Hispanic Heritage Month -

From September 15th through October 15th every year, Americans celebrate the traditions, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans. The purpose of Hispanic Heritage Month is to recognize the major contributions and critical presence of both Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States. It’s important to bring this celebration into our classrooms and to celebrate diversity. This celebration offers students the chance to embrace their own heritage or the heritage of their peers and to also have some fun learning about the unique and exciting aspects of the Hispanic culture.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the Classroom!

Learn about Hispanic Heritage and Cultures

There are many ways to bring Hispanic Heritage Month into the classroom. This Hispanic Heritage Month resource from Teachers Pay Teachers is a perfect way to introduce the subject to your students! In addition, the resource includes a TON of reading passages that inform students about what Hispanic Heritage Month is, why we celebrate it, as well as passages about important figures who have made tremendous contributions. Most importantly, students will love testing their knowledge with a fun quiz and expanding their Spanish vocabulary with a English-Spanish dictionary!

Play a game!

Students can play a game like piedra, papel o tijeras (rock, paper, scissors) or La Gallinita Ciega, “The Blind Hen”. To play this game begin by choosing a student to be “la gallinita ciega” and blindfold them so they can not see the other students. Then, spin the student around several times and have them try to tag the other students. The students that have been tagged are “out” and the game ends after all students have been tagged.

Create some Hispanic inspired artwork!

Create these beautiful and fun egg maracas from Made Everyday! Students will have a blast playing with a maraca they made themselves. Find the directions here at Made Everyday.

2. Create Mexican yarn art. I remember doing this art project as a kid and how much fun I had! Teach students about Hispanic culture with a fun art lesson. Find the instructions here at education.com.

3. Paper plate maracas are a great art project for K – 3 classrooms. Students decorate their paper plate and fill the inside with beans or rice. Staple or glue the outside for a fun musical treat! Click here for more directions.

What’s Your Heritage? Research Project

Ask students to investigate their own heritage. They can ask family members and do research based on their findings. Have students report back to class on the origins of their ancestors. Create a graph as a class to show where your their ancestors are from.

Have a dress up day

Celebrate Hispanic heritage by having students wear traditional Latin or Hispanic clothing like huipil (a sleeveless tunic like dress), ponchos, sombreros, among others. Traditional Latin clothing is bright, bold, and beautiful with lots of intricate embroidery. Students love dressing up and can really bring the learning to life in the classroom.

No matter how you choose to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the important thing is that you’re celebrating diversity and embracing a culture many may not be familiar with.