Diversity Lesson Plan

Book: The Red Umbrella, Christina Diaz Gonzalez, 2010

Grade Level: Secondary grades 6 - 8

Multicultural Theme: Historic oppression, Standing up for rights

Materials: The book The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, poster paper, markers, scissors,
magazines, newspapers, glue, tape, pens, and rulers.

Standard: CCSS.ELA- Speaking and Listening. S L. 1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read
and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned
exchange of ideas.

Objective: Students will be able to describe characters, settings, and major events in a story using
important characteristics in groups cooperate put the details together and discuss it as a class with the
other groups demonstrating 85% accuracy.

Procedure

Introduce: Show the book The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz and say, “Today we are going to
see what happens what it’s like to transition from your home town to a new place. Have you ever
transitioned into a new place? What was your experience like?” Brief discussion of transitioning and
changes in environment or culture. Ask students to look at the book cover and make predictions. Write
students’ predictions on board.

Read: Teacher reads the book aloud with everyone following along

Discuss: Students predictions, key events in book, and choices made by characters (Try to make
the questions a balance between literal and higher level (what students think or infer from the story.)
 Question 1: How do you think Lucia felt after having to leave her
parents?
 Question 2: How would you have felt seeing so much injustice around?
 Question 3: What was the name of the revolution that happened?
 Question 4: Do you think she is going to see her parents again?
 Question 5: How do you think the situation would have been if she just
decided to stay in Cuba?
Activities:
 Working in small groups of 4, students discuss the key events, characters
and choices. What were the key details that connected to their life, past
experiences of transitions, have they ever seen any injustice, and what
they liked the most?
  They will decide which information stood out the most from the reading
to them.
 Students put together the key details on a poster and use cut out pictures
from the magazines or newspapers that identifies some of the imagery
that they thought of when reading that part.
 After they are done putting their posters together and information as a
group the whole class will have a discussion with the different groups
and share their key details that stood out the most to them.
 Once the discussion is done the students separately will write down one
short paragraph of what they thought about the reading.

Evaluation: Teacher listens to the discussions from each group, and then individually evaluates
the paragraphs written by the students