Berkeley County School District schools found innovative and inspiring activities over the past few weeks to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month.
From trivia questions, to special projects, to in-class lessons, staff found all sorts of ways to teach students about the contributions and influence of Hispanic culture to the nation’s achievements, culture and history. The month is celebrated annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
College Park Elementary has one of the highest populations of Hispanic students in the district, and the school always does something to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month every year. This year, students participated in making trifold boards about their home countries, and the school’s morning meetings were supplanted with lessons about Hispanic Heritage.
Art teacher Maria McGill introduced special art projects to her students as part of the festivities. Second and first grads worked on making Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls.
Sugar skulls are colorful, decorated skulls typically made from sugar (though students used paper plates in lieu of that particular ingredient). Sugar skulls represent a key part of the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is celebrated Nov. 1-2. Sugar skulls are often placed on alters, called ofrendas, as a way to honor deceased loved ones.
Last Wednesday, McGill helped Isabella Elman’s second graders add glitter to their cut-out skulls, while encouraging them to add other decorations to the skulls, such as mustaches, flowers, dots, hearts and different shapes.
