nycdoe054: This Is My Journey To NYC

✍ Brief Summary:

Mi Diario de aquí hasta allá" (English: My Diary from Here to There) by Amada Irma Pérez This English/Spanish story begins as young Amada overhears her parents whisper of moving from Mexico to Los Angeles, where greater opportunity awaits. As she and her family journey north, Amada records her fears, hopes, and dreams for their lives in the United States in her diary. How can she leave her best friend behind? What if she can't learn English? What if her family never returns to Mexico? From Juárez to Mexicali to Tijuana to Los Angeles, Amada learns that with her family's love and belief in herself, she can make any journey and weather any change–here, there, anywhere.

📚 Here’s how the book serves as a strong resource for our Title III Program:

The book "Mi Diario de aquí hasta allá" aligns meaningfully with our P.S. 54 Title III program goals by supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) in achieving English proficiency and academic success. The book enhances English language development, promotes cultural responsiveness, integrates academic content, and supports social-emotional learning. Here's how the book supports these objectives:

It advances in English Language Development (ELD) through Bilingual Literacy:

Bilingual Text: The book is written in English and Spanish, providing ELLs access to both languages. This dual-language format supports vocabulary development, comprehension, and language acquisition.
Contextual learning: Through the protagonist's diary entries, students are introduced to everyday language and expressions used in both languages, enhancing practical language skills.

It promotes Culturally Responsive Education:

Through the representation of Immigrant Experiences. The story reflects the experiences of a young girl migrating from Mexico to the United States, resonating with many immigrant students' personal histories. This representation fosters a sense of identity and belonging.
Cultural Affirmation. By depicting the protagonists's journey and challenges, the book validates the experiences of immigrant families, promoting cultural pride and resilience.

Additionally, the book Enhances Academic Achievement

By integrating Social Studies and Literacy. The narrative provides opportunities to discuss immigration, geography, and cultural differences, incorporating social studies content with literacy instruction.
Critical Thinking: Students engaged in discussions and activities that encourage critical thinking about identity, belonging, and adaptation, aligning with academic standards.

"Mi Diario de aquí hasta allá" supports Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Emotional Expression: Through the protagonist's diary entries, students explore themes of fear, hope, and adjustment, allowing students to connect emotionally and develop empathy.
Resilience Building: The story emphasizes the importance of family support and self-belief in overcoming challenges and promoting student resilience.

🧩 Activity of Integration:

Objectives:

Retell key events from the story using visual and oral supports.
Identify and describe the emotional and physical journey in Mi Diario de Aquí hasta Allá.
Make personal connections to experiences of change, movement, or migration.
Develop writing, vocabulary, and oral presentation skills.
Strengthen home-school connections by reflecting on family or cultural transitions.

Process:

Read-Aloud and Discussion, analyzing key events in the family's migration, the emotional response of the narrator and main character (fear, hope, uncertainty), and the use of a diary format to express feelings.
Highlight Vocabulary: Mudarse (to move), Esperanza (hope), familia (family), Cruzar (cross), Frontera (border).
Create a Feelings & Changes Anchor Chart and ask the following questions:
What changed for Amanda?
How did she feel?
What helped Her Stay Strong?
Have you ever moved to a new place?
How did you feel? What helped you?
What special thing did you take with you?
Personal Reflection and Drawing: Students think of a time they moved, visited a new place, or had a significant change (school, city, country)
Students complete a "My Journey" storyboard. They answer the question: "Where I was before?" "Where I went?" "How I felt?" "What I took with me?" "One memory from the journey"
Students write or draw responses and share them in class. They use sentence frames to write.