Friendship Across Boundaries: Return to Sender

Lesson 20
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ELA

Alternate Unit 2

5th Grade

Lesson 20 of 29

Objective


Summarize what happened to Mari's parents and compare and contrast Mari's response with other members of the Cruz and Paquette family.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez  pp. 264 – 280

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A Note for Teachers


In this lesson, Mari explains what happened to her parents when they were taken away by ICE. ICE stands for "Immigration and Customs Enforcement." They are a government agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States. When someone is arrested by ICE, it means that they are suspected of being in the country illegally and may be deported back to their home country. This may be sensitive for some students. Depending on family histories, decide how to preview today's lesson. 

Target Task


Writing Prompt

Summarize what happened to Mari's parents. 

Compare and contrast Mari's response with other members of the Cruz and Paquette family. 

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • On page 269, Tyler stops Mari from running to her parents. Was this the right thing for him to do? Defend why or why not. 

  • Where does Grandma take Tyler and the girls? Why? Was this the right decision? 

  • What description does the author include to show how Mari is feeling? Grandma? Mr. Rossetti? 

  • Read the description from page 278: "That's when I really lost it." What does this description show about Mari? Why? 

  • What plan did Mari come up with? How did Tyler respond? Why? 

Vocabulary


hysterically

adv.

feeling or showing extreme and uncontrolled emotion

sentiments

n.

attitude or thoughts about something

confiscate

v.

to take something from someone as a punishment or to enforce rules

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.5.2 — Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
  • RL.5.3 — Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

Supporting Standards

L.5.4
L.5.5
RF.5.3
RF.5.4
RL.5.1
RL.5.4
RL.5.10
SL.5.1
W.5.10
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Lesson 19

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Lesson 21

Lesson Map

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