud
6.
Reread with non fiction reading codes
7.
Informational Text Close
Reading
8.
3-2-1 Reflection
9.
Homework: Complete the
“On Your Own” section of today’s Close Reading
Assignment
1.
Do Now: Figurative language practice reading hairs
2.
Figurative language mini lesson.
3.
Read “Papa Who Wakes Up
Tired in the Dark”
4.
Reread labeling figurative language with a partner.
5.
Reread and paraphrase figurative language.
6.
Focus questions on tone, figurative language and making comparisons across texts.
7.
Homework: Finish focus questions. Complete and independent reading response.
1.
Do Now: Reading log response
2.
Independent readeaing
3.
Read Aloud
4.
Coding
5.
CPC Chart: Figurative
Language.
Partner time allotted.
Model Read aloud.
Mini lesson with visual cues.
Scaffolded questions.
Focus questions on tone, figurative language and making comparisons across texts.

Lesson
21
Lesson
22
Lesson
23
Identify and analyze cause and effect relationships.
*MID 402 Understand the overall approach taken by an author or narrator (e.g. point of view, kinds of evidence) MID 401
Understand the author’s purpose in a text.
Socratic Seminar
Text purpose and
6.
Small group discussion planning
7.
Discussion planning
8.
3-2-1 Reflection
1.
Do Now: Geraldo No Last
Name, figurative language practice (The phrase… as used in …most nearly means)
2.
Vocabulary Mini Lesson
3.
Read Aloud
4.
GISTing cause and effect relationships
5.
GIST feedback
6.
Focus Questions: Cause and
Effect
7.
Interim-Style Exit Ticket
8.
Homework: Read and GIST cause and effect
1.
Do Now: Geraldo No Last
Name
2.
Reading Code Cornell Notes:
Talking about text purpose and author’s approach
3.
Read Aloud
4.
Tone T-Chart
5.
Focus questions: What purpose does Papi serve in this story? What elements of the chapter help to convey this purpose?
6.
Homework: Socratic
Seminar Prep
1.
Do Now: Socratic Seminar
Criteria for Success
According to the text, why…
What has caused Papi to…
What purpose does
Papi serve in this story? What elements of the chapter help to convey this purpose?
Cumulative Focus
Questions:

Lesson
24
“Negocios” pp.
199-208 author’s approach.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main points in a book.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main themes in a book.
Make simple inferences about how details are used.
Draw conclusions about characters that connect to main themes in a book.
2.
Review of Areas of Growth
3.
Inner Circle
4.
Outer Circle
5.
Switch
6.
Focus Questions
7.
Homework: Independent
Reading Response in your journal.
1.
Independent Reading/Last week’s focus questions if you didn’t finish them.
2.
Themes brainstorming web
3.
Read pp. 199-192 of
“Negocios” and Think Aloud
4.
Read “Negocios” highlighting key details related to our focus question
5.
Complete CPC chart
6.
Reflection: What were the details that you focused on and why are they important?
7.
Homework: Finish today’s
CPC chart
1.
Do Now: Independent
Reading
2.
In-class Writing
Assignment
3.
Generate Thesis
4.
Outline
5.
Draft
6.
Homework: Evidence
Collection
1.
Do Now
2.
Independent Reading
What perspective does Junot Diaz share on immigration and family life?
How is it similar or different to a previous text from this unit?
What specific details from Negocios help us understand Papi’s character and nature?
How does these details relate to larger themes in the book?
Draw a conclusion about Papi in
“Negocios” that connects to a main theme in the book.

3.
Cornell Notes: Tame
4.
Facts and Inferences
Think Sheet in your journal.
5.
Summary
6.
3-2-1 Reflection
1.
Do Now
2.
Independent Reading
3.
Facts and Inferences
4.
Flow Chart
5.
3-2-1 Reflection