Multicultural Lesson Plan

Cinco de Mayo and Hispanic Literature

Summary: I want to teach students the importance of cultural literature; not just for one

culture, but why it is important for all cultures to write. Without cultural literature

depressed cultures would have no way to speak out and be remembered. I would like for

students to then be able to write about their own culture, and compare and contrast theirs

to others, but understand each one is important because they are unique. Students will

receive papers of poems and short stories of Hispanic writers (there is a slide show of

these writers). At the end of the lesson students will be assessed by the writings they do,

graded with the rubric.

Objectives: 1.Students will be able to analyze a cultural experience through literature,

and understand the importance of cultural literature.

2: Students will be able to reflect their beliefs on culture through writing, while also

giving details on their culture, and comparing it to others.

CCSD Curriculum Objectives: (38) Reading standards for literature 9-12: 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 literature.

(42) Writing standards: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and

convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis

of relevant content.

Multicultural Goal: 1: Students will understand the importance of cultural writing, and

have a better understanding of Cinco de Mayo, and the traditions that come with it. 2: As

well as learning about a specific cultural group.

Genders Eight Intelligences Implicated: Linguistic, Logical, Interpersonal, and

Intrapersonal.

Materials: Power points slides, Legal alien poem hand out, Cinco de Mayo poem class

hand out, paper and pin (which students should have).

Instructions: Great class.

Teachers hook: Were one week away from Cinco de Mayo! What is Cinco de Mayo? Is

this an American holiday, a Hispanic holiday, or is it both? Allow students to answer;

Give more than one student a chance to answer.

Tell the class what Cinco de Mayo is: Cinco de Mayo is not Mxicos Independence Day,

but it is a celebration of Mexicos army defeating the French forces at the Battle of

Puebla in May 5, 1862.

Ask the class if any students have any special traditions they do on Cinco de Mayo.

Ask the class if it were not for those who wrote these dates and actions down how would

we recall them?

Open slide show to first slide with class warm up writing. After student have had 15

minutes or so allow a few students to share a couple points they have wrote down in their

warm up.

Explain why cultural writing is important: Cultural writing and literature is important

because it allows cultures to be heard. It allows cultural traditions and people to be

remembered. It allows us to understand the difference from Mexico Independence Day,

and Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo is more than just a battle that Mexico won, it is Hispanic tradition, and is

celebrated all throughout the U.S and Mexico. It fills history books, novels, short stories,

and poems, which we will look at a couple this class.

Present slide show on Hispanic Writers, and novels.

What these writers have in common is each is of Hispanic decent, and each one writes

work of their cultural experiences. Although they may not write about Mexico wars like

Battle of Puebla, each writes for their heritage, and keeps the culture alive in literature.

There are so many great Hispanic authors it would be impossible to tell them all, but if

the class is interested you can recommend them books.

After you finish the slide show on Hispanic writers pass out the poems Cinco de Mayo

and Legal Alien.

Put students in groups, ask them to read the poems by themselves then talk about it with

the group. After the group have the class come back together to discuss what they think

of them poems. Can students relate the poems to themselves and their culture in anyway?

Ask class about Legal Alien poem. Have any of the students felt like this? Is there any

way we can look at people and not see the ethnicity and judge them off that?