Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Art, Music, History, Foods and Traditions of Latin-Hispanic Cultures!

THIS LESSON IS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS. 
TEACHERS, REVIEW ALL  WORD SEARCHES, IMAGES, & VIDEOS ;
CHOOSE THE ONES THAT WILL WORK  WELL FOR YOUR CLASS/ GRADE LEVEL.

1. Show these videos as introduction:  (ALL GRADE LEVELS)
* CINCO DE MAYO  (PBS) Spanish for "The 5th of May" 
* NUESTRO FUTURO, Our Future [ this one especially for older students, grade 4-12]
* LATINO FESTIVAL (knowitall.org)  Scenes of a local Latino street festival in Columbia, SC...showing  students in Hispanic/Latin American/Mexican native dress, Hispanic foods, music. 

[AT THIS POINT, YOUNGER STUDENTS  WATCH ART , MUSIC, DANCE  VIDEOS, and complete  WORD SEARCHES and CROSSWORDS.]
[OLDER STUDENTS, go to #2]

2.  Discuss: the label Latino / Hispanic, and the native COUNTRIES this refers to, in reference to people having immigrated from to live in the U.S. 
Watch videos:  Learning Latino countries & capitals
[HISPANIC  refers to anyone whose ancestry is from Spain, or any country where they speak Spanish  LATINO refers to geography.]  Latin America  refers to people from the Caibbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic)...South America ( Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, etc)and Central America (Honduras Costa rica, etc.)   This is a bit confusing, as different sites describe it in different terms...ask your Spanish teacher and get his/her opinion. 
3..  CLASS DISCUSSION  (After looking at a map and identifying these countries)
*  Does anyone's family have ancestors or even LIVING relatives who still reside in one of the Hispanic/ Latino countries.  How about Hispanic relatives living in your town, SC, or U.S.?
*What are  everyone's favorite Mexican foods? Share particul dishes you think are tasty, and restaurants, too
* If any Mexican/Hispanic students are in the class and feel comfortable sharing a description of a favorite meal, and perhaps how it's prepared,  please share!  
6.  Discuss: the interviews heard in NUESTRO FUTURO video,
*some of the challenges people spoke of in the film (lead students to be SENSITIVE in "making value judgements", stress polite listening skills when discussing LIFE-CHANGING ISSUES.  
7. Watch ART/MUSIC/DANCE/FOOD/ GEOGRAPHY videos : (when the timing is "right" for your class)
*LEAD CLASS DISCUSSIONS :  after each video. 
*have all art materials READY :  when it's time to create  a project
*Teachers can "model" a sense of ADVENTURE & INVOLVEMENT:    by creating a project themselves!
*Remind students:   the PROCESS  is one of the REWARDS of working with art materials ( taking your time, enjoying the surprises you may see emerge on your own paper/clay, etc)...The finished product is NOT the most important concern!!  
* Allow enough time!!  "Filling in spaces with a variety of patterns"  ( characteristic of many hispanic artworks ) is actually a very  calming, meditative activity when it is not rushed.  

GRADE LEVELS  1-12 ARE ADDRESSED in this Cinco de Mayo lesson...therefore, choose the activities that will be appropriate and enjoyable for your own class.

Remember that a very simple word search / crossword puzzle may be appropriate for OLDER STUDENTS as well, as it can be a "SPRINGBOARD" ...maybe designing their own word search/ crossword that is more challenging.?  Designing another one focued on hispanic foods or countries?    The potential for creativity is there!

Watch all videos beforehand to choose which resources/ art projects fit your grade level, time allotted, and how you will adapt any resources for the age/ skill levels of your students. 

1.ALL GRADES:  Produce  one  art project to show demonstrate an understanding of the holiday CINCO DE MAYO.
*Name, date, teacher's name should be on the back of the artwork. 
*Students grades 1-3 should also write their favorite hispanic foods on the back, and anything else they saw & enjoyed  in the videos.
* Also, students grades 4-12 should write a sentence [ on a small piece of paper]stating that Cinco de Mayo is  a celebration because Mexico won an important battle that help protect the freedom of their country, long ago, back in the 1800's.  TAPE THIS SMALL DEFINITION to the back of that student's drawing.
2. FOR STUDENTS, 4-12 GRADE ONLY: FIND A  WORLD MAP ON YOUR COMPUTER [for reference]
 * Gather 3 sheets of notebook paper, and a pencil.
*On 1 sheet,  sketch a "quickie" map of the U.S. [ no states labeled]. 
*On 1 sheet, sketch quickie map of Central America, 
* On 1sheet, sketch quickie map of South America
*  Write the names of 3  Central American countries, and also 5 South American countries  on the appropriate map/sheet.  Label South Carolina on the U.S. map /sheet.