✅ Complete Writing Topic #10
Lesson 6: Friendship
Esperanza Rising (pages 121-157) written by Pam Muñoz Ryan
The Friendship Unit encourages students to build relationships. Through books and shared experiences, you will explore the value of friendship by extending goodwill toward others and receiving it from others. Today, Esperanza learns that some of the farm workers want to strike for more money and better living conditions. But a dust storm hits the valley, disrupting the strike. Today, you will continue to develop friendships with your peers as we determine how the novel's characters and their relationships change over time.
• How has Esperanza changed since she left Mexico? How do you predict new experiences in the camp will affect her? What can new friends help her learn?
• How have new friends or old friends helped you deal with a new or difficult situation?
The Friendship Unit encourages students to build relationships. Through books and shared experiences, you will explore the value of friendship by extending goodwill toward others and receiving it from others. Today, Esperanza learns that some of the farm workers want to strike for more money and better living conditions. But a dust storm hits the valley, disrupting the strike. Today, you will continue to develop friendships with your peers as we determine how the novel's characters and their relationships change over time.
• How has Esperanza changed since she left Mexico? How do you predict new experiences in the camp will affect her? What can new friends help her learn?
• How have new friends or old friends helped you deal with a new or difficult situation?
Quick Write
Friendship Rings
What do you think of when you think of the word friendship? If you could design a friendship ring, what color would it be? What insignia or slogan would you write on it to promote the value of connection to others? Write a brief paragraph to share with the group.
What do you think of when you think of the word friendship? If you could design a friendship ring, what color would it be? What insignia or slogan would you write on it to promote the value of connection to others? Write a brief paragraph to share with the group.
Vocabulary Words of the Day
Review and add these words and definitions to your vocabulary tab:
grotto (p. 123): a small cave
accustomed (p. 126): made familiar through experience or use
shabby (p.135): worn-out and faded
propelled (p. 149): caused to move forward or onward
grotto (p. 123): a small cave
accustomed (p. 126): made familiar through experience or use
shabby (p.135): worn-out and faded
propelled (p. 149): caused to move forward or onward
Reading
As we continue with our Friendship Unit, remember that friendship is a supportive and trusting relationship between people, like the relationships we are building here in summer school. As we continue to read Esperanza Rising, you'll notice how Esperanza's friendships with Isabel and Miguel have grown stronger. In addition, pay attention to Esperanza's actions. We'll compare how Esperanza acted before she came to California with how she acts now in order to determine how she has changed over time.
DURING READING
As you read, pause for discussion as noted below. Today's text begins on page 121 and ends on page 157.
AFTER PAGE 125: Why do you think Miguel and his father brought the rose bushes to California? How do Esperanza and her mother show their appreciation?
AFTER PAGE 127: Why was Esperanza embarrassed during bath time? How did Hortensia's friendly suggestion help?
AFTER PAGE 137: Esperanza and her mother confess to each other that they still miss people and things from Mexico. Esperanza misses her friends. What do you think she would tell these friends if she had a chance to write to them?
AFTER PAGE 156: How does Alfonso support Esperanza when she learns the dangers her mother faces from Valley Fever? Who in your life has been there to support you when you got bad news?
AFTER READING
Esperanza begins to adjust to her new life in California. Unfortunately, when a dust storm hits, Esperanza feels the fragility of life when her mother becomes ill from Valley Fever.
DURING READING
As you read, pause for discussion as noted below. Today's text begins on page 121 and ends on page 157.
AFTER PAGE 125: Why do you think Miguel and his father brought the rose bushes to California? How do Esperanza and her mother show their appreciation?
AFTER PAGE 127: Why was Esperanza embarrassed during bath time? How did Hortensia's friendly suggestion help?
AFTER PAGE 137: Esperanza and her mother confess to each other that they still miss people and things from Mexico. Esperanza misses her friends. What do you think she would tell these friends if she had a chance to write to them?
AFTER PAGE 156: How does Alfonso support Esperanza when she learns the dangers her mother faces from Valley Fever? Who in your life has been there to support you when you got bad news?
AFTER READING
Esperanza begins to adjust to her new life in California. Unfortunately, when a dust storm hits, Esperanza feels the fragility of life when her mother becomes ill from Valley Fever.
- What do the rose bushes that Miguel plants in the farm worker's camp symbolize? Explain.
- What do you think lies ahead for Esperanza? How does she show friendship to Miguel, Isabel, and the others who have been supportive of her?
BRING THE TEXT TO LIFE: Inner Thoughts
The narrator of our story describes events through the point of view of the main character, Esperanza. The narrator does this by describing Esperanza's thoughts and feelings. Today we will focus on important events from the story and try to imagine what different characters, besides Esperanza, were thinking to themselves as those events occurred.
First, choose an event such as Miguel and Alfonso revealing their surprise, Esperanza's first bath in California, the fiesta, or when the doctor comes to check on Mama. Then choose a character. Try to get inside that character's head. How would they react to what is happening? What might they be thinking?
We will take turns saying something that you imagine the character might be thinking about the event. Who do you think best captured what the character would be thinking. Use examples from the text to explain why. We will try it again with another character.
First, choose an event such as Miguel and Alfonso revealing their surprise, Esperanza's first bath in California, the fiesta, or when the doctor comes to check on Mama. Then choose a character. Try to get inside that character's head. How would they react to what is happening? What might they be thinking?
We will take turns saying something that you imagine the character might be thinking about the event. Who do you think best captured what the character would be thinking. Use examples from the text to explain why. We will try it again with another character.
READING POWER: Analyzing Changes in Character
Characters in a book usually change over the course of a story. Today we will compare and contrast how Esperanza has changed from when she lived in Mexico to her new life on the farm worker's camp in California. By looking at Esperanza's life in Mexico and California, we can determine how her character changes throughout the story. Esperanza went from living a privileged lifestyle to a life of hardship and want.
When we read, pay attention to how characters change because it can help us figure out the theme of a story.
First, we'll go back to our reading from the past couple of days and identify what Esperanza's life was like before her father's death. Look for examples of Esperanza's life on the ranch, how others treated her, and so on.
In Mexico:
Now let's look at how Esperanza's life changed after her father's death.
In California:
When we read, pay attention to how characters change because it can help us figure out the theme of a story.
First, we'll go back to our reading from the past couple of days and identify what Esperanza's life was like before her father's death. Look for examples of Esperanza's life on the ranch, how others treated her, and so on.
In Mexico:
- On pages 9-10, Esperanza expects many treats on her birthday, such as a serenade from her father, and many beautiful gifts.
- On pages 17-18, Esperanza is a ranch owner's daughter who is friends with the housekeeper's son, but "between them ran a deep river" that separates the two.
Now let's look at how Esperanza's life changed after her father's death.
In California:
- On pages 125-127, Esperanza does not understand why her mother is apologizing. She thinks she is better than the people in the car because she has always lived a privileged life.
- On pages 135-136, Esperanza thinks about how shabby her cabin is and misses the parties and dresses she enjoyed back in Mexico, yet feels guilty for dwelling on her past life when she considers the difficulties that other people in California, such as Marta and her family, face.
WRITING POWER: Writing About Symbols
Symbolism is when one thing represents something else. The rose bushes in Esperanza Rising have a symbolic meaning. They represent Papa and the life that Esperanza and Mama left behind in Mexico. They also represent Esperanza's and Miguel's childhood friendship. When Miguel plants his rose bush together with Esperanza's rose bush, the bushes also represent how Esperanza and Miguel are now equals in their new country.
Today, you will write about five symbols that represent you, and explain why. Symbols enrich a piece of writing, adding layers to the themes. In addition, symbols can add meaning to the characters and plot, as well as make the writing more interesting to the reader. The symbols you choose can be symbols of your friendship with others, your background, your hobbies and interests, and so on.
SEL
Students will develop communication skills as they work with a partner. Play Partner Drawing ( slideshow with pictures). Students describe pic and partner draws the picture to match what is being described.