ALEX Classroom Resource

  

Mexican Culture and History Through Its National Holidays

  Classroom Resource Information  

Title:

 Mexican Culture and History Through Its National Holidays

URL:

 https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/mexican-culture-and-history-through-its-national-holidays

Content Source:

 Edsitement
Type: Lesson/Unit Plan

Overview:

This novice low Spanish activity is geared toward introducing middle school-aged students to a variety of holidays celebrated in Mexico. Students will identify ethnic and religious influences on Mexican culture, understand the meaning and history of Día de Los Muertos, Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Grito de Dolores, and Cinco de Mayo. Students will explore these holidays through a variety of activities that include analyzing photos, building memorial altars, and exploring websites. The provided assessment asks students to compare and contrast one of the holidays with one from the United States.

Content Standard(s):
World Languages
WLAN (2017)
Grade: K-8
Novice Low Proficiency Range
4) Investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship among the products, practices, and perspectives of the target cultures.

a. Use appropriate gestures and oral expressions.

b. Identify typical activities, events, and celebrations of the target cultures.

Examples: Christmas, Carnival

c. Identify children's songs, poetry and rhymes from the target culture.

d. Observe and imitate simple patterns of behavior.

Examples: Table manners, greetings

Unpacked Content
Goals:
Cultures
Modes Of Communication:
Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
K-2
Students:
  • investigate and explain the practices and perspectives of the target culture.
  • identify activities and celebrations of the target culture.
  • observe and compare behavior patterns.
  • use gestures appropriately.
    • recognize songs/poetry in the target language.
    3-5
    Students:
    • investigate and explain the practices and perspectives of the target culture.
    • identify activities and celebrations of the target culture.
    • identify songs and poetry in the target language.
    • recognize key words and phrases in the target language.
    • observe and compare behavior patterns.
    • use appropriate gestures.

    6-8
    Students:
    • identify some products and practices of the target culture.
    • identify some basic cultural beliefs and values of the target culture.
    • identify familiar landmarks.
    • recognize some similarities and differences between cultures.
    • greet people with culturally appropriate customs.
    • use appropriate gestures.
    • identify songs/poetry in the target language.
Performance Descriptors:
Knowledge:
K-2
Students know:
  • typical activities and events of the target culture.
  • children's songs, poetry, and rhymes from the target culture.

3-5
Students know:
  • typical activities and events of the target culture.
  • children's songs, poetry, and rhymes from the target culture.

6-8
Students know:
  • landmarks from target language.
  • information from target language.
  • cultural information linked to themes taught.
  • songs, poetry and rhymes from the target culture.
Skills:
K-2
Students are able to:
  • identify cultural products such as music, art, sports, games, and entertainment.
  • identify cultural practices of the target culture.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • identify cultural products such as music, art, sports, games, and entertainment.
  • identify cultural practices of the targte culture.
  • identify common beliefs and attitudes within the target culture.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • identify patterns of social behavior and interactions typical of the culture.
  • identify cultural products such as music, art, sports, games, and entertainment.
  • identify cultural practices of the target culture.
  • analyze cultural perspectives.
  • identify common beliefs and attitudes within the target culture.
Understanding:
K-2
Students understand that:
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.

3-5
Students understand that:
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.

6-8
Students understand that:
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better understanding of my own language and culture.
  • the study of a foreign language develops insights into the nature of language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
World Languages
WLAN (2017)
Grade: K-8
Novice Low Proficiency Range
7) Investigate, analyze, and reflect on similarities and differences between the target and native cultures.

a. Compare gestures used to greet family, friends, and acquaintances.

b. Compare and contrast tangible products of the native and target cultures.

Examples: Food, clothing, toys, and children's stories

c. Compare simple behavior patterns in the native and target cultures.

Unpacked Content
Goals:
Comparisons
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
K-2
Students:
  • compare gestures used in the home and target cultures.
  • compare and contrast tangible products (food, clothing, etc.).
  • compare behavior patterns of the home and target cultures.

3-5
Students:
  • compare and contrast gestures used in the home and target cultures.
  • compare and contrast tangible products (food, clothing, etc.).
  • compare and contrast behavior patterns of the home and target cultures.

6-8
Students:
  • compare gestures used in the home and target cultures.
  • compare and contrast tangible products (food, clothing, etc.).
  • compare behavior patterns of the home and target cultures.
Performance Descriptors:
Knowledge:
K-2
Students know:
  • what tangible products are associated with target and native cultures.

3-5
Students know:
  • what tangible products are associated with target and native cultures.

6-8
Students know:
  • what tangible products are associated with target and native cultures.
  • what intangible products are associated with target and native cultures.
Skills:
K-2
Students are able to:
  • recognize tangible products.
  • recognize culturally appropriate behaviors.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • recognize tangible products.
  • recognize intangible products.
  • recognize cultural practices of the target and native cultures.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • recognize tangible products.
  • recognize intangible products.
  • recognize cultural practices of the target and native cultures.
  • analyze cultural perspectives of the target and native cultures.
Understanding:
K-2 Students understand:
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
  • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.

3-5
Students understand that:
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
  • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.

6-8
Students understand that:
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
  • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.
World Languages
WLAN (2017)
Grade: 7-12
Level I
4) Identify practices of the target cultures.

a. Use basic appropriate gestures in common interactions.

b. Identify behaviors in a variety of environments.

c. Identify typical activities, events, and celebrations of the target cultures.

Unpacked Content
Goals:
Culture
Modes Of Communication:
Presentational Mode
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • recognize practices common to formal and informal interactions.
  • identify products and practices to help understand cultural perspectives.
Performance Descriptors:
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • how to appropriately greet and address a variety of people within the target culture.
  • which specific holidays, celebrations and events are important to the target language culture.
Skills:
Students are able to:
Novice Mid Level
  • address others in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • identify practices associated with specific target language culture events such as celebrations and holidays.
  • identify practices associated with the student's own events, celebrations, and holidays.
Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • address others in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • identify practices associated with specific target language culture events such as celebrations and holidays.
  • identify practices associated with the student's own events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • investigate the relationship between cultural practices and perspectives.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
World Languages
WLAN (2017)
Grade: 7-12
Level I
9) Identify products, practices, and perspectives of the target culture and the native culture.

a. Identify daily routines in the target culture and the native culture.

b. Identify celebrations in the target culture and the native culture.

c. Identify games, stories, songs, and rhymes from the native culture and those from the target culture.

Unpacked Content
Goals:
Comparisons
Modes Of Communication:
Presentational Mode
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • identify the difference between the terms products, practices, and perspectives.
  • list items or products important to the target language culture.
  • list actions or practices that are important to the target language culture.
  • recognize why these products and practices are important to the target language culture (perspectives).
  • identify celebrations important to the target language culture.
  • identify products and practices associated with celebrations in the target language culture.
  • recognize games, stories, songs, and rhymes that are significant to the target language culture.
  • identify products, practices, and perspectives that are important to their own personal culture.
Performance Descriptors:
Knowledge:
Student know:
  • how to identify important cultural products, practices, and perspectives that are important within their own personal lives.
  • how to use present tense verbs to describe what people do.
  • how to use adjectives to describe nouns.
Skills:
Students are able to:
Novice Mid Level
  • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to native culture.
  • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to the target language culture including celebrations, music, games, and rhymes.
Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to native culture.
  • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to the target language culture including celebrations, music, games, and rhymes.
  • compare and contrast native and target culture products, practices and perspectives.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • there are similarities and differences in the characteristics of the target culture and their own.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
  • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.
Tags: Celebrations, Cinco de Mayo, Comparisons, Culture, Dia de los Muertos, Holidays, Mexico, Novice Low, Perspectives, Practices, Spanish
License Type: Attribution
For full descriptions of license types and a guide to usage, visit :
https://creativecommons.org/licenses
Accessibility
Comments
  This resource provided by:  
Author: Chrissy Roe
This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Copyright © 2017, Alabama Learning Exchange
Alabama State Department of Education
Alabama State Department of Education