Bridging Divides

Overview

Grade Level: 5th Grade
Subject: Social Studies
Duration: 120 days (172,800 minutes)
Topic: Inquiry-Based Exploration of Poverty, Inequality, and Cultural Understanding in 90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis
Standards Alignment:

• C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards:
  • D2.His.1.3-5: Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments in different time periods.
  • D2.Eco.1.3-5: Compare the benefits and costs of individual choices.
  • D2.Soc.4.3-5: Explain how culture influences interactions of individuals and groups.
• CCSS ELA-Literacy Standards:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.9: Compare and contrast stories in the same genre on their approaches to similar themes.

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Big Ideas

1. Understanding historical and cultural contexts helps us recognize the causes and impact of poverty and inequality.
2. Literature can offer critical insights into the effects of poverty and social disparities through characters' experiences.
3. Connecting real-life instances of poverty to solutions equips students to be active and empathetic global citizens.

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Inquiry Questions

• What historical and cultural factors influenced the characters in 90 Miles to Havana?
• How does poverty shape opportunities and choices for individuals and communities?
• What lessons can we learn from 90 Miles to Havana to address inequality in the real world?

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Classroom Setup

Structure

• Daily Schedule:

  • Opening Activity: 15 min (Journal Prompt, Discussion, or Primary Source Analysis)
  • Lecture/Reading and Group Activities: 40 min
  • Guided Inquiry and Hands-On Activities: 35 min
  • Class Wrap-Up: Reflection or Connection Activity (15 min)

• Student Grouping: Collaborative groups of 6-7 students (based on 65 students). Rotate roles weekly to ensure equity.

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Materials Needed

• Copies of 90 Miles to Havana (1 per student or shared copies)
• Chart paper, markers, sticky notes
• Historical primary sources (e.g., maps from the Cuban Revolution era, news articles on Operation Pedro Pan)
• Videos or interviews about global poverty solutions
• Art supplies for creative projects

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Daily Activities and Weekly Themes

Below is a structured outline of lessons across the 120 days.

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Week 1-2: Setting the Stage

Theme: Historical and Cultural Context of 90 Miles to Havana

• Day 1:
  • Opening Activity: Analyze a timeline of the Cuban Revolution. What major events did Enrique Flores-Galbis experience growing up?
  • Core Inquiry Question: How did historical events like the Cuban Revolution contribute to waves of immigration to the US?
• Days 2-10:
  • Study Operation Pedro Pan in small groups through timelines, photos, and oral testimonies.
  • Create individual journals as if students were children participating in Operation Pedro Pan.

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Week 3-6: Poverty and Social Disparity

Theme: Analyzing Character Experiences in 90 Miles to Havana

• Daily Discussion Topics:

  • What is poverty? How do we define it?
  • Read aloud key passages that reveal how Julian (main character) experiences social inequality.
  • Students work in groups to role-play scenes and analyze key decisions made by Julian and other characters.

• Hands-On Activity: Simulate "scarcity" by assigning unequal resources to groups and having them solve hypothetical survival scenarios.

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Week 7-10: Real-World Connections to Poverty

Theme: How Does Poverty Affect the World Today?

• Focus Area 1: Compare the inequalities seen in the story to real-world poverty statistics in the US and globally.
• Focus Area 2: Guest speaker (local activist, social worker, or nonprofit leader) on community efforts to combat inequality.

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Week 11-15: Building Solutions

Theme: Bridging Divides and Taking Action

• Creative Activity: Students work in groups to design mini projects or campaigns to raise awareness about poverty (e.g., posters, videos, booklets).
• Connecting Math: Use numbers and proportions to calculate how resources or aid would improve scenarios like those in the story.

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Daily Opening Activities (Examples)

1. Quote Analysis: Choose a line from the book. "What does this tell us about Julian’s life and struggles?"
2. Historical Connection: Analyze a newspaper clipping from the 1960s on Operation Pedro Pan.

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Assessments

Formative

• Daily participation in discussions and group roles
• Weekly exit ticket with a reflection question

Summative

• Individual Portfolio: Includes journal entries, group research, and personal reflections.
• Final "Inquiry Showcase": Present their solution campaigns at a class event or to parents.

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Teacher Notes

Differentiation Strategies:

• Provide scaffolding for students who may struggle with historical contexts by offering summaries or visual aids.
• Challenge advanced students to dig deeper into issues like the effects of Cold War politics on Cuba.

Remember to create a classroom culture of respect, empathy, and open-mindedness each day to guide challenging conversations about inequality and poverty.