La Pobreza y El Basurero en Guatemala

It's that time of the year again and I'm teaching the Global Challenges unit and using Esperanza novel as a way to get my students learning and talking about many of these deep themes.

I was able to purchase the Esperanza Teacher Guide this year and I am absolutely loving the readings on the issues such as La Guerra Civil, El Basurero, El Sindicato, La Huelga, etc. These allow us to keep these discussions on tough issues in Spanish and are a great model for how we as teachers can help guide discussions on serious issues in the TL by simplifying the language & questions.

As part of a pre-reading activity for Basurero reading in the Teacher Guide, I found this video below about niños pobres en el basurero that helped them visualize the reality. They watched it and answered these questions. There is also a good PowerPoint slide in the Teacher Guide showing pictures from el basurero and a blurb in basic Spanish.

Niños Pobres del Basurero

1. ¿Qué es la triste realidad que habla el reportero del basurero?
2. ¿Qué hace el primer niño en el basurero? Sí o no, ¿él quiere un juguete para Navidad? ¿Cuántos años tiene?
3. ¿Qué quiere el segundo niño en el video? Sí o no, ¿el niño ha encontrado (has found) juguetes de carro? ¿Cuántos años tiene?
4. ¿Cuántos hijos tiene la mamá en el video?¿Por qué las familias y los niños tienen que vivir en el basurero?
5. En tu opinión, ¿Es una justicia o injusticia que ellos viven en el basurero? ¿Por qué?
   

After students watched this video and did the reading in the teacher guide, I showed the students this awesome documentary: Living On A Dollar. Some of my kids already had seen it because it is on Netflix. The kids really liked this documentary. You can buy a digital copy here and see clips here.

I had students write down 20 things they learned about La Pobreza y Guatemala while watching this documentary and respond to these essential questions:

1. ¿A qué problemas sociales se enfrenta Guatemala? (What social problems face Guatemala?)
2. ¿Cuáles son los orígenes de estos problemas? ¿Cómo pueden solucionarse? (What are the origins of these problems? How can we solve them?)
3. ¿Qué derechos y deberes debe tener un guatemalteco como ciudadano? (What rights and duties should a Guatemalan have as a citizen?)
4. ¿Qué derechos y deberes tiene el gobierno de Guatemala con respeto a la pobreza? (What right and duties does the government of Guatemala have in regards to poverty?)
5. How can individuals help people living on $1 a day? How can YOU help? Brainstorm some ideas.