Government Module

Unit 2: Making Change Happen 

LESSON 1: The Tenants Organize

Materials Needed:

  • Flip chart or large board and markers/chalk

  • VCR

  • Videotape episode of Crossroads Café, Episode 17, “United We Stand”   [Savage, K., Cuomo, A., Gonzales, P., McMullin, M., Minicz, E., Omari, L., & Powell, K.  (1996).  Crossroads Cafe. (Video and workbook series).  Boston: Heinle & Heinle]
     Notes Ask your lead teacher how to get the video.  Your site may have one already.

  • Workbook for Crossroads Café

Word Bank:

tenant leaky pipe
landlord letter of complaint
building manager to protest
property owner to drain
water pressure  
(for computer activities:) cursor, highlight, cut, paste, click

Introductory Activity: Whole Group Discussion

Notes You might want to put the following scenario on a handout for the learners to read silently.  OR You can ask your learners to identify a troublesome situation within their community and use that for the introductory activity.

  • Imagine that there is a park in your neighborhood.  Your children play there almost every day.  A few weeks ago, some men started coming to the park everyday and sitting or sleeping on the benches.  Sometimes they are drunk and yell at the children.  The children are scared, and now there is a lot of trash in the park.  You find empty bottles and broken glass on the ground.  You don’t want your children to play in the park anymore.

  • Would you do anything about this situation?  Why or why not?

  • Form a small group and discuss the question.  You must explain your opinion to the other members of the group.  If you are working by yourself, write a few sentences explaining your opinion.

  • Now imagine that you have decided to do something about it.  What would you do?

   Activity 1:  Preview to the video

  • You will view a story about Rosa, a character in the “Crossroads Café” video series.  The series was made for adult students who are learning English.  In the video series, Rosa is a waitress in the café.  You will find out what she does when she has apartment problems that no one will fix.  Before you watch the show, you are going to look at some photos in the Crossroads Café workbook and talk about what you see.

Notes You might want to explain to students that the characters in the episode come from a variety of countries or parts of the United States and speak English with different accents.  Although students may understand some of the characters more easily than others, remind them it is good practice to hear a variety of English accents.

  • Look at the Crossroads Café workbook, p.44.  The pictures represent the things that happen in the videotape.  What do you think is happening in the photos?  Talk with your partner about the photos for five minutes.

  • Look at p. 45 in the workbook.  Do the first two parts (“What do you see in each picture?” and “What is happening?”)

  • If you are working with a group, talk about your answers together; if you are working alone, check your answers on p.194 in the workbook.

  • Look at p.45, where it says, “Focus for Watching.”  Read the questions.  These are questions about the videotape episode.  You’re going to try and listen for this information as you watch the show.

Activity 2: Viewing

View the videotape episode, “United We Stand.”

Activity 3:  After Viewing

  • Discuss the questions from p.45 (“Focus for Watching.”)  If you are working by yourself, turn to p.46 where you will see the same questions.  Check your answers on p.194 in the workbook.

  •  What things does Rosa do to try to make change?  Name three or four actions that Rosa takes to try to improve her apartment situation.  Explain why each is successful or unsuccessful.  You can discuss these questions with a partner or, if you are working by yourself, you can write your ideas.

Notes You may want to have small groups debrief and share ideas.  Using a board or a sheet of flip chart paper, record actions that groups say they would take.  Discuss the ideas as a class.

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