Arts and Culture Lessons
Learn About Latin America!
Learn About Latin American Culture and Arts (LALACA) lessons are designed to introduce students to a variety of topics related to Latin America and the rich artistic and cultural traditions from this diverse region of the world. The workshop model is focused on student engagement, active participation, and hands-on activities to make learning fun and interactive. Interdisciplinary in nature, the lessons incorporate art and cultural traditions from Latin America with language learning, geography, current events, history, and more. Workshop templates are a resource for teachers seeking fun, short, educational activities that encourage creativity, increase awareness about Latin America, and relate to students’ lives.
Learn about Latin American Painting and Art
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This hands-on and interactive presentation introduces students to different styles of painting in Latin American art. The presentation reviews styles such as murals, canvas, surrealism, and alebrijes. The presentation includes a slideshow of images and explanation of these different artistic forms in Mexico and Latin America by looking at important painters like Diego Rivera, Fernando Botero, Salvador Dali, and local community painting styles found in alebrijes. The presentation also includes Spanish vocabulary exposure and finishes with a creative class activity where students can create their own Latin American painting-inspired artwork.
Learn about Cinco de Mayo and Talavera Tiles
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This interactive and interdisciplinary presentation explores the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Mexico, as well as a discussion of an art form found in Puebla, Mexico, the site of Mexico’s independence battle. The presentation will provide students with a brief overview of Mexican history, a discussion of celebrations in Mexico, and the opportunity to make their own Talavera Tile as they would see in Puebla, Mexico, if they visited for a celebration.
Learn about Incan Textiles from Peru
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This hands-on and interactive presentation introduces students to the ancient Inca and their textile traditions, includes Spanish vocabulary exposure, and finishes with a creative class activity where students can design their own textile patterns.
Learn About Moche Ceramics from Northern Peru
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This hands-on and interactive presentation introduces students to the fine-line ceramic style of the Moche, a Pre-Columbian culture of 2000 years ago from the northern coast of Peru in South America. The presentation also includes Spanish vocabulary exposure and finishes with a creative class activity where students can design costumes to act out scenes depicted in the ceramic designs.
Learn about Carnaval Celebration in Brazil
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This interactive and interdisciplinary presentation covers the famous Brazilian holiday of Carnaval that takes place each year in February. This workshop focuses on the costumes, music, and dance that take place, as well as a brief historical overview of the origins of the celebration and its geographic diversity.
Learn about Latin American Geography
Grade level(s): 3-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, World Geography, Cultural Studies
Overview: This hands-on and interactive presentation introduces students to Latin American geography by looking at geographical regions like Central and South America and the Caribbean, learning about Latin American countries, and identifying different country maps. The event includes Spanish vocabulary exposure and finishes with a creative class activity where students can complete a Latin American map of countries.
Artisanal Dyeing in Latin America
Grade level(s): 2-5
Subject Area(s): Spanish, Visual Art, Social Studies, Science
Overview: In this lesson, students will explore the process and the materials used in the natural, artisanal dyeing process used in Latin America for centuries.