A. Syllabus

Mexican American Studies Syllabus

Mrs. Mascolo

Email: rachel.acosta@lausd.net

Website: http://tinyurl.com/p8n9jd9

Course Description

            The following Mexican American Studies or Chicano Studies course is designed for 11th and 12th grade students as an elective course at ASE. This ethnic studies course will specifically focus on the experiences of Mexican American peoples, beginning with an analysis of the early Aztec and Mayan people and carrying through to early contemporary Mexican and Mexican America culture in the United States. The course will strive not to tokenize the accomplishments of Mexican Americans, but rather to embody a holistic approach that will encourage students to see race and ethnicity as one of many contributing factors of identity development and national significance. This 20 week course will rely heavily upon student participation, building critical thinking, analysis, and academic writing skills. Education should not and is not a passive experience, but requires that students think critically to reaffirm their values with evidence or to change their perspectives with new knowledge. My hope is that you will be able to utilize the tools we learn in this class to critically reflect upon your other coursework here at ASE, your community, and your role in our larger global society.

            Mexican American Studies fulfills the A-G Requirements and the course is currently expanding in various other LAUSD schools. The Ethnic Studies Resolution was accepted in 2014 as a way to as school board member Steve Zimmer stated to “conn[ect] students to their story” (Neff, 2015). This is an initiative that simply makes sense, as 90% of LAUSD is racially diverse, non-white (California Faculty Association, 2014). While this course is part of LAUSD graduation requirements for the class of 2020, it is not a class that will be taught out of obligation. This presence of this course at ASE represents a hard won battle for students of color throughout LAUSD, who rallied to learn more about their history, culture, and community.

Course Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1.     Critique and reflect upon concepts of race, identity, and gender

2.     Understand the early presence of Chicano/a in American History

3.     Identify various Chicano/a historical figures whom participated in WWII, the Civil Rights Movement, and current 21st Century Activist movements

4.     Better understand your role in our Community

Content & ELD Standards Addressed

1.     CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problems.

2. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.8

Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

3. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

Course Readings

Burciaga, J. A. (1993). Drink cultura : Chicanismo (1st ed.). Santa Barbara: Joshua Odell Editions, Capra Press.

Gonzalez, G. G. (1990). Chicano education in the era of segregation. Philadelphia: Balch Institute Press.

Grande, R. (2012). The distance between us: A memoir (1st Atria books hardcover ed.). New York: Atria Books.

Rosales, F. A. (1996). Chicano! : The history of the Mexican American civil rights movement. Houston, TX: Arte Público Press.

Course Grading Criteria

Grades are on a point system and will be based on quizzes, tests, homework, research papers, projects, and presentations. Grades are weighted so that an “A” in the course signifies that the student has mastered the course material in all three grading categories.

Exams will reflect an entry level college course style, in which you will answer short writing prompts, analyze current events, and map out solutions to political issues discussed in class. Exams are structured in this manner so that you practice articulating your arguments using the formal writing skills that we will build in this course.

The student’s grade will be calculated at the end of each five week reporting period using the following grading scale:

A         90-100%                                             Classwork/Homework/Class Participation     40%

B         80-89.99%                                          Projects/Research Papers                                30%

C         70-79.99%                                          Tests/Quizzes                                                30%

F          69.99% or below                                

Homework

Students will be assigned homework throughout the week based on in class discussions and readings. My hope is that you are able to connect course readings to your other courses at ASE, your daily life, and your community. It is highly important that you keep up with reading assignments in order to participate in class discussions and learn to support or critique various arguments.

Late work will be accepted for up to 75% credit no later than one week after it was initially due. Late work policies are formatted to maintain class accountability for yourself and for our classroom community. If you begin to fall behind on assignments, then as a class we will be missing your contribution. Any student with an excused absence is allowed to turn in their work on the day of their return. While I, as the teacher, will strive to support you when you are absent, it is ultimately your responsibility to ask a classmate or come to office hours to receive late work.

Exam Makeup

Students will have up to one week to make up a missed exam. Please set up a date with me in advance and makeup the exam during scheduled office hours. Exams are to take place before and after school so that you do not miss additional classwork assignments.

Academic Honesty

Cheating or any form of plagiarism is stealing and has the potential to mar our trust based relationship. Being nice and allowing another student to copy your work is plagiarism and will result in a fail for both students. Cheating will result not only in a failing grade but will additionally follow Los Angeles Unified School District guidelines.

Semester Overview

1. Community Building & Identity (2 weeks)

   1. Fostering Community

                                               i.     Outlining Classroom Rules as Defined by You, the student

• 1. Family Genogram Project

                                               i.     Create a Genogram that Outlines 3 generations of your family & include your individual narrative

• 1. Defining Identity

                                               i.     Analysis The Moth radio programming (discussions of identity)

                                             ii.     Text: The distance between us : A memoir analysis

                                            iii.     Group Discussions: Identity based on texts & self-described concepts of identity

1. Early Americans & Indigenous Peoples (2 weeks)

   1. Aztec & Mayan civilizations

                                               i.     Examination of art via paintings

• 1. Aztec & Mayan’s as storytellers

                                               i.     Examination of primary sources, comparing and contrasting the Aztec and Mayan civilizations

1. Colonization (1 week)

   1. Analysis of how colonization is portrayed in 3 different World History & US History texts used at ASE, History Alive: American Ideals, World History, and The Americas

2. Early Settlement & Mexican American War (1 week)

• 1. Use of Chicano Education in the Era of Segregation to discuss settlement patterns of Chicano/a’s

3. Chicano Culture 1920s-1930s (1 week)

• 1. Art, Literature, Poetry

                                               i.     Guest Speaker, owner of La Chuca Bookstore

                                             ii.     Examining poetry by Luis J. Rodriguez

                                            iii.     Students creation of poetry based on their individual homes/community

1. Mexican American involvement through WWII (1 week)

   1. Soldiers/Pilots/Fighting at Home

                                               i.     Project: Scrapbook development of a Chicano/a during WWII

• 1. Farmers & Industrialists

1. Chicano/a Movement of 1960s (1 week)

   1. Origination of the Name

   2. Civil Rights Movement & Adoption of the title “Chicano/a”

                                               i.     Development of Chicano/a programs, Cesar Chavez analysis, Martin Luther King analysis

1. Immigration Trends (1 weeks)

   1. Bracero Program & NAFTA

                                               i.     Use of Chicano Education in the Era of Segregation

• 1. Obama Immigration Policies Debate

                                               i.     Critically examining different media & the contexts shaped for the public

• 1. Current Political Tensions & Positions

                                               i.     Use of UCLA Center for Labor Research: Undocumented and Unafraid

1. Chicanos Struggles (1 weeks)

   1. Concepts of Delinquency

                                               i.     Use of La Vida Loca: Gans in L.A. Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez

• 1. Gang violence

                                               i.     Use of Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle

                                             ii.     Use of Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys

• 1. Gentrification

1. Gender, Sexuality, Masculinity, & Machismo (2 weeks)

   1. Gender Stereotypes

                                               i.     Examining the opportunities afforded to women with Home Economics Courses using Chicano Education in the Era of Segregation by Gilbert Gonzalez

• 1. Examining the opportunities for women in 21st century, utilizing Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

1. Chicano/a in Los Angeles and San Fernando (1 weeks)

   1. Project: Interviewing a local artist, musician, poet in the community

   2. Examining LA & SF Valley culture via primary source images, maps, and statistics

2. Chicanos in Education (1 weeks)

• 1. Reflecting upon the push for Chicano Education

  2. Presence of Chicano/a Studies programs in CSU, Los Angeles and CSU, Northridge

3. Final Project Based Learning (In Unity was the other Units, 3 weeks)

• 1. Ethnographic Study of the Your Community (Pacoima, Sylmar, San Fernando)

  2. Course reflection based not only on what you have learned, but what you would like to see added to the course for future students

YOUR FIRST POINTS IN MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

Due: ________________________

20 Points (10 points for each task)

Complete the following tasks:

 1. Bring your class materials, including: notebook, pencil, pen, highlighter, colored pencils, mini-scissors, glue stick, and covered textbook.

2. Review the “Course Description & Syllabus” with your parent(s) have them sign below. Don’t forget that you need to sign, too!

Note to Students and Parents: 

Please be advised that this Mexican American Studies course is intended to mimic the content of a college introductory course. As such, some of the topics addressed require maturity and a willingness to approach the subject matter in a critical, academic light. Students or parents who have concerns about the topic matter discussed should direct them to Mrs. Mascolo.

We have read and discussed the Course Syllabus for MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES.  We are ready for the journey!

Printed Student Name__________________________________________PERIOD_______

Signature of Student ___________________________________________DATE_________

Printed Parent/Guardian Name___________________________________

Signature of Parent/Guardian ____________________________________DATE_________

HOW DO YOU PREFER TO BE CONTACTED?

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR PREFERENCE BY COMPLETING THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION BELOW.

Home Phone Number _________________________________

Parent’s Work Number ________________________________

Parent’s Cell Phone Number ___________________________

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