Sharing Important Stories: Speyer Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month!

Spotted all over the Boulevard: Speyer students and teachers celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through innovative projects and fun units of study!

In Art, our second graders learned all about artist Jean-Michel Basquiat! They explored how to draw an image by breaking it down into simple shapes and then using that technique, they each created their own versions of his famous painting Pez Dispenser. Meanwhile, throughout the month, K-8 Librarian & Media Specialist Ms. Roberts featured books from various authors in the Speyer Library for all of our Dragons to enjoy!

Meanwhile, Speyer fifth graders researched a famous Hispanic person who made a meaningful contribution to the United States and created informational cards about them to then present to their classmates. Sixth graders had a similar project but focused on a Hispanic person or someone from a Hispanic background who contributes to the Speyer community, including teachers and staff members! After conducting an interview with their person and creating information cards, students shared what they learned with the class in Spanish.

Seventh grade dove deeper and honed research skills by selecting a Hispanic person, reading a research text about their life in Spanish, and then crafting a summary in Spanish. They used the information they learned to create a poster to display for others to see on the Boulevard. Eighth Grade wrapped up Hispanic Heritage Month by creating a Living Museum along the Boulevard for staffulty and fellow students to enjoy. Each student portrayed a Hispanic or Latino figure and spoke with visitors about that person’s life and contributions in Spanish!

Projects such as these deepen students’ connection to the Spanish language and the diverse cultures it represents. As our Dragons engage with authentic sources and share stories that matter, students strengthen their communication skills, cultural understanding, and appreciation for the impact people with Hispanic heritage have made across the globe and throughout history!