Photos from Traveling around Mexico City

Students in 10th grade have been researching and planning a trip to Mexico City. On Wednesday, they will be looking up places to go/things to see in and around Mexico City. Below are some links to slideshows of when I visited Mexico City.

This is an image of a mural by Diego Rivera in el Palacio de Bellas Artes

El Palacio de Bellas Artes has theatrical performances and murals by famous performances. 

Click here for more photos from el Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Click here for more photos of murals around Mexico City.

This is an image of el Palacio Nacional. 

Click here for more photos from History museums.

This is an image of ONE of the Catedrals de la Virgen de Guadalupe. 

Click here for more photos of churches of la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Click here for more photos of churches in Mexico City.

This is an image from a futbol/soccer game I went to. 

Click here for more photos from the soccer game and lucha libre.

This is an image of a Boy/Girl Scouts type group walking around Parque Chapultapec. 

Click here for more photos from Parque Chapultapec.

This is an image of a VW Beatle covered with tiny little beads in the Museum of Popular Art.

Click here to see more photos from el museo de Arte Popular.

Click here to see more photos of art from the house of Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo.

Click here to see more photos of art around Mexico City.

This is an image from one of the markets in Mexico City.

Click here to view more photos from markets in Mexico City.

Click here to view photos from el mercado San Angel, the biggest art market in Mexico City.

This is an image from Teotihuacan - One of the biggest Aztec Ruins. 

Click here to view more photos from Teotihuacan.

Click here for more photos of artifacts from Ancient Civilizations.

This is an image from the neighborhood Coyoacan.

Click here for more photos from walking around Coyoacan.

Click here for photos from walking around la Roma neighborhood.

Click here for photos from walking around la Condesa neighborhood.

Hot Tamale Activity

• Based on the photos, what are the top 3 things you would do in Mexico City? Why? 

Spanish Music on Youtube

The Latin Grammys came and went. Below is a link to the Song of the Year "Corre" by Jesse and Joy.

There's a lot of Spanish music out there on YouTube and you can earn some Hot Tamale points by exploring it a bit. Here is a link to a playlist of Spanish music to get you started.

Hot Tamale Activities - email me bordner@cityhigh.org your responses.

• Review "Corre" or any song on the Spanish music playlist. Do you like it? Why or why not? What do you think of the video?
• Write a short bio on Jesse and Joy, or any other group on the Spanish music playlist - Where are they from? How many albums do they have? 
• Translate "Corre" or any song on the Spanish music playlist, to English
• Find more Spanish music and create your own Spanish music playlist! Describe why you picked the songs you selected. 

What music do you listen to?

2012 Latin Grammys

The Latin Grammys will be held this Thursday, November 15th in Las Vegas. You can watch the ceremony on Univision.

Here is a list of all the categories an nominations.

Hot Tamale Activities

• translate the categories to English
• select one category - listen to each song and describe which one you like best and why
• select one category - tell me what country each nominated group/person is from
• select a group that was nominate in two or more categories - briefly describe their music and a short biography in your own words
• Watch and review the show! Who won? Who was the best performer? Who was dressed well/poorly? 
• See who won last year and complete activities from last year's Latin Grammy's Post

Food Blogs

There are many people who are passionate about food with blogs.

Señorita Cibulka is another Spanish Teacher in Pittsburgh who blogs about Latino cuisine and other international restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. 

Hot Tamale Activity

• Read and summarize 2-3 of her blog posts. Would you eat what she had? Why or why not?

LatinoFoodie is a blog with recipes of various latin themed food as well as great explanations of food and holidays within the cultural context of Spanish-speakers. 

Hot Tamale Activity

• Find a recipe you would make and eat - what makes you want to create that dish?
• Read and summarize a "cultural capsule" - compare it to a holiday and traditional food we eat in the United States

• Find and email me other food blogs (tumblrs or flickr accounts too) that discuss latino food, culture, or international food in Pittsburgh.

Latino Food in Pittsburgh!

First, I love talking about food. Second, many of you know that I am new to Pittsburgh. There are a lot of things in this city that I still need to figure out, and one of them is where to get some good latino food!

Last weekend my parents were in town and we went to the strip and I was so happy to see a Mexican grocery store Reyna Foods!

Apple soda!

My mom in the isle of sweets, coffee, tea and piñatas!

Maté tea!

My dad holding up a bag of pork rines saying "I've never seen them so big before!"

Hot Tamale Activities

• Where do you go for a good taco or latino food? (Taco Bell and Chipotle don't count!) 
• Research online Latino Food in Pittsburgh - What stores/restaurants come up? Where are they? Which one looks like you'd try it?
• What is yerba maté? Where do people drink it? How do they drink it? How is it similar to coffee? How is it different than coffee? Would you like to try it? Why or why not?
• When at your neighborhood grocery store, go through the Latino isle - write down what is there and report back. More points for photos!

More Stories about Immigration

We have been focusing a lot on immigration. We have watched an undocumented family welcome a minuteman into their home for a month, we have responded to an undocumented student's letter, and we have studied a flowchart and tried to understand the different ways to become a legal American citizen.

Check out this video version of the flowchart to become a legal American citizen.

There are so many stories of people coming to the United States for a chance at a better life for themselves and their family. Below are a few stories from StoryCorps, an organization that goes around the country recording friends and family telling each other their life stories.

Click here to listen to José talk about missing his mother as she worked in New York City and he stayed behind in the Dominican Republic.

Click here for a list of more stories told by people who immigrated to the United States.

Recently I just finished reading Esperanza Rising, a young adult novel about a 14 year-old girl who lost everything in Mexico and had to immigrate to the United States to start over. I learned about what it was like in the 1950s to be a field worker, and how the workers were treated.

Hot Tamale Activities

• Do you know someone who has immigrated to the United States? Maybe an older relative or a neighbor? Interview them. Where did they come from? Why did they come to the U.S.?What was it like for them that first month? What is something they miss from their home country? Would they ever go back? Email a summary. 
• What stories touch you? What story do you sympathize with the most and why?
• Read Esperanza Rising and have a brief, one-on-one discussion about the book with me. 

Elections, Latino Americans, and Infographics

This week elections were held all over the country to elect the President, other officials, and make a decision for many other things. (Maryland voted to allow illegal immigrants to be able to attend state universities and pay in-state tuition.)

Some of our classes have really been delving into various issues regarding illegal immigration. But it's important to remember that there are many legal immigrants, or American-born citizens who are Latinos and they can vote in elections. This group has been identified as the fastest growing group of our country.

Hot Tamale Activity - Create an info-graphic based on Latino Perspective on Government Policies. Here's how.

1 - What is an infographic?

2 - What is the Latino Perspective on Government Policies? 

Click on the link above to find out.

3 - How do you make an infographic?

Here is one website that helps you. 

Here is another website. 

Check both of them out, then use the one that is easiest for you.

4- Email your work to bordner@cityhigh.org

Should Puerto Rico Become America's 51st State?

On Tuesday, Puerto Rico voted to become the 51st American State. Click here to listen to the story.

Hot Tamale Activities - email your answers to bordner@cityhigh.org

• Create a timeline (or find one online) of when each of our 50 states became part of the United States.
• What does it take to become a state?
• What are the benefits Puerto Rico will get being a state? What are the drawbacks?
• Why do you think Puerto Rico would rather become a part of the United States instead of it's own country?
• If you were Puerto Rican, how would you have voted? Explain your answer 
• What do YOU think - should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?

Dia de los Muertos in Pittsburgh!

Tonight I stopped by Mexico Lindo to see their Day of the Dead altar. It was phenomenally beautiful. See the photos below.

I also ate a chapuline (grasshopper). Yum!

Hot Tamale Activities

• Anytime you go to something related to Spanish bring in a flyer from the event and hand it to us. or snap a photo w/ a camera or phone and email it to me. Along with a summarizing report of Who/What/Where/When you'll get Hot Tamale Points
• Locate other Spanish related restaurants, businesses, etc in Pittsburgh. Include address and phone number.

Day of the Dead - photos by moi!

More Day of the Dead photos/videos!

photo of a family spending time at the cemetery next to the grave of a loved one

• Click here to see a slideshow of photos from when I went to Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico
• Click here to see videos from the trip
• Click here to see a slideshow of photos of calaveras (skeletons) in different scenarios

Look at the photos/videos then select a Hot Tamale Activities - email bordner@cityhigh.org or leave a comment

• How do the photos show similarities between Halloween and Day of the Dead. How do they show the differences?
• Many of the calavera photos are scenes from actual events. Select one or more of the scenes of the calaveras. Describe what is happening. Who is in the scene? When did it take place? What is happening?
• Would you travel to Mexico to witness Day of the Dead? Explain.
• Are there other celebrations from other cultures you would want to witness? What holiday? What country?