Cultural Identity Preservation Through Storytelling (Bilingual)
Elementary
By Charleen Mendoza
In this bilingual Spanish mini-unit developed as part of the UCI Central American Studies in K-12 Curriculum Project, 1st grade students learn about the migrant stories of their families, their school community, and local area through the cultural practice of storytelling through oral tradition and artwork. Students create or retell a migrant story through a written narrative, accompanying art piece, and oral presentation.
Learn more about the lesson from the author in the video below.
Charlene Mendoza (She/Her) I am a first-generation Mexican American. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in California. I never saw myself represented in the curriculum or materials. When I attended college and began my credentialing courses, the “diverse” resources or stories were often centered around the Mexican or monolithic “latino” experience. Now, working in the Pico Union community of Los Angeles, I see the urgent need to increase and improve the resources available to lower elementary teachers that focus on Central American Cultures.