Social Studies

Foods of Latin America Project

Sam Heywood

Students will learn about different regional dishes in Latin America in groups and create a simple presentation to share what they learned with the class. This is a simpler version of the same lesson available for high school students. This is mainly a cultural lesson that can be used in a Spanish language class, but there are suggestions to incorporate Spanish language instruction throughout. This is highly adaptable and a great way to learn about Latin American cultures!

Grade Level

Foods of Latin America: A Project Based Learning Experience

Sam Heywood

Students will spend time researching both individually and as a group different dishes of Latin America to understand their cultural and historical significance. The lesson culminates with a presentation by students framed as a project proposal to share with the class what they have learned about their respective food. This is mainly a cultural lesson that can be used in a Spanish language class, but there are suggestions to incorporate Spanish language instruction throughout. This is a highly adaptable lesson and a great way to learn about Latin American cultures!

Grade Level

The Free Trade Love Triangle: Prospects for the FTAA and EU-Mercosur FTA

Gaspare M. Genna, University of Texas at El Paso

This paper examines the current trade talks between the European Union, Latin American countries and the United States. This triangular relationship is complex and this paper tries to display the implications of these negotiations and the impact of China in Latin America.

Slavery in Brazil: Readings and Comprehension Excercises

Natalia Arsenault, Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies and Christopher Rose, Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin

This is a resource to be used when teaching about Slavery in Brazil and the country of Brazil in general. A map of the country is included along with 18 readings and a glossary of important terms used in the readings about slavery.

Grade Level
Region

Situational Sacredness: Temporary Ritual Space and Authority in Ancient and Modern Honduras

E. Christian Wells & Karla L. Davis Salazar, University of South Florida

This paper follows field research that bridges the disciplines of Archaeology, Anthropology, History and Economics. The focus is on collectivist pre-capitalist labor practices and religious ceremonies among both Lenca and Mayans in the contemporary Honduras.

Siestas and Fiestas: Images of Latin America in the United States History Textbooks

Patricia O'Conno, Nancy J. Nystrom

This resource explains that the United States education system is heavily dependent on textbooks. Therefore, it is important to have correct images that reflect Latin America in the most accurate way possible so that teaching about Latin America can be transparent and understandable. A good reading to assign to students to better understand misconceptions of Latin America through the lack of accurate images in textbooks or can be read by teacher to better understandthe topic of biases and inaccuracies relating to teaching Latin American studies.

La Lengua Maya en El Contexto Sociolinguistico de la Peninsula de Yucatan

Miguel A. Guemez Pineda

This paper is fully in Spanish and aims to display the current state of the Yucatan Maya and the Mayan Language in relation to Spanish and other indigenous languages present in the Yucatan Peninsula. The marginalization of the Yucatan Maya is discussed and how development has furthered that marginalization within the region.

Region