Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. This month-long celebration runs from September 15th to October 15th. It’s a great opportunity to teach your students about the rich culture and history of Hispanic and Latino Americans! Here are some simple ideas for incorporating Hispanic Heritage Month into your elementary classroom.
Easy Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month:
1. Read books about Hispanic and Latino culture and history. There are many great children’s books that can help teach your students about Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out my blog post “5 Books to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month” for a list of great books to read this month!
2. Incorporate diverse stories and perspectives into your reading block with this ready-to-go, no-prep Hispanic Heritage Month close reading set, research set, and poster set. This bundle has all of the work done for you so you can just download, print, and teach!
3. Enjoy some delicious Hispanic food! Make a batch of arroz con leche (rice pudding), empanadas, or churros con chocolate to enjoy in your classroom. You could even have a potluck and ask each student to bring in a dish from their heritage.
4. Learn some traditional Spanish songs and dances. There are many great resources online for finding Hispanic songs and dances for kids. Once you’ve learned the moves, put on a performance for your classmates!
5. Take a field trip to a nearby Hispanic cultural center or museum. This is a great way for students to learn more about the culture and history of Hispanics and Latinos in America.
6. Have students create artwork or crafts related to Hispanic culture. Students could make perler bead art inspired by Mexican Folk Art, design their own Alebrijes ( brightly-colored Mexican folk art sculptures), or create paintings inspired by Diego Rivera’s murals.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a wonderful time to learn about and celebrate the richness of Hispanic and Latino culture! We hope you enjoy trying out some of these activities with your students this September and October!