Middle School READ! Module - bgca.org

express

exhibit

engage

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Middle School READ! Module

Module 5: The House on Mango Street


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engage express exhibit evaluate

ABOUT THIS MODULE 3

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY 4

REQUIRED MATERIALS 5

EVENT PLANNER 6

MONDAY: WHO AM I? 7

TUESDAY: I AM WOMAN! HEAR ME ROAR! 14

WEDNESDAY: I AM SOMEBODY! 20

THURSDAY: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS 25

FRIDAY: COMMUNITY SHARING EVENT 27

Table of Contents


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Overview

In this module the members will learn the definition of personal identity, and the various factors that can contribute to one’s identity. The members will explore the discrimination experienced by women throughout history and the environmental, social, and cultural factors that have contributed to that discrimination.

Driving Questions

How does environment shape our identity?

What identities, if any, are permanent and which do we have the power to change?

What roles do neighborhood and community play in shaping who we become?

Product of the Week

The members will create 3 skits answering the three driving questions. “Who am I? I’m Just Me!”

Community Sharing Event

Who am I? I’m Just Me!

Introduction

“The House on Mango Street” is a novel told from the perspective of a 14-year old Hispanic girl who is very unhappy with her current status in life and in her community. Despite her environment and culture, which express something different, she knows her identity is not defined by the men in her community or her socioeconomic status.

Special Notes

Throughout the module, the members will explore identity and a

number of things that can contribute to one’s identity. There are a

number of resources used in this module, so the use of a projector is

needed to be most effective. In the event a projector is not available,

chart paper or a white board can be used to display the vocabulary. If

these options are being used, please have the vocabulary printed prior

to beginning the module, as each day is packed with activity. The

Community Event spans Thursday and Friday. The members will be

creating collages, so the time needed for them to conduct their

research and prepare the posters will take two days. There posters will

need to be displayed throughout the club.

About This Module


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Word Definition

Discrimination the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

Equality the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.

Feminism the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

Identity the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

Prejudice preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

Academic Vocabulary


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Note: Facilitator Resource materials and handouts are included at the end of the day

and should be printed in advance.

Facilitator

Facilitator Resource: Suburban neighborhood

Facilitator Resource: The House on Mango Street Summary

Facilitator Resource: Word Web

Facilitator Resource: Venn Diagram

Facilitator Resource: Equal pay article

Facilitator Resource: Poor Inner-city neighborhood

Computer connected to Internet

Eraser for whiteboard

Projector

Speakers (if necessary)

Marker for whiteboard

Index cards

Bowl

1 per Team

Posters

Glue

Tape

Scissors

Markers

Magazines

Index cards

1 per Member

index cards

pencils or pens

paper

Required Materials


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Note: Complete the following table early during the week to prepare for the Community

Sharing event. Share the answers with the CPO for approval.

Type of Event on Friday

Event Name

Who’s Invited

Publicity to Use (Circle all that apply, use blank spaces for additional items)

Fliers Website

Invitations

Ads

Event Location

Display Area for Projects

Supplies Needed (Circle all that apply, use blank spaces for additional items)

Chairs Scissors Games

Tables Markers

Signs CD Player

Tape Video Equipment

Cups Napkins Refreshments (Try to select items that tie into the theme)

Task Assigned to: Due Date:





Event Planner


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Monday Warm-up

Location: Art or Learning Center Estimated Time: 20min

What You Need

Index cards

Paper

Pencils

Bowl

Steps to Follow

1 Ask What is the personal significance of your given name (first, middle and last)?

2 Does your name mean different things to you, your family, and your friends?

3 What are your nicknames?

4 What do your nicknames mean to you and those who call you those names?

5 Distribute index cards and pencils to each member.

6 Say I want each of you to write your name on the index card, then fold the card in half. Place your card in the bowl.

7 Mix the cards up in the bowl.

Monday: Who Am I?


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Say Now I want each of you to pull a card out of the bowl. Make sure you have not pulled your own name. While I know many of you may already know each other, I want you to pretend that you don’t know anything about that person. On the back of the card, write a couple of sentences sharing what you think that person’s name says about them. What assumptions do you make about that person based on their name? Sharing responses: Each member will stand and say the name on their card. They will then share their sentences of their impressions of the name. The member with that name will then stand and share whether or not the description presented actually matches him/her.

9 Ask Does your name define you? What determines who you are? Who are you?


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Monday Activity 1: Who Am I?

Location: Art or Learning Center Estimated Time: 45-60min

Description: In this activity the members will read the summary of “The House on Mango Street”. They will explore that impact one’s environment can have on how one views themselves and their value.

Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to define identity and express at least two ways environment can influence a person’s identity.

What You Need Index cards

Pencil (per member)

Preparation If a projector is not available, write the vocabulary definitions on

chart paper or on the board.

Steps to Follow

1 Say This week we are going to explore identity and what makes us who we are.

2 Ask What does the word identity mean? Allow members to answer the question. Read definition to members.

3 Ask What factors influence our identity?

4 Say There are a number of things that can influence who you are and how you live. Religion, culture, family, exposure, or even environment can contribute to your identity.

5

Say There is a book called, “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros. The book has a lot of different themes in it, but the one we are going to focus on is identity, and the various aspects and angles of identity. S

6 Share the summary with the members by allowing them to read it individually, the facilitator reading aloud as the members follow along, or doing a round-robin with the members reading aloud.

7 Say Esperanza is ashamed of being poor. She is ashamed of her neighborhood and the quality and condition of her possessions. Why do you think she is ashamed?


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8 Display the picture of the poor inner city neighborhood.

9 Say Look at the neighborhood in the picture.

10 Ask What kind of people live here?

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Based on the members answers ask the following follow-up questions where applicable: Do only bad people live in this neighborhood? Are there good schools in a neighborhood like this? Is this a high crime neighborhood? What things in the picture helped you draw your conclusions?

12 Say Access to money definitely impacts where we live, what we have, the quality of what we have, and the amount of what we have.

13 Display the picture of the suburban neighborhood.

14 Ask What kind of people live here? Do only good people live here? Are there good schools in this neighborhood? Is this a high crime area? What things in this picture helped you draw your conclusion?

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Ask Which neighborhood would you prefer to live in? Why? Does where you live determine what kind of person you are? Does where you live determine who you will become when you grow up? Distribute paper and pencils to each member. Say You are going to write a letter to the mayor of your city. In the letter, I want you to share your feelings about the things that should be changed within the city to make the equal. For example, even if you do not live in an urban neighborhood, do you believe they have the same quality of schools that the suburban neighborhoods have? Do you think the grocery stores in that area are as clean? Are the streets as cleaned and well maintained as they are in the suburbs? Express in your letters what things should be changed to reflect more equality and give suggestions as to how this could be accomplished.


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Monday Cool Down Estimated Time: 20min

Steps to Follow

1 Distribute paper and pencils to each member.

2

Say On the paper I want each of you to list five things about your neighborhood that are misleading. Then I want you to list five things about yourself that are misleading. Next to each item, tell the truth about the item. (Example: Appearances - I’m really tall, I must be a really good basketball player. I live in a really nice house in a really nice neighborhood my family has money. The Truth - I don’t like basketball at all. My family does not have a lot of money, and we are renting this house.)

3

Say Your physical possessions are not always indicators of who you are or who you are to become. Often where we live is not even in our control. How you live and how you treat people is the real indicator to who you are.


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Monday Facilitator Resource: Inner City Poor Neighborhood


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Monday Facilitator Resource: Suburban Neighborhood


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Tuesday Activity 1: I am Woman! Hear Me Roar!

Location: Multipurpose Room or Tech Center Estimated Time: 45-60min

Description: In this activity the members will examine their individual cultures and assess the roles of women within their cultures.

Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to identify at least two characteristics of their culture that may have an impact on how the women within their culture are treated. The members will be able to identify one woman in history who has overcome being discriminated against, because of her gender.

What You Need

Computer with internet access (1 per facilitator and1 per member)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLnsNPQcls “I can do anything better than you - with English Subtitles”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY “The House on Mango Street” A select scene

Whiteboard

Dry erase markers

Projector

Speakers (if necessary)

Paper

Pencil

Steps to Follow

1 Play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLnsNPQcls “I can do anything better than you - with English Subtitles” video

2 Ask Can girls do anything that boys can do? Why or why not?

Tuesday: I am Woman! Hear Me Roar!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLnsNPQcls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLnsNPQcls


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3 Draw or project the Venn diagram on the whiteboard. Label one side girls and the other side boys.

4 Ask What are some things boys can do that girls can’t do? What are some things girls can do that boys can’t do? What are some things boys and girls can both do?

5 Write the answers on the Venn diagram as the members are giving them to you.

6 Ask What are some things that traditionally only boys should be able to do, but girls are now doing them? For example, can a woman be a firefighter?

7

Say With each passing year, women are proving more and more that they can do some of the same things men can do, and sometimes better. Despite being able to compete with men in a lot of areas, they are often still not given the same respect.

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Say There are a number of jobs and tasks that men and women perform. Many years ago it was unheard of for a woman to be the CEO of a major corporation, but there are women owning and running companies. There was a time when it was not possible for a woman to be a police officer. Now there are female officers with higher rank than men.

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Ask Since women working in male dominated fields is now very common, and since women have proven they are able to be successful in their positions, do you think women are being paid equally to men?

10 If a man and a woman are doing the same job, should they be paid the same money? Why or why not?

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Say We are going to read an excerpt from an article presented by The White House in Washington, D.C. After reading the article, I will give you an opportunity to tell me if you still have the same opinion.


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12 Project the Equal Pay article on the whiteboard. http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/equal-pay

13 Ask Are you surprised by the information in the article? Why or why not? Why do you think women are discriminated against?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/equal-pay


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Tuesday Cool Down Estimated Time: 20min

Steps to Follow 1

Say When we are made aware of an injustice, it is our responsibility to act. Change does not happen unless people fight for what is right. With that in mind, you will be writing letters to the President of the United States expressing your feelings about equal pay for women and men.


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Tuesday Facilitator Resource: Venn Diagram


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Tuesday Facilitator Resource: Equal Pay Article

Equal Pay Article

Despite passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which requires that men and women in the same

work place be given equal pay for equal work, the "gender gap" in pay persists. Full-time women

workers’ earnings are only about 77 percent of their male counterparts’ earnings. The pay gap is

even greater for African-American and Latina women, with African-American women earning 64

cents and Latina women earning 56 cents for every dollar earned by a Caucasian man. Decades of

research shows that no matter how you evaluate the data, there remains a pay gap — even after

factoring in the kind of work people do, or qualifications such as education and experience — and

there is good evidence that discrimination contributes to the persistent pay disparity between

men and women. In other words, pay discrimination is a real and persistent problem that

continues to shortchange American women and their families.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/equal-pay

http://www.whitehouse.gov/equal-pay/myth#top

http://www.whitehouse.gov/equal-pay/myth#top


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Wednesday Activity 1: A Little Bit About Me


Description: In this activity the members will explore the roles of women in various cultures

Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to express at least two ways culture can have an impact on how females view themselves.

What You Need

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY “The House on Mango Street” A select scene.

Projector

Speakers

Paper

Word web

Pencil

Computer with internet access

Projector

Steps to Follow

1 Project or draw a word web with “Woman” in the center.

2 Ask What words or characteristics come to mind when you hear the word “Woman”?

3 Write their answers into the surrounding circles as the members state them.

Wednesday: I Am Somebody!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY%20%20


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Say Think about your culture. Ask What are the roles of women within your culture? Do women have value in your culture? Are they viewed as valuable? Can you think of any cultures where women are not viewed as being equal to men?

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Say There are a number of cultures where women are not equal to men. As a matter of fact, there are cultures where a woman’s only purpose is to satisfy the men within the culture. America is a melting pot of various cultural beliefs and practices.

6 Play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY “The House on Mango Street” A select scene.

7

Ask Based on Esperanza’s monologue, how do you think women are treated within the Mexican culture? Does Esperanza agree with this form of treatment? How does Esperanza feel about her Great Grandmother?

8 Say Esperanza is proud to be named after her Great Grandmother, because she was strong and brave, before her Great Grandfather took her away and broke her spirit.

9 Ask Esperanza’s name means “Hope”. Why do you think that is so significant?

10 Distribute paper and pencils.

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Say Esperanza dreams of leaving her neighborhood and having a life where she is able to live free of oppression and mistreatment, because she is female. The fact that she is fighting against traditions of her culture as it relates to women is very courageous.

12 Ask Think about the women in your life. Do you know any women who are inspiring to you because of their strength and courage?

13 Say Write the name(s) of those women who have had a positive impact on your life. Share why they are important to you and what characteristics or actions have inspired you.

14 Ask members to share their writings with the group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEuOM0TRjY


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Wednesday Cool Down Estimated Time: 20min

Steps to Follow

1

Ask For many, many years women fought for equal rights. Women have fought to be respected and taken seriously. Think about how women are portrayed in the media, particularly in your generation. Do you think these images help women in their fight to be respected and treated equally? Why do you think that despite all of the progress women have made, women continue to be objectified?

2 Say Turn your papers over. Write three ways that the media encourages the devaluing of women.

3 Ask How are the portrayals of women in the media similar to the position of women in oppressive cultures? How are they different?


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Wednesday Facilitator Resource: “The House on Mango on Street” Summary

Acclaimed by critics, beloved by readers of all ages, taught everywhere from grade schools to universities across the country, and translated all over the world, The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero. Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous – it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.


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Wednesday Facilitator Resource: Word Web


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Thursday Activity 1: Strength in Numbers


Description: In this activity the members will research various women in history and the present who have helped to change the image of women through their careers and public service.

Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to list at least three women who have had a positive impact on the image of women in American culture.

What You Need

Computer with internet access (1 per group)

Paper

Pencils

Posters

Glue

Tape

Magazines

Steps to Follow 1

Say Over the next couple of days we will complete our community sharing project. You will divide into groups of three. Using the magazines and the internet, you will create collages that depict everything wonderful about women. You can use pictures of female celebrities, but you should also use images of women who are not famous, but have a positive impact on how women are viewed and treated. For example, female doctors, judges, police officers, etc. You must also include at least three women in history, who you were not familiar with prior to today. You must be able to say who the women are and why they are so important to the progress of women

Thursday: Strength in Numbers


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2 Suggest that the members use search engines like Google to aid their searches: 1st woman to……; Influential women in…...


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Friday Community Event: The Event

Location: Multipurpose Room or Learning Center Estimated Time: 45min

Description: Members will share their collages from the week.

Objective: Members will describe their collages, and the women in them, to the community guests.

What You Need Team Materials

Tape for hanging collages on wall

Steps to Follow

1 Ask members to review their collages one last time, ensuring they can explain the importance of the women that they chose.

2 Have members hang their collages on the walls.

3 Members should stand with their collages, explaining to guests the importance of the women that they’ve chosen.

Friday: Community Sharing Event

Documents

Middle School READ! Module - bgca.org