Today at First Grammar Baulkham Hills we had our own Fiesta where we explored Mexican traditions, foods, music and language!
The idea came when Miss Alicia and Miss Imogen were discussing different strategies that could be used to explore various cultures and the world we live in. This is when we decided on having a cultural day celebration where we celebrate a certain culture.
Mexican was chosen first because one of this room’s favourite foods to have for lunch is Tacos. As part of the celebrations the room was decorated with the Mexican flag colours and a sombrero was placed hanging from the door. The children enjoyed trying on the sombreros and then colouring in and cutting out their own Sombreros.
We then explored Mexican cuisine by creating Mexican dip for afternoon tea. Using, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, taco seasoning and cheese the children created the dip. We then discussed the vegetables we will be having for lunch as Miss Alicia prepared them.
Today we had beef burritos with beans, lettuce, tomato, cous cous, cucumber, and cheese and tomato salsa. It was yummy! Throughout the day we explored traditional folk Mexican music such as mariachi as it played during our activities.
Tomorrow we will create a traditional Mexican musical instrument, the maracas! For craft the children were provided with images of cacti. Using these as a stimulus the children used paint to create their own versions. The children engaged in discussions about deserts as they created them. A large inflatable cactus was also used to stimulate their creative expression.
Using toothpicks the children added the illusion of spikes on their cacti as they stroked them across the paper. The children then gathered outside in 3 groups of 7 to engage in a chili relay race. Using red balloons as props the children placed them in-between their legs as they jumped through the course.
The children were required to jump across the soft fall, around the hoopla-hoop and back to the beginning for their friends to take their turn. It was lots of fun! The children were also introduced to Mexican’s national Language, Spanish. The children also have been introduced to counting 1-10, how to say yes, no, please, thank you and hello in Spanish. This afternoon the children will be able to have an attempted at cracking open our own cowboy boot piñata!