Hispanic Heritage Month Printables for Middle & High School

Hispanic Heritage Month has rolled around once again and this year I have some new HHM resources for middle and high school students. In the past, I have focused a lot on elementary and lower middle school grades. But I see a lot of teachers purchasing those products and using them with older students. (Here's my list of Printable Lessons and Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month that are for all different ages.) So this year, I sat down to create lesson and activities with those educators in mind.

Here is a list of my HHM downloads, starting with the new ones available for this year, as well as my other established favorites. :)

Hispanic Heritage Month Printables for Middle School & High School

Hispanic Heritage Reading Passage

I am so excited about this one! This new one-page reading passage is dedicated exclusively to Hispanic Heritage Month and talks about how and when it came to be, why it is important to celebrate it, and who are some important figures in U.S. history. It comes with an 8-question comprehension quiz and answer key.

The coolest part is that it includes a digital version if you prefer to assign it for virtual instruction. 

**Note: Those of you who purchase my reading passages regularly will be happy to know that I am working on adding digital versions to all of them. Yay! 

Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia Challenge

This is a Google Sheets™ file designed as a supplemental assessment game! Students test their knowledge of Hispanic Heritage Month by answering up to 12 self-checking trivia questions. They have to choose 8 questions to answer, but may gain bonus points by answering more.

It's a great assessment activity to pair with the following:

• Hispanics in History Fandex
• Hispanic Heritage Reading Passage
• or simply to use as an intro to Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Heritage Month Escape Room

In this Google Sheets file, students must answer 12 (self-checking) questions about Hispanic Heritage Month to unlock the final word puzzle, then unscramble the letters to escape! Comes with two digital files - one in English, the other in Spanish - plus printable task cards, in case you want to use it as an in-class activity and not as a digital one.

Additional Printables that Highlight Hispanics in History

A More Complete History: Hispanic Activists (Unit 1)

This comprehensive Teach for Justice unit focuses on five important (and often forgotten) historical figures of the 1900s using articles and mini documentaries as our secondary sources. The 150-page unit for high school students includes lesson plans for in-person and virtual learning, as well as essay questions, project based learning options, and research & present topics. Options for worksheets and summative assessments allow for differentiated learning.

The five figures covered in this unit are:

• Jovita Idár
• Sylvia Mendez
• Ralph Lazo
• Willie Velásquez
• and Helen Rodríguez Trías

I have also begun breaking up this unit into the individual lessons and making them available, starting with Jovita Idár:

A More Complete History: Hispanic Activist Jovita Idár (Lesson 1)

Jovita Idár is in the news lately because she will be the first Mexican American woman recognized by the U.S. Mint on a coin in 2023 as part of their American Women Quarters Program. 

This 30-page lesson plan closely looks at her life and work. The activities require research and critical thinking. It includes Google Drive options for worksheets and summative assessments allow for differentiated learning and virtual instruction. Answer keys and essay rubric are included.

You can also find this free sample of one of the lessons from the unit, in case you'd like to try before you buy:

A More Complete History: Hispanic Activist Willie Velásquez (Lesson 4)

When and How to Use Them

All of these lessons and activities can be used in either a school or home learning environment. If you are a parent, you may use these to supplement your child's main curriculum. Or use them in your homeschool as an additional class that dives into heritage studies. Or even better, use them in history to study the contributions of Latinos to world and U.S. history - their stories are too often overlooked.

For more excellent resources, be sure to visit the National Museum of the American Latino.

Parent and Teacher Opportunity

Did you know that if you send me a photograph or two of one of my products being used in your home or school classroom (no faces necessary), I will send you any non-bundle item free from my shop? You pick the product!

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Latinos in History Your Children Should Know
  
  
• Free Hispanic Heritage Month Digital Classroom
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month Writing Contest
  
  
• Top Five Reasons Why Latino Children Need to Go to College

15 Sandía Crafts for Summer!

 

Summer is here, and that means it's time for sandía! Not only is it the perfect summertime snack—juicy, sweet, and refreshing—but it makes for great artistic inspiration too.

Your kids will love this list of fun watermelon crafts and activities to help fill their summer days. From sticky watermelon slime to sponge-painted watermelon slices, there's something here for every kid. There's even a watermelon ojo de Dios yarn weaving project that would make a terrific summer camp craft. Kids will also get a kick out of the erupting watermelon science experiment based on the classic baking soda and vinegar reaction.

Ready to get started? Make one of these sweet crafts today!

15 Watermelon/Sandía Crafts & Activities for Summer Fun

1. Watermelon Card | The Best Ideas for Kids
2. Torn Paper Watermelon Craft | Fantastic Fun & Learning
3. Paper Plate Watermelon | Glue Sticks & Gumdrops
4. Paper Handprint Watermelon | Fun Handprint Art
   
5. Button Watermelon Craft | A Cultivated Nest
   
   
   
   
   
6. Watermelon Sponge Painting | Fantastic Fun & Learning
7. W is for Watermelon | Must Have Mom
8. Watermelon Bookmark | Sunny Day Family
9. Watermelon God's Eye | Red Ted Art    ** This is an awesome ojo de Dios craft.
10. Painted Watermelon Flower Pot | Mommy Moment
    
    
    
    
    
11. Paper Watermelon Toy | Moms & Crafters   *** PERFECT for young children with play kitchens!
12. Watermelon Fan | Crafts by Amanda -- Super cute! I think this is a great idea for my 3yo.
13. Watermelon Slime | Giggles Galore
14. Erupting Watermelon Science | Natural Beach Living -- 
15. Painted Handprint Watermelon Letter W Craft | Kindergarten Worksheets & Games

Printable Sandía Preschool Pack

It's not a craft, but don't forget my Sandía Activity Pack! It keeps those nenes busy, busy. It's available with all the activity pages in English AND Spanish (the letter of the week for the Spanish versions, though, is S). 

If you're looking for more art resources, check out these on MommyMaestra:

• 17 Dinosaur-Themed Crafts for Kids
• Día Craft: DIY Book Tutorial
• How to Make Your Own Peruvian Retablo
• MommyMaestra Summer of Fun: Continuous Line Art
• 5 Ways to Deal with All Your Child's School Art/Paperwork
• The Benefits of Messy Art
• 18 Fun Felt Crafts for Kids (Coming soon!)

Real-World Science: Scholastic Pathways

Do you guys know about Scholastic Pathways? It's a must for educators teaching science to 6th - 12th grades. 

This website has resources (magazines, lessons, activities, and videos) on real-world science topics - and they're all FREE!

The topics include: 

• Microscopes & Imaging
• Superbugs
• Circadian Rhythms
• Regeneration
• and Basic Science

Each of the topics comes with an educator's guide, magazine, printable activities, and digital tools that basically consist of an interactive program and a Kahoot game. Actually, all of the materials I just listed are available online in a digital format. 

BUT educators can also order print copies - up to 100 copies of the magazines for their students and a limit of five educator's guides.

The interactives are like virtual classrooms in which you click on specific parts of the image and it yields information in the form of texts and photos. It's fairly engaging for kids. 

Overall, this a fabulous resource for middle and high school students. Homeschoolers especially should take advantage of it and the wealth of information it has for young learners. 

Check it out yourself!

Free Download: Valentine Bingo Activity in Spanish

Are you getting ready for Valentine's Day? MommyMaestra sponsor, Spanish for You!, is here to help! Why not incorporate some Spanish-learning into your Valentine's celebrations? 

This month's freebie focuses on words associated with this holiday all about love and friendship. The 4-page download includes picture cards, activity sheets, and instructions to help your young Spanish learner master the new vocabulary. It comes with an audio file which is great for those of you who may not speak Spanish yourself, but are raising bilingual children.

Click here to download this file

Bilingual & Spanish Books About Love!

(The following links are affiliate links.)

Find more Spanish for You! resources!

Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

Las Adelitas for Kids & Young Adults

Las Adelitas for Kids

Are you looking for information on las Adelitas to share with your children or students? If so, MommyMaestra has you covered with several resources for different ages.

4th through 8th Grades:

Today is the last day of Women's History Month, so I created this one-page reading passage with a brief history of las Adelitas.

Mexico's soldaderas played a crucial role in the Mexican Revolution. They were the military women who cared for or fought alongside their male family members and sweethearts. Some were camp followers who helped feed, clothe, or care for the sick. Others fought valiantly in their respective militias. And they could be found in each of the groups, or armies, battling for control

But their story has been largely ignored by history. We've had to rely on family histories and even corridos to learn about them. But word-of-mouth is powerful and the image of Adelita has persisted and spread. It's even featured in a children's picture book by the popular children's author and illustrator, Tomie dePaola. Titled “Adelita,” it is the Mexican version of the Cinderella story and tells the tale of a young woman fighting for her future.


My one-page reading passage (shown at the top of this post) comes with an 8-question reading comprehension quiz and answer key. As with all of my one pages, the file includes both the English and Spanish versions.

High School & College:

• Here is an excellent article on Medium about the Revolution and the Adelita's role in it. The article is packed with great information and has beautiful photos. How the Women “Adelitas” Helped Win the Mexican Revolution of 1910: Women played an essential role in Mexico’s cultural shift towards economic and racial equality during the early 20th century. 


• For a more in-depth study, check out this article (thesis?) in the McNair Scholars Journal from Grand Valley State University:: From Soldadera to Adelita: The Depiction of Women in the Mexican Revolution.



Enjoy!

The Big Fat Notebooks Series for Middle Schoolers

Last year, I reviewed a product for a marketplace that has since closed. So I wanted to share my thoughts about these books with you here because this set of books has become an invaluable tool for us in our homeschool. In fact, I would say that they are a must-have for ANY middle schooler's home reference library. It's not just for homeschoolers. All kids (and their parents, too!) will love this series which helps describe the most important concepts in all subjects in a clear and concise manner.

This post contains affiliate links.

The Big Fat Notebooks series is set of five books covering all the major subjects in middle school in easy-to-understand detail. They are your middle schooler’s new BFF! The best thing about this series is that it is very reader-friendly and presents the information in an engaging manner with lots of visuals to help your student understand and retain the concepts. Children in traditional schools can use the series to help them complete homework, while homeschoolers can use the books as a curriculum spine, or the base curriculum for your entire school year.

The Basics

The set is made up of five books in all. They are color-coded for easy recollection and cover the following subjects:

• English
• Science
• Math
• American History
• World History

The books were created by the same people behind the popular series, Brain Quest. We’ve used their workbooks regularly in our homeschool as a supplement to our lesson or for days when we just need a change from our main curriculum. But the Brain Quest series only goes through 6th grade.

Enter the new "COMPLETE Middle School Study Guides.” They are very different from the workbook sets. There is a greater emphasis on layout and the use of colors. We love how these books break up concepts into short manageable sections that focus on the key concept being taught. The front of the book states that these are “notes borrowed from the SMARTEST KID in class” and the information is definitely arranged in the form of a notebook, with highlights in different colors representing different things (i.e., yellow highlights = important vocabulary, green highlights = definitions, and blue writing = important people, places, dates, and terms). The illustrations are more like doodles that help the note taker to visualize big ideas.

Each chapter ends with a list of questions that helps the student test their knowledge. (It’s almost like a quiz, but the students simply have to turn the page to check their answers.)

The only thing that would make this series better is if they had included an index at the back for easy reference. For instance, my daughter was trying to look up subordinating conjunctions, but they weren’t listed in the Table of Contents because they were included in the chapter with phrases and clauses. So it took a little while to find them.

English Language Arts 

This book covers five areas:

1. Grammar
2. Language
3. Reading Fiction
4. Reading Nonfiction
5. Writing

From intensive pronouns and figurative language to setting and tone to plagiarism and citation, your child will learn about these concepts in easy-to-understand language with simple examples. There are definitions, diagrams, doodles, and even mnemonic devices to help your student remember important information.

Math

My daughter often forgets what the difference is between finding the greatest common factor and the least common multiple. Sometimes she needs help remembering how to find the percentage. This book is a fabulous reference and a must-have when doing school work. It covers six areas:

1. The Number System
2. Ratios, Proportions, and Percents
3. Expressions and Equations
4. Geometry
5. Statistics and Probability
6. The Coordinate Plane and Functions

This book is really a goldmine not just for students, but for the parents to whom they turn asking for help! Can’t remember how to convert measurements or calculate simple interest? No problem! You can just look it up in this handy notebook!

Science

This book is my favorite of the set! It covers so much information and I’ve enjoyed just starting at the beginning and taking each section one by one with my kids. Sure they can use it to supplement their science curriculum, but this book is also fun to use as a science spine. Take it one section at a time and then supplement it with activities, books, and experiments!

It covers ELEVEN areas:

1. Scientific Investigation
2. Matter, Chemical Reactions, and Solutions
3. Motion, Forces, and Work
4. Energy
5. Outer Space: The Universe and the Solar System
6. The Earth, Weather, Atmosphere, and Climate
7. Life: Classification and Cells
8. Plants and Animals
9. The Human Body and Body Systems
10. History of Life: Heredity, Evolution, and Fossils
11. Ecology: Habitats, Interdependence, and Resources

The doodles are simple but very entertaining, and the explanations are clear and concise. If you could only get one book of the whole series, this would be it!

American History

I think this book is great for explaining the more difficult events in American history, such as the cause behind World War I. I love how superfluous details are left out and the main points are the focus of these books because it really helps to clarify those murky moments in U.S. history.

This book covers ten areas:

1. Prehistory – Early 1600s
2. Colonial America, 1607-1780s
3. American Revolutions and the Early Republic, 1776-1791
4. American Expansion, 1801-1861
5. Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850s-1870s
6. Reshaping the Nation, 1850-1917
7. World Wars and Modern America, 1900s-1930s
8. World War II, 1930s-1945
9. Post-World War II Era, 1945-1980
10. American History and Current-ish Events

From the Louisiana Purchase to Burr vs. Hamilton to D-Day, this book is a super helpful guide for students studying American history.

World History

And finally, we have world history. From Medieval Japan to the Olympic Games, this book covers tons of information in bite-sized snippets that focus on the key points.

This book covers nine areas:

1. The First Humans: Prehistory-3500 BC
2. First Civilizations: 3500 – 300 AD
3. The Middle Ages: 400 – 1500
4. Renaissance and Reformation: 1350-1650
5. The Age of Exploration: 1400- 1800
6. Revolution and Enlightenment: 1500 – 1865
7. The Era of Imperialism: 1800-1914
8. World Conflicts in the Early Twentieth Century: 1914-1945
9. Post-World War II: The World from 1945 to Today

Overall, I love how these books strengthen a student’s skills for using a reference source. It also empowers them to find the answers they are looking for rather than asking an adult or looking it up on the internet. Actually, it is better! Have you ever looked up the reason for World War I on the internet? Or how to find the least common multiple of two numbers? We like the descriptions in these books best.

For homeschoolers, this isn’t a stand-alone curriculum. It must be supplemented with textbooks or living books and online tools, if you choose to use it as a curriculum spine.

Hispanic American Literature

I've been sharing one-semester resources to supplement or break up your homeschool year. I've already mentioned how we're using Civil Rights: Then & Now, as well as Philosophy for Kids this spring semester.

Here's another one I'm looking forward to using in the fall with my 8th grader, but it would be an excellent resource for high school, too.

Hispanic American Literature is another excellent find that I stumbled upon one year in my local used book store. It was published nearly 20 years ago but is still a great addition to any bilingual or multicultural homeschool or classroom.

The book is a collection of nonfiction, features, short stories, poems, folktales, and drama. The list of contributors is noteworthy; there are works from writers such as Rudolfo Anaya, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Gary Soto, Margarita Engle, José Martí, Julia Alvarez, Octavio Paz, and many others. Most of them are reprinted from larger works.

This book is divided up into five themes: Identity/La Identidad, Earth/La Tierra, Expression/La Expresión, Defiance/El Desafío, and Memory/La Memoria. While the text is mostly in English, there are Spanish words mixed in throughout the book in anticipation of a bilingual reader.

Each piece no matter how long or short is preceded by a "Before You Read" section with information about the author and additional background information about the text. And each work is followed by a section with comprehension questions and suggested activities to extend the learning. This is really a fantastic resource for teachers. Take a look at these sample pages:

My son won't know all the Spanish words, so I'll be there to help him. But some are easily figured out by those who don't speak Spanish simply by the context.

I was able to find three additional copies of this book. If you are interested, they are available on a first-come, first served basis in my online shop.

Con cariño!

Latino American Resources from PBS Learning Media

I share a lot of resources on MommyMaestra for elementary students, but this week I'm going to focus on older children. And I'm starting off with one of the online education portals that you may already be familiar with: PBS Learning Media.

A few years ago, PBS ran a special documentary series: Latino Americans. You may have watched it. If not, it is an EXCELLENT media resource for your Latino Studies lessons at home or classroom. You can find it here. (aff link)

(There's an awesome book written by Ray Suarez to accompany the series, but more about that in my next post.)

A snippet of a larger lesson plan about Latinos at the Ballot Box on PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media also has a fair collection of themed multimedia lesson plans for students in 4th through 12th grade to accompany the documentary. But before you ask, many of the lessons can be used independently. I love that the lesson plans include so many primary texts and well-researched historical sources, as well as downloadable materials for student use. The activities require critical thinking about each subject, some of which include:

• Who Are Latinos?
• Identity, Immigration and Economics: Involuntary Deportations of the 1930s
• Digging at the Roots of Your Family Tree
• Stereotypes vs. Statistics (grades 4 - 8) AND/OR (grades 9 - 12)
• Latinos at the Ballot Box
• Stories of Arrival
• What's In a Name?
• Students Rising
• Organizing the Farm Worker Movement
• Extranjeros & Expansion
• Puerto Rican Perspectives
• Cuban Exodus
• Journey from Mexico
• The Mexican-American War
• Spanish-American War

And there are quite a few biographies, too.

These are quality materials that should not be overlooked by teachers and parents. If you are teaching a multicultural studies class to your children or students, this is a must-have.

Those of you who must contend with Common Core and state standards, each lesson plan also has a list of the standards that are met.

TEACHER BONUS: All of these lessons are Google Classroom friendly and may be assigned directly from the lesson plans.

To take a look at all of the lesson plans they have available on this subject, click here.

The Search for STEMnauts Contest

Calling all middle school and high school students!

If you are obsessed with space or enjoy coding, this is a great opportunity for you! NASA has partnered with Texas Instruments to create and host this super fun contest that features the skills astronauts use in space. And they are searching for young STEMnauts to complete their challenges.

To win great prizes, you and your team of up to 5 fellow students must decipher puzzles and brainteasers using the coding and STEM* problem-solving strategies NASA uses to make human life in space possible. You'll have to have an adult sponsor, but they canNOT help you with the challenges. ;)

Teams must be middle or high school students. Homeschoolers are eligible.



The team with the most points will win:

• A new Galaxy Gray TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator for each team member
• A $500 Amazon gift card for your team
• Passes to choice of NASA visitor center
• An assortment of fun STEM and space-related objects, including:
  - ISS Drawstring Backpack
  - Squishy Astronaut
  - NASA Pins/Decals
  - Foam RocketsS
• A video chat with a NASA subject matter expert

In addition, each of the members of five teams chosen at random will win a Galaxy Gray TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculators.

I think there are only around 150 teams at the moment, so your chances are good! Get in there and start deciphering codes and riddles.

You can enter the contest any time before it ends on May 31st.

My daughter is totally geeked about participating and is lining up a teammate. :)

Good luck!!!