PBS Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month

 

There are so many great resources circulating for Hispanic Heritage Month. And one of the companies that I always check first when I'm looking for material on ANY subject is PBS.

Did you know that PBS LearningMedia and PBS KIDS for Parents have several free, online resources parents can access to celebrate Hispanic heritage all year long?

HHM Resources for Young Children:

First, PBS Parents has this list of recommended picture books that celebrate Latino voices and culture.

Next, explore Spanish culture with this lesson in Flamenco dance, a traditional style of dance and music that originated in Spain.

Of course, Let's Go Luna is one of our favorites because we love traveling the word, even if it is only vicariously! Don't miss these episodes highlighting Mexico City and Peru.

Finally, dive into Puerto Rico with this simple recipe for making Mofongo (shown above!) and then wrap it all up with this tasty Piragua!

HHM Resources for Older Kids:

This video summarizes the origin, purpose, and many ways Americans recognize Hispanic Heritage Month. It's part of PBS KIDS’ All About The Holidays series (available in English and Spanish).

Discover Cuban music with this video in which TimbaSon, a group that performs Afro-Cuban and Latin dance music, performs “El Cuarto de Tula.”

While we're on the topic of music, go ahead and learn all about SALSA with this video that features Enrique Gonzalez performing the song “Así” with his band the Big Maracas.

THEN hop over and learn about music from the Andes with this fabulous video in which Fernando Moya, a musician from Ecuador, and Xenon Llusko, a musician from Bolivia, demonstrate a variety of Andean instruments and perform three pieces from the region.

Be sure to download the support materials that are found with these videos!

PBS Celebrates Día de los Muertos

One of the things I love best about PBS is how hard it works to be inclusive and to reflect the experiences of their viewers. From Sesame Street to Molly of Denali, I feel like the shows on PBS KIDS introduce children to a diverse world and also help empower children from a variety of backgrounds. And the same is true for their programming for adults.

Did you know that PBS has quite a few resources for Día de los Muertos? Sometimes it's hard to get things exactly right, but most of the time, the introduction (to children) is pretty accurate. I've chosen my favorite episode, craft, and lessons that introduce Day of the Dead to families.

First, for the children...

PBS KIDS

One of my son's favorite new PBS KIDS shows, Let's Go Luna!, has an episode dedicated to the Day of the Dead! Click here to watch it online - just skip to the second half of the show (12:00) to watch it.

PBS Parents

PBS's website for parents also has this super fun tutorial to help you Make Your Own Catrina Doll. They are just the cutest and pretty easy for children to make on their own!

PBS Learning Media

There are a few different lessons on here, but these two are my favorites. The first is a comprehensive unit with multiple videos. The second is a nice introduction to the holiday from a personal point of view.

• Día de los Muertos: Tradition and Translation | Craft in America

• Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos | Everyday Learning

PBS

And finally, for teens and adults, there is a wonderful documentary available for streaming on PBS.org. Artbound has this Día de los Muertos episode that features an "altarista" from L.A., and also talks about the history of Day of the Dead in this country.

Other Posts About Day of the Dead:

• Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead Lesson Plans and Activities
  
  
• Last-Minute Print-and-Go Day of the Dead Activities
  
  
• Monarch Butterflies & Day of the Dead
  
  
• Dia de los Muertos Nichos

New "Little 101" Series from PBS Parents Available Online

Why does my nose sneeze?
Where do my tears come from?
Why do dogs pant?
Why don't birds fall down when they fly?

These are some of the questions I remember my kids asking when they were little.

Sometimes the littlest minds pose the biggest questions—questions with complicated answers that often leave adults scratching their heads. For instance, how do you explain to a kid why they get dizzy when they twirl around really fast? But now there is a new video series from PBS Digital Studio called “Little 101” that is here to help.

I think the new series is cute and fun and informative. It's a good way to explore those hard-to-answer questions with your kids. The first episode has aired (see below), and more are on the way. 

“Little 101” combines appealing multimedia formats and accessible language to answer questions such as “Why Do Stars Twinkle?” and “Why Are We Ticklish?” Narrated and animated by Nathan Shields, aka Saipancakes, the series will post a new episode bi-weekly on the PBS Parents YouTube channel. So subscribe today!