Children and Education in World Cinema

Appendix on Implementing District Standards

Two Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are at the heart of instructional planning for this unit: CCSS.RI.6.3 and CCSS.RI.6.7. The focus of CCSS.RI.6.3 is to “Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text” (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).⁵⁹ In order to master this standard, students must be able to demonstrate critical thinking about the topic that is being explored. This involves complicating the thought patterns of students by redirecting their preconceived notions about immigration and migration by layering texts about the topic and exploring the issues that are relevant in each text. Knowledge of the standard is reflected when students are not only able to explain general knowledge about a given topic, but students should be able to explain some of the complexities and controversies associated with the topic relying on details from all relevant texts. The anchor text of the unit Enrique’s Journey, a nonfiction text that depicts a child from Central America who is trying to reconnect with his mother, lends itself well to this type of work.

The other CCSS that is key to planning in this unit is CCSS.RI.6.7. The focus of CCSS.RI.6.7 is to “integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.”⁶⁰ In order to demonstrate mastery of this standard, students must be able to leverage the knowledge that they have gained from the documentary that I start the unit with, Which Way Home, with the experiences that Enrique has in Enrique’s Journey and the information presented in the article “Alone and Afraid.” These texts help students by grounding them with enough understanding about immigration from Central America to the United States that they can make inferences and view the fictional film Under the Same Moon with a critical eye. For students, this involves careful viewing of both films, using guided questioning while watching each film to ensure students are paying close attention to detail, as well as close reading of Enrique’s Journey to think critically about broader challenges and opportunities associated with immigrating from Central America, especially as a child trying to reconnect with parent that has already made the journey to the United States. Direct instruction of some film technique should go together with robust student discussion of both films and Enrique’s Journey to get students to get students to the point that they can write the culminating film review of Under the Same Moon.