UCOP A-G Approved: Section D – Foreign Language – Grades 9-12 (Lote 4)

Spanish 4-Identity & Culture (LOTE 4) course will explore the marginalization of minority groups in the Spanish Speaking countries and the United States (the Indigenous in Latin America, the immigrants in America, and women and LGBTQ population throughout history), paying particular attention to how the literature explores racism, discrimination, and rises above oppression. In this literature course, students will closely examine the critical relationships of the authors who challenged the discourse of American sociopolitical policy and commentary to move towards a more socially just and caring world for everyone. As students read, they will analyze how racism and discrimination has shaped the identity of the writer and their culture. Students will participate in class discussions to connect the essential question to the literature, students will see how racism and discrimination are still present today and how this affects them. Each trimester will cover the different racial ethnicities: the Indigenous communities in Latin America, women’s liberation in the Spanish Speaking countries and LGBTQ social acceptance, and the immigrant communities in America. By reading different genres of literature, including poems, articles, essays and short stories, students will examine the experiences and conditions of each minority group covered in the course and their push towards equality while maintaining their identity. Students will also partake in creative and reflective writing, discussions, and projects, which will allow them to think about their own cultural identity as well as other’s. Each unit will cover a variety of themes that will allow students to engage in critical scholarship, in order to embrace their cultural identity and that of others. Spanish 4-Identity & Culture course will provide students with a rigorous and critical education that partakes in deep literary interpretation followed by a critical approach to writing, that enables deep analysis of the readings, in or order to prepare students to successfully navigate Advance Placement courses in Spanish.