The House on Mango Street - A Novel Study
In this five-day course, students will read The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros by participating in a Socratic Seminar discussion and identifying elements of vignettes and story-telling.
Kaitlyn Fischer: Close-Reading Specialist
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What's included
5 live meetings
3 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
Students will need to read outside of class. Since our course is short, it is designed to focus on our class discussion. To make sure you are prepared for class, please be ready to read outside of class. For the first class of the session, you will NOT need to read!Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 10
"Acclaimed by critics, beloved by readers of all ages, taught everywhere from grade schools to universities across the [United States], and translated all over the world, The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero. Told in a series of vignettes - sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes deeply joyous - it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books our time have touched so many readers". - Citation is provided below!
In this week-long class, students will be reading The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Through Socratic Seminar discussions, students will learn about the vignette style of writing and the elements of story-telling. A vignette is a short narrative story that focuses on seemingly insignificant or unimportant objects, places, or people, but the impact they have on the lives of the people who experienced them runs deep and strong. Through this novel study, students will learn to analyze vignettes and personal short stories to learn about how characters develop and how small events help us in our coming-of-age experience.
Day One:
- Welcome! and Introductions
- What is a Vignette?
- How are Vignettes Structured?
- What Makes a Vignette so Powerful?
- Read-Through Practice
Day Two:
- Symbolism: The House on Mango Street
- What is Symbolism?
- What Role does Symbolism Play in a Novel
- Name Symbolism
- Culture and Traditions
Day Three:
- How do Characters Develop?
- What does it mean to Come-of-Age?
- Community Relationships and Responsibilities
- Poetry and Music - How do They Shape Our Life
Day Four:
- What is Innocence?
- How does Coming-of-Age Effect Character Development
- What is a Theme?
- How does Symbolism Effect Theme
- Language and Culture Connections
Day Five:
- What are the Final Symbols of the Novel?
- How can Symbols Change throughout a Novel
- What is a Theme?
- How do Vignettes Tell a Complete or Incomplete Story?
- What Messages Do Vignettes Send to a Reader?
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. 25th Anniversary ed., New York, Vintage Books, 1984.Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
- Introduce Themselves
- Read The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- Participate in Socratic Seminar Discussions
- Define Vignette
- Examine and Identify Elements of the Vignette Writing Style
- Explain How Vignettes are Structured
- Define Symbolism
- Explain the Role Symbolism Plays in a Novel
- Identify Symbolism in a Novel
- Explain How Characters Develop
- Define Come-of-Age
- Explain How do Music and Poetry Shape Our Lives
- Explain How Coming-of-Age Effects Character Development
- Define and Identify Theme
- Discuss How Symbolism Effects Theme
- Explain How Symbols can Change throughout a Novel
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Here is the parental guide for The House on Mango Street which is produced by CommonSenseMedia. Please make sure to read through it and let me know if you have any questions!
- https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-house-on-mango-street
Supply List
Students will need to have a copy of the novel that can be used in class. While we are discussing the novel, there is a good chance that we will need to look in the book for an answer for textual evidence.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined January, 2020
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967reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Colorado Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Throughout my professional career and time on Outschool, I have taught this novel several times for students in the 8th, 9th, and 10th grades more specifically in public schools. The skills in this novel lend themselves to other courses as well which incorporate writing as well as reading. Below is a list of classes that I have run that have either taught the course directly or that have used the elements of the vignette writing style that we will be discussing as well!
Novel Study of The House on Mango Street on Outschool:
- https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-a-novel-study-xkvxQwCz?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
College and Career Writing: Utilizes the Vignette/Short Story Skills that We will be Discussing in Class
- https://outschool.com/classes/personal-narrative-telling-your-story-ZEdZXyVa#usl0R3fRwf
Elementary/Middle School Student Vignette Writing:
- https://outschool.com/classes/personal-descriptive-writing-vignettes-hkAO2mzL#usl0R3fRwfReviews
Live Group Class
$75
for 5 classes5x per week, 1 week
40 min
Completed by 20 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
1-4 learners per class
