Introduction/Rationale
Beef burritos for lunch today, a typical Wednesday lunch for students at my elementary school in Richmond, Virginia. Often the students have burritos, nachos, tacos, beans and rice for lunch. I always wonder do these students realize the history behind these types of dishes in today's food options. Students often learn about the different cultures that have migrated to the United States of America but when you ask them do you know the different things that Latinos, particularly Mexicans, have contributed to us, many times it is an unanswered question. It would be important to focus on Mexico because there is rich historical connection often forgotten today. The United States is historically composed of diverse populations of people from many countries. In particular, U.S. covers land that prior to 1848 used to be Mexican territory and people of Mexican origin have migrated throughout the country for a couple of centuries, introducing us to their culture and traditions.
Latino culturesare made up of many different aspects that include food, clothing, traditions, and history as seen across the Caribbean and North, Central, and South America. These different cultures begin to become apparent in the Spanish curriculum during the second grade because the students are beginning to learn more details on the traditions of these Spanish-speaking countries. It is an appropriate age level because the students are a little older and will be able to retain and relate the information to their surroundings. Most times my students struggle to recognize the diversity outside of their environment and feel that they can only relate to the culture that is represented in their families and communities. However, during Spanish instruction my students are introduced to Latino culturesthat are similar and different to the culture that they live in. The students are then able to relate what they have learned from the Latino cultures and history, and are able to compare and contrast it to their own background. It is then that students are able to realize the impact that Latino cultures has on not only their way of life but also the American culture.
Food is one of the main points that allows student to see how integrated the cultures are in their society. Many students do not make the connection and realize that many foods that were introduced to this country years and years ago were by immigrants that traveled to many areas and brought their traditions and cuisines from their native countries. Most students believe that Latino food consists of Taco Bell and are not aware of the rich Latino food options that are available to them in the Richmond Community. The reason being that most students are not able to tell the difference between Americanized Latino food and authentic Latino food and that the ethnic Latinorestaurants are in a part of the city that my students and their families do not go around frequently. The students learn that these immigrants come to the United States for many distinct reasons, whether they were looking for better opportunities or need to leave their country due to a civil war. They came to this country and brought a small piece of their heritage to share and today we can see the impact they have had.
By guiding students in learning about the Latino culture will allow student to grasp the different traditions that each culture has to offer. They will be able to make connections by asking questions and using their background knowledge of the material that they are learning. One example would be when I tell my students about when my mom migrated from El Salvador to the U.S. she left everything behind. She had to find a new way of living by adapting to the American culture because she could not bring spices or seeds but brought a wealth of knowledge on how she would be able to continue to create the Salvadorian dishes that she treasured. She was able to discover techniques to replicate the Salvadorian cuisine by using her skills and the resources available to her to prepare food that came from her native country. She would go out to different markets and grocery stores to find ingredients that were similar to the ones she knew and used them to make the dishes from her home country. One of the dishes she prepares is one of the traditional foods from El Salvador, the well-known pupusas. Pupusas are corn tortillas filled with a distinct melted cheese or cheese mixed with pork or beans. It is served with "curtido", a mixture of cabbage, carrot, salt and vinegar and some tomato sauce over it. She would make these for the family often and especially during the holidays. This is a typical tasty Salvadorian dish that is very common in many Latino restaurants around the United States. Just like this dish there are many more dishes that immigrants from Latin American countries have introduced to the United States of America.
It is important for students to be able to recognize different cultures that are in their community; specifically one that they interact with on a daily basis. Language learning, in particular, enables students to connect with non-Anglo cultures. This unit has beendesigned to be taught during Spanish instruction, and conducted in Spanish. It is specifically aimed for a second grade curriculum but can be used with multiple grade levels. Throughout the unit, students will be using different visual aids and readings to gain a better understanding of what immigration is and the diverse population that exist in the city. The students will be learning more about the various types of Latin American cuisines and comparing and contrasting them in order to be able to identify the food and its specific country of origin. The students will use this information to relate to them and how it has impacted the United States.
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