Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15th through October
15th. Why September 15th? Because five Latin countries celebrate
the anniversaries of their independence on September 15th: Costa
Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico
and Chile celebrate their Independence Days on September 16th
and 18th. For the month we celebrate those whose roots trace
back to Spain, Mexico and Spanish-speaking nations of Central
America, South America, and the Caribbean. Que bueno, eh?
Wondering how to celebrate? There's information at the United
States Census Bureau and a great resource for teachers at
TeacherVision for ideas on how to share Hispanic culture with
your students. You could make a pinata, tell Puerto Rican folk
tales, or maybe learn a little Spanish... using my bilingual
titles to do it: Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón and Paco
and the Giant Chile Plant ~ Paco y la planta de chile gigante.