Mr. Cruz and Mr. Vargas were both seventeen-year veterans at Golden Gloves High School. They had been best friends for so long they felt like brothers. They lived in the same apartment house on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Both dreamed of becoming the world short story teaching champion. They trained together. Early mornings, they wrote lesson plans along the river together. They even used the same Theme in “Amigo Brothers” lesson plan.
It’s the one I’m going to share with you now.
Theme Lesson Plan for Amigo Brothers
I’m guessing you came here for the aforementioned student-ready, teacher-ready lesson plan you just downloaded. All you need to do is download, print, copy, distribute, teach. I would not be offended if you left and went about your business. I did, however, provide a little more info for your perusal.
Teaching Theme
Check out the entire “Amigo Brothers” unit plan.
Students should be familiar with the following information in order for your theme lesson plan to be effective:
- Theme is the central idea or message in a literary work. It is an observation about human life.
- Themes are rarely stated directly. They must be inferred.
- The theme is revealed by the way characters change in a story, conflicts in the story, and statements made by the narrator or characters.
- Understanding theme involves understanding plot, characters, and setting.
Strategies for Teaching Theme
- Discuss Plot by analyzing cause and effect and identifying major and minor conflicts.
- Example: The primary conflict pits best friends against each other.
- Analyze character motivation by noting which characters are dynamic and which ones are static. Look for evidence regarding character motives. Evaluate the character’s personality.
- Example: Both boys are motivated by their love of boxing and their friendship.
- Visualize setting by evaluating what effect the setting has on the characters and on the mood of the story.
- Example: Where the two boys have grown up highlights how important boxing has been for them.
Possible Themes in “Amigo Brothers”
In “Amigo Brothers,” friends become temporary enemies. In this story, enemies become temporary friends. Click here for an overview and lesson plans for “The Interlopers.” Click the picture for the entire unit.
Here’s a look at themes you and your class may want to discuss.
- Positivity of Sports. It is strongly suggested that the two fighters’ passion for boxing and focus on their sporting goals have kept them out of trouble.
- The Importance of Friendship. The story’s title and its first paragraph place an immediate emphasis on friendship. The establishment of the friendship makes the ensuing information about their upcoming fight more of a plot twist or obstacle than the central focus of the story.
- The Double-Edged Sword of Competition. One of the things that keeps these friends so close is their focus on the same goal. It’s likely as training partners that they push each other to achieve more. Now they must face each other in the ring. Only one boxer moves closer to his goal.
“Amigo Brothers” Teaching Resources
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