Why I Create 5 de Mayo Learning Experiences 

In my classroom, I don’t normally make a big deal about 5 de Mayo, but I definitely provide a learning experience on such a significant date because I don’t want my students to walk around in future years proclaiming that they are celebrating Mexico’s independence day on 5 de mayo at their nearest Mexican restaurant while they are sipping on a margarita at the age of 21. 

Believe me, I worked as a part time waitress for three years until this past December of 2019 and I have heard grown adults say all types of misconceptions about 5 de Mayo, ranging from “it is a mayonnaise party” (a mayonnaise party!!! really?)  to “I don’t care what it is man, I just want to drink.” 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am all about enjoying great Mexican food, margaritas, and tequila shots any day of the week, and due to the amazing sales, 5 de Mayo makes the experience more fun and affordable. Engage in 5 de Mayo activities locally. I hope I am not coming off as judgy because that is so not my intention. What I am saying is that I just want people to know the why behind it and its significance to a group of people, the Mexican people. 

My Hope for the Future of my Students

I envision my students as the conversation facilitators in the future when they find themselves at the Mexican restaurant celebrating the victory of La Batalla de Puebla and why le Mexique ne parle pas français y sí habla español. I want them to be the ones opening that conversation with ease and socially educating their peers on the subject matter if they find themselves drinking tequila shots and margaritas, that is, at the age of 21 of course. 

The Resources for 5 de Mayo

For this reason, I have created several resources to aid me, especially during this virtual learning time period. I created a brief and comprehensible historic retell and editable and interactive Google slides that you can assign your students as soon as today. Additionally, a fabulous teacher, Jennifer Makowski, shared an idea for an Instagram tic tac toe board for novices. Thank you Jennifer for the inspiration! I also added three other 5 de Mayo themed Instagram engagement resources for various levels. How can you get your hands on all of these resources? Click here!

 

Today, I want to invite you to have a conversation with your students about the real meaning behind 5 de Mayo. This conversation doesn’t have to be long, in fact, you can simply only spread awareness through social media, you can use the Instagram engagement photos I created, or you can teach a lesson using the story and editable and interactive Google slides I have created, or you can engage your students with both. All the materials are ready to go. So, what do you say? 

Here is an idea of how you can lead a synchronous lesson using the tic tac toe board included with the Instagram resources: