Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) is the perfect time to bring Latin American literature to life for your English learners. To celebrate this occasion, educators can create a Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up by Argentine author Julio Cortázar. This short story blends magical realism and suspense, making it an ideal high-interest read for secondary ESL students.
Why The Night Face Up Hooks Teens
Cortázar masterfully pulls readers between two worlds—a modern city and an ancient Aztec setting—blurring the lines between dream and reality. The fast pace and eerie tension grab even reluctant readers, while the rich cultural context introduces students to Aztec traditions and the Latin American magical realism genre. This makes it perfect for any Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up you create for secondary learners.
Pre-Reading to Spark Curiosity
Before diving into the story, set the stage with background knowledge:
- Aztec Culture: Share visuals of Aztec temples, artifacts, or short videos.
- Magical Realism: Explain how Latin American authors weave supernatural elements into realistic settings.
A short slideshow or quick class discussion can build excitement without spoiling the plot.
Language Support for ESL Success
For this Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up, scaffolding is key to keep students engaged. Because Cortázar’s text is vivid but complex, scaffolding is key.
- Front-load Vocabulary: Highlight challenging words and phrases with a vocabulary sort or context clues activity.
- Guided Reading Notes: Provide prompts that help students focus on key events and evidence.
- Bilingual Support: Encourage students to listen to a Spanish excerpt if appropriate—it can deepen comprehension and celebrate linguistic diversity.
Encourage Speaking and Critical Thinking
A strong Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up should include activities that build both speaking and critical thinking. To boost TELPAS Speaking scores and overall confidence:
- Use discussion cards for predictions and thematic debates.
- Host a “dual timeline” activity where students compare the modern and ancient settings.
- Invite them to record brief reflections on tools like Vocaroo for practice and assessment.
Ready-to-Use Classroom Resources
Everything you need for a complete Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up is ready to print and teach. To save you time, I created a set of ESL resources you can plug directly into your lesson:
- Guided Reading Notes for structured comprehension
- Comprehension Questions (standard and scaffolded)
- Context Slides on Aztec culture and magical realism
- Dual Timeline Graphic Organizer to track plot shifts
- Vocabulary Sorts for multiple proficiency levels
- Free Anticipation Guide to launch the unit with lively agree/disagree statements
Please note: The full text of The Night Face Up isn’t included due to copyright, but I provide a QR code and instructions for legally accessing the story.
Bundle & Save: If you’d like everything in one place, the Night Face Up ESL Bundle includes all the materials above—and you’ll save 20% compared to purchasing each item individually.
Celebrate Culture and Language
Introducing The Night Face Up during Hispanic Heritage Month not only engages students in a thrilling narrative, it also highlights the richness of Latin American literature. Whether you need individual activities or the full bundle, this Hispanic Heritage Month ESL lesson plan The Night Face Up helps teens build vocabulary, strengthen critical thinking skills, and celebrate Hispanic culture.
Explore the complete ESL resource set for The Night Face Up on TPT — or grab the bundle to save 20% and make your Hispanic Heritage Month lesson both meaningful and memorable.
