Implementation Plan

Monday: I will start with an introduction of our focus picture book for the week. This picture book is about a glimpse of Mexican Culture and what people do in Mexico. The book is Off We Go to Mexico by Laurie Krebs. We will then complete a guided writing assignment. Here we will read the story again and take notes as a class of things that stood out to them of Hispanic culture. In the book, it states “We tap our feet to music by the mariachi bands, who strum guitars beneath the stars and sing, as we clap our hands”. We would write this on the board to brainstorm that in Mexico they love music and listen to mariachi bands and so on. Then, with all the ideas we have on the board about Mexico the students will pick one and create a story. They will create a character, setting and action of the event or idea from Mexico and create a short story. This will be their practice in writing their own cultural story or personal narrative of themselves and their culture. The ‘story’ will only be around 4-6 sentences and I will provide prompting and support when needed. I will tell them it doesn't have to be perfect; just try their best.

Tuesday: Tuesday we will get into the topic of our own cultures and how they make us who we are today. We will watch a short Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om3INBWfoxY that will introduce them to ideas they might think about writing in their cultural narrative. I will reiterate that not all of our stories will be the same-- we are all similar and different in diverse ways and that is okay. I will then have students think about their culture, religion, race, any ideas they think creates their identity and background. I will hand out a brainstorming sheet that will allow them to jot down any ideas about their topic and allow them to use technology to research any key or important details within their history of their culture they may have not known about. The students' homework will then be to go home and ask their parents, guardians, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles whomever they want to ask to get more information on where they come from and the history of their culture. They will write these ideas down on their brainstorming sheet to help them create their rough draft in class on Wednesday.

Wednesday: On Wednesday they will use their new knowledge and information to create a rough draft on their culture and who makes them; them. Their story can include any information that the students want me or their peers to know about their culture and their identity. This just allows students to have the freedom to create a writing piece to tell their own life story. They should be sure to include descriptive details to ensure I am as well getting educated on their own culture and identity.

Thursday: Thursday is when their writing will come together. They will switch papers with the person next to them. This will also allow the students to learn about another culture that they might have not written about. To let students become more culturally aware of their peers. When they peer-review each other's paper they will hand them back to the owner and the student will look at the revisions the other student had made and correct their paper accordingly.

Friday: Friday, the students will get into small groups and share their work. They will each take turns reading and I will encourage the students to state 2 roses and 1thorn. (2 things they enjoyed about their paper and one thing they student could work on specific to writing). After all the students are finished sharing they will turn their paper into me so I can read them as well. Creating this culturally writing assignment will allow me and the students to become culturally aware of everyone’s backgrounds and who really makes that student them.