Under the Same Moon (2007) - La Misma Luna: Complete Movie Guide
- Grades
- Grades 6–10, Middle School, High School
- File type
- Preparation
- Print ready
- Topic
- Under the same moon, immigration
- Resource types
- Activities
- Preparation
- Print ready
About this resource
What's inside this resource
"Under the Same Moon" (La Misma Luna) is a 2007 Mexican-American drama film directed by Patricia Riggen. The movie tells the story of a young boy named Carlitos (Adrian Alonso), who embarks on a dangerous journey from Mexico to the United States in search of his mother, Rosario (Kate del Castillo). Rosario has been working as an undocumented immigrant in the US for four years to support Carlitos, who has been living with his grandmother in Mexico. When Carlitos' grandmother dies, he decides to cross the border and reunite with his mother in Los Angeles. Along the way, he meets other immigrants and faces various challenges, including being separated from his traveling companions, being detained by immigration authorities, and struggling to survive in a foreign land without his mother. The film is a poignant portrayal of the struggles that undocumented immigrants face in their search for a better life, and the sacrifices they make to provide for their families. It highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
This 20-question movie guide will help your students get the most out of this powerful movie. This movie can be shown as a way to help students understand the immigration issue. Under the Same Moon could help make any unit on immigration come to life for the students. This movie guide also comes with a Carlitos Graphic Organizer. Ready to print and ready to use!
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In the classroom
Teaching tips & learning objectives
Learning objectives
Track plot events and character motivations in Under the Same Moon in the chronological order they occur on screen.
Explain why specific characters make the choices they do, such as why Rosario avoids calling the police or why Doña Carmen tells her to stay in Los Angeles.
Propose and justify an alternative title for the film based on its events and themes.
Teaching tips
Pause the film briefly at natural breakpoints if students need extra time to record an answer, since the questions follow the film's chronological order.
Preview border-crossing and immigration vocabulary before viewing (impound, undocumented, citizenship exam), since several questions depend on understanding these terms.
Use question 20 as a discussion or short-writing prompt after viewing, since it asks students to justify a choice rather than recall a fact.
Skills covered
Chronological plot tracking — students record what happens as it occurs across the film, from the opening birthday scene to the final reunion.
Cause-and-effect reasoning — several questions ask why a character acts as they do, such as why the car is impounded or why Rosario avoids the police.
Justified interpretation — the closing question asks students to propose an alternative title for the film and explain their reasoning.
Good to know
Questions teachers ask about this resource
Are the questions asked in the same order the events happen in the film?
Yes — the instructions state the questions follow chronological order, and the guide is built to be answered while watching rather than as a post-viewing quiz.
Does the guide address the realities of undocumented immigration shown in the film?
Yes — several questions follow Rosario's status as an undocumented worker and the risks Carlitos faces at the border, including a car impounded by border patrol and his mother's fear of contacting police.
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Resource details
Concepts & topics
Core concepts
Core concepts
immigration
film comprehension
chronological sequencing
Topics
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