A Time to Celebrate
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15) is the perfect opportunity to bring color, music, stories, and traditions into your language classroom. It’s a celebration of the many cultures that make up Hispanic and Latino heritage—and a wonderful way to help students explore the beauty of languages, history, and the arts.
For your students, this month is a chance to spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and provide hands-on experiences that make learning come alive.
Ideas to Bring Hispanic Heritage Month to Life
Elementary (K–5)
- Storytime Adventures: Share picture books or bilingual stories with characters who celebrate family traditions, foods, and holidays. Follow up with a drawing or writing activity.
- Art with Flair: Create papel picado banners or mural-style art projects to decorate the classroom.
- Sing and Dance: Play upbeat children’s songs from Latin America and encourage students to sing or dance along. View 7 Songs to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage
- Use props (scarves, maracas, or ribbons) to make dancing even more engaging.
- Teach a few simple Spanish words/phrases from the songs so students connect language and culture.
- Pair songs with a mini cultural note—for example, explain where the song originated or when it’s often sung.
Middle School (6–8)
- Spotlight on Inspiration: Have students research musicians, athletes, or artists from Hispanic heritage and share their work in creative presentations.
- Cultural Map Quest: Explore countries highlighted during Hispanic Heritage Month by creating colorful maps with fun facts, flags, and traditions.
- Class Cookbook: Collect favorite recipes (researched or shared) to build a “Heritage Month Cookbook” as a keepsake.
View Latino Smithsonian Virtual Exhibits
High School (9–12)
- Film or Short Story Discussion: Pair a short film or story from a Hispanic author or director with student-led conversations.
- Guest Speakers: Invite community members to share traditions, music, or art with the class.
- Cultural Fair: Host a showcase of student projects, art, food, or performances to wrap up the month in style.
View Hispanic Heritage Resources here
Bringing Vista into the Celebration
Vista offers rich, authentic resources that make it easy to highlight Hispanic voices, stories, and traditions. Teachers can:
- Use authentic readings by Hispanic authors to spark discussion and build literacy skills.
- Tap into multimedia resources—songs, videos, and interactive activities—to make lessons dynamic and engaging.
- Support language learning by pairing cultural content with new vocabulary and conversational practice in Spanish.
These resources help teachers go beyond surface-level celebrations and create meaningful connections between culture and curriculum.
View Vista’s Spanish Language offerings here.
Keep the Celebration Going
Hispanic Heritage Month is a highlight of the fall semester, but the fun doesn’t have to stop in October. Sprinkle songs, stories, and cultural projects throughout the school year to keep the joy of learning alive.
Hispanic Heritage Month is all about celebration—through music, food, art, stories, and community. By adding these ideas to your classroom, you’ll give students meaningful experiences they’ll carry with them long after the month ends. With Vista, it’s easy to turn this celebration into a memorable part of your school year.
By: Sierra Combelic
Also read:
Celebrating Culture & Diversity: How to Incorporate Hispanic Heritage Month into Your Curriculum
