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Hi Reader, Next week marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month! From September 15 through October 15, we have a wonderful opportunity to take our students on a journey through the many countries, cultures, traditions, and stories that make up the Hispanic and Latino world. 🌎 This year’s theme is “Unidos, Somos Más” (“Together, We Are More”), reminding us that while each country and culture has its own unique traditions and history, there is so much that connects us. What better way to celebrate than by opening a passport, exploring a new place, and helping our students discover the world right from their classroom? ✈️ We Are Teachers has a fantastic list of activities to do in your classroom to celebrate. It's easy to read a book, but how about taking them on a virtual tour of Chichen Itza, cutting papel picado decorations, or make paletas (Mexican popsicles) with your students? Did you know that chocolate originated from Latin America? There's are several hot chocolate recipes (including one with cheese!) found on this list. Hopefully you can take a few of these ideas and use them in your classroom! Book Recommendations:Here is a list of 20 Hispanic children's picture books. There are some that I'm not familiar with but plan on seeing what I can find at the library! Below is my favorite children's book about Cuba. It's all about a family's journey to Havana in their old car, Cara Cara, and the ingenuity of the Cuban people. Passport Adventure:If you're looking for a Passport Adventure to do with your class during this month, take them to Havana! This lesson has kids pretending to sail to Cuba. They learn about Cuban food and explore places around Havana. It's designed for K-2 students. Use the code: HAVANA for a discount! Let me know if you use any of these ideas or ones of your own to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. I'd love to hear about it. Have a wonderful week! ❤️ |
I show teachers how to make kids feel like they're traveling the world. I've been teaching for 18 years and have spoken at educator conferences in multiple countries. My 30+ travel lessons are made for early childhood students and cover places aroudnd the globe 🌎
Hi Reader, I wanted to share a little teaching moment with you that reminded me how powerful simple ideas can be in the classroom. Recently, our social studies lesson took us all the way to Brisbane, Australia without ever leaving the room. Three of my students brought in their own stuffed koalas, and suddenly, our classroom wasn’t just four walls… it was a koala sanctuary. Our koala sanctuary - inspired by the real ones at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane I recently discovered that more...
Hi Reader, This week I shared something I've been working on for a while. I took my Passport Adventures: Machu Picchu lesson and gave it a major glow-up, with tons of new content and several brand new videos added in. It now comes with 61 pages, 19 videos, 4 drawing/writing pages, a teacher guide, bulletin board, and student packing lists. This is the moment I knew exactly what I wanted to bring back to classrooms with this lesson. It's the biggest and most detailed lesson I own. I loved...
Hi Reader, One of my favorite parts of teaching is watching students become genuinely excited about learning. Sometimes, the best way to create that excitement is to simply let them have a say in what they learn. Last week, I set up a little Travel Agency right in my classroom! I even had magazines and travel pamphlets that a travel agent friend gave me, which made our agency feel a little more official. I created a page with 12 pictures of destinations around the world that I typically teach...