Subject Area: Elementary Spanish at the high school or college level.

Duration: 2-3 classes

Goal: To interpret the international relevance of a specific time period in Dominican history.

Objective:
To describe the concept of International Non-Violence against Women Day in relation to the experience of the Mirabal Sisters from the Dominican Republic.

Activities:
Day One:
1. Introduce International Non-Violence against Women Day with a focus on the Mirabal Sisters. For more activities on Dominican history, see Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic curricular resource for educators, available summer 2004.

2. In two parts, students watch the movie, "In the Time of the Butterflies" (1 + hrs.)

3. In pairs, students answer the following questions and then review with class.

Why did Trujillo dislike Minerva Mirabal?
How was Minerva able to practice law?
How did Trujillo come to power?
Why do you think he stayed in power for 31 years?
Why was he killed?
Why were the Mirabal sisters assassinated?

Assessment:
Students write a composition expressing their ideas, feelings and emotions about the International Non-Violence Against Women Day in relation to the experience of the Mirabal sisters.

Materials: (Available at the PIER Resource Center)
" In the Time of the Butterflies" movie
Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic (available 2004)