Hispanic Heritage
Miss Ferrara’s
Interdisciplinary Unit
Hispanic Heritage
Lesson #1: Introduction to Hispanic Heritage Unit/ Geography/ Flags
*Lesson Plan That Requires Student Use Of Technology*
Lesson #2: Music and Art
Lesson #3: Language
*Lesson Plan That Meets The Needs Of Diverse Learners*
Lesson #4: Food and Customs
Lesson #5: Accordion Books – Show what you know
Lesson #6: Culmination / Fiesta
*Lesson Plan
Designed Using Student Assessment Data*
*All assessments are embedded within the lessons*
Content Outline:
A. Unit Title:
Hispanic Heritage Unit. This unit was designed for Hispanic Heritage Month to increase awareness, education, and acceptance of another culture.
B. Students & Settings:
The students were 8 year old, 3rd graders who were being schooled in a rural setting. The students were from varied backgrounds with different prior knowledge and experiences on this topic. This unit was implemented every Monday during a 45-minute time block for a month during Hispanic Heritage Month in September.
C. Conceptual Outcomes:
The general competencies the students demonstrated in this unit were an understanding of culture, societies, artifacts, beliefs, traditions and ethnicity of Mexico and the people that live there.
D. Materials & Resources:
There are many materials and resources used for this unit.
(Some publishers are not available
because they were from my cooperating teacher’s personal library and I could not access them
after my placement.)
Printed Resources/Books:
Edupress: Mexico Photo-Fun Activities
Edupress: Color and Learn Mexico
Teacher Created Materials, Inc.: Social Studies in a Bag
Children’s Reading Literature:
Gained from my cooperating teacher's personal library.
Websites:
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson023.shtml
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/Hispanic.html
Audio/Visual Resources:
PBS Video from school library on Rainforests and
animals found in the Mexican region.
Literature Resources:
All book titles are listed within Lesson Plan. Cooperating teacher provided books that I looked through to find the literature connected to this unit.
E. Vocabulary Terms:
Geography, Aztecs, Union, Religion, Independence, Pueblo, Adobe bricks, Tradition, Market, Piñatas, Honor, Culture, Mariachi Band, Marimba Players, Rainforest, Environment, Jaguar, Rainforest, Customs, and Fiesta.
F. Unit Initiation Activity:
For the Initiation Activity I will wear a Sombrero Mexican Hat, a colorful Mexican Wrap, and read them a book called the “Clay Hernandez Story” which is all about a little boy in third grade who is of Mexican Descent. It talks about his culture, tradition, and customs from a third grade perspective. It even uses words in the Spanish language. By dressing up, it will gain their interest and curiosity for me to introduce Hispanic Heritage Month and talk about what we will be learning, why we will be learning it, and the importance the topic has to them.
G. Unit Culmination Activity:
For the Unit’s Culmination Activity, have a Fiesta Party for the students at the end of the day. By the end of the activity, the students will have learned the meaning of a Fiesta and the tradition of the Piñata, eaten authentic Mexican food and gotten a taste of the Mexican culture, participated in games and fun activities celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, and shared one thing they learned about the Mexican culture throughout the month.
H. Activity Center:
Concepts Explored:
Culture and Artifacts / The students will be making adobe bricks for the activity center. During the first lesson we study adobe bricks, what they are made of, and the things that the people in Mexico build with them. For this activity all the directions and materials will be laid out previously for them. All they need to do is go to the back table, follow the directions, and leave their adobe bricks to sit overnight to dry.
Materials Required:
A pitcher of water
A bowl of mud
A bowl of straw
A bowl of
A bunch of mixing bowls for them
4-5 large ice trays
Mixers or spoons
Picture of adobe bricks
Description of activity:
1) The students are to go to the back table when free time presents itself or they finish their work early.
2) They are to follow the directions on the table which tells them to mix together all of the needed materials to make adobe bricks in a mixing bowl. Then pour the mixture or form it in their hands and place it into the slots in the larger ice tray. Let it dry overnight. The following day when there is free time, they can go back and answer the observations questions on the worksheet provided and write a summary about making adobe bricks and how simple or how difficult they feel it would be to build structures using these materials.
F. Lesson Plans - (click on lessons plans at top of page to view)
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