StudySync Lesson Plan
The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica
Objectives
1.
Engage students in the language, imagery, and setting of “The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica”
so that they may develop a personal interpretation of the poem’s meaning and are
prepared to discuss and write about the piece’s cultural commentary.
2. Practice and reinforce the following Grades 11-12 Common Core Standards for reading,
writing, and speaking and listening:
•
READING: LITERATURE: RL.11-12.1-6
•
W RITING: W .11-12.1-10
•
SPEAKING AND LISTENING: SL.11-12.1-6
Time
100 minutes (with an additional 100 minutes of extension possibilities)
Materials
SyncTV Premium Lesson on Judith Ortiz Cofer’s “The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica”
Overview
This poem provides a good basis for conversation about historical and literary themes of identity,
society v. the individual, and cultural tradition. In “The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica,” not only does
the poet Judith Ortiz Cofer illustrate the common traditions and cuisine of Latin American
cultures, but also the deeper, historical bond they share. This poem is at once a conversation
among distinct individuals and a collective portrait of the struggle to reconcile a multicultural
identity. The piece unfolds these important themes with precise, colorful imagery, juxtaposition of
Spanish and English, and a complex network of motif and figurative language. The story of the
intimate relationships customers have with the owner of this deli invite the reader to consider
his/her own place of comfort, and furthermore challenges the idea of comfort altogether,
questioning the relationship between the past and ever-changing present.
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
Background (10 minutes)
1.
W atch the Preview (SL.11-12.1-2). As a group, watch the video preview of the premium
lesson. Ask the students to try to get a feel for the poem from the images presented and
use the following questions to spur discussion about the preview:
a. What image or images stand out for you and why? What associations do you make
with the images in the preview?
b. Which of these images are not typical of a deli or grocery store you frequent?
What images would you use to describe your experience shopping for food?
c. Has anyone ever been to a Latin American grocery store in the United States?
Share details about this experience or any knowledge about traditional Latin
American cuisine.
Extension (additional 20 minutes)
d. W rite Creatively (W.11-12.3). Freewrite about a big move or transition in your life.
The subject of the poem is cross-cultural experience, so describe a transition in
terms of the differences between the old place and the new. Even if you just
moved across town, there must be changes in familiarity. Think about the
following questions in your freewrite: what was difficult about the move? What are
some specific things (foods, smells, landmarks, people) that mark the place you
left and were you able to find something to replace those things? If not, describe
what that was like. What did you do to adapt to the new place? How do you keep
in touch, if at all, with the place you moved from?
e. Share (SL.11-12.1). Ask students to share what they’ve written or discuss what they
wrote about. Invite students with true cross-cultural experiences to share first and
then compare these to students who wrote about a more local transition.
Compare ideas/responses in the categories of the questions asked—challenges,
difference between here/there, acclimation process, etc. From this, is it possible to
identify what is inherent in the process of transition and what may be specific to
the experience of moving somewhere with a new
climate/language/religion/government?
Engaging the Text (90 minutes)
2. Read the Text (25 minutes)
a. Read and Annotate (RL.11-12.1-6). Ask students to read the introduction and the
poem, The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica. Be sure to give them enough time to both
read and annotate the text. If your classroom has a projector, you may want to
model note-taking skills by reading and annotating the first paragraph as a class. If
students are completing The Latin Deli: an Ars Poetica. as a homework
assignment, ask them to write any questions they have into the annotation tool –
these questions are visible to you after the students submit their writing
assignments or beforehand if you use the “mimic” function to access the students’
accounts.
Extension (additional 30 minutes)
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
b. Read Closely (RL.11-12.). Ask the students to read the introduction and have a
student volunteer to read the poem aloud. Each student should have the poem in
front of them and, if possible, it should also be projected on the board.
i.
Notice. “What do you notice?” After hearing it for the first time,
ask the students, “What do you notice?” This should be a free-form
discussion -- anything that attracts attention in the poem is worth
mentioning. If you’re having difficulty getting the conversation
started, tell the students to pretend you’ve taken the poem away
from them after the first reading and you just want to know what
they remember about it.
ii. Read Again. Have another student read the poem aloud a
second time, or use the audio feature on the site. This time,
students should underline any image, phrase, or line that appeals
to them—anything goes: something that sounds nice, a phrase that
rings true, or something that is clearly stated. Ask that they
underline at least three things as they listen to the poem. At the
same time, they should circle any words or phrases that are
unfamiliar to clarify later.
iii. Question. Each student should write at least two specific
questions they have about this poem. Have the students exchange
questions and work together to try to answer them, and then come
together as a full class to address any lingering questions.
Extension (additional 20 minutes)
c. Listen (RL.11-12.1, 4, 6). As a class, listen to the audio reading of the text. Ask
students to use context clues to define key terms from the “Latin Deli” glossary.
Ask Spanish-speaking students to help define/translate the Spanish terms in the
text and encourage descriptions of the connotations of the words. As a group,
work to define any other unclear terms or ideas not listed in the glossary.
d. Com prehend (RL.11-12.1-4) Either distribute the multiple-choice questions or read
them aloud to the class. As a class, reread and discuss any passages of the text
about which students remain unclear.
3. W atch SyncTV (25 minutes)
a. W atch. Watch the SyncTV episode for The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica either as a
class or ask students to watch it on their individual computers.
b. Focus (RL.11-12.6). Rewatch from 6:00-7:08. Spenser views the culture of “The
Latin Deli” from the point of view of an immigrant, in this case, his father. Notice
how focusing on this specific viewpoint allows him to reach a more universal
conclusion: We just want to be someplace that reminds us of home. Suggest to
students that this practice of relating a poem or story to their own lives might help
them make useful analogies that can help understand the meaning of a text.
c. Focus (RL.11-12.2). Rewatch from 9:20-10:36. Taylor takes a specific image from
the poem, “closed ports” and the students work to connect this image to the
larger themes of homesickness and finding refuge.
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
d. Discuss (SL.11-12.1-6). After watching the model discussion, divide students into
small groups (2-3 students). Move around the room monitoring the groups as
students use the SyncTV model to discuss some of the following questions:
1.
What are the strongest characteristics of the main character in this
poem? Pick out key words and phrases that best describe this
character and explain what these words reveal about her.
2. What do the people who come to this deli have in common? How
are they different? Quoting the poem, describe what each comes
to the deli looking for. What keeps customers coming back?
3. Discuss why the poem uses both Spanish and English. Look at
examples of words that are in Spanish and discuss how the poem
would be different if they were in English. What would be the effect
if the poem were all English or all Spanish?
4. In the SyncTV episode, the students discuss several possible
meanings for the references the poem makes to the figure of the
mother. Individually, track all references to this image and then
share as a group. Discuss the possible meanings of this symbol.
5. Discuss the last line of the poem: “[c]losed ports she must trade
with.” First clarify how trade ports operate in the world, then apply
that knowledge to this image within the poem. What or who do the
ports represent? Why are they closed? What does the owner of the
deli trade and receive? What do you make of this image as it is
used in the close of the poem—how does it affect your
understanding of the poem’s emotional tone and meaning?
Extension (additional 20 minutes)
e. Evaluate (SL.11-12.1-6). Watch the SyncTV episode again (as a whole class if
possible). Before watching, assign each of your students one of the two students
in the episode to follow. Have your students keep a running list of points that each
SyncTV student makes. Ask students to pay close attention to how the students in
the episode prove their points (e.g. citing textual evidence, using personal
examples, outside research). When the episode has finished, discuss each of the
characters. Compare the questions they ask one another and evaluate how they
attempt to answer them—when they offer an interpretation, what makes their
assumptions seem valid? What are some of the best and worst points made about
the text? How and why?
4. Think (10 minutes)
a. Respond (W. 11-12.3-4, 9). Ask students to read the “Think” questions, watch the
corresponding video clips, and respond to the questions.
5. W rite (30 minutes)
a. Discuss (SL. 11-12.1 and W. 11-12.5). Whether you’re assigning the writing portion
of the lesson as homework or as an in-class writing assignment, read the prompt
as a group, or have students read it individually, and then solicit questions
regarding the prompt or the assignment expectations. Whichever prompt you
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
have chosen, make sure you are clear about the assignment expectations and the
rubric by which you and the other students will be evaluating them.
b. Organize (W. 11-12.1, 4-5). Ask students to go back and annotate the text with the
prompt in mind. They should be organizing their thoughts and the points they’ll
address in their writing as they make annotations. If you’ve worked on outlining or
other organizational tools for writing, this is a good place to apply them.
c. W rite (W. 11-12.1, 11-12.3-5). Have students complete and submit their writing
responses.
d. Review (W.11-12.4-6). Use the StudySync “Review” feature to have students
complete one to two evaluations of their peers’ work based on your chosen
review rubric. Have the students look at the peer evaluations of their own writing.
In pairs, ask the students to discuss briefly the peer evaluations. Suggested
questions: What might you do differently in a revision? How might you strengthen
the writing and the ideas? What was the most interesting or compelling part of the
essay? Why did it appeal to you?
Extension (additional 30 minutes)
e. Prepare (W. 11-12.5). Using one of the writing prompt options that you have not
assigned to your students (or developing one of your own) and as a class, outline
an essay on The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica. Walk students through the
expectations of basic 5-paragraph essay writing.
i.
First, have students individually develop thesis statement ideas.
Then ask several students to share these ideas.
ii. Choose a solid idea that does not yet make an argument, and then
as a class develop that idea into an argumentative thesis.
iii. Break the students into small groups (2-3 students each) and ask
them to develop supporting points for the class’s thesis.
iv. Have the groups list 2-3 examples from the text and 1-2 examples
from their own experiences that could bolster each point. Ask them
to rank their supporting evidence from strongest to weakest and
eliminate the weakest 2 ideas for each point.
v. Lastly, bring the whole class together again to discuss good
conclusions. Go through the criteria given in the rubric for a good
conclusion. Ask students to write their own concluding sentences.
vi. By the end of the exercise, each student should have his/her own
essay outline template.
Extension (additional 20 minutes)
f.
Self-Assess (W.11-12.4-6). Use the StudySync assignment creation tool to create
a “Writing” assignment that asks students to address the following prompt:
1.
Reread your essay and the reviews of your essay on The Latin Deli:
An Ars Poetica. After reading these reviews, what do you believe
were the biggest strengths of your essay? What were the biggest
weaknesses? If you were to go back and write this essay again,
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
what would you change about your writing process? How has
writing this essay made you a better writer?
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Key Vocabulary
1.
ars poetica (n) - literally translates to “the art of poetry;” a tradition of poems characterized
by self-referential writing or in other words, poems about poetry
2. formica (n) - a type of durable plastic material used to cover tabletops and counters
3. lyrically (adv) - sharing musical quality with a song or music
4. plaintains (n) - a fruit in the family of bananas which are larger and less sweet
5. dolares (Spanish; n) - American dollars
6. El Norte (Spanish; n) - “The North” – a term commonly used by those in Central America
to refer to the United States and Canada
7. jamon (Spanish; n) – ham
8. queso (Spanish; n) - cheese
Reading Comprehension Questions
1.
What detail about the main character’s physical appearance is NOT specifically
mentioned in the poem:
a. Plump arms
b. Plain face
c. Not attractive
d. Of Hispanic descent
2. “The green plantains hanging like stalks in votive offerings” is an example of a (n):
a. iamb
b. compound sentence
c. simile
d. alliteration
3. Why do customers come to the Latin Deli?
a. Because the groceries are inexpensive
b. To speak Spanish
c. To learn about their heritage
d. To pray
4. When one of the customers says, “[I]t would be cheaper to fly to San Juan / than to buy a
pound of Bustelo coffee here,” he or she means:
a. Coffee in San Juan is expensive
b. Coffee in the Latin Deli is expensive
c. San Juan is not that far away
d. San Juan is very far away
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
5. Why is the deli owner called “The Patroness of Exiles”?
a. Because she imports goods from South America into her store
b. Because she pays people to leave their countries to move to the United States
c. Because she is a maternal figure to many expatriates
d. Because she has always been called this
6. What is NOT offered by the owner of the deli to the customers mentioned in the poem:
a. Advice
b. Jamon y queso
c. The sound of their native tongue
d. Food from home that is difficult to find in the U.S.
7. The image of the “man lost in the fragile folds of his coat” serves to express
a. His poverty
b. His age
c. His lack of fashion sense
d. His hunger for an authentic cuisine
8. Why must the owner of the deli “divine” the needs of her customers?
a. Because they believe the food is magical
b. Because customers don’t always come with a grocery list
c. Because she has magical powers
d. Because the food tastes so good
9. Grammatically speaking, what noun acts as the subject of the sentence from the
beginning of the poem until the first semi-colon?
a. Mother
b. she
c. Presiding
d. woman
10. In lines 2-3 where Ortiz Cofer writes, “Plastic Mother and Child magnetized / to the top of
an ancient register,” what formal poetic device is she using?
a. Epigraph
b. Personification
c. Enjambment
d. Rhyme
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica
Answer Key
1.
D
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. A
7. D
8. B
9. B
10. C
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Further Assignments
1.
Ask students to research the poetic tradition of ars poetica. After defining it and
looking at a few examples, have them write a paragraph on any subject that uses
metalanguage—in other words, have them understand the concept by writing about
writing (about writing). Ask the students to examine The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica for
metalanguage and discuss or write how/why this poem fits in the tradition. (W.11-12.7)
2. Ask the students to come up with at least three ways that the owner of the deli in the
poem is larger than life. Identify specific moments in the poem—word choice, tone,
figurative language, imagery, etc—that contributee to the way the characters of the
poem view this woman. (RL.11-12.1-3)
3. Ask students to think of themselves as customers in the deli. They may take clues
from the shoppers mentioned in the poem or make up their own, but they must create
a biography for this character (origin, immigration story, family details, personal
likes/dislikes, etc). After brainstorming details about this character’s life, each student
should write a personal letter to the owner of the deli describing his/her experience
there. As in the poem, the descriptions should have emotional stakes and should be
laden with specific details that appeal to the five senses. (W.11-12.3)
4. Have the students write advice for moving to the town or city in which they live. First,
each student should decide to whom they are writing—gender, age, location—and
think about why he/she may be coming here, what this individual is hoping for, and
what one might be afraid of. Encourage the students to write freely and intimately,
avoiding clichés about the place they live and focusing on detail. (W.11-12.3)
5. Assign your students the excerpt from Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things from
the StudySync library. Compare/contrast the details of each situation by referencing
actions and dialogue and describing the characters involved. What conclusions can
you draw about the nature of cross-cultural experience by reading these texts? Ask
the students to conduct further research about both authors and the cultural milieus in
which they work. They should integrate this research into an essay that explores the
nature of cross-cultural experience. Is it a positive or a negative interaction? (W.11-12.12, 4-9)
6. According to experts, Spanish will be more widely spoken than English in the United
States by the year 2050. Ask students to write about the impact this might have by
exploring how they believe the United States would change if their own language was
the most widely spoken language in the country. They should use the poem and their
own experiences to help explain their ideas. (ELL)
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Lesson Plan: The Latin Deli : An Ars Poetica