Curriculum

NEW FEATURED RESOURCE

She Stands Up
She Stands Up curriculum will help educators incorporate the contemporary political and social dynamics of activism led by women in Latin America into secondary education. Resources include one unit of four Social Studies lesson plans and one unit of four advanced Spanish lesson plans. She Stands Up aims to spark meaningful conversation within secondary education about the power of women’s activism in the face of violence.

Georgetown University, Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University, CLASP

INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS

Introduction to Latin American Studies from Colonization to Globalization: An Interdisciplinary Approach *
A comprehensive semester or year-long course curriculum, the perfect guide for teaching Introduction to Latin America classes.
Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University

Latin American and Latino Studies Reader
The reader consists of 20 texts that enhance students’ reading skills and knowledge of Latin American and Latino Studies. All texts meet Florida State Curriculum Standards.
Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida

AFRICAN DIASPORA

Africa Enslaved: Comparative Slave Systems Outside the United States
A Document-Based Question (DBQ) unit designed around the AP World History curriculum and aligned with Texas and National standards for history and geography, Africa Enslaved explores comparative slave systems outside of the US, with particular focus on Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Co-developed by LLILAS and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

African Diaspora in Latin America
These lesson guides and classroom activities help students to better understand the African Diaspora, a term used to refer to the communities of persons throughout the world who descend from African peoples. The Atlantic Slave Trade forced more than 10 million Africans to the New World, with vast numbers relocated to present day Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil alone received almost 5 million. The African diaspora continues to this day to shape and enrich the social, economic, and cultural realities of Latin America.
Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University

Exploration of the African Diaspora in the Americas
This curriculum packet was developed by the participants in the 2009 institute with the same title and includes activities for the following subjects: Social Studies/History/Geography, Language, and the Arts. This is a great resource to accompany the film Black in Latin America.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Race, Power, and Identity in Cuba: Past and Present Primary Source Activities
In this activity-based curriculum, students utilize primary sources to explore how structural racism shaped experiences and identities of Afro-Cuban communities. This curriculum was inspired by Tulane University’s Summer 2017 Cuban Culture & Society K-12 Teacher Institute and created by the curriculum specialists at Primary Source. Adaptable for high school Spanish, Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts, and Art History.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Afro-Brazilian Culture in the Classroom
Compiled and created by teachers who traveled to Salvadar da Bahia, Brazil, to study the rich Afro-Brazilian culture that is prevalent in this northeastern area of the country, these resources address language, religion, food, music, dance, and other social and cultural practices.
Center for Latin American Studies, University of Pittsburgh

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND HISTORY

Amazing Twins: Ancient Maya Tales from the Popol Wuj
These resources were created as a companion to The Amazing Twins: Ancient Maya Tales from the Popol Wuj, a puppet show that follows the adventures of twin gods Junajpu and X’balanke, whose triumphs against powerful forces make way for the creation of man from corn. Written in the Western Highlands of Guatemala around 1550 and translated into Spanish in the 18th century by Friar Francisco Ximenez, the Popol Wuj is one of the most important indigenous texts of the New World.
Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University

Signs of Change: A K-12 Curriculum on the Contemporary Maya
This curriculum packet, developed by participants in the Stone Center’s 2012 Summer Teacher Institute in Guatemala, includes art, English, and Spanish curricula for K-12 students about the ancient and modern Maya. Please also see the materials from the 2013 Tulane Maya Symposium Teacher Workshop which presented information about the curriculum writing process and the trip on which the curriculum is based.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Introducing the Ancient Maya to the Classroom
This curriculum packet, developed by archaeologist Diane Davies in 2010, provides an introduction to the study of the Ancient Maya and suggests several classroom activities as well as additional resources.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Mixtec Culture Boxes
The “Mixtec Cultural Discovery Box” is a collection of fifteen items of realia and ancillary instructional activities. It has two versions: a physical set and a virtual representation. Developed by ISTEP and the Center for Latin American Studies at San Diego State University, the box was created to present the rich and proud heritage of the Mixtec, one of Mexico’s sixty-four distinct indigenous peoples, and to help dispel the erroneous perception of Mexico as a single, homogeneous culture.
Center for Latin American Studies, San Diego State University

Una América Oculta/A Hidden America: Scientific and Technological Contributions of South American Pre-Hispanic Societies to Modern Life *
Explore the scientific and technological knowledge developed by pre-Hispanic cultures in South America, focusing on agricultural, botanical, and engineering knowledge created by the Incas and indigenous groups from the Amazon.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Who is Rigoberta Menchu? & the Rigoberta Menchu Controversy
Rigoberta Mench?‘s biography, “I, Rigoberta Mench?: An Indian Woman in Guatemala” (1983) has been a lightning rod for both adoration and condemnation. After winning the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize her narrative, writ large, was considered a threat to status quo stakeholders from academia to neoconservatives, and beyond. While it is tempting to reduce this response to hysterical hyperbole this lesson is intended to contextualize the Rigoberta Mench? controversy and by extension generate lasting interest in Guatemalan history, historiography, and human rights.
Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Dos caras de Potosi: Jigsaw Reading and Discussion
The lesson was created for upper level Spanish students in a Latin American Civilization course. It is based on the colonial boom-town of Potosi, Bolivia and the complex society that quickly grew up to support the silver mining, which in turn supported the Spanish Empire. Students will work in four expert groups (Mining and Money, the Mita System and Slavery, the Commerce and Society of Potosi, and the Birth of World Trade) and then reorganize into base groups to share their knowledge and complete an exit ticket activity.
Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

FROM FOLK ARTS TO PERFORMING ARTS

AP Art History Resource Website *
This website is intended for AP Art History educators teaching the newly revised curriculum effective fall 2015 in Utah, but is useful for teachers across the country. Based on a core set of 250 images, the curriculum features enhanced content on non-Western art, including resources that focus on works of art that originate in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. These resources include videos of prominent art historians discussing specific images, bibliographical references, and related online resources.
Center for Latin American Studies and the Asia Center, University of Utah

Stitching Resistance: Chilean Arpilleras
These resources focus on the history and sociopolitical context of the Chilean dictator, Pinochet, and the related art form known as arpilleras. Arpilleras, a type of textile, became the most visual (and visible), poignant, and widespread manifestation of opposition to authoritarianism, violation of human rights and the disappearance of loved ones associated with the military government that ruled Chile until 1990.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

Volume I: From Mexican Artists to Brazilian Photographers
This extensive guide covers representation, visual art, and walls that speak — themes addressed by looking at the work of Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and Brazilian photographer Vik Munizthi.
Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University

Volume II: Carlos Lopez’s Escopetarra, Found Objects, and Musical Instruments
This clear and clean guide is about Cesar Lopez’s “Escopetarra” where students will discover the Latin American tradition of using found objects to build musical instruments.
Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University

Volume 3: Latin American History and Culture through Museums
This resources encourages and facilitates K-12 educators’ use of museums in New York City to include Latin American history and culture in the classroom. Museums featured in the guide include the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Brooklyn Museum; the Hispanic Society; the Museum of Modern Art; and El Museo del Barrio.
Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University

Volume 4: Participatory Photography
This resource for K-12 teachers encourages the use of participatory photography as a tool to include Latin American and Caribbean history and culture in K-12 classrooms.
Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS

El Día de los Muertos
For teachers interested in sharing this widely-celebrated holiday with their students, CLAS has produced an informative booklet available in English and Spanish, as well as lesson plans, presentations, and related resources.
Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University

Día de los Muertos Across the Americas *
This comprehensive curricular resource is a collection of activities designed to be used in the Social Studies classroom. It incorporates a basic introduction to Day of the Dead in Latin America and provides insight into the tradition as it is observed in Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, and Peru.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Día de los Muertos Through Art and Literacy *
This 100+ page guide introduces the historical and cultural context of Día de los Muertos and provides extensive, hands-on art and literacy exercises to bring this tradition to your classroom with sensitivity and awareness. Includes an expansive bibliography list of related materials.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

La tierra magica: Una exploracion cultural de la America
A resource guide on Latin American culture, designed to be used in classes of Spanish for U.S. students at the advanced high school or intermediate to advanced college level.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Celebrating Global Diversity: Exploring World Festivals in Elementary and Middle School
This cross-cultural, comparative unit is based on a growing need to foster global awareness and strengthen multicultural literacy in young learners. Engaging global content will enable young learners to generalize from the study of world festivals and celebrations and apply that learning in others aspects of learning and their lives. Further, the global and multicultural content in the unit reinforces the social and emotional learning of students and validates the experience of all students in culturally diverse classrooms. Through an exploration of world festivals and cultural celebrations, this unit provides classroom-ready comparative lessons, group activities, and educational content appropriate for students in
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

GEOGRAPHY AND PLACE-BASED UNITS

Geography and Maps of Latin America
The physical and cultural geography of Latin America is vast and diverse. CLAS has addressed this breadth of information by compiling selected lesson plans and related resources to help educators grappling with teaching the region’s distinct peoples and places.
Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University

People and Place: Curriculum Resources on Human-Environmental Interactions
Inspired by Hemispheres 2004 Summer Teachers Institute, “People and Place: Human-Geographic Relations,” this curriculum unit was designed to address human adaptation to and modification of the environment. Each case study includes myriad activities that build social studies skills by incorporating primary and secondary sources, presenting information in a variety of formats (including graphs, charts, and maps), including varied points of view, and using mathematical skills to interpret social studies information.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Brazil Our Cousin
This unit explores our cousin, Brazil. Although we have different parents (England and Portugal) that shaped our development for good or bad, our grandparent, Europe, continues to influence the lives of its grandchildren. From Columbus to coffee, students will learn about Brazilian history, culture, and communities.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Teaching Central America *
Teaching Central America is an initiative of “Teaching for Change”:https://www.teachingforchange.org/ and is supported by The University of New Mexico. This project is a rich web portal of collected lessons, book lists, biographies of noted historical figures, and readings for free use by classroom teachers. The resource seeks to remedy the lack of resources in most schools on Central American heritage, rich history, and literature.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

Coffee
Coffee has been one of the most highly demanded commodities in the world for centuries. It is produced in over 70 countries worldwide and is a primary export for several Latin American nations including Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia. These lesson plans and related presentations encourage teachers to explore the history and impact of coffee production.
Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University

Diversity in the Caribbean: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching the Region *
A curriculum that explores the diversity among the islands through lessons ranging from their colonization and role in US history and the global economy, to their peoples, governments, art and short stories.
Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University

Teaching Cuba: Shifting Perspectives and the Global Landscape *
This growing set of curricular resources on Cuba has been developed over the past two years in conjunction with Tulane’s annual summer teacher institute to Cuba. It contains updated resources, developed by teachers for teaching about Cuba in the K-12 classroom across disciplines.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Environmental Literacy Across the Curriculum — Costa Rica
This curriculum packet, developed by teachers in 1997, includes activities, text, 130 slides and more for the implementation of environmental science as an interdisciplinary unit.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Introduction to Brazil
A set of curricula for the High School classroom which aims to integrate teaching about Brazil and the Portuguese language into the Spanish classroom. Provides opportunities to learn about Brazilian language, geography, and culture in an interdisciplinary classroom.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Connecting New Orleans and Latin America
This curriculum introduces the longstanding connections between New Orleans and Latin America. The curriculum focuses on historic connections and the importance of trade and immigration to such issues.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Land of Diversity
A comprehensive high school social studies course on Latin America consisting of 19 units highlighting the history, geography, and culture of the region.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Nicaragua in the Classroom
Compiled and created by teachers who traveled to Nicaragua to study the country’s language, religion, food, music, dance, and other social and cultural practices, these lesson plans and background information can help bring their experiences in Nicaragua back into the classroom.
Center for Latin American Studies, University of Pittsburgh

WORLD HISTORY

Viva la Revolución: An Educator’s Guide to the Mexican Revolution *
This interdisciplinary and multifaceted educator’s guide offers introductory activities and a range of curricular activities to encourage discussing the Mexican Revolution in middle and high school classrooms.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

Explorers, Traders, and Immigrants: Tracking the Cultural and Social Impacts of the Global Commodity Trade
Inspired by the 2003 Hemispheres Summer Institute for teachers, which explored cultural contact by looking at the food we eat, Explorers, Traders, and Immigrants examines eight global commodities from their points of origin and the social, cultural, political, and economic changes they wrought along their way. Each case study covers the initial discovery of and/or access to a commodity, its progress from local good to international trade, the ramifications of large-scale production, and the drama of its boom-and-bust cycles through the years.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Teaching World History: US — Haiti Relations *
A collection of lesson plans tracking US-Haiti relations by encompassing topics ranging from the Haitian Revolution and its wide-ranging effects, US occupation and policies, and migration and culture, to the struggle for Hispañola and immigration.
Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University

Understanding Migration
What are the reasons that large groups of people have found themselves moving from place to place? What effects does this movement have? And most importantly, how can such a fluid and nebulous concept be presented in a classroom in an easy-to-follow manner with clear lesson objectives and outcomes? Regional case studies were chosen to address these, and other, essential questions.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Brazil: Black Women’s Work and Social Progress Case study from Resorting Women to World Studies, which explores the situation of women–historical and contemporary–in Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, East Europe and Eurasia, and South Asia. Use primary source documents to discuss the contributions of notable women of historical and artistic spaces, examine concepts of gender roles and gender spaces, the issues that are driving women’s movements today.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

Exploration and Conquest in the Americas
Inspired by Rethinking School’s Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, this educator’s guide encourages critical teaching related to the exploration and conquest of the Americas.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

The Conquests of Spanish America
These extensive, teacher-developed lesson plans link New Mexico history to the conquest of Spanish America. Their resources can also map onto larger discussions of Spanish American history beyond the state.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

Working with Primary Sources
This comparative world resource will help breathe realism and immediacy into learning by harnessing primary sources–the raw materials of history–in your classroom.
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies & Collections, The University of Texas

LITERATURE RESOURCES AND GUIDES

Note: For extensive resources tied to Americas Award-recognized literature, please see our separate section on Americas Award curriculum resources.

Vamos a Leer: Teaching Latin America Through Literacy *
A blog featuring weekly reviews of Latino/a children’s books, monthly educator’s guides for young adult novels, and interviews with award-winning authors. Literacy resources are grouped according to age ranges, country focus, and themes such as art and activism, conquest and colonization, winter celebrations, and so forth.
Latin American & Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico

Haitian Folktales
A K-2 Curriculum Unit about a Haitian folktale, Tezin: le poisson d’eau douce: Conte de la tradition haitenne (Tezin: Freshwater Fish: A Folktale in the Haitian Tradition) which exposes students to Haiti, folktales, the French language, the importance of the environment, and performance.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

FILM RESOURCES AND GUIDES

Latin American Film Resources
Educators around the country can access Tulane University’s fantastic lending library of resources, including films. For a quick reference to which Latin American films are available, see this film guide highlighting items in their collection.
Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Indocumentales
Indocumentales/Undocumentaries is US/Mexico Interdependent Film Series organized collaboratively by four organizations located in New York City. Along with screening films, the project provides and compiles educational resources and an interactive network so that people have an opportunity to engage, come away more informed on the issues and have an impact.
Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, New York University

Al Otro Lado (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Cabeza de Vaca (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Central Station (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

La Camioneta (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Maestra (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Motorcycle Diaries (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Qué Tan Lejos (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

They Are We (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Urbanized (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Viva Cuba (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Voces Inocentes (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Wasteland (Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University)

Secrets of the Tribe (Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University)

The Colors of the Mountain (Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University)

Fuacata! (Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University)

The Wind and the Water (Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University)

Pelo Malo (Latin American and Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico)

Which Way Home (Latin American and Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico)

Who Is Dayani Cristal? (Latin American and Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico)

Tambien la lluvia (Latin American and Iberian Institute, University of New Mexico)

Justicia Now (Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University)

Banana Split (Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University)

Iauareté, Waterfall of the Jaguar (Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University)