Students will learn about a Mexican fiesta, and make a Mexican craft. They will also learn about Mexican foods.

Students will:

1. Plan a fiesta.
2. Follow directions to create a paper flower.
3. Follow directions to cook a tortilla and make a fruit drink.

Directions

Day 1

Step 1: Read Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Fiesta! Cinco de Mayo by June Behrens

Step 2: Discuss Cinco de Mayo and fiestas.

Step 3: Plan a fiesta that includes food, decorations, and entertainment. Make a list of jobs and supplies needed. Decide who will do each job.

Day 2

Step 1: Make decorations to hang around the room for the fiesta.

Mexican Tissue-Paper Flowers

1. Take six sheets of tissue paper and fold the pile like a fan, corrugated. You can use several different colors for each flower or make them a solid color.
2. Cut the folded paper fan in half through the width. Each half will make one flower.
3. Take one half at a time, still folded, and trim both ends into a rounded point.
4. Bend a twist tie or tie yarn around the center of each folded fan of paper.
5. Gently separate each layer of the folded paper by pulling upwards and downwards until you have formed a circular shape.
6. Tape the ends together at the top and bottom so the flower will stay open.

Day 3

This activity can be very loose and flow from one thing to another or it can be very structured. It depends on your personality and what kind of a class you have this year. The steps below are written for a flowing activity. At the end of these steps are some ideas for a structured activity.

Step 1: Have parent volunteers help groups of students make licuado for the fiesta.

Licuado Recipe: Mix banana, strawberry, and pineapple in a blender. Add orange juice to cover, and liquefy.

Step 2: Have parent volunteers help groups of students make tortillas for the fiesta.

Tortillas Recipe:

• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 4 cups of corn, wheat, or white flour

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, salt, and shortening.
2. Add hot water a little at a time (more than 3/4 cup may be needed).
3. Mix until firm and let stand.
4. Roll a heaping tablespoon of the dough with a rolling pin until it is smooth and thin. Show students how in Mexico the tortillas are patted flat in the hands.
5. Cook on a hot griddle over a low flame until moderately brown.
6. Butter and serve as bread with a meal.
7. You could also make tacos: Add cooked beef or chicken, shredded lettuce, salsa, and shredded cheese to the warm tortilla. Fill, fold. and eat.

Step 3: Fiesta!

• Play Mexican music.
• Pin the flowers up around the room.
• Drink licuado, eat tortillas.
• Say Spanish words.
   

Lesson Extensions

Learn more about Cinco de Mayo and Mexico with these websites.

• Cinco de Mayo
• National Geographic's Find People and Places: Mexico

Assignments

While you are waiting for your turn to help with the cooking, you may read books about Mexico.

Ideas for a structured fiesta: Divide the class into four groups. Each group will rotate through four stations. A parent or upper-grade student will be needed for each station. They will be repeating the station activity four times.

Station One: Students pin up their flowers to decorate the room, read books about Mexico, look at castanets or guitars, perhaps learn a Mexican song or clap to music.

Station Two: Students mix and make enough licuado drink for their group and drink it.

Station Three: Students add ingredients to make enough tortilla dough for their group.

Station Four: Students get their tablespoon of dough and flatten it, cook it, and eat it.

After all students have completed all stations, gather the class together to talk about what they did and enjoy Mexican entertainment like watching a dancer or breaking a piñata.

Evaluation

Was there enough time?
Was there enough food?
What types of problems arose that need to be changed next time this lesson is taught?