¡Viva Las Mariposas! Voice and Agency in In the Time of the Butterflies

Lesson 22
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 4

9th Grade

Lesson 22 of 28

Objective


Analyze one of the central themes from In the Time of the Butterflies.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez 

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Writing Prompt

Through the unique narrative structure of In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez raises important questions about courage, gender, and storytelling. Choose ONE of the following prompts to which to respond in a well-organized, multi-paragraph essay.

  • Structure: What is the overall effect of Alvarez's structural choice of having all four sisters narrate different chapters?
  • Courage: Compare how the Mirabal sisters display courage and what their actions reveal about the role of courage in resisting oppression. 
  • Gender: What role does gender play in the legacy of the Mirabal sisters? If they had been men, do you think their story would have been viewed differently?
  • Storytelling: Discuss the significance of memory and storytelling in In the Time of the Butterflies. How and why do characters use storytelling, and to what end?

Enhanced Lesson Plan

Fishtank Plus Content

Bring your most engaging lessons to life with comprehensive instructional guidance, detailed pacing, supports to meet every student's needs, and resources to strengthen your lesson planning and delivery.

Standards


  • RL.9-10.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • RL.9-10.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • RL.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
  • W.9-10.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
  • W.9-10.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Supporting Standards

L.9-10.1
L.9-10.2
L.9-10.6
W.9-10.10

Next

Brainstorm and plan to rewrite a scene from a different Mirabal sister's narrative point of view.

Lesson 23
icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free