Lesson Plan

Let's Travel to Mexico!

About this book

Grade Level Equivalent: 5.7
Lexile Measure: 780L
Guided Reading Level: O
Age: Age 8, Age 9, Age 10
Genre: General Nonfiction
Subject: Culture and Diversity

About this book

Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1
Lexile Measure: 570L
Guided Reading Level: NR
Age: Age 6, Age 7, Age 5
Genre: Multicultural, Poetry and Rhymes
Subject: Hispanic and Latin American, Spanish

Overview

In this lesson, students learn facts about Mexico, such as Mexican language and literature.

Objective

Students Will:

  1. Listen to books about Mexico.
  2. Locate Mexico on a map.
  3. Match simple Spanish words to pictures.
  4. Write about Mexico.

Materials

  1. Computer
  2. Internet connection
  3. Large-screen TV or projector
  4. Large sombrero-shaped paper for brainstorming words
  5. Look What Came From Mexico by Miles Harvey
  6. World map
  7. Writing paper

Set Up and Prepare

  1. Cut out a large sombrero shape from paper and post it.
  2. Have the online activity Destination Mexico ready for viewing.

Directions

Day 1
Step 1: Read Look What Came From Mexico by Miles Harvey

Step 2: Using the world map locate Mexico.

Step 3: Brainstorm words students may want to use when writing about Mexico. These can be written on the large paper sombrero.

Step 4: As a group, use the computer connected to the large-screen TV or projector to learn more about Mexico using the Internet. I like to use Scholastic's Global Trek.

Step 5. Add more words to the large paper sombrero.

Step 6: Have the students write a page for a class book that you will call Look What We Learned About Mexico. Bind the pages into a book.

Day 2
Step 1: Read Say Hola to Spanish by Susan Middleton Elya available in The Teacher Store.

Step 2: Add Spanish words to the brainstorming sombrero.

Step 3: Have the students practice Spanish words on the computer using the Piñata Concentration Game.

Lesson Extensions

Learn more about Mexico with these fun Web sites.

  1. Mayan Math
  2. Internet Field Trip — Celebrate Mexico
  3. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

Assignments

Tell someone at home what you learned about Mexico. Ask if there is anything at home that comes from Mexico that you could bring to share.

Evaluation

  1. Was there enough time?
  2. Were the students successful or frustrated learning Spanish words?
  3. Did the Internet sites work?
  4. Were the students able to write about Mexico without a lot of help?
  5. Could the students tell me about Mexico?

Assess Students

Teacher Observation:

  1. How many students were able to identify a fact about Mexico?
  2. How many students were able to match Spanish words to pictures?
  3. How many students were able to locate Mexico on the world map?

Copies of the students' writing will be saved for their assessment portfolios.

  • Everything You Need:
    Hispanic Heritage: Everything You Need, Cinco de Mayo: Everything You Need
  • Subjects:
    Charts and Graphs, Literature, Reading Comprehension, Word Recognition, Literature Appreciation, Vocabulary, Expository Writing, Early Reading, Mexico, Mexican and Mexican American, Social Studies through Literature, Spanish, Communication and the Internet
  • Skills:
    Development of Reading Comprehension, Social Studies, Vocabulary, Expository Writing
  • Duration:
    2 Days
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