Informed US citizens recognize the importance of neighboring South American countries. Few teachers, however, have the time to teach about each Latin American country. One approach to instruction is to focus on a few important countries. Suggestions to help middle school students learn about Argentina, Brazil, and Peru are presented. (RM)

This lesson shows how the Inca communicated across the vast stretches of their mountain realm, the largest empire of the pre-industrial world. The lesson explains how couriers carried messages along mountain-ridge roads, up and down stone steps, and over chasm-spanning footbridges. It states that couriers could pass a message from Quito (Ecuador)…

This curriculum unit, intended to be used with students in grades 2 and 3, focuses on the Mexican state of Michoacan. Lesson 1 first gives students an overview of Mexico. Lesson 2 provides an introduction to a Michoacan archeological dig, while lesson 3 focuses on the geography of Michoacan. Lesson 4 discusses Purepecha weaving. Lesson 5 presents…

This paper contains bibliographies of Latin American fiction and classroom applications for use in a 3-week unit in an introduction to fiction class. Section 1 discusses background research, selection of materials, choice of authors, translation issues, and plans for future study and course development. Section 2 contains an annotated bibliography…

Addresses the problem of geographic literacy with respect to the Caribbean Basin. Provides a lesson plan, including maps and charts, that encourages and challenges students to learn the geography of the Caribbean Basin, and to think about the problems that develop when large numbers of legal and illegal immigrants enter the United States. (RW)

Outlines a research-based model for greater family involvement among Latino families in the area of mathematics. Reports that parents remarked that they had never been given a choice of times for school-related activities; they now felt like real partners in the learning and teaching of their children. (ASK)

This document examines the current difficult situation in Peru in light of its historical past. It gives students the opportunity to relate to the problems that the majority of Peruvians are facing and to see how Peru's people are working together for solutions. The text deals with contemporary issues such as the greenhouse effect, the loss of the…

This paper provides a description of programs for Spanish language study in Mexico. The programs listed were chosen because of the interest and beauty of the cities where they are located as well as for the competence of the instruction delivered. A substantial part of the paper is entitled "A Mesoamerican Worldview: The Huichol of Mexico.…

The work of 20th century Latin American artists is featured in this curriculum, which is intended for use with students in grades 6 to 12. These materials are designed to introduce the arts into the social studies curriculum, and to show Latin American artists to be as intellectually and aesthetically sophisticated as their European and North…

This teaching guide describes a specific learning activities approach in teaching K-3 students about the Andes region of South America. The guide is divided into three units which focus on geography, archaeology, and current Andean customs. The geography unit introduces: (1) map reading skills; (2) map symbols; (3) political boundaries; and (4)…

This presentation features materials for teaching about the Mexican Revolution: 1910-1940. The presentation is divided into four broad sections. The first section, "Why Teach the Mexican Revolution?" furnishes a rationale for teaching a course about a revolution that took place much closer to home than the Russian or Chinese Revolutions.…

Produced through a series of workshops for teachers, this manual was prepared to aid English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction at South Florida Junior College (SFJC) and other cooperating agencies. The plan is a culmination of the ideas presented and discussed at the workshops in areas of grammar, pronunciation, conversation, listening…

This book features scholarly criticism on works by 19 famous authors, such as N. Scott Momaday, James Welch, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Rudolfo Anaya, Sandra Cisneros, Amy Tan, and more. These authors' works are widely taught, but little critical comment is yet available about them. Written specifically for instructors in literature courses,…

This collection of 35 self-contained teaching activities about Puerto Rican culture for elementary school students is designed for teachers who wish to incorporate multicultural concepts into their curriculum or make their teaching more relevant to Puerto Rican students. All lesson plans and student worksheets needed for immediate classroom use…

For teachers concerned about the underrepresentation of Hispanics and Native Americans in science fields, this paper provides resource materials and instructional approaches. First, the role of ethnocentrism in determining what is included in science courses is discussed; the non-Western impact of science has been systematically ignored, it is…