Students in Erin and Fabiola's Spanish V classes finished reading Francisco Jiménez’s Cajas de cartón (The Circuit). The book is a central component of the current unit on Immigration, providing students with a firsthand look at the Mexican-American migrant experience.
The text follows the journey of a young boy named Francisco (Panchito) and his family. After migrating from Mexico to California, the family survives by working as migrant farm laborers, moving frequently to follow the harvest. Through Francisco's eyes, students explore the daily realities of:
Economic Hardship: Living in tents or small cabins with limited resources.
Educational Barriers: The struggle to learn English and maintain a consistent education while moving between school districts.
Labor Demands: The physical toll of field work on families and children.
During class, the focus is on analyzing how Francisco’s family maintains a sense of hope and perseverance despite these challenges. Students are engaging in Spanish-language discussions about the family’s resilience and the systemic obstacles that define the "circuit" of migrant life.
The unit will conclude with a look at the family’s ongoing uncertainty, specifically the looming threat of deportation that appears just as they begin to settle down.
This unit is a great opportunity for students to connect the themes of the book to broader historical and contemporary conversations about immigration.
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