Miss Ferrara's Unit
Lesson #6
*Designed Using Student Assessment Data*

Title: 
Hispanic Heritage – Culmination and Fiesta
    This lesson was designed using the student assessment data from Lesson #4 on Food and Customs.  I brought in the food for this lesson based on the three favorite foods they had chosen as well as a few of the foods that were the least mentioned by the class.  By bringing the previous assessment into this lesson, I was able to determine that the students needed more exposure and background on other customs and traditions that might not have been portrayed to them.  I wanted them to exit this unit with a vast knowledge of food and customs so I used this Fiesta as an opportunity to go back and re-teach parts of the unit that I felt the students might have missed. 
    The goal of this lesson was tore-teach parts of Lesson 4 that I feel were not completely understood.  Food and customs is such a large content area that it was important to me to make sure the students comprehended the lesson.  Especially since those two aspects are the most culturally important and recognizable aspects of Mexico. 

Students:
The students are 8 year old third graders who are being schooled in a rural setting.  The students are from varied backgrounds with different prior knowledge and experiences on this topic.  For students that need enrichment or remediation I will meet their needs by asking them individually if they understand the assignment, I will give them more detailed directions if needed, write the directions step-by-step for them, and I will provide any other assistance they might need to help them succeed with the activity during the lesson.  I will also present the material being taught in a variety of ways hoping to reach every student at some point within the lesson.

Setting:
This unit will be implemented every Monday during a 45-minute time block during Hispanic Heritage Month.  It will be taught in a rural setting with kids from varying backgrounds and ethnicities.  The lesson is to be carried out in the student’s normal room.  The setting and materials are familiar to the students.  They will be brought to the rug, be given directions and then asked to return to their desks to complete the activity.

Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, the students will:
    1) Learn the meaning of a Fiesta and the tradition of the Piñata.
    2) Eat authentic Mexican food and sample a taste of the Mexican culture
    3) Participate in games and fun activities celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
    4) Be able to share at least one thing they learned about the Mexican culture throughout the month.

Key Words/Concepts:
Piñata
Fiesta
Mexican Dances
Mexican Food
Meaning of a Fiesta and the Piñata

PA Content Standards:
I. Culture: Explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address customs

Assessment: 
Teacher Observation:  Appropriate Participation in Mexican Games and Activities with enthusiasm, cooperative play, and mature behavior.  

Anticipatory Set:
The classroom will be decorated in a Mexican Theme.  There will be a Piñata hanging, and there will be food being prepared.  I will also be wearing a Sombrero and a Mexican Wrap.

Relevance/Rational:
The rational that the students were given for why they needed to know the new topic was because it is important to learn about, understand, respect, and appreciate other cultures.  Especially since we have such a diverse group of students, this helps us get to know each other better and where we come from.  It is very important not only for children but for adults to develop a multicultural education to be accepting and well-rounded people in society.  This lesson is a culmination of all that we learned and it will be a wonderful creation to show others everything they now know about Hispanic Heritage.

Transfer of Learning:
The students were told that in the lesson, they were being able to see the whole Hispanic Heritage unit in a culmination fun activity.  We ate authentic Mexican food, participated in true customs and practices, and even demonstrated the language and our learning.  This transfer of learning was the result of everything we learned within the month and then experiencing it in a real-life setting.

Teaching:
Explain to them that we will be having a Fiesta.  Discuss with them the meaning of Fiestas and the tradition behind them including the Piñata. 

Discuss the food that the parents will be preparing for the class and connect it to the lesson on food that we learned about.

As we eat, Mexican music is playing in the background.

After eating, teach them some traditional Mexican game and dances.  Have the parents’ involved teaching and helping too.  (Piñata game is included here)

Finally, have the students sit in a circle and discuss what they learned during Hispanic Heritage Month and about the Mexican culture. 

Essential Questions:
If you had to pick one thing that you remember most about Hispanic Heritage Month and the Mexican culture what would it be? Why? 

Materials:
Mexican decorations
Piñata
Sombrero
Mexican Wrap
Mexican food brought in
Mexican Music
Prizes for games

Closure:
As a follow up, I will have them write in their “Life books” about the Hispanic Heritage Month experience as a whole. What they enjoyed, what they did not enjoy, and what they want to learn more about.

Independent Practice:
For independent practice, the students were asked to write in their “life books” what they enjoyed the most from the Hispanic Heritage Month.  I also encouraged them to write about what their favorite part was and what they would like to share with someone else.  They were allowed to take their "life books" home. 

Reflection of lesson:
Since this was a culmination lesson and activity, this reflection will be on the unit as whole.  First, doing a fun culmination activity where the kids can actually see, taste, and touch everything we had learned about was the best part of the unit.  They were able to put all the pieces together and make many connections.  This by far was their favorite part but you could tell there was still learning taking place, which made it even better.  Teaching this unit, I was able to learn along with them and I think that can be so important.  If there was something I could not answer or something I did not know, we would research it together until we found the answer.  Also, teaching the children about multicultural education is so important these days and especially with everything going on in our world today.  Knowing that I was able to educate them, open their minds up, and expose them to other cultures and ways of life was very rewarding to me.  All students met the objectives I wanted them to meet and I was able to work extra with the students that needed it.  The one thing I would do differently to end this unit would be to not only have the parents being in authentic food and artifacts again, but also within the Fiesta, have the student present their books.  This way not only are the students presenting it to the class, but also the parents are getting a look at everything they have learned and are experiencing some multicultural education themselves. 

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