Mexican American Literature & Culture Weekly Updates 12.8-12.12

WARNING:  This is a tentative calendar for the week.  I post this to provide my students with an opportunity to preview the week and to help them plan accordingly.  Sometimes things go exactly as planned and it is amazing. Sometimes they don’t because we might finish an objective faster than anticipated.  Sometimes, what I believed would take ten minutes at the beginning of class ends up taking an entire class.  Sometimes there are some mornings when I get ideas and decide to change EVERYTHING because something else seems better.  Anyways, you get the picture: TENTATIVE means maybe, if time allows,

Monday 12.8 Corridos Progress Check Assessment

UNIT GOAL: After investigating and analyzing perspectives on Mexican American War through primary documents, art, corridos and cuentos students will write a complete a unit portfolio which evaluates the impact of the annexation of Mexico’s northern territories by the United States on contemporary Mexican American culture, identity, and politics.

Objective: After analyzing corridos, and completing Cornell Notes while viewing the film, “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez,”  students will be able to write a paragraph that defines corridos and evaluates the  the film and write a character analysis of masculine figures as depicted in corridos.  

Handouts: Corridos InfosheetCorridos NotesEl Corrido de Gregorio Cortez, Film Questions

Homework: Notebooks due 12.19, Field Trip to LA Plaza on January 16

Tuesday 12.9 Introduction to Cuentos

UNIT GOAL: After investigating and analyzing perspectives on Mexican American War through primary documents, art, corridos and cuentos students will write a complete a unit portfolio which evaluates the impact of the annexation of Mexico’s northern territories by the United States on contemporary Mexican American culture, identity, and politics.

Objective: After researching the popular cuento of “La Llorona,” students will be able to identify central ideas in stories about La Llorona and purpose of archetype by completing analytical summaries, SOAPS analysis, and writing an original cuento which uses the archetype of “La Llorona” in a contemporary context.

Handouts:  Pre-reading: What is a cuento or a folk tale? What is its function? Who is “La Llorona”? What cultural values and fears are communicated by this feminine archetype?

Homework: Notebooks due 12.19, Field Trip to LA Plaza on January 16

Wednesday 12.10 La Llorona (Late Start)

UNIT GOAL: After investigating and analyzing perspectives on Mexican American War through primary documents, art, corridos and cuentos students will write a complete a unit portfolio which evaluates the impact of the annexation of Mexico’s northern territories by the United States on contemporary Mexican American culture, identity, and politics.

Objective: After researching the popular cuento of “La Llorona,” students will be able to identify central ideas in stories about La Llorona and purpose of archetype by completing analytical summaries, SOAPS analysis, and writing an original cuento which uses the archetype of “La Llorona” in a contemporary context.

Handouts:  Pre-reading: What is a cuento or a folk tale? What is its function? Who is “La Llorona”? What cultural values and fears are communicated by this feminine archetype?

Homework: Notebooks due 12.19, Field Trip to LA Plaza on January 16

Thursday 12.11 La Llorona Analysis

UNIT GOAL: After investigating and analyzing perspectives on Mexican American War through primary documents, art, corridos and cuentos students will write a complete a unit portfolio which evaluates the impact of the annexation of Mexico’s northern territories by the United States on contemporary Mexican American culture, identity, and politics.

Objective: After researching the popular cuento of “La Llorona,” students will be able to identify central ideas in stories about La Llorona and purpose of archetype by completing analytical summaries, SOAPS analysis, and writing an original cuento which uses the archetype of “La Llorona” in a contemporary context.

Handouts:  Reading: “La Llorona“, Spiritual Cleansing: A Mexican Ghost Story

Homework: Notebooks due 12.19, Field Trip to LA Plaza on January 16

Friday 12.12 Retelling La Llorona

UNIT GOAL: After investigating and analyzing perspectives on Mexican American War through primary documents, art, corridos and cuentos students will write a complete a unit portfolio which evaluates the impact of the annexation of Mexico’s northern territories by the United States on contemporary Mexican American culture, identity, and politics.

Objective: After researching the popular cuento of “La Llorona,” students will be able to identify central ideas in stories about La Llorona and purpose of archetype by completing analytical summaries, SOAPS analysis, and writing an original cuento which uses the archetype of “La Llorona” in a contemporary context.

HandoutsAnalytical SummarySOAPS Analysis, Write your Own Cuento starring La Llorona

Homework: Notebooks due 12.19, Field Trip to LA Plaza on January 16