"The Tortilla Curtain" and the American Dream

Introduction

This Webquest will be about T.C. Boyle's novel "Tortilla Curtain". With the help of this Webquest you will understand the novel better and analyze it especially in terms of the American Dream. You have to read the novel carefully to be able to slove all questions. Furthermore you have to do some Internet research. You will learn that the American Dream is individual and not always easy to apply. You can either work alone or in small groups. But in 2 weeks time each of you has toh and in an indivisual essay, in which all the tasks have to be answered.  Have fun

Task

Now, that you read the book, be able to analyze it in more detail and give information, for some you will need  the internet. Please hand in an essay with the answers of these questions until the 24th of July 2015. Your tasks are:

1) What is the Tortilla Curtain?

2) The author: Find out more about T.C. Boyle and his work.

3) Exlain the individual American Dreams of the four main characters.

4) Explain if they achieve it or not? Why/why not?

5) Analyze the realtionship between Delaney and Cándido.

6) Find out more about the American's attitude towards (illegal) immigrants.

7) Compare your results with what you found out in the novel.

Process

It is up to you how you solve the taks. For the things you have to find out by using the Internet you can also use your smart devices. You can work either alone or in small groups, just make sure everybody has all the information and writes his or her individual essay.

Evaluation

Beginning

1 P.

Developing

2 P.

Accomplished

3 P.

Exemplary

4 P.

Score

 

Quality of results

 

Results are minimal AND/OR there are several factual errors. 

Include essential information on the topic but there are
1 - 2 factual errors. 

Include essential information on the topic.
Subject knowledge is good.


Cover topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.

Mistakes  in the essay

 

More than 8 mistakes in spelling, grammar and wording

8 mistakes in spelling, grammar and wording.

7 or fewer mistakes in spelling, grammar and wording.

2 or fewer mistakes in spelling, grammar and wording.

 

Attractiveness and its use

 

Use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. but these often distract from the  content.

Makes use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. but occasionally these distract from the  content.

Makes good use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the content.

Makes excellent use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the content.

 
Conclusion

Well done! You all did a great job! Now you should be well informed about the novel "Tortilla Curtain", the American Dream and its diffuculties as well as the situation of illegal immigrants and the American's attitude towards them.

Credits

I'm Franziska Frank and in the teaching program of the University of Marburg. I can't wait to become a teacher of english and to try the concepts of Webquest in a real classroom situation.

Teacher Page