Lesson 6 Reflection

      Our final lesson talked about Mexican advocates.  We started the lesson with a short matching activity where students would have to match a picture or short definition to the correct vocabulary word.   The poster was covered up with papers, so students would be able to focus in on one term at a time, while also having the opportunity to reveal the next word.  Each word and definition, after being read by us, would be read together as a group to further their comprehension.  Students then did a card matching activity where they received either a cause or an effect, and they had to find their matching partner.  (e.g. car breaks down matched with car gets towed).  After all students found their match, they sat back down with their parter and each group shared what their cards were.  Once all students shared, we did a problem/solution activity.  Students worked in groups and received a problem that they had to collaborate and come up with a solution for.  (e.g.  Someone who you have never met is sitting alone at recess and looks kind of lonely. What is a solution to this problem?).  After coming up with solutions, each group shared their problem and the solution that they came up with.  We then did a short cause/effect brain break.  For this, a card was read aloud and students either had to shake their arms if it was a cause or shake their legs if it was an effect.  

    We then did out read aloud called "Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras' by Duncan Tonatiuh.  This book talked about Mexican advocate Guadelupe Posada who used his artwork to advocate against violence in Mexico.  After gaining some insight on what an advocate was and what they do, each student was now able to explore their own advocate.  For this, each student was assigned an advocate and given an envelope with short stories and pictures of their advocate.  Once they picked out three facts, they were able to write out their script.  They all did a good job writing their script in first person that they would use to share who they were later.  After writing their script, students were given a plain t-shirt and markers that they would use to make their costume.  An example of a costume was Ceasar Chaves, a Mexican advocate and farmer, where the student drew overalls on his shirt. Once everyone was done, we did a museum exhibit with all of our advocates!  We had all of them sit on the rug and one by one they would stand and show their costume and read the script that they wrote. 

    To conclude this lesson, we had students do a short posttest that covered everything they were taught throughout our time there.   We then did an award ceremony where students received an exploration of Mexico certificate.  Lastly, they were given back off of their work and projects from the lessons.