There is No Rose Without Thorns

“No Hay Rosa Sin Espinas."

"There Is No Rose Without Thorns.”

Earlier this year I read the novel 
Esperanza Rising with my 5^th grade class.  It’s the second time I’ve used the novel as a Read-A-Loud and I can honestly say I am in love with the story.  It’s an absolute joy to read.  It’s bursting with figurative language 
and is heavy on themes.

Identifying the theme of a story can be challenging. It requires students to distinguish main ideas and extend the idea 
to their own world.

I believe that a student’s ability to connect with themes in novels is what creates lifelong readers.  It’s important to me that I do the most that I can to facilitate this process every year.

I always begin a novel unit by building background and context.  Music helps to set the atmosphere. This year I played the Lonely Bull and showed photos to activate imagery.

Rows of Vineyards

 

Casa de Las Rosas may have looked like this.

Esperanza and Mama live a much different lifestyle in the USA.

Backbreaking work in the fields

With so many of my students speaking Spanish as well as English, it’s just fabulous to hear them proudly correcting my horrible accent.

As the novel progresses there is much to discuss as the topic of immigration is central to many.  I am lucky to teach in an incredibly diverse area.  I have students from three continents and a multitude of countries in my classroom.  Looking at my student demographics roster only one family out of 32 identified as White/Non-Hispanic.  The idea of coming to the United States for a better life is not just a story in a book.  This is History and Social Studies wrapped up in a gorgeous novel.  

The possibilities for learning, discussing, 
and writing are endless.

You can check out the Esperanza Rising Theme Unit at my TPT store.