October 2001: Hispanic Heritage Check out these interdisciplinary activity ideas, TV programs and online resources for your classroom. Return in November for additional information! Teaching Ideas Get Ready to Rumba! Latin American Music Ask students to brainstorm a list of singers who perform Latin American music popular in the U.S. (Possibilities might include Ricky Martin, Enrico Iglesias, Mark Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Selena, Gloria Estefan, and others.) What characteristics do these performers, or their songs, share? Try to come up with a way to identify what makes Latin American music distinctive. Explain to students that Latin American music actually comprises several distinctive styles, among them bolero, salsa, son, rumba, tejano, guaracha, merengue, and bachata. You can hear sound clips of many of these styles by visiting the Putamayo Web site at http://www.putamayo.com/. Additional sound clips and textual information are available on the PBS Buena Vista Social Club Web site at http://www.pbs.org/buenavista/music/index.html. As students listen, ask them to describe the unique characteristics of each style. Characteristics might include particular images/lyrics, rhythms, tempos, instrumentation, or singing styles. Now compare one or more of these styles to the Latin American music played on U.S. radio stations. Would Latin American immigrants like be likely to identify this music as "Latin American"? Why or why not? Ask students to write or discuss their opinions and justify their answers using the characteristics described above. (An additional resource for this lesson is the book Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music From Rumba to Reggae by Peter Manuel, Michael Largey, and Kenneth Bilby.) Introducing Latin American Authors By reading the works of Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, and other Latin American authors, students can gain an understanding of the first- and second-generation Latin American immigrant experience. "Growing Up Latino," an anthology edited by Harold Augenbraum, may also be a good resource, as is the listing of Latin American authors at http://www.ithaca.edu/library/htmls/humhisp.html#Literature. Ask students to summarize each author's feelings about coming to America (or living in America) nd his or her most powerful memories of his or her homeland. Students should also pick out one or more lines of the author's work which best capture the author's tone and message. What common themes, images, and feelings are expressed by these authors? Have your students ever been in situations where they've felt the same way as one or more of these authors? Students might use what they've learned to prepare a fictional exchange of letters between two of the authors studied; compare the themes, images, and ideas of Latin American authors to those of another ethnic group; or contact the author(s) studied and share their reactions to the writing. Students might also compare these writings to the stories shared on the PBS La Ciudad Web site. Additionally, The New Americans tells the story of three young baseball recruits from the Dominican Republic, and the My American Girls Web site allows students to follow a year in the family life of first-generation Dominican immigrants. PBS Online Resources: Sites to See Adventure Divas: Cuba http://www.pbs.org/adventuredivas/ Travel to Cuba to meet remarkable women activists, artists, and leaders. American Masters: Diego Rivera http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/rivera_d.html Find out more about the life of this celebrated Mexican artists. Ancestors http://www.pbs.org/ancestors/ Everybody's got 'em...get help in tracking yours down and creating a family history. The Border http://www.pbs.org/kpbs/theborder/ Explore contemporary life along the U.S.-Mexico border. Buena Vista Social Club http://www.pbs.org/buenavista/ Join host Ry Cooder and his musical guests as they explore the rich rhythms of Cuban music, particularly the Afro-Cuban musical tradition. The City (La Cuidad) http://www.pbs.org/thecity/ This site shows the many faces of Latin American immigrants in the United States. Conquistadors http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/ Learn about the Spanish conquistadors who arrived in the New World 500 years ago. Crucible of Empire: Spanish-American War http://www.pbs.org/crucible/ This site offers historical background, media coverage contemporary to the conflict, patriotic song sheets, and more. The Fight In The Fields http://www.pbs.org/itvs/fightfields/ Meet Cesar Chavez and learn all about the United Farm Workers struggle that caught international attention. Food for the Ancestors http://www.pbs.org/foodancestors/ Learn more about Mexico's Days of the Dead, honoring family ancestors. The Forgotten Americans http://www.pbs.org/klru/forgottenamericans/ Find out more about the colonia residents in south Texas. Foto Novelas http://www.pbs.org/itvs/fotonovelas/ Get additional information about each of the four Foto Novelas TV episodes, read interviews with the filmmakers and get guidance on writing your own novella—all in English or Spanish. LaBoda http://www.pbs.org/pov/laboda/index.html Meet two young people from the U.S.-Mexican border region, whose lives are framed by the challenges of migrant life. My American Girls http://www.pbs.org/pov/myamericangirls/ This site covers over a year in the lives of the Ortiz family, first generation immigrants from the Dominican Republic. The New Americans http://www.pbs.org/newamericans/ Check out immigrant narratives from the Dominican Republic, information about baseball in Latin America, a timeline, lists of related films and books, and more. Stealing Home: The Case of Contemporary Cuban Baseball http://www.pbs.org/stealinghome/ U.S.-Mexican War http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/ Get the facts about the war that shaped the U.S. West. IdahoPTV and PBS Programs airing in October Don't miss these programs airing in October! Plaza Sesamo Airs Sundays at 8:00/7:00 a.m. Plaza Sesamo is a Spanish language series for pre-schoolers. Consisting of songs, music, and a cast of Muppets and live actors, the series addresses the educational needs of Latin American children and incorporates a curriculum with particular focus on health, hygiene and safety. Latino Culture, Social Affairs Series La Plaza airs Sundays at 12:30 a.m./11:30 p.m. MT/PT beginning October 7 This series on Latino cultural, political and social affairs, offers viewers everywhere a passport into Latino communities. Short documentaries, fictional films, panel discussions, music and dance explore Latino life. Austin City Limits Airs Friday, October 19 at 9:00 p.m. MT/PT Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Ibrahim Ferrer Orchestra Cuban salsa legend Ferrer, one of the Latin world's finest vocalists, performs the exhilarating music of his homeland.