A young girl, growing up without a father or mother learns that her father had been murdered when she was eight years old. When she is 16, she asks to travel to the United States to meet her mother. But, when the time comes she doesn’t want to leave the grandmother who raised her behind. It is the grandmother, whose words give her the courage to face the journey, even in the knowledge that many die along the way.
Pre-reading activity:
- Imagine your life right before you were born. Where are you? What are you thinking?
Write down what you see, think, feel, want…. You may write words, phrases or sentences. - Imagine you are a new-born infant baby. It’s only a few minutes after you are born. Where are you? What do you see? Who is with you? What are you thinking? What do you hear?
- On a blank sheet of paper, draw the world around you in the first few minutes after you are born! Think about where you got these ideas from.
Post-reading activity:
- Is there an important person in your life who you will never forget? Who is this person? What is your relationship to him or her? Why will you never forget him or her?
- Think of someone who has truly helped you at some point in your life, or during your whole life. What do you want to say to this person? If this person were with you right now, what would you say to him or to her? Write down what you would tell them. Use whatever language your heart speaks.
- Think of a song that expresses thanks to a person. Who would you sing this song to?
Partners: (for sharing, communicative competence practice, no writing)
Imagine your partner is a person who has helped you in your life. Tell your partner who that is and how he or she has helped you. Then, speak to your partner as if he or she is that person who helped you. Thank him or her for helping you.
Quotation Activities
How does this quote support the theme? Students will be able to identify quotes that support the theme of the story. Using quotations to create personal connections with the text. Finding quotes that have moments of power and beauty.