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Activity

Hispanic Heritage Month

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month with the following lessons, activities, videos, and more.
Hispanic Heritage Month Banner
By: NEA
Published: 09/15/2020 Last Updated: 09/14/2023

No matter our color, ZIP code, or language, we want all our children to have a public education that imparts honesty about who we are, the integrity in how we treat each other, and the freedom to pursue our dreams.

Hispanic Heritage Month is not only a time for those of Hispanic and Latino descent to celebrate their cultural roots but also an occasion for people from all backgrounds to learn, appreciate, and celebrate the rich tapestry of Hispanic and Latino cultures.

Despite efforts by some politicians today to whitewash history, to restrict our freedoms to teach and to learn, throughout our history, Hispanic and Latino communities have left an indelible mark on the fields of art, music, literature, science, politics, education, and countless other domains. Their enduring legacy is not only a source of pride for those who share this heritage but also a source of inspiration for all of us who recognize the power of diversity in shaping our shared humanity.

Through this list of curated resources, books, lessons, videos and activities, we invite you to explore, learn, and celebrate the vibrant heritage and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities to our world.

Lesson Plans

artist rendition of Frida Kahlo dressed in orang with flowers in her hair and butterflies

Celebrating Hispanic Art, Dance, and Holidays

These Kennedy Center lesson plans cover the contributions of Latin artists, the origins of traditional Latin dance, and the artistic and cultural traditions of Halloween and the Day of the Dead.
Tolerance: Comparing Cultural Holidays (3-5) ¡Baila! Latin Dance in the Spanish Classroom (9-12) Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution (9-12)
multicolored painted carved wooden skulls lined up side by side for Day of the Dead celebration

Diving into Hispanic History and Culture

EDSITEment offers K-12 humanities education materials in the subject areas of history and social studies, literature and language arts, foreign languages, arts, and culture. Check out these free Hispanic history and culture resources.
Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays (6-8) Hispanic and Latino Heritage and History in the United States (K-12) Common Visions, Common Voices (9-12)
Astronaut Jose Hernandez in his orange space suit posing for an official portrait

Latino Americans Share Their Experiences

Students examine the challenges that three Latino Americans faced and overcame as they achieved success in their careers. This interactive lesson features playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor Judy Reyes, and astronaut José Hernández.
Learn more (6-12) More Latino Americans Lesson Plans from PBS Media
Cesar Chavez speaks to workers outside

Sí, se puede!": Chávez, Huerta, and the UFW

This lesson provides access to artifacts and primary sources, including EDSITEment's United Farm Workers Learning Lab collection, while also placing Chávez, Huerta, and the UFW within the context of the long civil rights movement. Grades 6-12
Learn more
image of central american pictographs on black stone

Hispanic Heritage Teacher Resources

Browse through lessons for grades K-12 from the Smithsonian's Learning Lab—an interactive platform for discovering authentic digital resources from the Smithsonian's collections and creating content with online tools.
Browse for more

ACTIVITIES

Bring Hispanic Heritage Month to Life: A Collection of Resources
Interactive timelines, scavenger hunts, and other learning fun all about Hispanic Americans. Grades K-8

Colorín Colorado - Hispanic Heritage Month
Information, puzzles, biographies for English language learners. In English and Spanish. Grades K-12

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage with Recipes full of flavor Grades K-12

Learn to play Cuban Dominoes with this printable pdf and instructions. Grades 3-8

Learn about and make your own lotería cards Grades 4-10

Fact Monster - Hispanic Heritage Month Activities
Crosswords, population statistics, and more. Grades 6-8

Printables

Famous Hispanic Americans (K-5)
Coloring pages and hero cards for sports, science, politics, and the arts.

Learn to play Cuban Dominoes with this printable pdf and instructions (3-5)

BACKGROUND RESOURCES

Fact Monster - History of Hispanic Heritage Month

Day of the Dead - El Dia de los Muertos K-12 curriculum resources.

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino: Molina Family Latino Gallery
Includes exhibitions, virtual museum, Virtual Museum Bilingual Teacher Training Took Kit, and more.

National Hispanic Heritage Month Selected resources for teachers.

Articles Tagged as Latino American History from Smithsonian magazine.

Library of Congress - Hispanic Heritage Month
Images, exhibits, audio, and video.

Mexican American Migrations and Communities
Teacher Resources and ideas on how to use these these resources

Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino
The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino strives to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories. News and how to Take Action.

Pew Research Center: Who is Hispanic?
Analysis on statistics and identity.

AUDIO & VIDEO

Hispanic History - Timeline, Resources, Stories, Videos

Spanish Movies for Kids: G- and PG-rated Titles
Each year we’re seeing more Spanish movies for kids hit the theaters and streaming services. This is a list of family-friendly Spanish movies for kids (these are great movies for Spanish class as well!)

Chicano! History of the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement
This documentary series chronicles the struggle for equality and social justice of the Mexican American community in the United States from 1965 to 1975.

BackStory: After Hurricane Maria - The History of Puerto Rico and the United States (Listen to Audio)

An Interview with Author Duncan Tonatiuh

Duncan Tonatiuh, author of A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters discusses the importance of protecting the freedom to read and the need to have diverse books in our schools and libraries in our School Me podcast. Find resources and discussion questions for teaching his book at NEA's Read Across America website.

Booklists and Recommended Titles

book cover of El Cucuy is Scared Too!

Colorín Colorado

These children’s Hispanic Heritage booklists feature biography, history, cultural traditions, family stories, fun stories, and titles about growing up Latino. (K-5)
See more
image of the cover of Cuba in My Pocket

The Latinx Kidlit Book Database

Free database offering the ability to sort by age category, genre, theme, representation featured, and more (K-12)
See more
illustration of a Latina girl playing a guitar

Bilingual Picture Books in English and Spanish

These bilingual picture books highlight diverse cultural traditions, stories, and perspectives, making them great additions to classroom or school library collections.
See more

Download and Share these Graphics

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us by downloading and sharing these graphics on social media! To download a graphic to share, right-click or press and hold (phone or tablet).
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We Are Water Protectors

Celebrate Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month

We have lesson plans, activities, resources, and recommended books to help students explore and celebrate Native American culture.
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