aidemia--modules-lessonstartideas_type	Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson
Which subject	Spanish
What age group	Year or Grade 9
What topic	Cinco de Mayo
Quantity	6
Any other preferences	Learning objectives, do now, set/hook, individual activity, group activity, questions ans answers, vocabulary, exit ticket

Lesson Plan: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo.
2. Identify the cultural traditions associated with Cinco de Mayo.
3. Use key vocabulary related to the holiday in both spoken and written Spanish.
4. Demonstrate collaborative skills through group discussions.
5. Create a visual or written project that reflects their understanding of Cinco de Mayo.

Do Now

As students enter the classroom, they will find a prompt on the board:

• "What does Cinco de Mayo mean to you?" Write a short response in your notebooks (3-5 sentences). Use Spanish where possible!

Give students 5 minutes to complete this activity. Once done, a few students can share their thoughts.

Set/Hook

To introduce the topic of Cinco de Mayo, show a short, engaging video clip (around 2-3 minutes) highlighting the celebrations, parades, and cultural significance of the holiday. This can be followed by a brief class discussion using these questions:

• What stood out to you in the video?
• Why do you think Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States and Mexico?

Individual Activity

Students will independently read a short passage (1-2 paragraphs) about the history of Cinco de Mayo. After reading, they will answer the following questions in Spanish:

1. ¿Qué evento importante ocurrió el 5 de mayo de 1862?
2. ¿Quiénes fueron los protagonistas de esta historia?

Encourage students to use context clues and any vocabulary they know to help them.

Group Activity

In groups of 4-5, students will create a mind map that outlines key aspects of Cinco de Mayo, including:

• Historical events
• Cultural traditions (food, music, dancing)
• Important figures
• Modern-day celebrations

Each group will present their mind map to the class for 2-3 minutes, encouraging questions and feedback from peers.

Questions and Answers

As a full class, facilitate a Q&A session based on the activities completed. Prompt students with questions such as:

• How does Cinco de Mayo compare to other cultural holidays you’ve learned about?
• Why do you think it’s important to celebrate diversity through events like Cinco de Mayo?

Encourage students to ask their peers questions as well.

Vocabulary

Here are some key terms related to Cinco de Mayo for students to learn and understand:

• Cinco de Mayo - Fifth of May
• Batalla - Battle
• Puebla - Puebla (the city)
• Independencia - Independence
• Celebración - Celebration
• Tradición - Tradition

Have students create flashcards for these terms, writing the Spanish word on one side and the English translation on the other.

Exit Ticket

To conclude the lesson, students will complete an exit ticket with the following prompts:

1. One new fact you learned about Cinco de Mayo.
2. One tradition you would like to explore more or participate in.
3. A sentence using one of the vocabulary words you learned today.

Collect these exit tickets as students leave the classroom to gauge understanding and engagement with the material.