Running head: LITERATURE TEACHING GUIDE 1

Literature Teaching Guide for ​Call Me María b​ y Judith Ortiz Cofer

Recommended for grade five

Raven Redmond-Johnson

The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

May 6, 2018
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Introduction: How to Use This Literature Guide

Call Me María ​is a fiction book written in first person. It can be useful for teaching

students about multiculturalism and diversity. It builds linguistic skills in two languages, Spanish

and English. The Spanish content is easy comprehensible input that elementary students can

decipher and learn on the discourse level. This literature guide be used across multiple contents

in accompaniment with this versatile book. Its intention is to use a specific type of literature to

make learning fun. All activities herein coincide with different aspects of this children’s novel. It

is a perfect channel for using children’s literacy in a variety of areas in the elementary classroom

because we are shown several snapshots of ​María’s ​classes in the book​. S

​ ome of her teachers use

wonderful methods. Other aspects of the book can also be used for various courses and teaching

points. Though this guide does not present an exhaustive list of plausible activities in content

areas, these are just a few suggestions that teachers can use in the elementary classroom.

Teachers may make amendments to assignments as they see fit. You may wish to add to certain

elements and instructions and take away from others.

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Activity I: Content Area: ​Foreign Language Acquisition: ​Vocabulary Acquisition

Because ​Call Me María ​is written by a Hispanic author, there are Spanish words

interspersed throughout the text. This is a wonderful way to introduce foreign language gradually

through authentic texts. Teachers must first call attention to what sets the foreign words apart

from the rest of the English text. Students should notice that the first time each foreign word is

mentioned, it is written in italics.The fact that the foreign vocabulary is made more salient in this

way enhances vocabulary learning. The teacher can then give students these suggestions for

inferring meaning: 1) ​Use context clues​. What English clues in the text hint at a particular

meaning? 2) ​Look for word association. I​ s the word a cognate? Does it look like a word you

know in English? 3) ​Use your background knowledge as a foundation. ​What do you already

​ ow does this knowledge lend to your

know about the topic being discussed? The culture?​ H

​ eep words and the example sentences in which they are found in
inferencing skills? ​4) Journal. K

a journal. Try to use these words at appropriate times. ​5) Play a game. ​Play guessing games with

the new words. Charades is a great way to use kinesthetics with foreign language. Students can

guess which of the words their classmates’ are acting out. This is also a great way to make use of

syntactic rules in a stress-free setting. 6) ​Explore differences in dialect. ​Teach your students that

different words have different meanings in different places in the Spanish language, just as they

often do in English. For example, the word ​chulito ​is mentioned in the prose. This word means

something like “cutie” in Puerto Rican Spanish, but in Chile and Spain, it would mean something

different. Explore these differences with students.

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In addition, the fact that the words are mentioned multiple times through the text allows

students to have adequate comprehensible input. Reading foreign vocabulary in a familiar

context, namely a story, helps students to form mental images that they relate to the lexicon and

makes them more likely to recollect vocabulary later, aiding in language acquisition. Reading

offers an incidental approach rather than an explicit one to this process, the next best thing to

traveling abroad and being totally immersed in the foreign tongue. Commenting on the

usefulness of reading in second language vocabulary acquisition, Schmitt (2012) comments: “For

intermediate and advanced learners with vocabularies above 3,000 or so words, reading offers a

portal of exposure to all remaining words” (p.150).

Activity II: Content Area: ​English Language Arts: ​Poetry

Children’s books are an excellent way to model to young children exactly what you want

them to do when they write. This modeling through literature helps children who learn best by

seeing examples first. ​Call Me María ​is a children’s novel written in both poetry and prose.

These types of books are enjoyable because poetry is succinct; ​Call Me María ​is microfiction

and easily holds student attention. In addition, the use of poetry in ​Call Me María​ can build

linguistic and cognitive skill. In an article on imagination in language learning and poetry in the

classroom, Frazier (2001) indicated that

an effective way to activate the imagination is through "language play," that is, through

an interaction with ambiguity. For example, in language we can say things like "dry

water," "moon in the sun," and "eyes broken like a stone.” There is no single meaning for

such phrases: often there are more than two interpretations. When we try to explore one
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of these meanings our imagination becomes alive in a way that seems impossible without

this activity (p.56).

Invite students to find the purpose for poetry in this book. They may note that the poetry

is used to tell an ongoing story. Have them write poetry in class for the same purpose. Do some

research on the different types of poems and identify what types the author uses. Ask students to

think about what topic on which they wish to write, choose a type (or more than one type) of

poem, and then use the poetry within the novel to help them tell their own story, fiction or

nonfiction. In addition, since poetry utilizes figurative language, it helps students with abstract

thought. The book is prolific with examples of such. In the chapter, ​Like the First Flower (​ p.10),

the author compares herself to a flower breaking through the concrete at the advent of spring.

This is an excellent use of metaphor and simile together. Students can come up with their own

comparisons based on what they know about the two people and/or things being compared.

These comparisons can be used in their poetry. You may also want to explore other uses of

figurative language. Have a workshop where students review their peers’ poetry and exchange

suggestions. This builds classroom relationships. Have a definite due date set. Let students

practice their poetry aloud with props and perhaps set the scene with lights. Kids who are artists

can draw pictures to accompany their spoken word. Then, arrange a poetry recital for the entire

school to enjoy! Alternatively, poetry could also be used as a means of learning content

knowledge in the ELA classroom, since poetry aids retention.

​ reative Writing
Activity III: Content Area: ​English Language Arts: C

​Call Me María ​is first person fiction. It is written to mimic other nonfiction works. In

effect, it tells an engaging story and the reader almost believes it is true. Nonetheless, readers
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should be aware that aspects of an author’s life often appear in even his fictional works. Students

can learn how to conduct research by first looking for information about the author’s life. Then,

lead a class discussion, where students ascertain how much of the fiction is influenced by

real-life events.

Next, create a character with the class. Come up with a name, physical characteristics,

personal attributes, likes and dislikes, etc. Have each student in the classroom contribute detailed

facts about the character’s life. Write them all down. Keep brainstorming until the character

becomes real to students. After, have students to create a first-person story about the character

based on what they know about him. They need to go through a series of steps to do this: 1)

​ tudents need to decide what to do with the information they have

Organize their ideas. S

brainstormed. Does something in the character’s life influence his traits? In what sequence do

events happen? Students can make flow charts or tables to discern this. 2) ​Purpose ​For whom am

I writing? Will I need to explain certain terms? What is the tone of the story? Do I have a theme?

Does this writing do anything for me? For instance, does it give me an outlet to express certain

feelings, or does it simply allow me to use my imagination? What does my story tell me about

​ id I use a variation of sentence structures? Are my sentences choppy? Are

me? 3) ​Articulation D

my transitions smooth? Did I proofread? Did I revise? Did I get a second opinion? 4) ​Compare

How does my writing compare to the author’s? To other texts? What makes the author’s story

captivating? Do I have those elements in my writing?

At the end of the week, allow each student to share his story with the class. Allow

students to give constructive and respectful feedback. Let students create their own books. Using

an inexpensive binding machine, printing company, or student handiwork will do. Students can
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also add pictures to their books. At the end, ask students to think about how much of the

character they created is based on facts about their lives or the lives of people close to them.

​ ulture
Activity IV: Content Area: ​Social Studies: C

In efforts to evaluate how well social studies curriculum and resources in elementary

classrooms assist students in becoming global citizens, one study maintained that

multiculturalism, or considering different culture, in the social studies classroom is essential to

creating empathetic citizens (Türkkan & Öztürk, 2017). This novel introduces some features of

Hispanic, Puerto Rican, and Boricuan culture. María is from Puerto Rico, but she moves to New

York to live with her father. ​Boricua​ is a colloquial Puerto Rican term that is often used by

Puerto Ricans in the media, like Amara la Negra and Joseline Hernandez, to refer to Puerto

Ricans living in the U.S or Puerto Ricans in general. These cultural activities can be done in two

or several days, as instructors see fit. To begin the culture lesson, students can look at examples

in the text that point to Puerto Rican linguistic culture. Teachers should research which words are

widely used in the Spanish language and which words are specific to Puerto Rican Spanish.

Then, teachers could research videos of Puerto Rican speakers on YouTube to show some of

these uses in context.

The book mentions famous Hispanic artists like Celia Cruz, who was Afro-Cuban, and

Felipe Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican singer of boleros, and Hispanic dances. María also mentions

parties that her parents often attended and how intertwined celebration and dancing are in

Hispanic culture. To continue the culture lesson, teachers can play music from both artists for

students and explain vernacular terms and how these are tied to the heritage of the artists. For

instance, in many of Celia Cruz’s songs, she uses Afro-Caribbean words. Teachers can provide
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lyrics to certain songs in English and have students analyze what parts of the song are influenced

by Hispanic culture.

María mentions wanting to learn to mambo in the book. She and her mother do the dance

often. Teachers can try to find someone in their own neighborhood that knows how to do the

dance. Take a class day to have class outside and have someone come and teach the students. If

the visitor is Hispanic or knowledgeable about Hispanic culture and open to it, have them come

and discuss aspects of their culture with students through story-telling and lecture. Alternatively,

consult a YouTube video where the dance is taught and let the students learn that way.

For the next activity in the unit, students could consider Spanglish. María learns it when

she moves to New York with her father. Teachers should explain to students that is a part of

Boricuan culture. In the book, María explains that Spanglish is a dialects with its own rules and

patterns. Invite them to look at some Spanglish utterances closely to unlock the meaning to

Spanglish grammar. Have students try to figure out when English words are used and when

Spanish words are used.

There is a ​cuento (​ short story or folktale) that María’s mother shares with her about a

starving man and baker. This story has significance for Hispanic culture. Have students to

explore how and why. What values of society does this story reflect? In addition, ask students to

research more folktales from Puerto Rican culture. Ask them if they see any similarities with

stories they have heard.

Food is also mentioned in the story, also. Some of the Puerto Rican dishes include ​arroz y

habichuelas ​(rice and beans)​, arroz con gandules (​ rice with pigeon peas), ​arroz con pollo ​(rice

with chicken), ​arroz con salchichas (​ rice with sausages), ​arroz blanco ​(white rice), and ​arroz
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amarillo (​ yellow rice). Research with the class what spices are needed to make the dishes. Make

one of the dishes, and bring it to class to share with students. Check with parents for food

allergies. Research which fruits and vegetables in the US come from Latin America and the

Caribbean. Alternatively, take a field trip to a Hispanic restaurant and have students try dishes

there.

Activity V: Content Area: ​Social Studies: ​Assimilation and Language Policy

Talk about the meaning of assimilation with your students. Explain to them how minority

groups or immigrant groups are affected by the pressure to conform to the culture of the

dominant group. Invite students to highlight some examples of assimilation in the book. One

such example is when María says that she feels like she is doing penance (p.11). She remembers

her mother her mother preparing her for her First Communion by teaching her catechism. This

could inspire curiosity about what religion is being alluded to here. After doing some research,

students would learn that this is related to Catholicism. They could then learn more about the

advent of some forms of Christianity in Spanish-speaking countries. Have students to create

before and after c​ harts. One the before side, they could write about the life of indigenous

peoples, like the Incas and the Mayans, before colonizers came. On the after side, they could

make a list on how life changed after the colonizers came.

To add, although many in minority groups were forced to assimilate for survival, either in

their own lands or after migrating to different areas, many retained aspects of their culture in

ways that could not be regulated. María determined that she would speak Spanglish and that no

one could take it away from her. She continued developing both of her languages, English and

Spanish, for her own reasons, and she did not care about negative responses to her accent, etc.
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Students could begin on language policy in the US. Ask students to research what the United

States’ stance is on language. Do we have an official language? A second language? In a class

discussion, ask them to elaborate why or why not. Then, have students to come up with their own

stance or language policy. Have them to write their ideas in a white paper. Then, set up a

courtroom reenactment. Have students who favor one position as defendants and students who

favor the other position as plaintiffs. Choose lawyers, a judge, and witnesses. Let students argue

their case. The winners of the case can receive a prize.

Activity VI: Content Area: ​English as a Second Language (​ ESL)​: L

​ iterary Devices and

English Grammar

Call Me María i​ s an excellent way to teach ESL students grammar. The book has several

places where English grammar is explicitly discussed, since the story takes place in a setting

where second-generation immigrant students are learning English as a second language in the

classroom. We are taken into María’s ESL classroom more than once in the book. Additionally,

because the book is written in poetic form, it is replete with literary devices.

Begin with literary devices. In addition to simile and metaphor, the poetic format of the

book lends to its vivid imagery. The tropical flowers are described along with the colorful birds.

Mami describes the island beautifully during a rainstorm. Point out examples of imagery

throughout the text. Ask students to draw pictures based on descriptions in the text. For less

artistic students, ask students to think of something beautiful, or sad, or anything that appeals to

the senses or causes strong emotion and use imagery to describe it. Remind them to show rather

than tell. Try some examples orally. Then, give students pictures. Have them describe the photos

using imagery using a bilingual dictionary. If students have trouble finding the vocabulary in
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English, allow them to negotiate the meaning with their classmates, describing terms in their

native language and attempting to safeguard and convey that meaning into English. They may

even find that English has a word to encompass what is only an idea in their native tongue, or

vice versa.

There is also a chapter in which María’s class discusses declarative, interrogative, and

imperative sentences explicitly in English class. Have students identify these types of sentences

in other places in the book. One of María’s friends creates a rap about imperative sentences.

Invite students to do the same with the 3.different types of sentences. Share a few other types of

sentences with the class. If some students are not familiar with rap music, allow them to listen to

other rap songs on topics of grammar or to other appropriate rap lyrics. One student could begin

the rap and other students could add to it. The teacher could step in and help when needed.

Activity VII: Content Area: ​Geography

This novel is full of descriptions of Puerto Rico. Let students use Google Maps to first

determine how far María is from home. Then, take the class to the computer lab to do research.

Tell them that they are travel agents. Someone wants to take a trip to Puerto Rico and would like

to know what the island has to offer. Let them explore facts about Puerto Rico and how it got its

name and became a US territory. Look at pictures of Puerto Rico’s beaches, research points of

interests and attractions, and admire the tropical rainforest. The teacher should pretend to be the

traveler, while each student explains geographical features that make Puerto Rico a wonderful

place to visit.

Then, let the imagination continue! Visit project supply stores. Have students bring

different items from home. Transform your classroom into a pretend Puerto Rico. Allow your
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students to help! Decide with the class on a specific location. (I would suggest El Yunque

National Forest) Use real or artificial flowers and plants. Create a waterfall. Gather stuffed

animals that would inhabit the rainforest. Be sure to include tree frogs. Use phone applications

for animal sounds and the sound of rainfall. Create the emergent layer, the canopy layer (perhaps

with umbrellas), and understory layer. Use a fog machine for the dense fog in this area. Cover

the floor (forest floor) with leaves and twigs. Use plastic insects. Don’t forget the butterflies!

Include pictures of petroglyphs on rocks. Let students come up with ideas and add their own

special touches. Additionally, consider how Puerto Rico’s climate facilitates the growth of

certain fruits and vegetables. Research natural disasters that occur in Puerto Rico, especially the

most recent. Research ways to send supplies.

Activity VIII: Content Area: ​Science: Making Connections

In the chapter entitled ​Life Sciences: The Poem As Seen Under the Microscope ​(p. 74),

the class looks at an illustration of a cross-section of a skin cell, witnesses the replication of

amoeba, and talks about the length of DNA within a single cell. There are lots of activities in the

curriculum for recreating DNA with candy or other materials and drawing the different cell types

and parts. The most interesting part of the lesson was the way the teacher made comparisons. She

compares the hair shaft to “a little blade of grass burrowing through the epidermis into the

sunlight” (p. 75). No doubt this is very effective in helping her students to remember scientific

facts. She compares scientific features to relatable concepts in everyday life. Muthersbaugh and

Charvoz (2014) conducted a study on how images (mental included) affect the way students

learn science. They commented:

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What distinguishes humans from computers is the fact that humans can retrieve

information based on experience. The human experience of visual recall is rooted in the

cognitive psychology term gist (Friedman, 1979). The gist or essence of an image allows

the viewer to make sense of diverse information with a momentary glimpse of an

everyday scene (Oliva, 2005) (p.414).

One way to do this is by playing a game similar to the Rorschach test. Cut out distorted

images of scientific notions being discussed this week. You could also use videos of different

parts doing their job. Show your students the images as a whole. Let them share what the

pictures or videos them of, and have students write down these comparative words. Then, ask

students to make colorful word comparisons similar to those of María’s teacher. Ask students to

share. Let other students help when necessary. Some comparisons may be pretty hilarious! These

comparisons will impress mental word images on the brains of your students and help them to

retain scientific information.

Activity IX: Content Area: Math: ​Fractions, Percentages, Charts, and Graphs

We are taken into Mr. C’s math class within the novel, where the class discusses fractions

and pie charts and uses circular objects for dividing and finding area. For this activity, make sure

that students understand that fractions and percentages are parts of wholes. Collect a list of your

students’ favorite snacks. Have students to draw a chart with the names of the snack liked by

each student. Direct them to make tallies beside snacks that multiple students like. Next, ask

them to create fractions based on how many people out of the ​whole c​ lass like certain snacks.

(You may decide on another topic; the point is to bring something tangible that students can look

forward to as a reward.)
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Ask them to convert the fractions into percentages by multiplying the top of the fraction

by the bottom and multiplying by 100 (or by moving the decimal point two places to the right).

Model on the board how this is done to make sure everyone understands. Then, have several

volunteers to come to the board to do more conversions. Ask them to talk their classmates

through each step. This step may also uncover which students have problems with

multiplications.

Then, have everyone draw a big circle in their notebook. (Alternatively, allow them to

make them on the computer.) Tell them to make each percentage the appropriate size in the

chart, compared to percentages that are bigger or smaller. Fill in the percentages with the names

of each of the snacks. Then, pass out all the snacks!

Activity X: Content Area: ​Reading: Creative Interpretation and Usages of Text/ Vocabulary

Acquisition

While reading the story, ask students to keep a journal of new words that they learn in the

book. Next, construct a ​Taboo​ game. You control the timer. Divide the class into two teams.

Write vocabulary words at the top of cards. Underneath, write five single word clues that

describe the vocabulary word. Students are not allowed to say any of the words on the card but

can create their own clues for their teammates to guess. Each team’s turn is over after the set

time limit has expired. The team that guesses the most vocabulary words correctly wins.

After students are done reading ​Call Me María, a​ sk them to form a reading circle outside.

Have students to share stories that are parallel to or in some way related to stories in the book.

Then, ask students what they liked or didn’t like about the story. Use this information to choose

more reading material. Share your own stories and realizations from the story.
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Next, ask students to tell the story, in part, from an alternative perspective, perhaps from

that of their favorite character. Ask them to give the story an alternate ending. Then, pick the best

storyline and develop it as a class. Have your students act it out. Let them research the

characters’ backgrounds, Afro-Latina, Indian, Puerto Rican so that they know what to wear. Let

them research and mimic accents. Rehearse the play and record the performance
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References

Coreil, C., & Jersey City State Coll., N. L. (2001). ​The Journal of the Imagination in Language

Learning and Teaching, 2001.​ Journal of the Imagination in Language Learning

and Teaching.

Karakus, M., Türkkan, B. T., & Öztürk, F. (2017). Examination of Social Studies Curriculum

and Course Books in the Context of Global Citizenship. ​Universal Journal Of

Educational

Research,​ ​5(​ 3), 472-487.

Muthersbaugh, D., Kern, A. L., & Charvoz, R. (2014). Impact through Images: Exploring

Student Understanding of Environmental Science through Integrated Place-Based

Lessons in

the Elementary Classroom. ​Journal Of Research In Childhood Education, 28​(3),

313-326.

​ ew York, NY: Scholastic

Ortiz Cofer, J. (2015). ​Call me María. N

Schmitt, N. (2012). ​Vocabulary in language teaching.​ New York: Cambridge University Press.
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