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SCHOOL-WIDE CINCO DE MAYO
Submitted by April
I am a preschool teacher for a K4-12 grade private school. As such I am always looking for ways to incorporate the upper school kids into our curriculum activities. I began this project a number of years ago and have recently turned it over and now just get to attend with my class for fun. Our school has a Cinco de Mayo celebration with stations. The stations are 1. Bull fight 2. Fiesta 3. Mexican Hat Dance 4. Flowers 5. Bell Bracelets 6. Mariachi Band 7. Pottery 8. Pinata 9. Flag 10. Blow Art. 11 Wraps. The upper school kids now man each station, explaining the significance of each activity as it relates to this Spanish Celebration. The upper school students are those who are currently in Spanish classes. They use Spanish terminology whenever possible and explain as they go along. At station 1. Bull Fights, the younger students learn the significance of the matador and the relationship between he and the bull. They learn new terms, key words and finish up by pretending to be a bull running thru a red cloth. Station 2. Fiesta, children are invited over to sample chips, salsa, flan, Mexican pop, etc. The upper school students explain the terms, foods and how the Mexican culture loves and enjoys fiesta times with families. Station 3. Mexican Hat dance..the upper school students display several large sombreros and teach the children the Mexican Hat dance! Station 4. Flowers. The upper school students explain to the children the significance of flowers within the Mexican culture and how the Spanish enjoy the use of lots of bright colors. They then instruct the younger children on how to make a tissue paper flower, picking colors in Spanish!. 5. Bell Bracelets The younger children are taught of the ringing of the bells that takes place on this Mexican Independence Day. They then learn the colors, red and green in Spanish as well as the word bell and make a bracelet to wear. 6. Mariachi Band. The younger children are taught the language of the Mariachi band and thru the use of maracas and other traditional instruments they march around the festival playing music. 7. Pottery. Again the students learn new terminology while learning the significance of the pottery in Mexico. They then are allowed to paint a very small clay pot to take home. 8. Pinata The upper school students create pinata's and let the younger kids break them. They do this after explaining this never ending tradition to the younger children. 9. Flags. The upper school students display a large Mexican flag that was donated to me and they teach the younger students the Spanish names for the three colors of the flag, the significance of the emblem in the middle. Xerox copies of the flag are given to the children to color. 10. Blow Art. Upper school students explain to the younger students the significance of Fireworks at this Spanish celebration are much like ours on the 4th of July in America. The younger students are then given a black sheet of construction paper a dollop of paint and a straw. They then begin to blow the paint around on the paper until it resembles a firework in the night sky. The upper school students then add a touch of glitter. 11. Wraps....Large paper grocery bags serve as the serape used in the Mexican culture.The children are educated about it's uses and colors and the students are then allowed to use a variety of markers to decorate their own! The students rotate from station to station every 10 minutes. All items are collected by the upper school students after being labeled with the younger child's name and are place in a large box marked with the teacher's name. The children absolutely love this day of celebration.
Dahlia Flowers
Supplies: 3 coffee filters (cut them to be large, medium and small)
3 bowls of watered down food coloring
Green pipe cleaner
Hole punch
Fold each coffee filter and fringe edges.
Take each folded coffee filter and place in water downed food coloring bowls. Squeeze out excess water.
Let each filter dry.
Place filters on top of each other- hole punch two holes in center.
Thread green pipe cleaner through holes and twist.
Can be used to decorate a float or girls can wear them in their hair.
TACOS ENCHILADAS
Submitted by Terrance
Tacos, enchiladas!
Tacos, enchiladas!
Frijoles! Frijoles!
Guac-amole!
(Tacos - Hold hands in front like holding a taco; Enchiladas - Move hands apart, shaping a long, thin enchilada; Frijoles - Scoop refried beans into your other hand; Guacamole - Squeeze an avocado, then plop the mash into a pretend bowl))
Mexican Hat Dance
Have the children dance around a large sombrero, when the music stops have them pick up a card that is in the brim of the hat. On the card you can write a letter, number etc. Go around and have each child read off their card and then put it back. Continue as long as they are interested.
FIESTA AND CINCO DE MAYO
Mexican punch
12oz can of frozen o.j.(thawed)
48oz can of cranberry juice cocktail
2 liters of lemon-lime soda
24oz water
Mix well
Guacamole
Let the children help make guacamole to eat with taco chips.
Peel a large ripe avocado& remove the pit.Mash the avocado with a fork in a bowl.
I pass this bowl around the class to help mash the avacado.
Add 1/2 cup chopped tomato \,1/2 tsp. minced onion & 1 T. fresh lemon juice.
Stir well,then eat.
Save the avocado pit to plant. Place the pit with the fat side down & the pointed side up now insert 3 toothpicks horizontally into the side of the pit. Then balance the toothpicks on the rim of a glass jar filled with water so that the rounded end of the pit is covered.
After 4 to 6 wks., watch for roots to begin to form.
MARACAS
Use two small paper plates that have been decorated.
Fill with beans,corn,beads,pebbles etc. Staple the 2 plates together.
MEXICAN HURACHES
Outline both of the child's shoes onto brown paper. Cut 4 strips 8 1/2 by 1 inch using the same brown paper.Cut out the shoe outline.Let the child glue the 2 straps to each outline shoe shape & you will have huraches!
MEXICAN HAT
Cut a hat shape out using construction paper. Punch holes all around. Let the child decorate & lace. If you use curling ribbon you won't have to use a needle.
HERE IS OUR PINATA
Sung to:"Sing a song of sixpence"
Here is our pinata
What a sight to see,
Filled with treats & goodies
Just for you & me.
When it's time to break it,
We'll circle all around
Then we'll scramble for the treats
That fall down to the ground.
PINATA
Make a pinata using mural rolled paper. Cut a square shape like a big pillow. Now staple 3 sides.
Leave open one side for stuffing with stickers, raisins, peanuts in the shell etc.
Let the children glue on cut tissue.
Start at the bottom & glue only the top potion of the tissue square so the it will fringe out. Overlap the squares slightly. It doesn't have to be exact.
Apply the glue to the paper. Make the pillow shape into a
Mexican flag. The colors are red,white & green. Let a child draw the bird in the white area of the flag. When finished fill & staple shut. Poke a hole & hang w/rope.
*TEACH THE CHILDREN SOME SPANISH
1 uno (oo-no)
2 dos (doss)
3 tres (trace)
4 cuatro (kwah-tro)
5 cinco (seen-ko)
6 seis (say-ees)
7 siete (see-ay-tay)
8 ocho (oh-cho)
9 nueve (nuay-vay)
10 diez (dee-ace)
*MEXICAN SERAPES
Make serapes (Mexican blankets)to wear over their shoulders. Use rolled paper that is about 12 inches wide. Cut a length that is long enough to hang over the front & back of the child. Let the child design the serape & cut fringe on the bottom edges.
These can also be made out of old white sheets.
*MAKE GREEN/WHITE/RED CHAINS
Cut red,white& green paper strips & let the children make chains to decorate the room.
*MAKE A OJO DE DIOS >GOD"S EYE
This is good for older children to make 6 & up.If you have younger kids it is good to do a demo. Ojo de Dios means "eye of God" in Spanish. The Mexican Indians made them for good luck pieces. Cross 2 sticks. Tie the yarn in a knot around the sticks where they cross. Weave the yarn over one stick, then around & under, then over the stick toward the next stick. Do this on each stick. Continue around the square doing the same thing for all the rows. Change colors as desired. Start a new color by tying it to the yarn.
It's Cinco de Mayo Today
sung to "Farmer in the Dell"
It's Cinco de Mayo today,
It's Cinco de Mayo today!
Let's clap our hands and shout "Ole"!
It's Cinco de Mayo today.
(Let's stomp our feet)
(Let's travel around)
(Let's raise our arms)
(Let's circle around)
CINCO DE MAYO
Submitted by Deb
On Cinco de Mayo
In 1862
In the Village of Pueblo
6000 French Soldiers
Wanted Mexico's Land
2000 Mexican Soldiers
They Fought Hard (Hit fist into Hand)
They Fought Strong ( Bend arms to show muscles)
They Fought Long (Pull hands apart Or stretch)
The Mexican Soldiers
Won the War
On Cinco de Mayo
In 1862
Title: FIESTA CELEBRATIONS
Following cross curricular ideas submitted by Peg
Literature
Read aloud the story Borreguita and the Coyote: A Tale from Ayutla, Mexico by Verna Aardema (Knopf, 1991) (If Amazon doesn't have any in stock they can order it).
Read the story and have students provide the animal sound effects.
Art
Title: Paper Flowers
Materials: Colored tissue paper, empty paper towel rolls, glue stick and scissors.
Process: Cut paper towel roll in half. Use one half to make one flower.
2. Cut layers of tissue paper into 4 - inch strips. Cut scallops on one length wise end.
3. Rub glue on paper roll and begin to wrap varying colors of the scalloped tissue strips unto the roll. To keep the tissue from bunching, pinch and press the strips unto the glue. Rub more glue on previous layers to secure.
4. Cut a 6 inch wide strip of green tissue. Fold in half and cut 2 inch slits every inch along fold.
5. Glue the uncut edges of the green looped sections together. Then use the same pinch press method to glue the green strip to roll. Leave enough paper roll showing to provide a hand hold.
6. Roll and crunch 2 colored strips of tissue paper. Press unto the top of the paper roll to create flower center.
7. Flowers can be held or stand alone as decorations. The card board rolls can be filled with candies and given as favors.
Comments: Flowers are a traditional part of all Mexican celebrations
Art
Title: Fiesta Masks
Materials: Paper plates, paint, colorful construction paper, yarn, markers, crayons, and tongue depressors.
1. Have each child color a face on paper plate. Cut slits for eyes, nose and mouth.
2. Add details such as geometric shapes with construction paper, paint and or yarn.
3. Cut construction paper into thin strips. Fan fold and attach with glue to top of mask for hair.
4. Mount each mask on tongue depressor .
5. Have a parade and let each child hold mask in front of face.
Comments: Children often wear masks at Fiesta time, adding to the magic of the festivities. Traditional Mexican masks are made from paper mache, cardboard, wood or tin. They range from humorous to grim with subjects from animal or fantasy world.
Language
Most Mexicans speak Spanish, the official national language. Since your room will be filled with splashes of color for your fiesta, teach your students how to say the color words in Spanish.
Mis color favorito es…
(My favorite color is…)
rojo (red)… RRRoho
rosado (pink)…rrroSSAdo
anaranjado (orange)…anaranHAdo
amarillo (yellow)…amaREELyo
verde (green)…BERde
azul (blue)… aTHOOL
morado (purple)…moRAdo
negro (black)…Negro
blanco (white)…BLANco
Music
Barney Song in English and Spanish.
I love you.
You love me.
We're a happy family.
With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you.
Won't you say you love me too.
Me amo.
Te amas.
Somos son un gran familia.
Con abrazo si y besos para ti.
Quime quime quieres tu ami.
Game
Title: Mexican Game - Sea Serpent
This game is played like London bridge. 2 children join hands and hold them high in the air to form a bridge. The rest of the players make a single file line, each holding the shoulders of the person in front. As players chant the song below, they weave under the bridge like a serpent. On the last words of the song, the bridge people drop their arms to capture the person passing under the bridge and gently rock him/her back & forth.
A la vibora, vibora
De la mar, de la mar
Por aqui pueden pasar.
Los de adelante corren mucho,
Los de atras se quedaran
Tras, tras, tras, tras.
The sea serpent we like to play
To have fun, to have fun
Under the bridge all on track.
Children in front go faster and faster,
If you don't follow you'll stay back,
Back, back, back, back.
Group Art
Piñata
Materials: grocery bag, colorful crepe paper, markers, paint, crayons, candy or small trinkets and stickers.
This is a very easy piñata to make for all ages.
Process:
1. Let children decorate outside of grocery sack with paints, stickers, markers, and curled crepe paper to make a very colorful bag.
2. Fill the grocery bag with pre wrapped candies and/or small trinkets.
3. Fold down the top end and staple.
4. Cut long crepe paper streamers and staple to top corner of bag.
5. Hang from tree or clothesline stretched across the classroom.
6. Have children take a turn giving the piñata a whack.
This also makes a great addition to fiesta parade! Just mount on pole and let leader of parade carry it and then at end of parade all can have turn trying to break it open.
You can also make this an individual art project instead of group. Use small brown lunch bags instead of one large grocery bag. Follow same instructions above.
Snack
Title: - Sopapillas
Materials: Flour tortillas, cinnamon, sugar, butter.
1. Place flour tortillas on foil covered cookie sheet.
2. Let children spread butter on tortillas.
3. Let children sprinkle with sugar & then cinnamon.
4. Bake on 350 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes
5. Slice and ENJOY!!!!
Comments: Send home the recipe so family can enjoy this sweet treat at home.
