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Abuela's Weave

Esperanza and her grandmother, her Abuela, work hard at their weaving to produce goods for the market in a nearby Guatemalan town. Will they get done in time? Will they produce beautiful items that people will buy – especially since the items sold by other vendors were produced on machines? Find out what happens on market day!

Interested in using this resource in your classroom? Check out the posters that go along with this book: Human ResourcesMarketProductive ResourcesSupply & Demand.

Author: Omar S. Castaneda
Published: 1993
Reading Level: Grades 3-4
Grade Level: K-2
Accelerated Reader Level/Points: .05
Lexile Measure: AD960
Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Comprehension Questions

What are human resources?

The people who work to produce goods and services.

What human resources were necessary to produce the beautiful woven products?

The work of Esperanza and her Abuela.

What jobs did the other family members have?

Her father and brothers worked the fields, her mother took care of the animals.

What special skills did Esperanza and her Abuela need to produce the beautiful products?

They had to know how to weave skillfully and efficiently and also to create beautiful, colorful designs.

Did Esperanza and her Abuela work hard?

Yes!

Why is working hard important?

People must work hard to become skilled at their jobs, produce many goods and services, and make a good income.

What capital resources did Esperanza and her Abuela use to produce and sell their woven goods?

Primarily a wooden loom; basket to take goods to the market.

What capital resources did other producers of woven products use?

Machines

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using machines to produce woven goods?

Advantages: Many items can be produced efficiently, resulting in lower prices for consumer;

Disadvantages: Unique, creative designs with a “human touch” are often more difficult to produce on machines.

The story says that “it didn’t take long for all of their work to be sold that day.” Because of this, do you think Esperanza and her Abuela should change the price of their woven goods? Explain.

They very well may want to raise their prices for the next market. Their unique, hand-woven products were in great demand and sold quickly; they evidently were much more beautiful than the machine -produced products.