Inside: Resources for teaching the novel Esperanza in Spanish class. Esperanza by Carol Gaab lesson plans.
Author: Allison Wienhold
Published: May 27, 2015 & most recently updated on October 2, 2024
**Update – See Teaching Esperanza Year 2 Here!
Teaching Esperanza
This past year one of the first comprehensible novels I taught was Esperanza by Carol Gaab. I started the year with the novel in Spanish 3. It was their first time reading a book in class.
I then taught the novel a second (and more successful time) with Spanish 2. This was after they had started the year reading Brandon Brown Quiere un Perro.
Teaching my first novel was a little rocky the first time, and I could not have done it without the Teacher’s Guide & Audio Book.
I also found inspiration to get started from the ideas of Martina Bex, Profe Hanson, Kristy Placido & Sharon Birch. Here are some more ideas on my immigration Pinterest board. More for myself than anyone else, I wanted to put together all of the resources I used in one place.
Before starting the novel Esperanza
- La Geografía de Guatemala – reading activity by Martina Bex
- Ave Que Emigra – song activity by Sharon Birch
- Student Slideshow – A few students from my school went on a mission trip with the International Samaritan organization in Guatemala in the summer of 2014. (I would have LOVED to go, but I had just had a baby). This Slideshow was made by Adrianna and I shared it with the classes reading the novel. It gave the students a better picture of the current living conditions in Guatemala when shown pictures taken by a fellow student.
During the novel Esperanza
While reading Esperanza, I relied heavily on the amazing Teacher’s Guide. This is where I got chapter-by-chapter ideas, resources, and supplemental cultural activities, including the Immigrant Archive Project.
I learned to ask for feedback from the class to figure out the best way for them to read. I had one class who LOVED to have me read to them, a class who always chose to read on their own at their own pace, and another who loved reading along while listening to the Audio Book. Variety is key and you do not have to answer comprehension questions for every chapter.
>> Read more How to teach a novel – typical day
>> Read more 20 Activities for Spanish Class Novels
Esperanza Novel Slideshow
What I have found works best for me in planning is to create one Slideshow for a novel. It includes chapter-by-chapter pre-reading questions, vocabulary, discussion questions, and class activities.
This way I can post the discussion questions and depending on the class, they can talk about them in small groups, write out answers on their own, or converse as a class. This helps me to be much more organized instead of just planning “teach chapter 3” and scrambling at the last minute to figure out what we are going to do. These slides are heavily based on the teacher’s guide, so I can not post them here.
After finishing the novel Esperanza
- Esperanza Assessments
- Option 1 – this awesome Choice Board Project by Elizabeth Dentlinger.
- Option 2 – Presentational Writing & Interpersonal Speaking Assessments use these any novel speaking cards to practice speaking & to support a speaking assessment
- Which Way Home – After finishing the novel, as a class we watched this great documentary about child immigrants from Central America. Check out this post about why I would recommend using the subtitles to get the most out of the movie. *Update* I recommend watching this movie before reading the novel**
- Next year I am also thinking about adding the movie La Misma Luna to our immigration unit as well. We may watch Which Way Home before starting the novel, so the students get some background knowledge. It would help if they have a better idea of why someone would risk their lives to come to the U.S.A. and what kind of life they are leaving behind.
Maya y los 3
- Another connection you could make with this novel is the show Maya y los tres. Especially if you can’t show a whole movie you could use this 35-minute episode.
- Maya y los tres Spanish Episode 1 Guide
- Grab my Maya y los 3 freebie below
Want to learn more about teaching with novels?
Before you start…
Teaching Whole-Class Novels
Other Ways to Teach with Novels
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