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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Mexico: A Look At Its Culture and Geography

For Teachers 1st
Students canvass the Mexican geography, culture, dress, language, crafts, and traditions in this unit of eight lessons. The Mexican Independance Day is compared to our own and the contributions of the Mayan, Azetec, and Spanish are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friday and Friends: A Prospectus of the Mexican Family through Children's Literature

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students use literature to examine how the structure of families in Mexico has changed over time. In groups, they examine how their life now relates to their ancestors and the Spanish conquest of the area. As a class, they are read...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mexico: Introduction to History and Literature

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study the geography of Mexico (i.e. major cities, surrounding countries and bodies of water, mountain ranges, rivers, volcanoes), They take turns reading aloud information provided (xerox copies) about Mexico. After each...
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Website
PBS

Latino Americans: Timeline of Important Dates

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
From 1500-2000, an interactive timeline details important events related to Latino Americans. Next, to each date are small, yet informative blurbs—some of which include videos. 
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Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ofelia Romero The Maya Culture and Civilization

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the Mayan culture, number system, alphabet, hieroglyphics, history, civilization, artistry, and sports in this series of lessons.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dia de los Muertos

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders research the Day of the Dead, an important Mexican holiday. They view videos, investigate Mexican geography and history and compare the Day of the Dead to the celebration of Halloween.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fabric Poncho

For Teachers K - 5th
Students create a fabric poncho to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. They sample food and drink from Mexico and follow instructions to make the ponhco. They also discover the history of the holiday.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Operation Mexfly

For Teachers 8th - Higher Ed
Students research information about pesticides. Students discuss the history of the Mexican fruit fly. They experiment to discover malathion concentration levels in organisms. Students explore the effect of toxins at the top of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Democracy

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the denial of rights to individuals in the United States.  In this American Government lesson, 11th graders study President Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech.  Students create a presentation on the denial of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Your Brand?

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students explore the history of branding livestock and discover it began as early as 2000 BC. They discuss reasons for branding and then design their own brand from pipe cleaners. Students dip their brand into paint and print it on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Africans in Mexico

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners read case studies to examine the role of Africans in Mexico. Using maps, they research the areas that are discussed in the text and map out movement maps of Africans to and from Africa. They research the history of the Mexico...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life of Albert Pike

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders study the ways Albert Pike affected the history of Arkansas. They discover the many roles that he experienced such as being a teacher, poet, author, lawyer, Freemason and a Civil War General. They work in groups to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scenes of Reverence: The Virgin of Guadalupe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students learn the history of Christianity in New Spain. They learn the story and significance of the Virgin of Guadalupe. They compare and contrast images of the Virgin and religious art to European counterparts.
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo Without Stereotypes

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Put more meaning into your Cinco de Mayo party with geography lessons, literature, and more!
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Aztec Food

For Students 8th - 12th
Combining social studies and geography, pupils identify the various foods eaten by the Aztecs. They create a recipe for an Aztec evening meal, including preparation instructions. Next, they explain why the Aztecs ate foods commonly found...
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Activity
Hildegard Center for the Arts

Mardi Gras Masks

For Teachers K - 12th
Laissez les bons temps rouler! Create your own festive Mardi Gras masks with a lesson that provides background information on the celebration and instructions about constructing the masks.
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Lesson Plan
McGraw Hill

Study Guide for Island of the Blue Dolphins

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Dive your class into a reading of Island of the Blue Dolphins with this in-depth study guide. Breaking the novel into three parts, the resource begins each section with a focus activity that identifies a specific theme or question to be...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Kanaka Village at Fort Vancouver: Crossroads of the Columbia River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars study the interaction between Native American and European cultures in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. They focus their study on the Hudson's Bay Company and Fort Vancouver.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit of Study Mural

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Pupils make a mural after reading about the art of Diego Rivera. For this mural lesson plan, students read a book about Diego Rivera, discuss him and his artwork, and make their own class mural.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature: Esperanza Rising

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the activity, students in groups...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

For Teachers K - 11th
Students use information from the U.S. Bureau of the Census to create a bar graph, a picture graph, or a circle graph showing the country of origin of U.S. Hispanics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Cultural Holidays

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore art that reflects their cultural background. For this writing and research lesson students compare and contrast the Halloween with El Dia de los Muertos. Students study the visual art of these holidays. Then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Border Forum

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students read, analyze, and synthesize news reports on a current border issues. They prepare an oral presentation and written support documents which must clearly and accurately explain an issue to an audience which may be unfamiliar...