Pobre Ana Reading Plan

There is a lot that can be done with Pobre Ana.  I have taught from the book for 11 years in HS, MS and college classes and it is still not old for me yet.  Do not be put off by the simplicity and repetition of the book, it is that way for a reason:  to get kids to understand it.  Some students will always complain, but in general, most students will like a book if the teacher is enthusiastic and interested in it.  Just make fun of the repetitive parts (I mean, everything in Ana’s life is “normal”?).  I think much of it is actually written tongue-in-cheek and it is not meant to be taken like serious literature, so just have fun with the book for what it is.

 

Spend a LOT of time on chapters 1 and 2.  Students need to get to know Ana and her problems.  They need to identify with her.  They also need to know the genre of the book and the direction the story is headed.   Read chapter 1 of Pobre Ana together in class with TONS of questions and several meanderings into students’ lives – this personalization and exploration of the lives and attitudes of real kids in the class is WAY more interesting than any book – even a good one like Pobre Ana.

 

After chapter 1 ask your students how different famous people would respond to Ana’s situation and complaints:  Oprah?  Dear Abby?  Dr. Phil?  Dr. Laura Schlesinger?  Jerry Springer?  Barack Obama?  Britney Spears?  Paris Hilton?  Have students read the Extended Readings and then write a letter from Ana to the celebrity.  Encourage them to give the celebrity’s response too.

 

For chapter 2 students can read with a partner, since it is largely a recap of chapter 1 in vocabulary and content–but it still gives kids a chance to talk about how their parents do not like to give them money. 

 

I suggest you read chapter 3 together as a class, because of the valuable life lessons we need to discuss (Is Ana smart or dumb?  Are there different ways of being smart and dumb?).  The cultural items also need some explanation (hot water on the roof anyone?). 

 

Act out chapter 4 before you read it.  This chapter is ideal for acting out because there is so much action.  Every single student in the class can be involved in this. 

 

Above all, keep talking to the kids.  Engage with them.  Get their ideas and opinions.  Talk TO the students in your class and talk ABOUT them—do not just talk about the book.  What we call “reading” is really not so much about the reading as it is about the students.  The reading is often just the launch point.  Turn the discussions into something about the lives of your students.  There are SO MANY opportunities to do this in this book. 

 

Keep on asking them questions like:  Has anyone ever seen something similar to this?  Is this a good idea?

 

Compare students in your class to characters in the book.  Ask specific questions; the more specific, the better.  Have a student that will play along stand up in front of the class and compare her to Ana.  Ask question s like this in Spanish: 

 

“Ana shops at Wal-Mart.  Does Mackenzie shop there too? Mackenzie, do you shop at Wal-Mart?   Why?  Does she like it?  What does she buy?  Mackenzie, what do you usually buy?  What brand?  How many?  How much can she spend? Mackenzie, how much can you spend?   Why?” 

 

Keep on comparing the story to your own actual students in front of you in your class.  Be specific.  Sometimes you can get a student that will REALLY play with you.

 

The most powerful questions are those that ask for students’ observations about the story.  Ask probing or at least funny questions like these (for chapter 1):

 

            • Who do you think cooks at Ana’s house? 

            • Does Ana’s dad prepare the food at home because he is a cook at work?

            • Does Ana cook because she is the oldest?

            • Who cooks in your house?

            • Who in this class has a dad that cooks?

            • Do you think they eat a lot of Jello and soup at Ana’s house?  (Hospital food)

            • Is that why Ana wants to eat in a restaurant? 

            • Do you think Ana’s mom sees very well?  Does she have good eyes or bad eyes?

            • Do doctors usually write very well?  (She has to read the poor writing of 5 doctors!) 

            • Do you think Don is in good shape?   

            • Is he fat or skinny?

            • What does he do all day? 

            • How many hours a day does Don sit on the sofa watching TV? 

            • Who in this class has a little sister?

            • How old is she?

            • Is your sister like Patty?

            • What does your little sister do? 

            • Are Ana’s “friends” REALLY good friends? 

                        They don’t give her a ride to school. 

                        They go to the mall without her. 

                        They always talk about things she cannot buy.

 

Some teachers like to assign portions of Pobre Ana for reading homework.  I suggest you put that off till the later chapters.  Get the students to understand the basic vocabulary and the type of story it is first.  Once they get the important words and the genre of the book, they have a much better chance at understanding the story on their own, and they can’t get that until at least chapter 5.

 

A general plan for reading the book in two weeks or so would look something like this:

 

Chapter 1 (2 to 3 days):            

 

Read and discuss as a class, one passage at a time. A super star student reads aloud, interpreting into English as the rest of the class follows in Spanish in the book.  Stop at the end of each logical passage and discuss the content (the facts) in Spanish.  Then switch to comparisons about students’ actual lives.

 

Assignment:  Students draw and label chapter 1 (see assignment sheet later in this book)  

Quiz:  Students can use their drawings and notes from the assignment.

 

Chapter 2 (1 day):       

 

Students can read with a partner, if you sense that most can handle it. If not, keeping reading it as in chapter 1.  Continue discussing the text and keep on comparing it to your students’ lives. 

 

Quiz on chapter 2. 

Chapter 3 (1-2 days):
Short discussion about the geography in the story.  Show a map of Mexico, Nayarit and Tepic.  Show some photos of Tepic.  Where is Tepic? (It is on the road between Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán) How long does it take to get there?  What does it look like? Read and discuss as a class, one passage at a time.  Take time to explain the idea of storing and heating water on the roof – drawing pictures on the board will help a lot here. Quiz on chapter 3.
 
Chapter 4 (1 day):
Act it out.  This is a fun one. Put up signs for the major locations and act out the chapter, asking scores of questions as you go to check for understanding. Have students tell their partners what they remember about Ana’s journey through Tepic as you go.  Involve the whole class as actors (See tips for chapter 4 later in this book).  Afterwards, students read the chapter alone or in pairs.                                               

Quiz on chapter 4.

 

Chapters 1-4 (25 minutes):           

 

Listen to chapters 1-4 on CD as students follow in the text. Slow down the audio if students have trouble following. Review the vocabulary in chapters 1-4, using differentiated format.

 

Chapter 5 (1 day):                    

 

Read and discuss the first half of the chapter as a class; students read the second half individually (can finish at home). 

                                               

Quiz on chapter 5 the next day.

 

Chapter 6 (1 day): 

 

Act out the chapter, if you think you can pull it off and students would get into it.  Otherwise read and discuss the first half of the chapter as a class; students read the second half individually (can finish at home). 

                                               

Quiz on chapter 6 the next day.

Chapter 7 & 8 (1 day):              

 

Students read individually or in pairs.  Discuss the text afterwards.

 

Watch video (1 day):

 

Students do video worksheet (write quotes they hear in the movie).  Stop it occasionally and discuss.

 

Activities (1 day): 

 

Discuss differences between movie and book as a class.  Guide the discussion with questions and write on the board. Have students put the events of the story in order (in pairs).

 

Test (optional) Have students pick from different testing options or give one as a class.                                                                       

The 100 question option is not a bad check of reading ability for semester one of Spanish 1.