Students will examine myths and stereotypes about Hispanic immigrant groups.
In learning about Hispanics as immigrant groups it is hoped that students will reflect upon their own feelings. It is only through knowledge and truth about Mexicans, Cubans, and Puerto Ricans that students will be able to intelligently challenge stereotypes. Divide the class into three groups. Each group will be assigned a different Latino group. Tell students that the objective of this exercise is to explore myths and stereotypes about these groups. Key questions will be answered by students to determine what they presently know about their Latino group. Questions can be located in the lesson plan entitled “ Challenging Myths and Stereotypes”. Once the groups have completed this task they are to present this information back to the class. A discussion should then take place with the entire class. The teacher should encourage students to challenge any information presented that is a myth or a stereotype. Students should then be assigned a research project on their Hispanic group in order to acquire the facts about the group. This may be done as a homework assignment or the teacher may want to accompany the class to the school library and work with them. Once the assignment is completed the groups should then report their findings to the entire class. Another way to present factual information is to assign each of the three groups the task of creating an exciting bulletin board display about their Latino group, The display should not only contain factual information, but also include items that reflect the culture of each group.
Students will learn to appreciate and share the strengths of their diversity.
This will be done by sharing food, music,and literature from the various ethnic groups with the entire class. In the past the United States has been thought of as a melting pot; the culture of many different groups were supposed to mix to create one American culture. A new image began to emerge in the l960’s replacing the idea of a melting pot. Latinos pushed to view America more like a multi-cultural rainbow. In a multi-cultural society at its best, people would not just tolerate differences, they would appreciate and share their differences. All groups still contribute to making one united nation, but these groups wished to be seen as individuals, each keeping much of their special culture.