National Hispanic Heritage Month is just around the corner. Spanning from September 15 to October 15, this month-long celebration provides us with a remarkable opportunity to honor, recognize, and celebrate the profound contributions and positive influences of Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States.
Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month and the entire school year, there are countless ways to educate, celebrate, and pay tribute to the diverse Hispanic and Latinx cultures. Here are a couple ways to explore Hispanic heritage and create meaningful learning opportunities.
Geography, Food, & Music
Exploring Hispanic and Latinx countries’ foods and music is a fun way to learn about and celebrate Hispanic and Latinx cultures while experiencing it firsthand. Hold a cultural day where students can create projects and examples of Hispanic inspired art, traditional dances, and foods for hands-on learning. Since Hispanic cultures are very diverse in different regions, have students explore through geography, agriculture, and popular traditions in different locations.
Historical Cities & Sites
Assign students a country or city and have students create a travel brochure that outlines the features, history, and traditions of the location. Have students take a more in depth look at Hispanic history to engage more in Latinx culture and see how it has adapted over the years. Teachers can also feature a Hispanic site at least once a week during Hispanic Heritage Month, showcasing photos, virtual visits, and historical facts.
Try a Free Language-Learning App
Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the United States, so why not incorporate Spanish lessons into your lineup of Hispanic Heritage Month activities? Try a free learning app like Duolingo that allows students to learn Spanish. There’s even a free standards-aligned version for schools where you can create assignments and see student progress. Teachers can also try Spanish phrases around the classroom and throughout the day.
Check Out Authors & Leaders
Reading books, articles, poetry, and learning more about influential Historical leaders that explore the rich culture of the Hispanic and Latinx communities are great ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to learn throughout the school year. There are many prolific Hispanic and Latinx authors and influential educators for students to check out. Stay tuned later this month with VAR Connection to learn more about famous Hispanic authors and influential leaders to teach about.
What other activities do you do in your classroom to incorporate Hispanic culture?
Resources:
https://www.waterford.org/blog/hispanic-heritage-month-historical-figures/ https://www.weareteachers.com/hispanic-heritage-month-activities/
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