"Mexican Fiesta Day"

Grade Level:  7th Grade

Subjects:  Math, Art, Social Studies/Geography, Language Arts, Music

Learner Outcomes:

  • Students will participate in a Mexican fiesta.
  • Students will create a Mexican meal.
  • Students will create a set of maracas.
  • Students will be able to identify the characteristics of Mexican music.
  • Students will be able to identify two Mexican artists, two Mexican writers, and 2 Mexican sports. 
  • Students will learn the basics of soccer.
  • Students will be able to describe a piñata and its uses.
Duration of Lesson:  1 hour 30 minutes

Materials:
materials for maracas

Technology Tools/Courseware:

  • computers for each child that has access to Microsoft Word
  • laptop
  • projector
  • PowerPoint
Teacher Notes:
  • Reserve media center/Success lab in advance.
  • Duplicate copies of the directions of how to create a maraca and rules of soccer.
  • Find PowerPoint presentation "Arts and Recreation of Mexico."
  • Prepare a table of materials for maracas prior to activity.
  • (May want to create cooperative groups to work on maracas so they can share materials.)
  • (Instead of having the students create a meal, you may want to have the cooks prepare the meal as the school lunch.)
  • Buy the ingredients for the Mexican fiesta in advance.
Procedures:

1.  Students will view a PowerPoint presentation on the arts and recreation of Mexico.
2.  Hold a class discussion on painters, writers, traditional music, celebrations, foods, and 
     sports of Mexico prompted by the Power Point presentation.
3.  Have students create maracas while listening to Mexican music.
4.  Take the students to the playground and divide them into two teams.  Review the 
      rules of soccer.  Have students play a game of soccer.
5.  Have students work together to create a Mexican meal or dinner and allow them to eat
     with chopsticks.
6.  Have students use Microsoft Word to write about what they have learned.
7.  Have students complete a quiz on the arts and recreation of Mexico.

Modifications: Follow those listed in the students' IEPs.

Enrichment Activities: Have the students learn a Mexican dance and dress in the traditional Mexican dress.  You may also have them create a sombrero to wear to the fiesta. Teach them Spanish greetings and numbers.

Evaluation/Assessment: 

  • Student quiz on the arts and recreation of Mexico.
  • Completed maracas.
West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

7.20, 7.33, 7.34,  7.47, 7.49, 7.59, 7.60, 7.61, 7.68

Language Arts:
7.51, 7.52 7.53, 7.54, 7.55, 7.56, 7.57, 7.58, 7.61, 7.62, 7.64, 7.65

Math:
7.9, 7.11

National Standards:

Geography:
4.    Understands the physical and human characteristics of place
6.    Understands that culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and 
       regions 
10.  Understands the nature and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics 

Language Arts:
1.    Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
8.   Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
9.   Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media

Math:
1.   Uses a variety of strategies in the problem solving process
2.  Understands and applies basic and advanced properties of the concepts of numbers
3.  Uses basic and advanced procedures while performing the processes of computation
9.  Understands the general nature and uses of mathematics

Jobs/Career Clusters: Fine Arts/Humanities

References:


 
Overview
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5