10/6/2014: Happy National Hispanic Month!

Happy National Hispanic Month!

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.  This month began as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, and was later expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.  

According to the official website “The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.”

Now is a great time to honor Hispanic history and culture in your classroom with some of these offerings from Haven Hill Learning on Teachers Pay Teachers:

San Jacinto Day – 1st grade Level G Level

Cinco de Mayo – 4th grade level R

San Jacinto Memorial –  4th grade Level R

Cesar Chavez – 5th grade level T

3/31/2014 Happy Cesar Chavez Day!

Happy Cesar Chavez Day! Today, the birthday of Mexican American labor leader and activist Cesar (sometimes spelled Caesar) Chavez is celebrated as an official state holiday in California, Colorado, and Texas.  In 2011 President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation calling upon all Americans “to observe this day with appropriate service, community, and educational programs to honor Cesar Chavez's enduring legacy.”

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31st, 1927 in North Gila Valley, near Yuma, Arizona.  As a child, he and his family became migrant farm workers in California after they lost their home and business in the Great Depression.  He left school after seventh grade to support his family by being a full-time migrant farm worker.  In 1952 Chavez began to work as a community organizer.   1962 he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later called the United Farm Workers) with Dolores Huerta.

My original Level T reader Caesar Chavez: Champion of Farm Workers' Rights is Great book for your students to learn more about the life of Cesar Chavez who was a champion for rights for migrant farm workers. It is written as a Level T reader but can be used with younger grades for advanced readers or as a read-a-loud and also for higher grade levels for special education students or ELL learners with various reading abilities. This four-page reader comes with three accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in the book are listed on the first page of the book.