Lesson Plan

Unit Title : The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao 11th grade English
Lesson Plan #1
Day Title : Discussion/writing of Oscar Wao
3-30-10

Standards :

1.4 Develop and use the tools and practices of inquiry and research — generating, exploring, and refining important questions; creating a hypothesis or thesis; gathering and studying evidence; drawing conclusions; and composing a report.

2.3 Develop as a reader, listener, and viewer for personal, social, and political purposes, through independent and collaborative reading.

Lesson Outcomes: Students will walk away knowing:

- Having a respect for multi cultures.
- How different cultures present different expectation
- Awareness for sexual identity
- How to construct a thesis/question

Needs:
- Book
- Pencil
- Paper


Launch (10 min total):

(2 min) – Ask the class to get into groups of four. Students can pick who they group with.

Ask the class this discussion question:

“Throughout the novel, Spanish words and phrases appear unaccompanied by their English translations. What is the effect of this seamless blending of Spanish and English? How would the novel have been different if Díaz had stopped to provide English translations at every turn? Why does Díaz not italicize the Spanish words (the way foreign words are usually italicized in English-language text)?”

(8min)Give students a couple of minutes to discuss question and get acquainted with their group.

Learning Activity #1 (25 min):

(12min)Discuss some main themes in order for students to get an idea of the questions that need to be asked.

Examples:
Look at how race and color are important. People are more accepted or seen as more attractive based not only upon their race, but also because of their “shade”. Does physical appearances of the main characters help them or harm them, or both? What does this say about Oscar’s culture?
Do a careful study of how men perceive women in the novel, and how women perceive themselves, including characteristics that are valued and devalued in women. Does culture play a vital role in these perceptions?

(13 min) – Have groups develop two argument/discussion questions. Questions should be based around intellectual thinking and themes found throughout the book.


Assessment (20 min):

(20min) -Have each group will then pass their questions to the next group. Each group will then write a one-page response using proof or evidence to back up their argument.

- I will collect these assessments and questions at the end of class. A class discussion will follow the next day, basing discussion off the questions which the students came up with.


Class dismissed

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