Our fifth graders found a delicious way to combine celebration, culture, research, and learning when they paired their Fun Run class prize with a special Hispanic Heritage Month celebration!
Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15–October 15, students have been exploring different aspects of Hispanic culture and the rich diversity of Spanish-speaking countries around the world.
Their learning has taken them on a virtual tour of Cuba, introduced them to animals of Costa Rica—including learning their Spanish names and having a little fun acting them out!—and brought new stories into the classroom through books by Hispanic authors. Students have also explored the contributions and impact of Hispanic activists, learning how individuals can use their voices and actions to influence their communities and the world.
For their culminating celebration, students turned their attention to something that connects cultures everywhere: FOOD!
Each student selected a Hispanic country or countries, researched traditional recipes, and chose a dish to prepare and bring to school to share with classmates. The class set an ambitious goal: Could they represent as many different countries as possible around one classroom table?
The result was a wonderful celebration of flavors, traditions, research, and community!
The experience also reflects the goals of our Cambridge curriculum, which encourages students to move beyond simply learning facts and instead investigate, ask questions, communicate their discoveries, consider different perspectives, and make connections between their learning and the wider world. Through researching countries and recipes, exploring literature and history, learning new Spanish vocabulary, and sharing what they discovered with one another, students practiced these skills in an authentic and memorable way.
And, of course, enjoying some delicious food together was a pretty great way to celebrate their Fun Run class prize, too!
Learning about another culture helps our students better understand both the world around them and the diverse people who make it so interesting.
¡Buen provecho, fifth grade—and happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
