Hispanic Heritage Month
What an exciting time to feature the contributions of LatinX Writers, Speakers and Movie Makers!
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with culturally relevant texts, video, and speeches that give students opportunity to expand and explore their emerging ELA skills.
Read about Historically Significant Events then invite students to share what they’ve learned.
The celebration runs from September 15-October 15. Here are five prompts Anna posted originally on Sarah J. Donovan’s ETHICAL ELA Five Day Challenge.
Day One: A Salute to Hispanic Stories (Un Saluda a las Historias Latinas)
Day Two: Honor a Leader (Honrar a un Líder)
Day Three – Inspired by an Artist (Inspirado por us Artista)
Day Four: A Spine Poem (Un Poema de Columna Vertebra)
Day Five – Day of the Dead (Dias de Los Muertos)
Consider writing PANTOUM POEMS in response to art by Frieda Kalho and/or Diego Rivera. And, learn about Alfredo Celedón Luján, too.
Alfredo Celedón Luján, of Sante Fe, New Mexico
is Vice President of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Check out HISPANIC HERITAGE and NATIONAL HISPANIC HISTORY MONTH sites.
Invite students to bring in picture books, poems, and selections for their history books to write found poems, Pantoums, an “I Am From” poems about people, places and events reflecting the contributions of men, women and children of Hispanic heritage.
Image from Scholastic website with an interactive page celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Dear Anna,
thank you for sharing our Heritage month wealth with links and info, and thank you for including me. I feel honored and am humbled. Below I am sharing an email I wrote to my colleagues at Monte del Sol Charter School. Abrazos — Alfredo
Dear Colleagues,
When asked what she was having her students do during Black History Month, I heard a friend say, “Every Month is Black History Month.” I’ve used that logic since. While we may have students do special projects during any month we’re celebrating, anything we celebrate is every day of the year. Thus, every day is Asian American Month, National Poetry Month, Black History Month, Jewish Month, LGBTQ+ Month … etc., etc.
For example, we are now celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 – Oct 16). Well … following my friend’s logic: every month is National Hispanic Heritage Month. We may focus on it this month, but we celebrate our heritage every day.
I’m curious to know what you’re having your students read, or what projects they may have, or what “Hispanic” highlights you are using to demonstrate Hispanic culture and pride. (By the way, this is personal, but I detest the word Hispanic — this does not mean you shouldn’t use it – for me, it’s personal — residual from my ’60’s Civil Rights Movement – Activist Days. I prefer Chicana/o, Latinx, Mexican American (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHegSV-Ad3U), or Raza.)
If you’re celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, please remind your students, if you haven’t already, that we celebrate their heritage every day.
Would you please share with the staff anything you’re reading or any projects you’re doing, any “Hispanics” heroines/heroes you’re highlighting, or any “Hispanic” accomplishments you are celebrating in your content area this month … or any other time of year.
Here is a link you might be interested in: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/
And here’s some food for debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLRfslJCZUc&fbclid=IwAR36AaPRG3VI6UNjvKAeo0_TvY1JbOtydGhjQ6c5ek9UNxpLd0pJyiLPHs8 (Now I detest “Hispanic” even more, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it; it’s a large umbrella.)
¡Qué Viva!
Alfredo