Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...

The Aztecs turned the act of making sacrifices into a theatrical production. These native religious practices introduce a video on Pre-Columbian theater. By watching the video, viewers discover the connection between theater and the...

What would you give up for an opportunity of a better life? Scholars investigate the experience of immigrating to the United States. Through video and first-hand accounts, they analyze the dangers, concerns, and fears that follow an...

Is it a calendar? A religious symbol? A political statement? One thing for certain is that Aztec sun stone designs remain an important symbol in Mexican cultural art. Young artists craft their own Aztec Sun design incorporating ideas...

If you're reading Pam Munoz Ryan's story Mice and Beans in class, be sure to include a list of spelling and vocabulary words to your lesson.

Two topics are covered here: the Great Pyramid of Cholula and the Day of the Dead. Seven slides are dedicated to images of and information about the pyramid, and the remainder of the PowerPoint covers the Day of the Dead. Pupils can...

The Day of the Dead is an important part of Mexican culture and some other cultures around the world. Introduce your class to the altars of The Day of the Dead with an online activity. Class members follow the link and explore the altar...

Have you ever seen a Mexican yarn painting? They're beautiful! Create a Mexican yarn painting with your class using this lesson. Start by discussing Mexico's culture and viewing different yarn paintings. After reading about important...

Are the studies of art and archeology connected? You bet they are! Young scholars research the ancient temples of Mexico by visiting an archaeology site. They describe the various temples they see, taking note of shapes, stairs, details,...

What is Cinco de Mayo and why do people celebrate it? Use a handy resource to organize all the facts about the Mexican holiday. There are 13 statements for learners to fill in as they read or hear a lecture on the topic. 

Students research the Huichol social-cultural system in both historical and contemporary Mexican culture. They analyze how peoples' perceptions, attitudes, values, and beliefs affect the development of cultural identity. Students create...

Students research information about the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a major celebration in Mexican culture, and compare it to similar holidays in other cultures. They discover various folk arts and festive traditions associated...

Peek into the art and history of ancient Mexico by analyzing the artifact Stone Serpent Heads. Learners examine images of the piece, discuss its origin, history, and significance. They experience the carving process by creating similar...

Students identify and critique a classic sculpture from Mexico.  For this art analysis lesson, students observe the St. Ferdinand statue from Mexico while identifying artistic features that might represent royalty.  Students investigate...

Students explore the meaning of snakes in the Mexican culture. In this culture lesson, students describe two reasons the snake is important in the Mexican culture and create their own egg carton snake.

Day four of this dance lesson teaches the steps to a Mexican folk dance. It uses chunking and dance to aid them in memorizing the steps. Note: This lesson appears incomplete.

Students tour a virtual gallery of Mexican Art and create a glossary of art terms. They explore the history and culture of Mexico through studying Mexican art. They access websites imbedded in this plan to study the artwork.

When do Hispanic countries celebrate Flag Day and other prominent holidays? Using the chart provided, beginning Spanish speakers practice writing the dates of select holidays in Spanish. An interesting way to review Spanish dates. 

Here are three lessons that work together to engage learners in a cultural and musical exploration. In lesson one the listen to the Mexican folk song, "La Raspa" and discuss cultural context. In lesson two they dance along to both "La...

Students discover the original uses and ceremonial meanings of the piñata and how it changed. In this piñatas activity, students create their own piñatas. Students explain in Spanish the reasons for their designs.

Metal work can be a wonderful way to expose learners to Mexican folk art. This resource provides all the necessary steps for creating Mexican metal tooling with your art class. Images, web links, recommended books and products make...

How does the Spanish culture view death? Gain the interest of your learners by showing them a skull (if you can get one). How is this Spanish celebration similar or different than Halloween? As an extension, you could dedicate a class...

Bring a Mexican marketplace to your classroom! Your middle schoolers will practice buying and selling items and learn more about marketplace culture. Set up booths with props beforehand, and consider adding a few products they're...

Learn about Mexican culture while simultaneously strengthening reading, writing and computer skills. In order to get the most out of Esperanza Rising, pupils should have prior knowledge of Mexican culture. Therefore, there are links to a...