The Spanish-Speaking United States Grades 3-5 Introduction Students probably know that there are many Spanish-speaking people living in the United States; perhaps they are part of this population. Many people are not aware, however, of the diversity of countries from which Spanish speakers in the United States come. Students will learn about and map some of the places where American Spanish speakers come from and find out some additional information about three of these places. Time Frame: 1-3 class periods, depending on research time allocated Objectives and Standards Students will: Color the Spanish-speaking countries of the world on an outline map. Label some countries from which many Spanish-speaking Americans come. List the Spanish-speaking countries that have the most immigrants into the United States, based on information on a map. Research three Spanish-speaking locations and write statements that immigrants from those places might make about their towns of origin. National Social Studies Standards: 1: Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity. 3: People, Places, and Environments: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments. National Geography Standards: 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective. 4: The physical and human characteristics of places. 10: The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth s cultural mosaics. 12: The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement. Maps and Materials Needed Materials Needed: World Outline Map without text: (one copy for each student; download and print the PDF file)
http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id= 2293:world&cid=91:outline World Language Families map: (one copy for each student or pair of students; download and print the PDF file) http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id= 10520:the-world s-language-families&cid=243:world-thematic Immigrants to the United States, 1990 map: (one copy for each student or pair of students; download and print the PDF file) http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id= 2903:immigrants-to-the-united-states,-1990&cid=83:history Colored pencils, both light and dark colors Additional Map Resources Used: World Reference Atlas =3346:world&cid=8:reference-atlas) Procedure 1. Ask students the question If you hear someone speaking Spanish in the United States, what countries do you think they might come from? List their responses on the board, or have them write their answers on paper. 2. Give each student a world outline map without text =2293:world&cid=91:outline). 3. Give each student or pair of students a copy of the World Language Families map =10520:the-world s-language-families&cid=243:world-themati (or have them look at this map on the computer), and have them use a light colored pencil to color the Spanish-speaking countries of the world on their outline maps. 4. Below is a list of some of the countries from which Spanish-speaking Americans are most likely to come. These countries are also listed in section 1 of the handout. If any students in the class, or their relatives, have come from countries not on the list, add those countries to the list. Have students find the on their outline maps and label them with dark colored pencils or markers. They can use a print atlas or the World Reference Atlas =3346:world&cid=8:reference-atlas) to help them locate the countries: Cuba Puerto Rico Mexico Dominican Republic El Salvador Nicaragua Guatemala Honduras Columbia Ecuador
5. Give each student or pair of students a copy of Immigrants to the U.S. from Top Ten Countries of Birth map =2929:immigrants-to-the-united-states-from-top-ten-countries-of-birth,- 1992&cid=83:history) (or have them look at this map on the computer), and ask them to list in section 2 of the handout the Spanish-speaking countries they see on this map. 6. Ask students to pretend that they ve met three Spanish-speaking people in the United States: one from Oaxaca, Mexico, one from Havana, Cuba, and one from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Have students use the Internet, the library, and/or the World Reference Atlas =3346:world&cid=8:reference-atlas) to research each of these places. They should look for information on culture, climate, landscape, interesting sites, and any other features they find interesting about these places. In section 3 of the handout, have them write three things that each person might tell them about his or her hometown and country or territory. Be sure to point out for students information that Cuba and Mexico are independent countries, but Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States (and may one day become a state). 7. Hold a brief class discussion to talk about the things that students have learned from this lesson. Have they learned about some places they didn t know about before? Do they now know more about the diversity of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States? Assessment Suggestions Check to make sure that students have: Accurately shaded in the Spanish-speaking regions of the world. Accurately labeled the listed countries on their outline maps. Accurately listed the Spanish-speaking countries in section 2 of the handout. Made efficient use of Internet and/or library time while conducting research. Written clear and logical statements made by the fictitious people from each of the three places in step 6, reflecting an understanding of the places they ve researched.
The Spanish-Speaking United States Student Handout 1. Look at an atlas or at the World Reference Atlas =3346:world&cid=8:reference-atlas) on the computer, and find the countries on the list below. Then label the countries on your outline map with a dark colored pencil or marker. Cuba Puerto Rico Mexico Dominican Republic El Salvador Nicaragua Guatemala Honduras Columbia Ecuador 2. Look at the Immigrants to the U.S. from Top Ten Countries of Birth =2929:immigrants-to-the-united-states-from-top-ten-countries-of-birth,- 1992&cid=83:history) map, and list the Spanish-speaking countries that are on this map. 3. Pretend that you ve met three Spanish-speaking people in the United States. One person is from Oaxaca, Mexico, one is from Havana, Cuba, and one is from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Your teacher will tell you where to look for more information on these three places. After you ve found out some things about these places, imagine that these three people are telling you some things about the places they come from. What might they say to you? Write three things that each person might say: Person 1: Oaxaca, Mexico: a) Person 2: Havana, Cuba:
a) Person 3: San Juan, Puerto Rico: a)