Queridas familias,
The goal of this lesson is to learn something about Hispanic culture while working on a fun activity at home. Below you will find some enrichment activities that you can try with your child. If you choose one of the following hands-on activities to complete with your child, send me a picture of the finished product. I would love to see how your project turns out.
Let’s celebrate Hispanic culture!
Señora Peace
The goal of this lesson is to learn something about Hispanic culture while working on a fun activity at home. Below you will find some enrichment activities that you can try with your child. If you choose one of the following hands-on activities to complete with your child, send me a picture of the finished product. I would love to see how your project turns out.
Let’s celebrate Hispanic culture!
Señora Peace
Mayan Codex
Did you know?
The codex was used by both the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. It was like a foldout picture book written by a scribe. The codex recorded history, calendars, and information about the daily lives of the people. The scribes used glyphs, or picture symbols, to write the information.
https://www.kidsgen.com/school_projects/mayan_codex.htm
Maracas
Did you know?
Festivals with music and dancing were vital parts of the Mayan and Aztec cultures. These events often included the musical sounds made from dried gourds or conch shells filled with seeds. Today, in Mexico and Central America, dancers reenact the ancient dances, often using an updated form of the maracas.
Egg Carton Maracas
https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/musical-maracas
Balloon Maracas
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/balloon-maracas/
Woven Place Mat
Did you know?
It is important to have a pretty table at a fiesta (party). Much attention is paid to detail to make celebrations festive and decorative, including the place settings. Tables are often set with fine place mats. Follow these instructions to continue the ancient weaving tradition.
https://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/mplacemats.htm
God’s Eye (Ojo de Dios)
Did you know?
A God's eye is a spiritual object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross. Often several colors are used. They are commonly found in Mexican and Mexican American communities, among both Indigenous and Catholic peoples.
https://happyhooligans.ca/gods-eye-craft-weaving-for-kids/
https://youtu.be/X53ZXcHoR_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoNWAhEcUuA
Yarn Painting
Did you know?
The Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their yarn paintings. The Huichols take beeswax which they melt in the sun and spread it over a piece of wood. They then push colored yarn into the wax to create images.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/yarn-painting/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL33IXChgnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blzAJvZDZcE
Paper Bag or Fabric Poncho
Did you know?
The poncho is a well-known garment with unsewn sides and a space for the head to pass through. Having been worn by Mexican people for hundreds of years, the poncho is closely linked to Mexican culture and considered an iconic Mexican symbol.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/make-a-poncho/
Sun God Sculpture
Did you know?
Most native groups worshipped at least one sun god, such as the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. Below are instructions to make a representation of a sun god, a recognizable icon in Hispanic history.
http://lifesadventures-amb.blogspot.com/2013/11/art-project-for-incas-aztecs-and-mayans.html
Piñatas
Did you know?
The piñata did not originate from Mexico. It was brought to Mexico by Marco Polo from Italy. The Italian nobility played a game called pignatta with a clay bowl filled with expensive items and hung on a rope. The object was to break the clay pot and scramble for the riches.
Paper Bag Piñata
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/diy-paper-bag-pinata-craft-1253061
https://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/simple_paper_bag_pinata.htm
Papier-Mâché / Balloon Piñatas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44JYARhkFe8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHs_fTiop98
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/crafts/pinatas/
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Pi%C3%B1ata-Using-a-Balloon/
Tissue Paper Flowers
Did you know?
Carnival is a time with a fun, party-like atmosphere and much decoration and adornment. People throw flowers at others, and the children try to crack eggs filled with confetti on the heads of those passing by.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOsZJ9VPyNg#action=share
https://www.instructables.com/id/Mexican-Paper-Flowers/
Papel Picado
Did you know?
Papel picado (perforated paper) is a Mexican popular art form with roots in the country's ancient cultures. Today, professional craftsmen use special tools to make intricate designs in tissue paper. This tissue paper is used to make festive banners.
https://dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/mpapel_picado.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT6-5YFpujg
Sand-Painted Carpets
Did you know?
In some places, people craft special carpets on Maundy Thursday to cover the main streets for the procession that takes place on Good Friday. The carpets are made using sawdust, flowers, and dirt mixed with colorful dyes to create designs and pictures. For the procession, the people dress in costume to reenact the journey of Jesus to the crucifixion.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/sand-painting/
Mini Sombrero
Did you know?
A sombrero is a type of wide-brimmed hat from Mexico, used to shield from the sun. Mariachis wear elaborately decorated charro suits that consist of a waist-length jacket, bow tie, fitted pants, short boots, and a wide-brimmed sombrero.
https://funfamilycrafts.com/mini-sombreros/
http://frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com/mini-sombrero-craft-for-cinco-de-mayo/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O44XRWDfR_U&feature=youtu.be
Interesting Hispanic Facts retrieved from:
Downs, C. (2005). Celebrating Hispanic Culture. Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc.
Did you know?
The codex was used by both the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. It was like a foldout picture book written by a scribe. The codex recorded history, calendars, and information about the daily lives of the people. The scribes used glyphs, or picture symbols, to write the information.
https://www.kidsgen.com/school_projects/mayan_codex.htm
Maracas
Did you know?
Festivals with music and dancing were vital parts of the Mayan and Aztec cultures. These events often included the musical sounds made from dried gourds or conch shells filled with seeds. Today, in Mexico and Central America, dancers reenact the ancient dances, often using an updated form of the maracas.
Egg Carton Maracas
https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/musical-maracas
Balloon Maracas
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/balloon-maracas/
Woven Place Mat
Did you know?
It is important to have a pretty table at a fiesta (party). Much attention is paid to detail to make celebrations festive and decorative, including the place settings. Tables are often set with fine place mats. Follow these instructions to continue the ancient weaving tradition.
https://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/mplacemats.htm
God’s Eye (Ojo de Dios)
Did you know?
A God's eye is a spiritual object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross. Often several colors are used. They are commonly found in Mexican and Mexican American communities, among both Indigenous and Catholic peoples.
https://happyhooligans.ca/gods-eye-craft-weaving-for-kids/
https://youtu.be/X53ZXcHoR_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoNWAhEcUuA
Yarn Painting
Did you know?
The Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their yarn paintings. The Huichols take beeswax which they melt in the sun and spread it over a piece of wood. They then push colored yarn into the wax to create images.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/yarn-painting/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL33IXChgnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blzAJvZDZcE
Paper Bag or Fabric Poncho
Did you know?
The poncho is a well-known garment with unsewn sides and a space for the head to pass through. Having been worn by Mexican people for hundreds of years, the poncho is closely linked to Mexican culture and considered an iconic Mexican symbol.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/make-a-poncho/
Sun God Sculpture
Did you know?
Most native groups worshipped at least one sun god, such as the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. Below are instructions to make a representation of a sun god, a recognizable icon in Hispanic history.
http://lifesadventures-amb.blogspot.com/2013/11/art-project-for-incas-aztecs-and-mayans.html
Piñatas
Did you know?
The piñata did not originate from Mexico. It was brought to Mexico by Marco Polo from Italy. The Italian nobility played a game called pignatta with a clay bowl filled with expensive items and hung on a rope. The object was to break the clay pot and scramble for the riches.
Paper Bag Piñata
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/diy-paper-bag-pinata-craft-1253061
https://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/simple_paper_bag_pinata.htm
Papier-Mâché / Balloon Piñatas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44JYARhkFe8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHs_fTiop98
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/crafts/pinatas/
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Pi%C3%B1ata-Using-a-Balloon/
Tissue Paper Flowers
Did you know?
Carnival is a time with a fun, party-like atmosphere and much decoration and adornment. People throw flowers at others, and the children try to crack eggs filled with confetti on the heads of those passing by.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOsZJ9VPyNg#action=share
https://www.instructables.com/id/Mexican-Paper-Flowers/
Papel Picado
Did you know?
Papel picado (perforated paper) is a Mexican popular art form with roots in the country's ancient cultures. Today, professional craftsmen use special tools to make intricate designs in tissue paper. This tissue paper is used to make festive banners.
https://dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/mpapel_picado.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT6-5YFpujg
Sand-Painted Carpets
Did you know?
In some places, people craft special carpets on Maundy Thursday to cover the main streets for the procession that takes place on Good Friday. The carpets are made using sawdust, flowers, and dirt mixed with colorful dyes to create designs and pictures. For the procession, the people dress in costume to reenact the journey of Jesus to the crucifixion.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/sand-painting/
Mini Sombrero
Did you know?
A sombrero is a type of wide-brimmed hat from Mexico, used to shield from the sun. Mariachis wear elaborately decorated charro suits that consist of a waist-length jacket, bow tie, fitted pants, short boots, and a wide-brimmed sombrero.
https://funfamilycrafts.com/mini-sombreros/
http://frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com/mini-sombrero-craft-for-cinco-de-mayo/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O44XRWDfR_U&feature=youtu.be
Interesting Hispanic Facts retrieved from:
Downs, C. (2005). Celebrating Hispanic Culture. Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc.
lets_celebrate_hispanic_culture__grades_3-8_reflection_sheet_.pdf |