Latin American/Caribbean Studies Class
Title: Latin American/Caribbean Studies
(9/97 Teachers: David Silberberg and Dan Fuchs)
Subject Areas: Global Studies/Language Arts
A Brief Description of the Course: This class is designed to introduce students to the history and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean region. It is an interdisciplinary, team-taught class. The collaborating teachers are participating in a monthly American Social History Project seminar, in which other teachers around New York are teaching and developing similar curricula. A variety of methods are used to explore the following topics:
Topics to be Included:
o Geography
o Pre-Columbian Societies
o "The Encounter" - the coming of the Europeans to the "New World" and the effects of their arrival.
o Slavery in the "New World."
o Colonialism and colonial society.
o Christianity in the "New World."
o The rise of Nationalism and independence movements.
o U.S. role in the region.
o Current affairs.
o Oral histories.
o Latinos and Caribbean peoples in New York City.
Skills:
o Cooperative Learning through Group Activities
o Writing (Essays and Narratives) and Revision
o Independent Work (Homework and research projects)
o Note-taking
o Test-taking
o Close Reading
o Integrating the Arts
o Numeracy
o Map Skills
o Discussion Skills
o Debate Skills
Assessment Strategies:
o Homework
o Classroom Reflections
o Independent Projects
o Unit Tests
o Class Presentations
o Narrative Evaluations
o Periodic Newsletter of Student Work
Instructional Materials:
o Tapestry: A Multicultural Anthology, (Globe, 1993)
o A History of Latin America by Benjamin Keen
o Christopher Columbus and his Legacy: Opposing Viewpoints, Mary Ellen Jones, ed.
o From Columbus to Castro, by Eric William's.
o The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History, Kal Wagenheim, ed.
o Caribbean Connections: Overview of Regional History, Catherine Sunshine, ed.
o Growing Up Latino: Memoirs and Stories: Harold Augenbraum, ed.
o Family Installments, by Edward Rivera
o The Caribbean: Survival, Struggle and Sovereignty, Catherine Sunshine, ed.
o Caribbean Connections: Puerto Rico, Deborah Menkart, ed.
o In Nueva York, by Nicholasa Mohr
o The Mission, dir. Roland Joffe, 1990
o The Emerald Forest, dir. Richard Attenborough, 1989
o Mi Puerto Rico, a Public Broadcasting Service production, 1996
Instructional Strategies:The following strategies are employed in order to help students address the topics listed above:
o Films are used for critical visual literacy skills.
o Map skills are used to help students familiarize themselves with basicgeographical constructs.
o Role plays are designed to assist students in seeing points of view other than their own.
o Students are placed in cooperative research groups and present their findings to the class as a whole.
o Monthly newsletter provides evidence of student research and writing skills.
o Reading a variety of materials at different levels helps students to come at topics from a variety of angles and prepares them for future challenges.
o Looking at history from the "bottom up" gives students an alternative approach to examining issues in society and their role therein.
o Collection of, and reflection on, all materials produced in the class are eventually incorporated into student exit portfolios.