A Teensy Survey with Incentive...

So mis amigas tell me que soy loca if I don't get a media kit together soon. In the four years that I have been blogging, I have not given that a second thought, but MommyMaestra is definitely blossoming much quicker than any of the others. And it has received a mention in some eye-popping places.

I've also been a little surprised at some of the readers of this blog. I know there are several foreign language teachers following along. But I also want to know how many of you are homeschooling parents and how many are using the information I share to supplement your children's traditional education. I'm ecstatic with both!

So, since I want to know more about all of you anyway, and to learn what topics you'd like me to explore, I was hoping that many of you would please consider taking a teensy little survey? This will help me both with the direction I take the blog, as well as with my media kit. (¡Ándale! I sound so professional, que no?)

And I would totally love to hear more about you and your experiences with your children's education, too.

So to sweeten the pot and provide you with a wee bit more incentive, anyone who takes the survey will be entered to win a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate. Just be sure to leave your email address on the survey.

So what are you waiting for? Go here to get started!

And muchisimas gracias for helping me to grow this blog.

Un besito a todos,

~Monica

Weekend Links: Yearbooks to Auditions

A slightly different format today because I wanted to share the photo the symbolic butterfly that all the kids in our 4-H club did this week. You'll also see some of the artwork and letters that the kids added to the packet. I am so excited that we found out about this project in time so that we could participate. If you'd like to take a look at the symbolic butterflies and their journey to Mexico, visit the Journey North website and take a moment to read through some of the messages that the classes have left on the site.

• How to Make a Homeschool Yearbook :: How To Do Things (I think this would be a great project for a homeschool co-op, or simply as a record of your child's school year.)

• Making Math Fun with Card Games :: The Homeschool Classroom

• More Mandalas :: Moment to Moment (This is really a beautiful and creative activity for those of you looking to create art using nature with your children. I’m inspired!)

• How To Homeschool Like A Pro :: Simple Homeschool

• Our Top Ten Hands On Home School Projects :: Stitching Life

• Recruiting Your Homeschool Faculty :: Chalcedon

• Bilingual Education & Early Childhood Learning :: Momma Young at Home

Also:

Auditions will be TODAY (Oct. 16) from 1-3 p.m. at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada for the bilingual play, Cinderella Eats Rice & Beans: A Salsa Fairytale. They are looking for two multi-cultural casts of young actors, ages 12-18.  Eight to ten actors of all ethnicities will be cast and Cinderella (Cenicienta) must be bilingual Spanish/English speaking.

Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead Lesson Plans and Activities

photo by Paul and Jill

Día de los Muertos is quickly approaching, so I thought I would share some of the many fabulous resources that I have discovered over the years. Because this holiday is so popular, there is a growing number of lesson plans, units, and crafts and much more now available on-line. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links.

Day of the Dead Lesson Plans

• By far, one of the best curriculum units has been created by Lori Langer de Ramirez, creator of MisCositas. It is geared for third year (intermediate) Spanish students. This is a comprehensive unit with 63 pages of activities, vocabulary, and more.
  
  
• New Mexico Junior College Museum has shared this downloadable lesson plan for K - 2nd grades that comes from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
  
  
• Vanderbilt's College of Arts & Sciences has this Day of the Dead lesson plan available for 3rd through 12th grades (designed for 5th grade). 
  
  
• World Language Cafe has these 9 Day of the Dead Spanish activities and lesson plans.
  
  
• Lesson Planet has 26 lessons related to Dia de los Muertos that you can scroll through. Each description includes the grade level and a rating. The downside is that you have to create an account, but you can get a free trial period for 10 days.
  
  
• 
  
  
• And MommyMaestra has several articles with a list of resources, including a brief history of Día de los Muertos for children, as well as information on José Guadalupe Posada.

Family-Friendly Day of the Dead Websites

• MisCositas.com also has a virtual webquest with lots of links and ideas. You may also be interested in her virtual picture book: Mi abuela ya no está: Un cuento acerca de la celebración del Día de los Muertos en México
  
  
• Author/Illustrator Yuyi Morales also has a few excellent activities that can be used in conjunction with one of her Trickster books, and she also has a downloadable Teacher’s Guide.
  
  
• Inside Mexico has a great list of articles on a variety of subjects.

Day of the Dead Apps

• Forgotten Tales: Day of the Dead gives the traditional solitaire game an epic twist! You can even play it on your computer if you have a STEAM account.
  
  
• Rosita y Conchita app - still the best, in my opinion.
  
  
• Hippo: Game Day of the Dead is also a fun introduction to the holiday and very kid friendly.

Books

• Here is a list of my favorite children's books about Day of the Dead
  
  
• Be sure to check out the new children's picture book, Rosita y Conchita, which describes Día de los Muertos with an accurate description of the altar and the ofrenda, as well as the reason for them. Possibly the best children's picture book on this subject.

Día de los Muertos Printables

• First! Download your FREE Day of the Dead Activity Calendar
  
  
• Are you building your own ofrenda this year? Why not download my printable ofrenda labels to help explain the elements on your table to visitors? It even includes free-standing labels to place next to framed photos of loved ones, with space to write their name, relationship, and likes/hobbies.
  
  
• Check out all of my Day of the Dead printables! From notecards to minibooks to triptych activities, I have you covered!
  
  
• Do you have older students? Let them try their hand at creating their own Calavera Poetry. 
  
  
• The Muppets has put out a super cute coloring page of Kermit in honor of Día de los Muertos. 
  
  
• ESOL Courses has quite a few free worksheets & exercises on Día de los Muertos
  
  
• HelloKids.com has a nice collection of coloring pages. 

Crafts & Supplies

• Check out this DIY Catrina craft for kids! 
  
  
• Don't miss this list of 10 Videos for Kids on How to Draw Sugar Skulls. It has a nice variety of projects for kids of different skill levels.
  
  
• Here's an easy way to make your own Calavera Pumpkin!
  
  
• Don't miss the Crafty Chica's directions for creating your own felt Día de los Muertos banner. It is super cute! She also has this video for easy step-by-step instructions on making your own shrine-on-a-stick, as well as ways to modify the craft into other decorative ideas:
  
  

• MexicanSugarSkull.com (singular- no “s”) This site will amaze you. Trust me.
  
  
• The Calavera Kit comes with a detailed description of the holiday, suggested reading, additional resources, ways to supplement the craft, as well as the painted papier-maché skull, design patterns, and markers that allow children to decorate their own sugar skull.
  
  
• And check out my post on how to make tissue paper marigolds, my free coloring page, and my calavera craft kit.
  
  
• Take a look at this set of 30 sugar skulls from TeachersDiscovery.com (comes with 3 different designs). 
  
  
• Creative Kismet has a tutorial for creating your own Day of the Dead planters. My kids made miniature pots and loved them!
  
  
• Learn Create Love has a fun printable craft that allows your kid to decorate their own Day of the Dead skull
  
  
• Deep Space Sparkle has a several fun Día de los Muertos activities for kids.

Videos

• "Oaxaca: The Day of the Dead" A beautiful video describing how the holiday is celebrated in Mexico
  
  
• "Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Decorating Party" One of Muy Bueno Cookbook's high-quality short films on the holiday. A must-watch for students.
  
  
• "Dia De Los Muertos" from Whoo Kazoo - Such a lovely, animated short film on the holiday!
  
  
• Las calaveras están de fiesta from MisCositas!
  
  
• El Día de los Muertos en Mexico this is my favorite documentary for this holiday. Go watch! Best for older children in middle and high school.
  
  
• Global Wonders —Their short animated video shares what the holiday is all about.
  
  
• Dia de los Muertos: Young People's Ofrenda – This is a beautiful short video about a collaborative project of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and El Colegio charter school.
  
  
• Los esqueletos —Teach your kids to count in Spanish with this super cute video. (Listen for the singer's Castillian accent.)
  
  
• Viva Calacas — I found this video on SpanglishBaby.com. It is my favorite so far! Parents and children both will love this short video from art director and designer Ritxi Ostáriz.

Additional Resources

Check out MommyMaestra's Pinterest board on Día de los Muertos.

Other Posts You May Like

• MommyMaestra's Favorite Dia de los Muertos Books for Children
  
  
• Monarch Butterflies & Day of the Dead
  
  
• Dia de los Muertos Nichos
  
  
• Free Día de los Muertos Digital Classroom

Lucky Finds: Artes del lenguaje by McGraw-Hill

On a recent trip to Texas I spent some time prowling through my favorite bookstores and teacher shops. I can't remember exactly where I stumbled across this rare find, but I know some of you are homeschooling exclusively in Spanish, so I hope this helps one of you out.


At anyrate, I now have in my possession, one copy of McGraw-Hill's Artes del lenguaje. Actually, I have the text book and the smaller, accompanying manual, Manual de gramática y escritura. This set of books seems to be written for students in 3rd grade. Both are written completely in Spanish and both are in perfect condition. There are no marks, tears, or even a single folded corner in either book that I can see. There is no teacher's manual, however, you can find the English version of this text here, and this site includes a lesson guide for the teachers, and another section for the students/parents.


There is also a section at the front of Artes dedicated to preparing the student for the TAAS test.


McGraw-Hill's online catalog sells the English text book for $50 and the writing guide for $7. I'm offering these two books together for $30.00, plus $5 shipping. It is available here on the Mommy Maestra Specials page on a first-come, first-served basis.


Here are some random pictures so that you will get a good idea of the content...

I have a few other good finds, as well, and will share them with you soon.

Con mucho cariño...

Box Tops for (Homeschool?) Education

Many of you may have heard of the Box Tops for Education program, which allows schools to earn cash to supplement their budgets and purchase necessities. But did you know that homeschoolers can benefit, too? U.S. homeschool associations that contain any class with students from Kindergarten to 8th grade, organized and operated primarily for educational purposes with 15 or more students may register on the Box Tops for Education site.

So while talking to a Box Tops representative this weekend, I was really excited to learn that homeschoolers can also participate. I blogged about this program last year on one of my other blogs right before I started homeschooling my daughter. I barely knew what a homeschool association was, much less the fact that there were some in my area. But I have since learned how valuable a good hs association can be for homeschooling families. If you are new to homeschooling, be sure to look for a good hs co-op or organization in your area. If you are already a member of one, and haven't heard them mention this program, chances are they don't know about it. So go to the Box Top website and print off the information so that you can take it with you and talk about it the next time your group meets.

If you are a teacher, and your school is not taking advantage of this program, go knock on some office doors. This is a great opportunity for you to purchase books, computers, curricula, or other supplies for your school/class. My foreign language teachers: Think about the awesome teaching tools or field trips your class could take with some extra cash that your students earn by clipping box tops!

In 1996, General Mills launched Box Tops for Education in California on Big G cereals like Cheerios®, Total®, Lucky Charms® and other family favorites. Since then, the number of participating products has grown by leaps and bounds. To date, Box Tops has helped America's schools earn $348 million. Your school can earn up to $80,000 every year.

Check out these easy ways to earn:

♥ You can clip 10¢ Box Tops coupons from hundreds of products such as Cheerios®, Betty Crocker®, Juicy Juice®, Ziploc®, Kleenex®, Hefty® and more! The list of participating products includes cereals, frozen foods, juice, paper products, even school/office supplies, to name a few.

♥ At the Box Tops Marketplace, you can shop at over 70 online stores like Oriental Trading Co., Office Depot, and Lands' End. A percentage of purchases goes back to your school.

♥ You can earn cash for your school just by buying the books that you love. Begin your shopping at the Box Tops Reading Room to earn up to 6% on purchases made at Barnes & Noble.

♥ My Class Essentials is a free teacher registry that allows K-8 teachers to create a list of all the supplies their classroom needs. Parents and friends can then select and purchase from over 6000 supplies. Classes get the supplies and the school gets a 2% donation on all purchases.

To make the process even more enjoyable for young children, you can choose and print a collection worksheet for your niños to color and fill with the Box Tops you clip. Or help them make their very own collection container using any number of containers, like an empty cereal or kleenex box. Go here for some ideas.

And to make mamás happy, their website has a whole page of coupons for participating products that you can print off.

Oh, and remember my post last week on using cooking to supplement your lessons? Well, they also have a page with recipes for cooking with kids.

In my post last year I stated:

"Overall, what a great program! I do think they are missing a great opportunity, though, by not marketing to Latinos. They should publish portions of their web site and box tops in Spanish!"

¿Sabes qué? They heard me.

Con mucho cariño...


Disclosure: For writing about Box Tops for Education, I was compensated for my time. But all the opinions written above are completamente my own. For more information, click here.

Take the MommyMaestra Challenge: Waiting for "Superman"

This weekend I attended the Blogalicious conference in Miami. This gathering of multicultural bloggers allows them to connect with various brands and each other, while attending sessions to help them further develop their blogs.

I learned about a lot of great programs/products and met some wonderful people, but the greatest experience I had (and the one that directly relates to this blog) was on Saturday afternoon when we were given the opportunity to watch the movie, Waiting for “Superman.”

This amazing documentary by director Davis Guggenheim and producer Lesley Chilcott, presents the crisis of our public education system in such a way that will leave you, dear reader, with a much better understanding of how our schools are failing our children, why it is happening, and if can we fix it.

If you have never seen a documentary in your life, NOW is the time to do so.

Waiting for “Superman” is unlike the traditional documentary. It may, in fact, set the new standard for future films of this nature. While the movie is filled with information that is carefully presented to promote understanding, it is not boring, tedious, or dry.

Instead, from the very beginning, the movie reached out and engaged me deeply. As a mother, as a Latina, as a writer and educator, I was tormented and relieved and angered and hopeful. Guggenheim has done such a remarkable job of making me care about this issue by chronicling the lives of five families and their struggle to find and secure a good education for their children. It is an intimate peek into their desperate attempt to enroll their children in a good school. Their hopes hinge on the fickle and somewhat absurd lotteries that these great schools must use to fairly choose from an overwhelming number of families who apply each year.

I watched the movie with mi amiga, Roxana, from Spanglish Baby. I don’t think either one of us really knew what to expect. But by the end of that movie, I think we both walked away with the issue weighing heavily on our minds.

There is SO MUCH to say on this subject, I simply cannot finish in one post. So I will be talking about this subject a lot over the next few months. I want to continue the conversation that this movie has started and get us thinking about this problem that affects us all.

You might wonder, why is she talking about this on her “homeschool” blog? Why should I see this movie or care about this issue if I am homeschooling?

There are a lot of reasons.

First of all, while I am a Latina homeschooler, the information I share on this site is for any family or educator, who is looking for ways to teach their children at home, or to supplement their traditional education. I have been extremely pleased to discover that many of you are teachers in public or private schools, and even more excited to find out that some of you with children who go to elementary or middle schools are reading, too.

My greatest desire is to help our children succeed academically, regardless of how they are being taught.

And maybe you are one of the lucky ones whose child is in a great school, with awesome teachers and lots of resources. That is so wonderful! You are so blessed. But maybe you know someone who is not so fortunate.

Second, even if you are homeschooling your children, as I am, chances are pretty good that you have friends or family with children in public school. Because I love my friends, I love their children, too, and it pains me to see them have to struggle just to give their kids an education in a safe and nurturing environment.

I also realize that not everyone CAN homeschool. Sometimes, it isn’t realistic, because the parent(s) must work and can’t find the time. How many single moms or dads do you know? I’m guessing at least one. And sometimes it just isn’t a good fit for their familia.

This issue really hits home for me because the reason I started homeschooling was partially due to the fact that I live in a failed school district. Two of the schools in my town were closed and the State has taken over.

And I am lucky that I have a husband who makes enough money that I don’t have to work outside the home, too. At least not yet! But I also know that if anything were to happen to him, my entire world would be turned upside down and my ability to homeschool would disappear.

And to be honest, yes, it angers me that every child in our great country does not have the opportunity to get a fabulous education. Chilcott says in the book written to accompany the movie, “It just seemed so wrong – really the opposite of what America stands for. You can go to the store and there are seven different kinds of peanut butter to choose from, but you don’t get to choose your school? And when there is a good school available to you, the way you get in is determined by a bouncing ball in a cage?”

This issue affects us all.

Consider the following statistics:

• Only 55 percent of Latinos graduate from high school. The numbers are even worse for African Americans. And while whites graduate at 76%, why isn't it 100%?

• High school graduates live (on average) up to seven years longer than their dropout counterparts.

• In Pennsylvania, 68% of state prisoners are high school dropouts. (I imagine this number is roughly the same in other states.)

• The average college graduate earns 73% more than the average high school graduate

The list goes on and on.

I don’t want my children to be one of these statistics. I don’t want any of my friends’ or family’s kids to be one either.

So here’s my challenge for all of you: Hire a sitter and go see this film with your spouse, best friend, parents, or whoever. Don’t worry! Waiting for “Superman” does give you hope and talks about solutions.

But be prepared: I’m going to ask you next week to see if you’ve gone to see it yet!

So go here to find a theater near you or to take the pledge. And for each ticket that is purchased on their website, you will receive a $5 gift code to give a classroom of your choice on DonorsChoose.org

Con mucho cariño....

Weekend Links: Literacy to Field Trips

• The Latino Literacy Gap: Why Traditional Education Fails :: Lee y Serás

• Columbus Day on The Hill and a free 50 page notebook lapbook download :: Examiner.com

• Foreign Language Friends Educational Website :: Spanglish Baby

• StArt-Frida :: My Bilingual Boys

• Implementing Charlotte Mason Basics :: Jimmie’s Collage

• Cusomizable Fall Themed Card Games :: Homeschool Classroom

• Homeschooling Field Trips :: Planning an Adventure :: Simple Homeschool

Giveaway: Easy Translator by Ingenio Toys

One of the most important skills for educational success is literacy. And developing our children's literacy skills must begin at birth. We all know that parents should read a wide variety of literature to their children on a regular basis. And many professionals think that for a child to be literate in a second language, they must first become literate in their first language. Doing so allows them to decipher and apply many of the rules they learned in their native language to the second.

Literacy is something with which I am somewhat obsessed, and I have commented on this quite a bit over on the LBBC. I am especially concerned about the literacy rate among our Latino children. If you are reading this blog, then already the battle is half over because that probably means that you are invested in your child's educational success. And parental involvement is SO IMPORTANT! Or if you are a teacher, you obviously care enough about your students to research the internet for ideas.

Perhaps like me, you are one of the growing number of families who are opting to raise bilingual children. If so, you many know that there are numerous methods in use by families all over the world in order to accomplish this challenging feat, and fortunately for us, we now have many wonderful online resources such as Spanglish Baby, Multilingual Living, and many others, which support us by describing these methods.

One thing that many parents struggle to find, though, is quality bilingual toys. Especially ones that promote literacy. While nothing can replace the effective instruction of one-on-one interaction with a parent or teacher, manipulatives and games that promote bilingual literacy can be valuable tools for reinforcing concepts and vocabulary.

Through the LBBC I have had the pleasure of working with Ingenio Toys, which is what I consider to be one of the best bilingual toy companies in the country. It is obvious that they put a lot of thought into their products and that they are committed to creating quality toys that are educational and affordable.

Ingenio already has a great line of bilingual toys, including the My First Notebook, the Smart Projector, puzzles, cards, and games that develop spelling and math skills. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, they have just launched three new products:  The Puerto Rico Map Learning Puzzle, the Mexico Map Learning Puzzle, and the Easy Translator (Spanish).

THE GIVEAWAY:

I am super pleased to announce that Ingenio is offering one of its Easy Translators to a Mommy Maestra reader. The Easy Translator comes with 15 double-sided cards, each with a unique learning theme. It is designed for both Spanish learners and English learners. You can read more about it here. To enter for your chance to win, simply visit their site and let us know what you think of their line of bilingual toys.

For an additional entry, you can also:

• Join our Facebook page (be sure to leave a separate comment letting us know that you did!)

The deadline to enter is October 14th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (So PLEASE be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.)

¡Buena suerte!

This giveaway is now closed.

Mommy Maestra Special: The Calavera Kit

I am always looking out for multicultural crafts to incorporate into our lessons. But they are often hard to find. Or it takes me a while to hunt down all the necessary materials. And sometimes I discover a way to simplify a project and make it more age-appropriate.

With Día de los Muertos coming up, I was trying to think of a project that I could do with my kids that would overlap with other areas that we are studying. And I am pleased to say that I have come up with my own simple calavera kit.

This kit comes with a papier-maché skull that is ready to decorate and a set of 10 markers. I went ahead and put together a booklet with the history of Día de los Muertos, written for young students; a list of online resources; ways to supplement the craft kit; and a list of suggested reading for children. I’ve also included instructions and design patterns.

After talking about the holiday, I asked my kids to decorate their own calavera and handed them the design patterns, in case they wanted to use them. My son ignored it and instead immediately began decorating the skull with images of his favorite things: a horse, a cowboy hat, hearts, and flowers. My daughter on the other hand, carefully inspected the designs and then used a few of them to draw vines along the top. While they were busy decorating, I left the room and when I returned, I found her gluing the image of the sun from the design pattern onto the back of the skull. She had carefully colored it in and cut it out. I was excited to see her thinking outside the box and taking charge of her craft so creatively. It had never even occurred to me that the patterns could be used in this way. She also ventured away from the designs and drew her own designs, including a tombstone and an angel, which she said was “hanging out” near the cemetery.

I am not opposed to Halloween, but I am not a fan of the scary and macabre aspects of it, either. Some of it is just too much for little kids (and adults!) In fact, when my daughter was younger, she was scared to pieces of the Halloween displays in Target and would cover her eyes if we passed by that section. To this day, she tries to cover her brother’s face, so that he won’t be scared, either.

Discussing Day of the Dead and its emphasis on remembering our friends and loved ones who have died has helped to give her a different perspective about skeletons, skulls and the human body. This craft has also helped to dispel any fears. And since we will be studying the human body soon, it goes well with our science lessons, too.

I am really happy when an idea I come up with for school turns out to be a good one (yes, sometimes, my ideas bomb!). And the funniest part of this whole project to me was the fact that both my kids felt compelled to give the skulls eyebrows! Because this has turned out to be a really fun project, I have made a few extra kits in case any of you are interested in trying one with your own student(s). Just click here, or on the link at the top of this page labeled “Mommy Maestra Specials”.

Con mucho cariño…

Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration Fosters Friendship

Today, I have a fantastic program to tell you about, but you’ll have to hurry if you want to participate, because the deadline is exactly one week from today! This international butterfly exchange program doesn't exchange insects - it exchanges handmade butterflies.

This post contains affiliate links.

The Wildlife Migration Website

Journey North is an interactive site where students can learn about the interrelated phenomena of wildlife migration and seasonal change. For instance, they can learn about the relationship between sunlight and the seasons, plants and the seasons, and/or seasonal migrations. The site is just full, full, FULL of information, activities, videos, and so much more for students in K-12.

Monarch Migration Program for Schools

But the program that I want to share with you all today, is the 15th annual "Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration". Every fall, students in the US and Canada mail symbolic butterflies to Mexico where children protect them throughout the winter and then send them back north in the spring. This annual exchange fosters friendship, conservation and ambassadorship between children across North America. This fall, over 60,000 students in the US and Canada are expected to send symbolic monarchs to Mexico!

If you would like to participate, teachers must download the teacher packet, which includes the instructions for making and sending the butterfly, as well as directions for registering on the Journey North website. In addition, teachers (or parents!) can use the lessons provided by Journey North to prepare their students for the program. And after mailing it, students can monitor the status of their migrating monarch online. Students are encouraged to send class pictures, drawings, and a letter in Spanish along with their butterfly.

Children at the monarch sanctuaries in Mexico will care for and send the butterflies back in the spring. NOTE: You will not receive the same butterfly you sent!

Homeschooling Families May Participate

This is a most wonderful opportunity for your children to experience, and I do hope those of you homeschooling will participate. If you are a parent with children in a public or private school, consider contacting your children’s teacher right away. However, it does not say anywhere on the site that only classes may register, so you may wish to do this program on your own to supplement your child’s education.

If your family/class decides to get involved in this project, I hope you will snap some pictures and share them with me! We will be getting ours together soon, and I will post some pictures next week.

Additional Resources for Learning About Monarch Butterflies

Here are some really cool ideas for other resources to supplement your study of Monarchs.

Butterfly Casting Kit

National Geographic Readers: Great Migrations Butterflies

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Felt Board

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Monarch Butterflies & Day of the Dead
  
  
• Last-Minute Print-and-Go Day of the Dead Activities
  
  
• Niños and Nature: Bilingual Nature Studies

Using Cooking to Supplement Your Lessons

There are so many ways to supplement your lessons, but one of the best is cooking. Something magical happens the moment that two sets of hands - one big, one little - begin to work together to create a yummy dish. It certainly is one of my children's favorite activities!

I'm sure many of you already get a little help from your kids en la cocina, but have you ever thought about the number of benefits that result from this interaction? Or about how you can use cooking to reinforce concepts? Take a look at some of the benefits and ways to incorporate cooking in your curriculum...

It is Versatile

Cooking can complement almost any subject. Here are just a few examples:

• Math: Following a simple recipe can teach fractions, volume, and measurements.

• Health: Taking the time to create wholesome meals gives you an opportunity to talk about healthy diets, the food pyramid, nutrition, and the body.

• Science:  Use simple ingredients in your pantry or cupboard to teach about chemical reactions, primary colors, texture, etc.

• Reading: Practice reading skills while reading recipes, ingredients, labels, and more.

• Music: Small children can use kitchen items to "experiment" and explore sound. Older children can use containers filled with liquid to learn about pitch. Use songs to inspire cooking then discuss why the songwriter may have written about that particular dish (think Arroz con leche, I'm a Little Teapot, Naranja Dulce, The Muffin Man, etc.)

• History: Make dishes that were popular during a specific time in history. For example, Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to create and discuss dishes that early settlers may have used.

• Geography: Look up and make dishes that are popular in other countries (i.e., fish 'n chips for England, crepes for France, paella for Spain, arepas for Venezuela, etc.) Be sure to find the country on a map or globe! You might even consider making a "Cuisine Passport" which includes the recipe, photos, and country of origin.

• Social Studies: Take your geography lesson one step further by exploring the cultures and traditions of the people who typically eat a particular dish. Include information about how the native people dress, what language they speak, special holidays (how about a Pan de Muerto recipe to celebrate Día de los Muertos?) and other important facts in your "Cuisine Passport".


It Builds Character

Cooking with your child instills confidence. By teaching your child to cook, you are helping to develop his or her Life Skills. You are giving them the gift of independence and, yes, creativity. Encourage your child to be adventurous by trying out new recipes.

Cooking can also foster self-sufficience. Next time your child runs out of play-doh, try making your own using this recipe. ¿Qué? Your bottle of glue just dried up? Try this simple homemade paste recipe that uses flour and water.



It is Special

Cooking with your child is a bonding experience. For ages, familias and friends have shared stories, secrets, and so much more over a wooden table or a bubbling pot. With out a doubt, some of my best memories of my great grandmother are of our time together in her kitchen. And making tamales, tortillas, or even cookies, are often a family affair, special moments in the hearts of Latinos across the nation. So next time you decide to whip something up in the kitchen, be sure to invite your child to participate. You'll be amazed at the joy the sound of little hands going pat-pat-pat will create in you both.


For some simple (and kid-friendly) recipes, check out these sites:

• Agua Fresca: Agua de Tuna Roja :: The Other Side of the Tortilla

• Sandía Paletas :: Culture Mami

• From Abuelita's Kitchen: Flan de Queso :: Spanglish Baby

• Cooking for Kids :: Earth's Kids 

• Age Appropriate Kids Cooking Lessons :: Kids Cooking Activities

Children's books:

• Freaky Foods From Around The World / Platillos Sorprendentes de Todo el Mundo by Ramona Moreno Winner

• The Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook by Yvette Garfield, Cricket Azima

• A Kid’s Guide to Latino History by Valerie Petrillo

• The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook (Kids Can!) by Deanna F. Cook


Favorite Latino Cooking Blogs:

• The Other Side of the Tortilla

• A Little Cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate

• From Argentina with Love

• My Big Fat Cuban Family

• Eric Rivera's Cooking Blog


Con mucho cariño...

Weekend Links: Drawing to Tortillas

• Art and Drawing Curriculum Resources :: Five J’s

• Free printable fall activities and worksheets :: Homeschool Parent

• Watching Fall Leaves Change Color :: Crafty Crow

• 9 Ideas for Fall Homeschooling Activities :: The Homeschool Classroom

• Teaching Children About the Weather in Spanish and English :: Boca Beth

• Organize Your Homeschooling Day: How to Start and Stay on Track :: Simple Homeschool

• Five Ways to Give Children a Love for Reading and Aspects of Literacy in Very Young Children :: Dandelion Farm

• Giveaway: New Bilingual Products from Ingenio Toys :: Latin Baby Book Club

• Children’s Books That Teach About Influential Latinas :: Multilingual Mania

• Authentic Homemade Tortillas and Beans :: PBS Parents