Esperanza Rising - Debate Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will have a debate about the Mexican-American labor strikes portrayed in the novel Esperanza Rising. Students will conduct in depth research on the Mexican American labor strikes in 1930, using multiple resources. Students will relate the Mexican-American labor strikes they and their peers researched to the Mexican American labor strikes they read about in the novel. Students will use their findings to form and back-up an opinion about whether or not Mexican-American laborers should have gone on strike during the Depression in California as well as in the book. Students will work in groups to present their findings and opinions during a class debate. And students will reflect on their performance and their peer's performances in the class debate.

Advance Preparation:

-Bring a variety of print resources and print-outs from web resources that provide accurate information regarding the 1930s Mexican American labor strikes in California

-Classroom set of Esperanza Rising

-Ideally, the class will have had some other debate already and be familiar with the requirements and the process of holding a classroom debate

-This activity can be done in conjunction with the "Newspaper Article" lesson, and the students can use the research gathered during that activity as evidence for the debate

Management:

-Classroom will be split in half to form debate groups

-Students will be given their group and their group's required stance at the beginning of class. Most of the time will be designated towards conducting research on the strikes, but groups will also be given time to confer and decide on the position they'll take during the debate and the main points to be presented

-The last fifteen minutes of class will be devoted to debate.

-Draft a set of rules for students to follow while taking part in the debate

Introduction:

"One very important conflict in the novel Esperanza Rising was the Mexican American labor strikes, and whether or not the characters in the novel should have chosen to participate in these strikes. As you may remember, Esperanza's camp chose not to participate in the strikes, fearing for the safety of them and their children. However, Marta, and her mother, angered by the harsh treatment of the Mexican American laborers and the low pay they were given, decided to join the strikers. The author explains in detail why Marta and her mother chose to join the strike, and why others chose to abstain from striking. However, the author never truly gives her position on which characters made the right choice. Today, we will have a classroom debate about whether or not the characters in Esperanza Rising should have joined the strikes."

Devolopment:

Divide students into two groups: those who will debate in favor of striking, and those who will debate against joining the strikes

"Before we debate, we will gather information from the novel and other sources to back up any points we give during the debate. I have a variety of research materials for you to look through. You should choose one or two of these resources and read through them carefully, looking for and recording any quotes, facts, statistics, or other evidence that supports your viewpoint. Then, I will give your groups a little time to gather your information and discuss which evidence is most relevant to your position before beginning the debate!"

Allow students 15-20 minutes to read about the Mexican American labor strikes and find evidence to support their position in the debate.

After students are finished with researching, give each group 5 minutes to meet, discuss, and create a "game plan" for the debate.

Tell students the rules of the debate:

1. Only one student may speak at a time2. Students must raise their hands in order to speak.
3. Each group will alternate speakers: a speaker from one group may present data, and then the next person to speak must be from the other group.
4. Each student in the class must speak at least once
5. No student is allowed to "dominate" a debate (speak a disproportionate amount of the time)
6. Each speaker must have something new to contribute to debate-cannot simply reiterate an old point or say "I agree with so-and-so."
7. Students must be respectful of others and use appropriate language

Allow 15 minutes for students to debate. The teacher will moderate this debate and make sure that students follow the rules given above

Closure:

Students will reflect in journals about the debate, their research findings, the position they were given to debate, and whether their true opinions on the topic are similar or very different from the position they took during the debate