House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008

Londer Learning Center
Multnomah County
Department of Community Justice
The House on Mango Street
Adult Education Guide
Everybody Reads
Multnomah County Library

Fahrenheit 451 – Adult Education Guide – Introduction
2005
Donald H. Londer Center for Learning
Department of Community Justice, 421 SW 5th
Ave, 4th floor
Portland, OR 97204 (503) 988-3466

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide – Contents Page 1
IntroductionIntroduction
A deep look at literacy issues in the United States reveals some
alarming trends: According to the National Institute for Literacy, more than
20% of adults in the United States read at or below a 5th
grade level. Forty-
four percent of adults in the United States do not read one book in the
course of a year. Given these statistics, how can we include low-level or
reluctant adult readers in a community book reading project?
With hopes of facilitating the inclusion of low-level adult readers in
the 2005 Everybody Reads project, staff at Multnomah County’s Londer
Learning Center, a unit of the Department of Community Justice, have
created this Adult Education Guide. The Londer Learning Center serves
adults who are on probation, parole or in drug/alcohol treatment programs.
Most of our adult basic education or GED students have reading difficulties
and/or learning disabilities. Many have never read a book in their adult lives;
65% read below a 8th
grade level.
To make the task of reading a book easier for these readers, as well
as low-literate adults in the greater community, this Adult Education Guide
provides adult educators, literacy tutors and English as a Second Language
instructors with tips and techniques, worksheets and websites. We believe
that with some planning and access to background materials, Multnomah
County adults, who are low-level readers, will be able to participate fully in
the 2005 Everybody Reads community book reading project.
Carole Scholl
Lead instructor:
Adult Basic Skills
and English as a
Second Language
Brenda Scotton
Adult Basic Skills
and GED instructor
Cheyenne Tuller
Adult Basic Skills
and GED instructor
Ave, 4th floor
Portland, OR 97204 (503) 988-3466

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide – Contents Page 2
Table of Contents
Part I – Recommendations, Page 3
Literary Genres
Author Background: Introduction to Cisneros
Part II – Vocabulary by section, Page 8
Book Cover
Section 1: Identity, Book pages 3-11
Section 2: Friendship, Neighborhood, Home, Book pages 12-25
Section 3: Freedom and Entrapment, Book pages 26-38
Section 4: Growth and Maturity, Book pages 39-55
Section 5: Gender Roles, Expectations, Book pages 56-73
Section 6: Fitting In, Book pages 75-87
Section 7: Escape from Reality, Book pages 88-102
Section 8: Accepting One’s Cultural Roots, Book pages 103-110
Part III – Progress Reports by section, Page 18
Section 1: Identity, Book pages 3-11
Section 2: Friendship, Neighborhood, Home, Book pages 12-25
Section 3: Freedom and Entrapment, Book pages 26-38
Section 4: Growth and Maturity, Book pages 39-55
Section 5: Gender Roles, Expectations, Book pages 56-73
Section 6: Fitting In, Book pages 75-87
Section 7: Escape from Reality, Book pages 88-102
Section 8: Accepting One’s Cultural Roots, Book pages 103-110
Part IV – Activities by theme, Page 34
Group Activities, Page 34
Story Elements, Page 36
Identity, Fitting In, Diversity, Page 38
Neighborhoods, Home, Community, Page 45
Exploring Poverty (GED Social Studies), Page 49
Domestic Violence, Page 54
Ave, 4th floor
Portland, OR 97204 (503) 988-3466

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide Recommendations- P. 3
Part I – RecommendationsPart I – Recommendations
Pre-reading activities that facilitate the understanding
of concepts, activate interest and/or learner’s background
knowledge can make all the difference in the success of a
reading task. The House on Mango Street is an excellent catalyst for
discussions of many issues that affect our students: poverty, discrimination,
class differences, etc. Having students tell their own stories, using the text
as a model, can be tremendously empowering. For activity ideas, see Part IV
of this guide, as well as the Literary Genres, and Sandra Cisneros biography
activities on the following pages.
Mango Street themes To help use the book in a classroom setting,
we’ve divided the book into eight broad themes. Keep in mind, however, that
this book doesn’t have to be read chronologically. Themes we have chosen
include: 1, Identity; 2, Friendship, Neighborhood, Home; 3, Freedom
and Entrapment; 4, Growth and Maturity; 5, Gender Roles,
Expectations; 6, Fitting In; 7, Escape from Reality; 8, Accepting One’s
Cultural Roots.
Learning disabled students The task of the adult basic skills educator
is to present reading materials in an accessible manner for low-literate
readers or learners with reading disabilities, such as dyslexia. Printed
material should not look too dense--use graphics and large type as much as
possible-- and print out worksheets on colored paper.
Use strategy If you’re limited in time, you could read excerpts from
the book instead of tackling the whole text, or show film clips and read
around these clips. For low-level readers who suffer from reading
disabilities, audio cassettes are a great help. Reading along while hearing the
story takes a lot of stress out of the work of reading. Be prepared also to
discuss new vocabulary, or have some means for students to record new
words but don’t let students get hung up on difficult vocabulary. Finally,
checking in frequently about various elements of the story can help with
focus and staying on task.

LITERARY GENRES
1. Bring in examples of different types of books: fiction, non-fiction,
science fiction, or mystery. Ask students to explain the differences
between these types of books. Find out what types of books they
most like to read.
AUTHOR BACKGROUND:
INTRODUCTION TO CISNEROS
1. Find a simple biography of Cisneros.
2. Hand out copies and have students take turns reading.
3. Then hand out copies with key words omitted.
4. Students fill in missing words from word bank.
5. Follow with a general discussion of Cisneros’s life.
6. Fill out the biography web on the next page.
7. For more advanced readers: Read the Cisneros biography in the
discussion guide, or a more in-depth biography such as those on
popular Cisneros websites:
http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Authors/about_sandra_cis
neros.html, and http://www.sandracisneros.com/html/about/bio.html.
Fill out the biography web on the next page.
8. Find photos of Cisneros through her life (such as from the above web
sites), and have students arrange the photos of her in order, guessing
the dates.
9. Discuss key points of Cisneros’s life. How would students describe the
life of a writer?
10. Do a timeline of Cisneros’s life.
11. Read the interview with Cisneros printed in the discussion guide. One
student can be Cisneros with the others being interviewers. Students
then write other questions they’d like to ask Cisneros.

Biography Web for Sandra Cisneros
Sandra Cisneros
What’s she look like?
What’s her educational
background?
What’s her job? What does she write
about?
Where and when did she
write The House on
Mango Street?
What other books did
she write?

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide - Page. 6
VOCABULARY Teaching Techniques
Student Vocabulary List
1. Students underline words they don’t understand as they read.
2. Teacher makes a list on the board.
3. Students add words to on-going vocabulary list.
4. Teacher gives simple definition for word, which students copy.
5. Students pick 2-3 words and discuss.
6. Students write sentences with their favorite words.
7. Follow up/review activity:
Word Jeopardy
1. Students select words from the list, or select words as they read.
2. Students make word cards with definitions using the dictionary – on the back
of the index card they write:
a. the word in syllable parts
b. the definition in their own words (not in “dictionary speak”)
c. the word used in a sentence
d. optional: synonym and antonym
3. Students form teams, come to front, and quiz each other using the cards
4. Rules: There are 5 points per word: 1 for pronunciation, 1 for number of
syllables, 1 for definition, 1 for sentence, 1 for spelling the word on the board.
The rest of the class acts as judges. The teacher only records team scores on
the board.
Vocabulary Games
Make learning fun with vocabulary crosswords and word searches.
This website has free and easy-to-use puzzle making tools:
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/

Vocabulary Words by Section—
A 3-part learning project:
Assignment #1: Match the words on the vocabulary lists to the
definitions.
Assignment #2: Write each vocabulary word in a sentence.
Teacher will specify the method:
1. Individual, partner, or team
2. Students write on notepaper to be turned in or write on board
to present to classmates
Assignment #3: Prepare for Spelling!
Teacher will specify the method:
1. Spelling Quiz
Students study then write words that are dictated to them.
or
2. Word Jeopardy Spelling*
*Divide class into two teams.
Each team chooses a “scribe” who goes to the board.
Each team takes turns giving a vocabulary word to the
scribe of the other team to spell on the board.
The team with the most correct words wins.
or
3. Both!

HOUSE ON MANGO STREET VOCABLUARY
PRE-READING: DUST JACKET/BOOK COVER
Assignment #1: Match the following words with their definitions.
1.____ vignette a. giving off light
2.____ eloquence b. deeply moving, touching the feelings
3.____ canon c. praised
4.____ harsh d. a short writing designed to give the reader
a mental picture
5.____ luminous e. a shade of difference
6.____ subtle f. a person of Spanish speaking origin
7.____ rapture g. speaking with ease and force
8.____ poignant h. disagreeably rough, painful
9.____ nuance i. spiritual or emotional ecstasy
10.___ Latino j. an official or authoritative list
11.___ acclaimed k. hardly noticeable

HOUSE ON MANGO STREET VOCABULARY
Section One: Self Definition and Identity p. 3-11
1. ____crumbling a. to keep apart; to sort
2. ____swollen b. continuing in the same
direction without curves
3. ____ordinary c. all existing things
4. ____laundromat d. to receive from an
ancestor or another person
5. ____temporary e. falling apart
6. ____straight f. a branched fixture that
holds a number of bulbs
7. ____separate g. increased in size
8. ____universe h. the parts of a word that
form sounds
9. ____responsibility i. common, everyday
10. ____chandelier j. a place to wash/dry
clothes
11. ___inherit k. short term; not permanent
12. ___syllables l. a person’s duty to take care of
someone or something

Section Two: Friendship, Neighborhood, Home p. 12-25
1.___especially a. a woman who dances ballet
2.___raggedy b. awkward; without skill or grace
3.___dangerous c. moving in a hurry; mixing
together in confusion
4.___laugh d. particularly
5.___refrigerator e. A musical instrument that consists of
49-52 bars arranged on a
frame like the keys of a piano. Bars are struck
with mallets. Sounds are amplified by metal
tubes beneath each bar.
6. ___aisles f. risky
7. ___ballerina g. a happy noise
8. ___marimba h. tattered, sloppy
9. ___clumsy i. an appliance that maintains a
cool temperature
10.___scrambling j. passageways between rows

Section Three: Freedom and Entrapment pp. 26-38
1.____pregnant a. a building with special exhibits
2.____moustache b. recall; bring to mind
3.____cigarette c. a rain cloud
4.____neighborhood d. beans
5.____dangle e. carrying a developing fetus
6.____museum f. hair above the lip
7.____tortilla g. tobacco wrapped in paper
8.____different h. a housing area
9.____remember i. hang loosely
10.___cumulus j. flat, pancake-shaped bread
11.___nimbus k. unlike; distinct from others
12.___frijoles l. a dense, white, fluffy cloud

Section Four: Growth and Maturity, Sexuality pp. 39-55
1.___strutted a. yelled
2.___jealous b. rising and falling sound pattern
3.___canteen c. the right to give and enforce commands
4.___anemic d. the largest selling laundry bar soap in the early 20th
century when clothes were wash-by hand; also used for
gardening (fertilizer and insect control), poison ivy,
5.___hollered e. 1. ballroom dance of Dominican Republic and
Haitian folk origin characterized by sliding steps 2. salsa-
style fast-tempo
music for this dance
6.___plunger f. place on a car that causes it to start
7.___naphtha g. hostile towards a rival, envious
8.___authority h. lack of vitality, pale skin, low red blood cells
9.___rhythm i. store
10.__merengue j. a device with a rubber suction cup on
a handle
11.__ignition k. walked stiffly or proudly
Spanish words/phrases: trembleque= a person who trembles or an
earthquake
House on Mango Street Vocabulary

Section 5: Gender Roles and Expectations pp. 56-73
1.____crumples a. a place that houses books
2.___ babushka b. money
3.____disease c. the act of rolling head over heels
4.____capsule d. falls in on itself
5.___ library e. a punctuation mark
6.____ashamed f. headscarf
7.____currency g. illness
8.____daughter h. a pill with a jelly-like coating
9.____cockroach i. Feeling guilty
10.___somersault j. a girl child
11.___apostrophe k. an insect which is a household pest
Spanish words/phrases: abuelito=grandfather
chamclas=shoes/slippers
esta muerto=is dead
los espiritus=the spirits
cumbias=a dirty/scandalous dance
rancheras=another type of dance

Section Six: Fitting In pp. 75-87
1.____ ferocious a. dark pink color
2.____ disgusted b. a tall perennial herb widely grown for its
showy flowers
3.____ hysterical c. plants that continue to live from year to
year
4.____ suede d. fierce, savage
5.____ squeak e. a tropical tree with large yellow black-
seeded, edible fruit
6.____ grumble f. offended by
7.____ fuchsia g. leather or fabric with a soft downy surface
8.____ hollyhocks h. complain
9.____ papaya i. uncontrolled fear or emotion
10.___ perennial j. unpleasant noise

Section Six: Fitting In pp. 75-87
Spanish words/phrases: mamacita= little woman
mamasota = “Big mama” emphasizing the woman’s
obesity
cuando? = when?
Ay, caray! = an expression of exasperation,
something like “Darn it!” or “Oh, for heaven’s
sakes!”
Rapunzel = a princess in a fairy tale of European
origin, imprisoned by a witch; her hair is very long,
and the prince who comes to call on her climbs up
to her tower by means of her hair

Section Seven: Escape From Reality pp. 88-102
1.____ twangy a. authorization
2.____ hibiscus b. with partially closed or crossed eyes
3.____ threshold c. nasal speech, a harsh sound
4.____ velvety d. floor covering
5.____ scarred e. an herb, shrub, or tree with large
showy flowers
6.____ permission f. smooth, soft
7.____ porcelain g. marked by injury
8.____ cockscombs h. the sill of a door
9.____ squinty i. frilly scarlet, gold, and yellow flowers
18-24 inches tall, grows in full sun
10.___ linoleum j. a kind of ceramic
Spanish word: comadres= friends

Section Eight: Accepting One’s Cultural Roots pp. 103-110
1.____ trudge a. in at one side and out at the opposite
side
2.____ petunia b. picture
3.____ through c. color made by mixing red and blue
4.____ blue-veined d. to walk steadily and with effort
5.____ complain e. people who drop by to talk
6.____ photograph f. a spice
7.____ remember g. to bring to mind or think of again
8.____ visitors h. purple
9.____ purple i. when blood vessels can be seen under the
skin
10.___ cinnamon j. to express discontent
Spanish word: esperanza = hope

Reading Progress Report Section #1
Identity, p. 3-11
Comprehension – Give the main idea of the section
1. What happened in this section?
2. What does the narrator dream about?
3. What does the narrator’s name mean?
Quotations – Explain what each quotation meant to you
4. “The boys and the girls live in separate worlds.”
5. “I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me.”
Themes – Explain the theme of this section
6. What does identity mean to Esperanza?
7. How does your identity connect with your own life?
Setting
8. Use three words to describe the setting of this section. Where does it take place?
How does it feel?
Characters – Fill out the following chart for the characters you met in this section
Name of
Character
Your Description Metaphor Used by Cisneros

9. What is one new thing you learned about the main character (Esperanza)?
Your own opinion – Give your own response to the following question
10. If you could change your name, would you? Why or why not?

Friendship, Neighborhood, Home, p 12-25
2. How long does Cathy say she’ll be friends with
Esperanza?
3. What happens with the bike?
4. “Nenny and I don’t look like sisters…not right away.”
5. “Apples, peaches, pumpkin pah-ay. You’re in love and so am ah-ay.”
6. What does friendship mean to Esperanza?
7. How does your friendship connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. Describe a good day with your friends.

Freedom, Entrapment p. 26-38
2. How do outsiders view Esperanza’s neighborhood?
3. What wise thing did Darius say?
4. “All brown all around, we are safe.”
5. “You can never have too much sky.”
6. What does freedom mean to Esperanza?
7. How does your freedom connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. What part of nature do you like best?

Growth, Maturity p. 39-55
2. What happens with the high-heel shoes?
3. Why does Esperanza want to eat in the canteen?
4. “Until I forget that I am wearing only ordinary shoes, brown and white.”
5. “She is too many light-years away. She is in a world we don’t belong to anymore.”
6. What does growth mean to Esperanza?
7. How does growth connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. How are people judged by the clothes they wear?

Gender Roles, Expectations p 56-73
2. Why does Esperanza’s father cry?
3. Why does Esperanza believe she was born bad?
4. “You must keep writing. It will keep you free.”
5. “Everything is l holding its breath inside me. Everything is waiting to explode like
Christmas.”
6. What does gender mean to Esperanza?
7. How does gender connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. What’s the difference between a house and a home?

Fitting In, p 75-87
2. Who is Sally?
3. What is Esperanza’s father’s job?
4. “Her father says to be this beautiful is trouble.”
5. “She is always sad like a house on fire.”
6. What does fitting in mean to Esperanza?
7. How does fitting in connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. Do you think people can overcome a difficult childhood?

Escape from Reality, p 88-102
2. What is the Monkey Garden?
3. What is Sally’s marriage like?
4. “I was a smart cookie then.”
5. “She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape.”
6. What does escape mean to Esperanza?
7. How does escape connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. When is the best time for people to get married?

Accepting Cultural Roots, p 103-110
2. Why does Esperanza like Alicia?
3. What are Esperanza’s plans?
4. “Like it or not you are Mango Street.”
5. “They will not know I have gone away to come back.”
6. What does home mean to Esperanza?
7. How does home connect with your own life?
Setting
How does it feel?

Name of
Character
10. How does where you grew up influence your life?

Part IV – ActivitiesPart IV – Activities
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following are just a few recommended activities that will encourage
connecting the book to learners’ lives.
GROUP ACTIVITIES
1. Attend community events sponsored by the Everybody Reads program.
2. Put on a play of key scenes.
3. Invite immigrants in your community for a group reading and/or discussion.
4. Ask the experts: A collaborative group activity
Divide students into groups to explore these different topics. Optional
artwork, too! Have groups present their findings to the class.
GROUP 1
1. Describe Esperanza. What does she look like? What does she think about? Is
she happy?
2. What are Esperanza’s hopes and dreams?
GROUP 2
1. Describe Esperanza’s family. Are they happy? Are they hopeful?
2. What dreams do Esperanza’s parents have for their children?
GROUP 3
1. Describe the house on Mango Street.
2. Describe the neighborhood. What people live there? Are they rich or poor?
Are they happy?

ESSAY QUESTIONS or GROUP WORK
Agree or disagree? Discuss in a group or write a paragraph discussing whether you
agree or disagree with the following statements.
1. Dreams that can’t come true aren’t worth having.
2. There’s more to a person than their name.
3. You can’t escape from your childhood.
4. Take every day as it comes, finding happiness where you can.
5. Home is where the heart is.
6. Society has a responsibility to take care of children.
7. People should not be judged by what they wear.
8. A house is different from a home.
9. Everyone wants to escape from their hometown.
10. If you’re told you’re bad your whole life, you’ll probably turn out bad.
11. We are all waging “quiet wars.”
12. Boys and girls live by different standards.
13. You can tell a lot about a person by their friends.
14. It’s okay to get married young.
15. We all have a responsibility to our own community.

STORY ELEMENTS: GETTING TO KNOW CHARACTERS
1. Post the names of the major characters. What words describe the characters.
Add new words to this list while you read.
2. Who said it? Write the name of the character next to the quote.
“I am one who leaves the table like a man,
without putting back the chair or picking up
the plate.”
“I was a smart cookie then.”
“You want a friend. Okay, I’ll be your
friend. But only till next Tuesday.”
“He never hits me hard.”
“I would like to baptize myself under a new
name, a name more like the real me.”

Character Web
________________________
Character name
What’s he/she look like? Where does he/she live?
What does he/she like
to do?
What does he/she
care about?
What problem does this
character have?
What words describe
him/her?

Activities for themes:
Identity, Fitting In, Diversity
“I would like to baptize myself under a new name,
a name more like the real me,
the one nobody sees.” –Esperanza, My Name, p. 11
Rationale: These activities will challenge students to think of about identity, as
well as the environment that may have helped shape who they are.
Chapters Activities
(use with any chapters)
The House on Mango Street Stage Names
Hairs Name Poems
My Name Poetry and Identity
No Speak English Mind Maps
Beautiful and Cruel Immigration charts and graphs
Also see these websites:
www.rethinkingschools.org
www.teachingtolerance.org

ACTIVITIES:
 STAGE NAMES: This activity quickly breaks the ice and easily opens a discussion of
names and identity. On a small paper or index card:
1. Write the name of a pet they had as a kid. That will be their first name.
2. Write the name of a street they lived on when they were younger. That will be
their last name.
3. Collect the papers. As a group, try to guess who has which stage name.
4. Follow up with a discussion of “names” and nicknames.
Are you named after anyone or anything? Who? Why?
Does your name “fit” you? Why? Why not?
 USING POETRY TO EXPLORE IDENTITY
GED connection: inference and detail in poetry, exploring the writing process. For
more GED practice, see poetry by Nikki Giovanni and Langston Hughes.
Teaching notes:
An age or name “poem teaches students some basic facts about poetry—the
power of specifics and repeating lines—two writing tools they can carry over into essay
and narrative writing. And it teaches them to collect “evidence” prior to writing, sort
their details, select the best ones, and then shape their poem through the use of a
repeating line. After reading…several student poems, we talk about what we learn
about the poets by looking at what they valued, what was important enough for them to
include in a poem. We also look at the kinds of details the poets used—the names of
family members, teachers, games they played…” --Linda Christensen, The Age Poem:
Building a Community of Trust. Rethinking Schools Vol. 17:1, page 6.
Linda Christensen is the Language Arts coordinator for Portland Public Schools and the author of
Reading, Writing and Rising Up: Teaching about Social Justice and the Power of the Written
Word. See: www.rethinkingschools.org

 IDENTITY THROUGH POETRY
Sandra Cisneros creates a picture of where she’s from and who she is.
Look at the chapters you have read so far.
What games does she describe? What food? What music?
How to read a poem:
Using just a few words, poems create pictures and feelings. On the GED test, you
will have to read and understand poems. When you read a poem, it helps to look at
each part. This poem has 4 parts, called stanzas.
Six by a Jefferson High School student
At six I lived for Evil Kneivel
pop rocks
and Japanese monster movies
on channel 12
These flavored my fantasies
of guts and glory
I lived for the snake
at school
that ate white mice whole
I lived for a year when
mom's temper got hidden
behind school and
a new lover
I lived for Banquet fried chicken
and Rocky Road ice cream
I lived to be seven
and one day eight
Source: Reading, Writing and Rising Up. Teaching about Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word,
Christensen, Linda. See www.rethinkingschools.org
1. Name 2 things the poet writes about in the first stanza:
1.______________________ 2.___________________________
2. Do you find these things at home or at school?
3. Circle the words that describe the items in Part 1: You can circle more than one.
fun, nice, mean, scary, quiet, loud, strong, weak
4. What animal does the poet write about?
5. What person does the poet write about?

6. What’s the feeling of this poem?
 IDENTITY THROUGH POETRY: activity
1. Brainstorm. Think about a time when you were
younger. Make lists:
* Games you played:
* Kinds of clothes you wore:
* Favorite TV shows:
* Favorite friends or family members:
*Favorite food:
*Favorite songs:
2. Edit. Circle the items that you want to write about.
3. Write:
Title: (Your age at this time):
At _______ I lived for:
I lived for:
I lived for:
I lived for:

I am from Soul Food and Harriet Tubman by Lealonni B.
I am from get-togethers
and bar-b-Qs
k-mart special with matching shoes
Baseball bats and BB guns,
A violent family is where I’m from
I am from “get it girl”
And …from a strict dad
Saying: “sit yo fass self down.”
I am from the smell of soul food
Cooking in Lelinna’s kitchen
From my grampa’s war stories
To my granny’s cotton pickin’.
I am from Kunta Kinte’s strength,
Harriet Tubman’s escapes…
And Sojourner Truth’s faith
If you did family research,
And dug deep into my genes
You’ll find Sylvester and Ora and
Geneva and Doc
My African Kings and Queens
That’s where I’m from.
Source: Rethinking Our classrooms, Vol 2,Teaching for Equity and Justice ,Bigelow, Bill. From an article
by Linda Christensen, Page 8. See www.rethinkingschools.org
TITLE: I AM FROM ____________
I am from: (write about things in your neighborhood, games you played or
music you listened to)
I am from: (write about things people used to say to you)
I am from: (write about your heroes: famous people or family members that
you admired)

 MIND MAP Put yourself into Esperanza’s place at the end of the chapter
Beautiful and Cruel, p 88. Fill in the open mind diagram below with objects, images,
symbols and quotations from the story to provide a picture of what might be going
through her mind.
Activity created by Erin Carlson. See: http://urbandreams.ousd.k12.ca.us Click on Language Arts.

 WE’RE ALL IMMIGRANTS… A survey
Esperanza and her family moved many times. From 1990 to 2000 there were many
changes in the US population. Look at the charts below. The chart shows Hispanic
migration. Which states showed increases in the Hispanic population?
Source: http://www.census.gov/ Click on Reference Materials and Census Briefs
Class survey
1. In groups, ask: Where are you from?
What state are you from?
What states are your parents from?
2. Make a chart or map that shows the different places you, your family or friends
have lived.

Activities for these themes:
Neighborhoods, Home, Community
“I knew then I had to have a house, one that
I could point to, but this isn’t it. This one on
Mango Street isn’t it.” –Esperanza, The House on Mango Street, p. 9
Rationale: These activities draw upon students’ life experiences and sense of
place. The activity challenges students to begin thinking of how environment shapes
a person, and how stereotypes, prejudice and assumptions are formulated.
Chapters Activities
The House on Mango Street Map projects of Mango Street
Bums in the Attic Design an ideal neighborhood
A House of My Own Design Esperanza’s ideal home
Elenita, Cards, Palm Water Design your ideal home
Cathy Queen of Cats Immigration charts
Those Who Don’t Neighborhoods people fear
Meme Ortiz Strengthening my community
Gil’s Furniture

Activities:
 MAP PROJECTS (Social Studies and Civics connections)
1. Do an internet map search for Mango Street in Chicago. Identify Mango
Street from the map. For lower-level students, identify states and cities on
a USA map.
2. Draw Mango Street. Many houses and places are described in the book.
(See Meme Ortiz, p 21; Gil’s Furniture, p 19.) Have students make their own
map as they read. Students can draw characters or just write in quotes from
the book that match each place on their maps.
3. Draw your own neighborhoods (a current neighborhood, or a childhood
neighborhood). Make a collage, or just pencil drawings. In a collage, students
could add things from their past: favorite songs, food, clothing styles, etc.
4. Design an ideal neighborhood. Esperanza writes a lot about neighborhood
problems. Discuss problems in low-income neighborhoods. Brainstorm what
neighborhoods need (schools, park, small businesses, public transportation,
etc) In groups, design a new, better neighborhood. Groups should explain
their choices.
 IDEAL HOUSE
1. An Ideal Home The fortune teller says, “I see a home in the heart.” (p. 62)
Esperanza doesn’t want a home “in the heart.” She wants a real home. Draw
or write about Esperanza’s ideal home.
2. Your Ideal Home Make a college of or write about your ideal home. Include
a description of the house, but also of the neighbors.

 NEIGHBORHOODS PEOPLE FEAR “Those who don’t know any better come into our
neighborhood scared…” ---Esperanza, Those Who Don’t, p. 28
1. Discussion: Write the following questions on one sheet of paper.
Give a group of 2 to 3 students the single paper.
As a group, read and discuss, then have one person write answers.
Report back to the full class.
Stranger viewpoints
1. If a stranger came to your neighborhood what would he/she see? You
can talk about the neighborhood you live in now, or a neighborhood you
used to live in.
2. If a stranger came to your neighborhood, how would he/she feel?
3. Are your neighborhoods similar or different? How exactly?
2. Essay practice: Use the discussion as a basis for an essay. Students can
also think about their own experiences.
1. Write about a time you were in an unfamiliar place. Where was it?
When was this? What were you thinking? How did you feel?
2. If a stranger came to your neighborhood, what would he/she see?
How would he/she feel?
3. Why do people fear neighborhoods? What is the consequence of this
fear? What can be done to solve this problem?

 STRENGTHENING MY COMMUNITY
“One day I’ll own my own house but I won’t forget who I am
or where I came from.” – Esperanza, Bums in the Attic, p 87
See the One World lesson plans at Scholastic.Com. A direct link to similar activities is:
http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/one_world/lesson_plans/index.asp?article=lesson10
http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/one_world/index.asp
Brainstorm: What is a community? How does Esperanza feel about her community?
(See p. 107) List problems in your community.
Who can make a community better?
Activity: Write the following on index cards. Give one card to each group. Discuss
and report back to class.
Events
An event that could strengthen my community:
A possible outcome of this event:
Clubs or Teams
A club or team that could strengthen my community:
A possible outcome of this:
Rules
Rules that could make my community better:
A possible outcome of this rule:
New places
Places that could make my community better:
A possible outcome of having this in the community:

Exploring Poverty
“I could’ve been somebody you know,”
my mother says and sighs.”
--Esperanza, Smart Cookie, P. 90
Rationale: These activities help make the connections between literature, our
everyday life, and the GED test.
Chapters Activities
The House on Mango Street Map projects of Mango Street
Bums in the Attic Design an ideal neighborhood
A House of My Own Design Esperanza’s ideal home
Elenita, Cards, Palm Water Design your ideal home
Cathy Queen of Cats Immigration charts
Those Who Don’t Neighborhoods people fear
Meme Ortiz Strengthening my community
Gil’s Furniture

 EDUCATION AND INCOME “I COULD’VE BEEN SOMEBODY YOU KNOW,”
MY MOTHER SAYS AND SIGHS.” --ESPERANZA, SMART COOKIE,
P. 90
Esperanza says her mother is very smart, but writes that her mother is very poor.
Look at the following charts. What percent of low-income children have parents
who haven’t finished high school? What percent of low-income children have
parents who attended more than high school?
Yearly trends. Percent of children in low-income families by parents’ education
level:
Parents employed full-time.
Percent of children in low-
income families by parents’
education level:
Parents employed full-time.
Source: :National
Center for Children in
Poverty. See:
www.nccp.org

SOURCE: National Center for Children in Poverty. See: www.nccp.org, Koball, H.” Where do Children in
Low-income Families Live?” Nov. 2003.
 Low Income Families
Do you think Esperanza is from a “low-income family”?
Look at the charts.
1. Where do most low-income people live?
2. What area in the United States has the most low-income people?
3. From 1999 to 2001 were there fewer numbers of low-income children in the South?
4. From 1999 to 2001 did the numbers of low-income children increase in the Midwest?
Low-income is
defined as a
family income
that is twice the
poverty level, or
$36,800 for a
family of four
(2003).

 MOVING THE FAMILY
“They always told us that one day we would move into a house, a real house that
would be ours for always so we wouldn’t have to move each year.” –Esperanza,
House on Mango Street, p. 4
Look at these charts and maps.
Look at the information about low-income families.
Do they move more than high- income families?
Moving families
1. Have you moved recently?
2. Why do families have to move?
3. Community connection:
Where in Portland can you find cheap places to rent?
Low-income is defined as a family income that is twice the poverty level, or
$36,800 for a family of four (2003).
SOURCE: National Center for Children in Poverty. See: www.nccp.org, Koball, H.” Where do
Children in Low-income Families Live?” Nov. 2003.
Percent of children who moved in the previous year by region and family income, 2001

 THE HIGH COSTS OF HOUSING
Look at the charts showing rental costs.
Vocabulary: Median, gross rent
1. Which region has the highest median
gross rent?
2. In the West, what was the median
gross rent in 1990? In 2000?
3. Where are the states with the
cheapest rents?
4. You can find more charts and graphs
from the website of the US Census
Bureau at http://www.census.gov
5. Your cost of living. How much did you
pay for rent 10 years ago? How much
do you pay for rent now?
6. How much did you get paid 10 years
ago? How much do you get paid now?
Median Gross Rents as Percentages or Household Income
for the United States, 1990-2000
Source: http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs.html

Domestic Violence
“He never hits me hard.”
-- What Sally Said, P. 92
Rationale: Literature can be a safe way for a teacher to bring up the issues of
domestic violence. Be aware that the following chapters deal with domestic
violence and abuse. Journaling is recommended; problem solving and lists of local
resources can be invaluable.**
Chapters Activities (use with any chapters)
First Job Domestic Violence Resource List
Linoleum Roses Problem Solving—Find resources in the
community
Minerva
What Sally Said
Red Clowns
**For a very long list of local resources, see the Multnomah County website. On the
top left of the page, search for Domestic Violence.
A direct link is: http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide – Page 55
24-HOUR CRISIS LINES IN NORTHWEST OREGON
AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
Police Emergency 9-1-1
Police non-emergency number for Multnomah County (503) 823-3333
Child Abuse Reporting Line (503) 731-3100
Emergency Shelter and Food After-hours Line (503) 525-6400
Winter Shelter Line (Nov. 1 - March 15) (503) 721-1500
Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 988-4888
Alcohol and Drug Help Line (503) 244-1312
Statewide Toll-free 1-800-923-HELP
Aging & Disability Services 24-hour Help Line (503) 988-3646
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Crisis Lines
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE
Sexual Assault Resource Center (503) 384-0480
Portland Women's Crisis Line (Translation Available) (503) 235-5333
Nation-wide Toll Free Number 1-888-235-5333
Bradley-Angle House (503) 281-2442
Raphael House (503) 232-6562
Salvation Army West Women & Children's Shelter (503) 224-7718
Yolanda House (503) 977-7930
Clackamas Women's Services (503) 654-2288
Washington County Domestic Violence Resource Center (503) 469-8620
Vancouver Safechoice Shelter (360) 695-0501

The House on Mango Street – Adult Education Guide – Page 56
What’s a healthy relationship?
What’s an unhealthy relationship?
Put the phrases below in the matching column. Add some more.
Willing and able to make own decisions
Likes to always be in control
Open and honest
Put Downs
Isolation
Angry all the time
Violent sometimes
Confident
Respects Others
Listens
Healthy Relationship Unhealthy relationship
Problem Solve. Where can you get help?
Find resources in your community.

House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Mais procurados

Mais procurados (20)

Destaque

Destaque (20)

Semelhante a House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008

Semelhante a House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008 (20)

Último

Último (20)

House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008