Multiple Text AssignmentFRMS 7331

Elizabeth Futch

By Pam Munoz Ryan

Contents

Summary

Resources

Recorded Music

Non-fiction

Related Book

Video-Clip

WebQuest

Conclusion

Esperanza Ortega was a privileged young Mexican girl growing up on her family’s ranch and vineyard in Aguascalientes, Mexico in the early1920’s. The day before Esperanza’s thirteenth birthday, her father, was murdered by bandits. Esperanza’s corrupt uncles became owners of the ranch because women could not own land. The uncles threaten to destroy all that her father had worked so hard to establish unless Ramona, Esperanza’s beautiful mother, agrees to marry Tia Luis. Tia Luis is a powerful and corrupt banker and step-brother of Esperanza’s father. When Esperanza’s mother refuses to marry Tio Luis, the house, vineyards, and Papa’s beloved rose garden are set on fire. Esperanza and her mother escape to the train station by riding in a secret compartment of a wagon carrying fruit. The train would take them to America were they were hopeful to begin a new life. Helping them and providing a pillar of strength are Hortensia, Alfonso, and Miguel, former servants of the Ortega family. Upon their arrival in America, Esperanza is confronted with a life that is vastly different from the one she lived in Aguascalientes. She is no longer a child privileged, but becomes a migrant farm worker to help pay for her mother’s medical bills and to bring Abuelita, her grandmother, to be with them in California. Esperanza faces many trials and tribulations but never loses faith as she learns to rise and embrace the new life she has been given.

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Caldwell, Joyce. "Esperanza Rising - Introduction." Baltimore County Public Schools - Welcome.

13 June 2006. 2 July 2009 <http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/Esperanzaeng6/index.htm>.

Hesse, Karen. Out Of The Dust (Apple Signature Edition). New York: Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999.

Ibis Communications. "The Dust Bowl, 1936." EyeWitness to History - history through the eyes of

those who lived it. 2 July 2009. 2 July 2009 <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/himdustbowl.htm>.

Myers, Bill. "YouTube - The Great Dust Storms - a Ken Burns style video." YouTube – Broadcast Yourself.. 24 Sep. 2007. 2 July 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEYb9xjAhHI>.

Orozco, Jose-Luis. Las Mañanitas. 8 August 2007. 1 July 2009 <http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/ninos/songsrhymes.html#mananitas>.

"Picture This: Depression Era." Oakland Museum of California. 2003. 1 July 2009 <http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/3_2.html>.

Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Sterling Heights: Blue Sky Press, 2002.

"The American Experience | Surviving the Dust Bowl | Interview Transcripts." PBS. 8 July 2009 <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/filmmore/reference/interview/index.html#gazit>.

Las Mañanitas are traditional Mexican songs that people sing early in the morning on birthdays and other special days. Often people are awakened with this song on their birthdays. Young men also serenade their girlfriends with this beautiful song. Sometimes mariachi bands are hired to serenade the celebrant. In Esperanza Rising, Esperanza’s father would sing this to her on the morning of her birthday.

SpanishEstas son las mañanitasque cantaba el Rey David.Hoy por ser día de tu santote las cantamos a ti.

Coro: Chorus:Despierta, mi bien, despierta,mira que ya amaneci�ya los pajarillos cantan,la luna ya se meti�.

EnglishThese are the morning songsthat King David used to sing.Because today is your birthdayWe are singing them to you.  Chorus:Awaken, my dear, awaken,and see that the day has dawned, now the little birds are singing,And the moon has set.

Click on the speaker to hear the song

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How to Use this Resource

Students will discuss cultural connections to the birthday song Las Mananitas and the song Happy Birthday To You.

Students will listen to the song Las Mananitas and draw connections to songs or family traditions that have meaning in their lives.

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Objectives:

Activities:1. Students create a family tradition presentation. They have

the option of creating a PowerPoint presentation, a written presentation, or drawing. Students are encouraged to bring in a favorite recipe, sing a favorite song, or show off a treasured item.

2. Students will present their family tradition assignment to the class. An open session question and answer session will follow each presentation so that students can make connections to their fellow classmates.

Lesson: Making Family Tradition Connections

This website contains pictures and information about Mexican Migrant Camps during the Depression Era.

Click on picture below to link to the website

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How to Use this Resource

Students look at pictures of migrant camps during the early 1900’s and make connections to current living conditions of migrant workers.

Students will imagine and discuss what life would be like if they had to work outside in the fields instead of attending school.

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Lesson: Understanding Migrant Camps

Objectives:

Activities:1. Students will make a Venn Diagram comparing how they live to those of children living in migrant camps.2. Students will write a daily schedule/diary entry using the ‘voice’ of a child living and working on a migrant farm.

Include facts and support using information from Esperanza Rising, internet research, and by viewing the pictures and information provided with each picture on the website provided.Read your schedule/diary entry to a small group of students and discuss what life would be like if you had to live that way today.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a story of a teenage girl from Oklahoma who lived during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era.

Click on the book cover below for more information on Out of the Dust

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How to Use this Resource

These are video-clips of actual dust bowl footage from the 1930’s. In Esperanza Rising, a dust storm like the one shown here made Esperanza’s mom very ill.

Click on the videos below to see real footage of a dust bowl.

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How to Use this Resource

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Objectives: Students will compare and contrast the lives of Billie Jo and

Esperanza. Students will examine the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.

Activities:1. Make a Venn Diagram comparing the similarities and

differences of Billie Jo and Esperanza.2. View the videos of the Dust Bowl. Answer the following

questions:• What caused the Dust Bowl?• What were some of the resulting effects of the Dust Bowl

on both humans and the land?• How can another Dust Bowl situation be avoided?• Why were the migrant workers in California worried about

the Okies coming to California?

Lesson: The Dust Bowl

Continued on Next Slide….

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3. Interview someone who lived during the Dust Bowl time period (1930’s). What was everyday life was like. Did they hear news about the Dust Bowl (if they didn’t live in those states). How did they get the dust out of their houses and clothes? Did anyone they know get Dust Pneumonia? Discuss your interviews in small group settings.

4. If you do not know anyone to interview, go to the PBS American Experience Website and listen to or read the following first-hand accounts of the Dustbowl: J.R. Davison, Imogene Glover,

& Melt White

5. After the interview process (Activities 3 or 4), students will write a diary entry or letter from the view of a farmer, mother of a child sick with dust pneumonia, or a healthy child living in the Dust Bowl and how they view the world around them.

6. Science Connection: Using several containers or buckets of dirt, plant some seeds and place in the sunlight. Do not water the plants. Do the plants grow? What do plants need to grow?

Activities: (continued)

A WebQuest is an interactive lesson in which students engage in learning. This WebQuest was created to link students’ knowledge of historical and cultural backgrounds to enhance students’ understanding of Esperanza Rising.

C lick on picture below to go to WebQuest

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How to Use this Resource

This WebQuest requires students to form groups (see box below for group topics) for research on different aspects of Esperanza Rising.

Each group will create a Visual (see box below for visuals) that will help their class enhance understanding of Esperanza Rising.

In addition to the group work, individual students are responsible for writing a paragraph on a specific section of the specialty area.

Students are provided with many resources and web-links with which to conduct research.

A research guide is provided for each group to help organize and guide the group research.

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Groups - VisualGrowing Seasons – seasonal calendarLiving Conditions – chart/diagramGlossary (unfamiliar words) – classroom glossaryCustoms and Traditions – scrapbook pageGrowers vs. Workers – compare/contrast chartAuthor’s Heritage - poster

Some of the themes I did not cover that are found in Esperanza Rising are as follows:

Family and community

Mexican-American heritage

Immigration

The Great Depression

Homelessness and Poverty

Feelings: Hope & Determination The author, Pam Munoz Ryan, is of Mexican heritage and

based the character of Esperanza on her grandmother. I encourage everyone to read Esperanza Rising and Pam

Munoz Ryan’s other books as well. Ryan is the focus of my Author study and a favorite author of mine!

Thank- You!

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