Subject: ESL and mainstream writing classes.

Duration: 3-4 classes

Goals: To develop techniques for writing a narrative essay.

Objective:
To write a narrative essay based on experiences in the lives of the Mirabal sisters.

To identify key historical, social and political issues in the Dominican Republic from 1930-1961.

Activities:
Day One-Two
1. Students conduct general research on the Mirabal sisters’ life. This can be done on the internet. It should be completed before watching the movie.

2. Introduce the parts of a narrative essay using the graphic organizers "Parts of a Narrative Essay Basic Outline."

3. Students review an example of a narrative essay using the graphic organizer "Focusing on an Incident."

4. Students watch the movie, "In the Time of the Butterflies."

5. As a class students retell the various events in the lives of the Mirabal sisters.

Day Three
6. Briefly review the parts of a narrative essay in "Parts of a Narrative Essay Final Outline."

7. Students write an essay based on one event in the Mirabal sisters’ lives.

Day Four
8. In pairs, students peer-revise a draft of their narrative essay using the graphic organizer "Peer Editing Sheet."

Assessment: Students submit an edited essay for grading.

Materials: (available at the PIER Resource Center)
Parts of a narrative essay
Focusing on an incident
Peer-editing sheet
Movie "In the Time of the Butterflies"
Example of a narrative esssay