Center Activities for The House on Mango Street

Directions: Choose 5 of the activities to complete on the book. This project will count three times. Each center is worth twenty points. A center must be completed correctly and by you in order to receive the points. You may complete a sixth center and receive extra credit.

1. Select a scene from one of the chapters of the book that you think lends itself well to illustration. Create a drawing or collage of words, pictures, or symbols to illustrate the scene. Give your artwork a caption from the text. The illustration must be filled with at least five details that would be in the scene. The illustration should be original, creative, finished, colored, detailed, and drawn by you.

2. Draw a stickman of Esperanza or any other notable character in the book. There are nine items for the stick figure. You must include three details for each of the nine items.

3. Complete a word search of twenty-eight key vocabulary words from the book. Select different words than your weekly vocabulary words. You may use some character’s names and places. My students like to use puzzlemaker.com

4. Write a one-two page letter to Esperanza that tells her what you think about her life, or write to her telling her about how you have been inspired or impacted by reading her story.

5. Write an original poem, song, or rap of at least ten lines about the book or a character in the book. Write a rough draft of the poem, have someone proof it for you, and then type it or write neatly in black ink. I have a sample form for a poem, or you can create your own. You must also include a caption and picture to go with your creation.

6. Create a movie poster or playbill advertising the book. It should look like a poster you see at the movie theater advertising a movie that is playing. It should be bright, colorful, with an image or picture, include a list of actors and actresses, the name of the play, and a list of showing times and cost. Poster must be done on posterboard. You may get posterboard from me.

7. Create a six slide comic strip that gives the main points of six key chapters or six key points of one of the characters. Decide what six points to focus on, draw the six slides, and then provide words in bubbles and color it. You may get the paper for this from me. (2 centers)

8. Using Powerpoint, create three slides about the book. You must put the rough draft of your slides on computer paper and turn in to me. All three slides must include three pictures, and complete the following sentences: I noticed….,I wonder……, One interesting vocabulary word I learned is ____ and it means …, Use the vocabulary word in an original sentence, Reading The House on Mango Street reminds me of…., I learned….. (2 centers)

9. Create a children’s book based on the book that youngsters would be able to understand. It should include 10-15 pages of the story written in your own words and not copied from the text. There must be at least 5-7 illustrations. Don’t forget to create a colorful cover which includes the title, author, and illustrator information. Include a page about the author and a page about you, the illustrator and reteller. (3 centers)

10. Write a two to three page chapter about yourself to add to the novel. Try to use a similar format as the author.

11. Create a timeline for Esperanza that includes 10-15 events discussed in the book. Your timeline must include 5-7 pictures or illustrations. You should do this assignment on posterboard.

12. Create a book jacket for the book. Remember to include author information, a colorful front, a summary of the main idea, and a recommendation or awards the book has won.

13. Research the author Sandra Cisneros and create a timeline that includes 10-15 key events in her life. You should include 5-6 pictures or illustrations that support the events. Make sure you print off where you got your information.

14. Go to Glogster.com and create a glog with music, at least six pictures, and captions that would describe the book and the impact it has had on you.

15. Design a brochure, pamphlet, advertisement, or public announcement on a cause like immigration, prejudice, the Latino or Hispanic culture, Catholicism, illegal citizens or any other issue that correlates to the book. Include all of the information like the organization, a description of the cause, addresses and helpful websites, etc. Make sure you make the information colorful, attractive and use some clipart or pictures. You must make a rough draft of this before working on the final. (2 centers)

16. Create an acrostic poem on Esperanza, Nenne, and any other notable character in the book. Include a drawing or picture to go along with each one as if it was published in a book. You may do this on the computer or on paper.

17. Create a diorama in 3D form in a cardboard box that represents a scene from the novel. There must be a rough draft and a paragraph describing the scene.

Center Activities for Letters from Rifka

Directions: Choose 5 of the activities to complete on the book. This project will count three times. Each center is worth twenty points. A center must be completed correctly and by you in order to receive the points. You may complete a sixth center and receive extra credit.

1. Select a scene from one of the chapters of the book that you think lends itself well to illustration. Create a drawing or collage of words, pictures, or symbols to illustrate the scene. Give your artwork a caption from the text. The illustration must be filled with at least five details that would be in the scene. The illustration should be original, creative, finished, colored, detailed, and drawn by you.

2. Draw a stickman of Rifka or any other notable character in the book. There are nine items for the stick figure. You must include three details for each of the nine items.

3. Complete a word search of twenty-eight key vocabulary words from the book. Select different words than your weekly vocabulary words. You may use some character’s names and places.

4. Write a one-two page letter to Rifka that tells her what you think about her life, or write to her telling her about how you have been inspired or impacted by reading her story.

5. Write an original poem, song, or rap of at least ten lines about the book or a character in the book. Write a rough draft of the poem, have someone proof it for you, and then type it or write neatly in black ink. I have a sample form for a poem, or you can create your own. You must also include a caption and picture to go with your creation.

6. Create a movie poster or playbill advertising the book. It should look like a poster you see at the movie theater advertising a movie that is playing. It should be bright, colorful, with an image or picture, include a list of actors and actresses, the name of the play, and a list of showing times and cost. Poster must be done on posterboard. You may get posterboard from me.

7. Create a six slide comic strip that gives the main points of six key chapters or six key points of one of the characters. Decide what six points to focus on, draw the six slides, and then provide words in bubbles and color it. You may get the paper for this from me. (2 centers)

8. Using Powerpoint, create three slides about the book. You must put the rough draft of your slides on computer paper and turn in to me. All three slides must include three

pictures, and complete the following sentences: I noticed….,I wonder……, One interesting vocabulary word I learned is ____ and it means …, Use the vocabulary word in an original sentence, Reading Letters from Rifka reminds me of…., I learned….. (2 centers)

9. Create a children’s book based on the book that youngsters would be able to understand. It should include 10-15 pages of the story written in your own words and not copied from the text. There must be at least 5-7 illustrations. Don’t forget to create a colorful cover which includes the title, author, and illustrator information. Include a page about the author and a page about you, the illustrator and reteller. (3 centers)

10. Write a two to three page chapter pretending to be Rifka writing to Tovah. Try to use a similar format as Rifka.

11. Create a timeline for Rifka that includes 10-15 events discussed in the book. Your timeline must include 5-7 pictures or illustrations. You should do this assignment on posterboard.

12. Create a book jacket for the book. Remember to include author information, a colorful front, a summary of the main idea, and a recommendation or awards the book has won.

13. Research the author Karen Hesse and create a timeline that includes 10-15 key events in her life. You should include 5-6 pictures or illustrations that support the events. Make sure you print off where you got your information.

14. Go to Glogster.com and create a glog with music, at least six pictures, and captions that would describe the book and the impact it has had on you, or create a glog about one of the places Rifka wrote to Tovah from that shows us about that country and culture.

15. Design a brochure, pamphlet, advertisement, or public announcement on a cause like immigration, prejudice, Jewish culture, contagious diseases or any other issue that correlates to the book. Include all of the information like the organization, a description of the cause, addresses and helpful websites, etc. Make sure you make the information colorful, attractive and use some clipart or pictures. You must make a rough draft of this before working on the final. (2 centers)

16. Create an acrostic poem on Rifka, Saul, and two of her other friends describing each one. Include a drawing or picture to go along with each one as if it was published in a book. You may do this on the computer or on paper.

17. Create a diorama in 3D form in a cardboard box that represents a scene from the novel. There must be a rough draft and a paragraph describing the scene.