Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert: Borderlands Narratives about Identity and Binationalism

FAIN: ES-272540-20

University of Texas, El Paso (El Paso, TX 79968-8900)
Ignacio Martinez (Project Director: March 2020 to present)
R. Joseph Rodriguez (Co Project Director: August 2020 to present)

A two-week institute for 25 6-12 educators to study the history and literature of the borderlands.

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and in collaboration with the Center for Inter-American and Border Studies (CIBS) and the Institute of Oral History (IOH), non-profit research and education centers at UTEP, propose a Summer Institute for School Teachers from July 18th to August 1st, 2021. Building on the successful participation of 25 Summer Scholars in the 2017 and 2019 Summer Institute for School Teachers titled Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert: Borderlands Narratives about Identity and Binationalism, the proposed Level II 2021 Summer Institute will provide 25 secondary school teachers (NEH Summer Scholars) in grades 6–12 with two weeks of intense, guided exploration of borderlands narratives from the Chihuahuan Desert—a culturally and politically significant region for instructional consideration and critical research encompassing 139,000 square miles across several Mexican states and parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Associated Products

E-Portfolio Project: An Archive (Blog Post)
Title: E-Portfolio Project: An Archive
Author: R. Joseph Rodriguez, curator
Author: Ignacio Martinez, curator
Abstract: The E-Portfolio projects, which will be housed in a Web platform and named Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands: An Archive, will be single or coauthored lesson plans OR multimedia, interactive essays. Either the plan or essay will have a summary of what each Summer Scholar learned about a concept presented and that is most applicable in his or her individual secondary classroom, grades 6–12. All Summer Scholars were strongly encouraged to be creative, original, and responsible with their E-Portfolio Project. The E-Portfolio was completed as part of a stipend payment from the NEH grant. You may preview the 2017 and 2019 E-Portfolios at our website.
Date: 08/05/2021
Primary URL: https://borderlandsnarratives.utep.edu/blog
Primary URL Description: The E-Portfolio projects, which will be housed in a Web platform and named Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands: An Archive, will be single or coauthored lesson plans OR multimedia, interactive essays.
Secondary URL: https://borderlandsnarratives.utep.edu/institute-content/e-portfolio
Secondary URL Description: The E-Portfolio projects, which will be housed in a Web platform and named Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands: An Archive, will be single or coauthored lesson plans OR multimedia, interactive essays.
Blog Title: E-Portfolio Projects: An Archive
Website: Tales from the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands: An Archive

My Two Border Towns (Book Section)
Title: My Two Border Towns
Author: David Bowles
Abstract: A picture book debut by an award-winning author about a boy’s life on the U.S.-Mexico border, visiting his favorite places on The Other Side with his father, spending time with family and friends, and sharing in the responsibility of community care. Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It’s close–just down the street from his school–and it’s a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they’re greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies. My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, with stunning watercolor illustrations by Erika Meza, is the loving story of a father and son’s weekend ritual, a demonstration of community care, and a tribute to the fluidity, complexity, and vibrancy of life on the U.S.-Mexico border. Available in English and Spanish.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634231/my-two-border-towns-by-david-bowles-illustrated-by-erika-meza/
Primary URL Description: Book
Secondary URL: http://images.randomhouse.com/teachers_guides/9780593111048.pdf
Secondary URL Description: Teacher guide
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Book Title: My Two Border Towns
ISBN: 978059311

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