Lesson Plan - A Tasty Tradition

Watch the Video
Play the video “Welcome to Mexico!” and discuss: If you could visit Mexico, what would you most like to see or do?

Build Knowledge
Explain that September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. It honors Americans whose ancestors are from Spain, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• cuisine
• heritage

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about some of their own family traditions.

1. What are some of Enrrique Alejandro’s goals when he makes his cooking videos?
Some of Enrrique’s goals when he makes his cooking videos are to show how to make dishes in a way that helps people manage diabetes, to honor his Mexican heritage, and to inspire other kids to celebrate their own heritage.
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2. Based on the article, where does Enrrique get many of his recipes?
Based on the article, Enrrique gets many of his recipes from his family. The article explains, “Nana Toña passed down her recipes to Enrrique’s grandmother, then to his mother, and now to him.”
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3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “Mexico in a Minute”?
The purpose of the sidebar, “Mexico in a Minute,” is to give some important facts about Mexico related to its population, size, language, and history.
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Featured Skill: Paired Texts
Use the skill builder “A Taste of Mexico” to have students read and answer questions about one of Enrrique’s favorite recipes. Explain that the recipe makes about six servings. For a math challenge, have students calculate how much of each ingredient they’d need to make enough for the whole class.
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