Category Archives: English Language Arts

This category contains domain-specific material–reading and writing expository prose, interpreting literature etc.–designed to meet the Common Core standards in English language arts while at the same time being flexible enough to meet the needs of diverse and idiosyncratic learners.

La Victoria de Junin: Canto a Bolivar

“(1825) An ode by Jose Joaquin Olmedo (1780-1847), Ecuadorian poet and statesman. Dedicated to Simon Bolivar, the poem was inspired by the patriots’ victories at Junin and Ayacucho, which virtually terminated the South American struggle for independence. In form and structure, the work reveals Olmedo’s familiarity with the classics, and the opening lines closely imitate one of the odes of Horace. However, Olmedo’s exuberance, imagination, and extravagant metaphors, which Bolivar himself satirized, make the poem one of the forerunners of the romantic movement in Latin America.”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Cultural Literacy: The Spanish Armada

While I do understand that this Cultural Literacy worksheet on the Spanish Armada stretches, both in letter and spirit, the bounds of Hispanic Heritage Month, I confess its inclusion here reflects a well that I will very soon run dry. In any case, it is certainly a document that could find a place in a global studies class–here in New York it would be a freshman class.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

“In a village of La Mancha…

the name of which I won’t try to recall, there lived, not long ago, one of those gentlemen, who usually keep a lance upon a rack, an old shield, a lean horse, and a greyhound for coursing.”

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Don Quixote pt I ch. I (1605)

Excerpted from: Shapiro, Fred, ed. The Yale Book of Quotations. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006.

Eduardo Barrios

“(1884-1963) Chilean novelist and short-story writer. After wandering throughout Latin America and working at a variety of jobs, Barrios settled in Santiago, where he served in the 1920s as minister of education and director of the national library. His mastery of the psychological tale is especially evident in his portrayal of hypersensitive personalities. Such is the ten-year-old protagonist of the novelette El nino que enloquecio de amor (1915), who falls in love with one of his mother’s friends. The hero of Un perdido (1917) is an overwrought weakling who, unable to cope with reality, finds refuge in alcohol. Barrios’s best work is probably El hermano asno (1922; tr Brother Ass, 1942), which deals with the inner conflicts of Brother Lazaro and Brother Rufino, two Franciscan monks. Gran senor y rajadiablos (1948) follows Jose Pedro Valverde, one of literature’s most strongly drawn characters, through a life centered mostly on a large fundo (ranch). Barrios’s last novel, Los hombres del hombre (1950), is a lyrical story of sexual jealousy and insecurity in family life.”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Cultural Literacy: Developing Nations

I think if you combine this Cultural Literacy worksheet on developing nations or use it to preface an opening lesson on colonialism, students would make a connection and move toward an understanding of history as a process. I’ve had a few classes make the connection, but it requires some careful Socratic questioning.

In any case, I’ve tagged this as Hispanic History and posted in observation of Hispanic Heritage Month. It wouldn’t take much in the say of questioning to lead students to an understanding of how and why–i.e. imperialism and colonialism–developing nations remain under development.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Independent Practice: Conquistadores

Here is an independent worksheet on the conquistadores that I’ve used in freshman global studies classes here in New York.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Mario Benedetti

“(1920-2009) Uruguayan writer. Benedetti exemplified an archetype in Latin American intellectual life: the public figure whose writing and political activism are inextricably linked. A staunch supporter of the Cuban Revolution and other left-wing causes, the dominant element in Benedetti’s work is often the individual in his or her social context. His works include the short-story collection Esta manana (1949) and Montevideanos (1959), the novels La trequa (1960; tr The Truce, 1989) and Gracias por el fuego (1965); several poetry collections including Inventorio: Poesia completa (1950-1980); the play Pedro y el capitan (1986); and numerous books of social and literary criticism, including El dexsilio y otras conjeturas (1985), a collection of his articles for the Madrid daily El Pais.”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Cultural Literacy: Pyrenees

Here is a Cultural Literacy worksheet on the Pyrenees. I do realize this is a bit of a stretch under the Hispanic History tag, but I’ll risk it.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Paulo Freire

“Paulo Freire (1921-1997): Brazilian educator. His ideas developed from his experience teaching literacy to Brazil’s peasants. His interactive methods, which encouraged peasants fo question the teacher, often led to literacy in as little as 30 hours of instruction. In 1963 he was appointed director of the Brazilian National Literacy Program, but he was jailed following a military coup in 1964. He went into exile, returning in 1979 to help found the Workers Party. His seminal work is Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970).”

Excerpted from: Stevens, Mark A., Ed. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Encyclopedia. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, 2000.

Cultural Literacy: The Columbian Exchange

Here is a Cultural Literacy worksheet on the Columbian Exchange, also known as the Triangle–or Triangular–Trade. If you made your way to this post, then I must assume that you recognize and understand the importance of this topic for understanding the world today.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.