Hispanic+Heritage--Annemarie+Schaff

Hispanic Heritage Unit—List of Nonfiction Trade Books and Websites

By Annemarie Schaff

I will use the text and website resources below to teach a Hispanic Heritage unit to a mixed-ability group of bilingual 3rd and 4th graders. The group consists entirely of Hispanic students from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic. Although Hispanic Heritage month has come and gone, it is still vital that these students be not only exposed to, but also engaged and immersed in their history, culture, and language. Not only studying, but understanding one’s heritage is important in order to be able to build respect with others with the same and with different cultures, customs, traditions, and backgrounds. **Nonfiction Texts for Teaching Hispanic Heritage: ** **Garcia Dávila, S. (2001). //Los Antepasados para niños//. Mexico City, MX: Selector. ** **Argueta, J. (2010). //Arroz con leche: Un poema para cocinar/Rice Pudding: A Cooking Poem//. Berkeley, CA: Publishers Group West. ** **Palacios, A. (1995). //Hablamos dos idiomas.// Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publications, Inc.** **Lomas Garza, C. (1990). //Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia//. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.** **Perl, L. (1983). //Piñatas and Paper Flowers: Holidays of the Americas in English and Spanish/Piñatas y flores de papel: Fiestas de las Américas en inglés y español//. New York, NY: Clarion Books. Spanish version by Alma Flor Ada. ** **Lowery, L. (2006). //El Día de los Muertos//. Minneapolis, MN: ediciones Lerner. ** **Hollihan, K. (2010). //Christmas Traditions in Latin America/Tradiciones navideñas de Latinoamérica//. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Translation by Ma. Pilar Sanz ** **Anacona, G. (1995). //Fiesta U.S.A.// New York, NY: Lodestar Books.** **Brown, M. (2010). //Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado: La historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez//. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ** **Brown, M. (2013). **//**Tito Puente: Mambo King/Rey del Mambo **//**. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. **
 * This Spanish text helps children better understand social, cultural, and political changes that have taken place in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times. It includes comprehensive descriptions of daily life, monuments, writings, religious customs, and military rule. Amazon age range: 8 and up, Grade range: 3 and up.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Through poetry and a bilingual format, this book offers a recipe to make arroz con leche, a traditional rice pudding with a Hispanic variation. Amazon age range: 4-7, Grade range: Preschool-2. Barnes and Noble age range: 4-7 years.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Topics such as how the Spanish language arrived in the Americas, the relationship between Spanish and English, who speaks Spanish in the United States, bilingual education, and notable bilingual people are all explained in this Spanish text. Better World Books age range: 8-12 years.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">This bilingual text tells about the Mexican American author’s childhood in Kingsville, Texas through a series of fifteen paintings and stories such as “For Dinner,” “Picking Nopal Cactus,” “Quinceañera,” and “Healer.” Lexile: 750L, Interest Level: Grades 3-5.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amparano, J. (2003). //America's Latinos: Their Rich History, Culture, and Traditions//. Mankato, MN: Child's World. **
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"> American Latinos and their makeup is described in this text. It includes information about different cultures and how these groups arrived in America and become part of the culture. Interest Level: Grade 5 and up, Age Range: 10 and up.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">This bilingual book describes different ways people in English- and Spanish-speaking countries celebrate eight holidays, some particular to certain places and others that celebrate two cultures. Lexile: 870L, Interest Level: Grades 3-5.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Spanish text describes the Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead, including why it is celebrated, who it honors, and how families remember loved ones who have passed. Amazon age range: 7 and up, Grade range: 2 and up. Barnes and Noble age range: 5-8 years.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">A bilingual text, this book offers a look into how families in Latin America celebrate Las Posadas, Christmas Eve and Christmas, and Three Kings’ Day. Amazon age range: 7 and up, Grade range: 2 and up. Barnes and Noble age range: 7-10 years.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book, written in English with specific Spanish terminology included, explains four festivals Hispanic people celebrate in the United States including El Día de los Muertos, Las Posadas, the dance of Los Matachines, and Three Kings’ Day. Lexile: 990L, Interest Level: Grades 3-5.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The story of how Dolores Huerta and César Chávez worked together to create the National Farm Workers Association to inspire farmworkers and immigrants to fight for their rights peacefully is related in this bilingual text. Lexile: 870L, Interest Level: Grades K-2.
 * This bilingual picture book tells the biography of Tito Puente--from growing up banging pots together all the way to reaching his dream of becoming a musician with his own band. Lexile: 740L, Interest Level: Grades K-3, Barnes and Noble age range: 4-8 years.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Guzmán, L. & Guzmán, R. (2008). //Ellen Ochoa: La primera astronauta latina//. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. ** **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Brown, M. (2004). //My Name is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz//. Flagstaff, AZ: Luna Rising. ** **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Winter, J. (2001). //¡// //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Béisbol!: Pioneros y leyendas del béisbol latino //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books. **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The life of Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut is described in this Spanish text. Her childhood, education, and career are detailed, and the references to additional resources allow the reader to access more information about Ochoa. Amazon age range: 8 and up, Barnes and Noble age range: 8-12 years.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The story of Celia Cruz is presented first person format in English and Spanish in this book. It shows how, from her birth in Cuba many years ago to her death in New Jersey, her singing and music helped create a new type of music--salsa. Lexile: 850L, Interest Level: Grades K-2.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Through the use of a baseball card format, statistics and narratives of fourteen legendary Latino baseball players from 1900 through 1960 are presented in Spanish in this book. Lexile: 960L, Interest Level: Grades 3-5.

Winchester, F. (1996). // Hispanic holidays //. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books. This book includes images and details of Hispanic holidays. Lexile: 480

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">**Note that in Spanish, only the first letter of the book title is capitalized.** // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">***Some texts written in Spanish do not have an obtainable corresponding Lexile level or Interest level. Spanish texts without available Lexile levels instead have an appropriate grade and/or age level listed.*** //

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Websites for Teaching Hispanic Heritage: ** [] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This website from Scholastic provides students information about Famous Latinos, Latinos in History, and Hispanic History in the Americas. There is even a link to stories about other Latino kids and adults and what their heritage means to them.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This website run by the Smithsonian Institution offers a link to the Latino Virtual Museum that showcases bilingual exhibits from such countries as Argentina and Panama, as well as a link to //Radio Latino//, an audio stream that highlights Latino sounds, styles, and culture.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This site is great not only for teacher resources including lesson plans and activities, but also references for students such as English Words Created by Spanish Culture and Hispanics in Congress.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Colorín Colorado provides links to multi-media resources, background resources about Hispanic Heritage, articles, activities and games to bilingual learners.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Hispanic songs, holidays, traditions, culture and celebrations are explored on this website.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Holidays, traditions and faith, biographies, myths and legends, and food can be investigated on this site run by a Hispanic immigrant from Colombia.

[] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This website delves into culture (art, customs, music, history, etc.) in many Spanish speaking countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico to name a few). Numerous links under each sub-heading allow students to peruse specific details pertaining to that topic.

http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/k-12/ This site run by the Latin American Network Information Center has an abundance of resources for students and teachers including country resources, lesson plans, and an entire section of resources for children with links to information and at least 10 other websites like Discovery School and PBS Kids in English and Spanish.

http://www.zonalatina.com/Zlchild.htm Latin American children resources such as articles, internet sites, cartoon and comic characters, magazines, and social issues can be found on this website. Zona Latina deals primarily with media and marketing, and have devoted an entire section to children's materials.