Activities for the older student

While In My Heart I Am a Dancer is a children's book, there are many issues embedded in it which are suitable for older students to consider as well. Some of the issues raised in the overview to teachers about culture may be issues which older students (high school age) may wish to discuss in class. Below are a few lessons to help teachers think about how to utilize this book with older children.

Lesson 1 (Older Students): My Revival

Objectives: To help students begin to understand the refugee experience. To help students begin to develop an understanding of "culture" and what it means.

Procedure

Explain to students that they are about to read a poem written by a Cambodian high school student. Hay Tran graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia in 1988. He is now working as a computer programmer in San Francisco.

After reading the poem, which is an account of Hay's life, ask students to consider the last verse. Why does Hay feel as though he has physically survived, but is questioning his spiritual survival? What does he see as the biggest threat to his spiritual survival?

Based on this discussion, why do you think Hay studied Cambodian dance? Do you think it was important to have the opportunity to do so? Why or why not?

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