Archived Materials
The LAII has worked closely with teachers for over twenty years. Even as we're proud of the materials that we've created over that time, we recognize that their content may not be immediately relevant to teachers in the classroom today. With that in mind, we've "archived" materials here that we think are still worthwhile, but which would require significant adaptation to use in the classroom. If nothing else, may they serve as inspiration!
LADB: News in the Classroom
Written by LAII staff, News in the Classroom modules bring critical discussion of Latin American current events into the classroom, and encourages the development of literacy skills. Each module is based upon an article in the LAII's Latin America Digital Beat (LADB, formerly referred to as "Latin America Data Base").
The LADB is normally a subscription service made available to institutional libraries; however, K-12 teachers can request free access to all current and archived articles in the database. For instructions on how to receive free access, please visit the LADB subscription page.
- Climate Change and Vulnerable Populations
LADB SourceMex: Flooding in Southeast Mexico Reinforces Warnings About Climate Change
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - Economic Imports and Food Safety
LADB SourceMex: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Imports of Mexican Papaya
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - The Political, Economic, and Cultural Climate of Immigration
LADB NotiSur Article: South America's Relative Economic Stability Attracts Immigrants
Friday, August 26, 2011 - Negotiating Peace
LADB NotiSur Article: Colombia Might Be Edging Closer to New Peace Negotiations
Friday, August 19, 2005 - Coca Cultivation
LADB NotiSur Article: Peru: Two Regions Legalize Coca-leaf Cultivation, Federal Government Condemns Move
Friday, August 19, 2005 - Archaeology: The Ruins at Copán
LADB NotiCen Article: Important New Discoveries at Copán, Honduras
Thursday, March 10, 2005 - Brazil Adopts Open-source Software
LADB NotiSur Article: Brazil Takes Open-source Road to Development
Friday, March 4, 2005 - Coffee and the Mexican Agricultural Crisis
LADB SourceMex Article: Agriculture Organizations Propose New Programs to Address Crisis Among Coffee Growers
Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - Argentine Presidential Elections
LADB NotiSur Article: Argentina: Fifteen Candidates Will Compete in Presidential Election
Friday, March 21, 2003 - African Connections in the Americas
LADB NotiSur Article: Brazil: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Builds Relations with African Countries
Friday, November 14, 2003
RETANET: Resources for Teaching About the Americas
Resources for Teaching About the Americas (RETANet) is a database of curricular materials developed in 1996 by 54 secondary teachers from public and private schools in 10 states and on 2 Indian reservations. Content spans art, math, language studies, science, social studies, and Spanish. RETANet materials promote creative, interdisciplinary teaching about issues related to Latin America.
While these lesson plans were developed in the 1990s and are therefore somewhat dated regarding how they incorporate technology into the classroom, the cultural context and reflective student activities remain relevant.
Art/Dance/Food
- Cocina Mexicana
- Do you think Dominican food is tacos?
- Border art: A unit of study of artworks responding to the border between the United States and Mexico
- Can I feel your pain? A sculpture project
- From the Americas to Europe: A brief history of chocolate
- Mexican Cooking
- Folk dances / Los viejos
- Mexican folk art: Papel amate
- Mexican Food
Literature/Folklore
- Contemporary Latina writers: Julia Alvarez
- American literature: An oblique introduction
- Electronic journals about Latin American folktales
- Leyendas and children's literatura
- Gabriel García Márquez/Colombia
- Las mujeres y la literatura - Temas comunes
- Pre-Columbian myths and legends
Science/Math
- Air quality in the Americas: Math and maps
- Anasazi/Mesoamerican/Andean: Time and cultural passages
- Using cartagrams to learn about Latin America
- Calculating the exchange rates between the United States and Mexico
- Why is there pollution in Mexico City?
- Finding out about herbs throughout Latin America
- Finding out about herbs in New Mexico
- Geographic study of herbs throughout Latin America
- Cultural use of herbs throughout Latin America
- Os arvores - Uma coneccao entre o Portugal e o Brasil de ontem e hoje
- An appreciation of the worlds ever-shrinking rain forests
- The techno rainforest
- Hands-on science for teaching rainforest ecosystems
- Tropical rain forest
Social Studies
- Human rights in Latin America: the Death Squads
- Latin American pals: An introduction to Latin America
- Current issues in Latin America
- Plazas, zocalos and squares
- Building communities/construyendo comunidades
- Latin America: Unit overview
- Mock Organization of American States (OAS) conference
- The Latin American Mercado: Who made this?
African American and Caribbean Issues
- Blossom(ing) awareness: Think globally, mon - Act locally, bro (Development and social issues in the Caribbean)
- Africans in Haiti, Jamaica, and Brazil
- Slave women of African descent in Brazil, Haiti, and Jamaica
Geography
- Introducing the geographic theme location via two lessons:
Cultural identity: What places in our community carry importance?
The Pueblo Indians of Taos: What makes Blue Lake so important? - Urbanization in the Amazon Basin: Can indigenous people survive?
- Latin American geography
- Urbanization/Urbanización: A theme for teaching geography and Spanish
Immigration, Borders and Identity
- Different ethnic groups in Ecuador, Panama and Argentina: Their assimilation and their contributions
- Quiénes somos? / Who are we?
- Do I have culture?
- What brought you here?
- Imagen e identidad / Image and identity: Multiple voices, violations, and victories
- Sixteen horses / Vaqueros
- Borders: A multi-dimensional approach
- Migration and immigration
Indigenous Issues
- Mi casa, mi pueblo y los Maya
- I-40 and the Panama Canal: Ties that bind too tight
- Chiapas: Where is it and why should we care? And, what is the EZLN?
- The Indian wars continue
- A comparison of two cultures
- Native American Issues in Latin America
Mexico
- The Aztec conquest and the birth of a new race (Mestizo)
- Mexican people: Are they as they seem?
- Learning about Mexico: Making and using salt dough human puppets in the classroom
