Lessons on Crafts of the Latin Culture
The crafts of the Latin American culture can teach students much about the people, the environment and art. Whether you are teaching Latin America in social studies, an art class or even an environmental science unit on rain forests, consider incorporating lessons on the crafts of the Latin culture. Give your students a chance to engage with these crafts in hands-on fashion and have plenty of photos available to help them develop appreciation for the many forms of these colorful crafts.
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Masks
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Masks are often brightly colored and used during parades and festivals. Prepare a slide presentation using presentation software of South American masks. Images can be found by doing a Google images search using the term "Latin American masks." Explain that masks were used for religious rituals, carnivals, dances, storytelling and celebrations. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different Latin American culture. Have the group research the types of masks that culture made. Have them create a mask in that style and then prepare a presentation for the rest of the class presenting the mask and explaining how it was used in their assigned culture, how they were made and who typically made them.
Cornhusk Dolls
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The husks of corn were dried and used to make dolls. Native Americans in South, Central and Northern America have a tradition of making corn husk dolls, usually without faces. Pass out dried corn husks to students and brainstorm as a class the different crafts that could be made with corn husks. Then ask them how they could use the husks to make toys for a child. Share the Iroquois legend of the corn husk dolls and why they have no faces.
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Pinatas
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The customs surrounding pinatas include arts, crafts and song. Have students research the history of the pinata and make a timeline that shows important dates in the use of pinatas. Tell them to follow the pinata's origins back to China and trace how it came to Latin America. Teach your class the Mexican pinata song and have them sing it in Spanish. Then prepare a traditional Mexican Christmas pinata and fill it with wrapped candies, guavas, oranges, sugar canes, peanuts and jicamas. Have students sing the pinata song as they break the pinata and share the goodies.
Terracotta Pottery
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Pottery was used for purposes both practical and artistic. Invite a local pottery artist in to speak to your class. Local art galleries should be able to help you find one. Have her give a demonstration of how to work with terra cotta. If possible, have her address Latin American influences on the craft. After the visit, have students create a catalog of Latin American terracotta pottery using pictures they find on the Internet and a brief description of the culture that created that style of pottery, what it was used for and the time period in which that style of pottery was made.
Basket Weaving
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Explain to your students that basket weaving in the Americas have been traced back more than 10,000 years. It is considered a craft and an art. Divide students into groups and assign each of them a different native tribe that has a tradition of basket weaving. These might include the Hiwi, Warao, Yanomami or Ye'Kuana. Have them research the type of materials and dye used for making their baskets, the technique and the style of baskets. Have them create a poster that communicates all of that information.
Yarn Painting
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Introduce students to the Huichol and Tepehuano cultures. Give each of them a selection of yarn and a piece of plywood or particle board. Explain that yarn painting is a tradition in both those cultures and that artists use yarn painting on masks, bowls, canvases and carved wooden animals. If possible, show students samples or pictures of yarn art. Then let them make their own yarn art paintings by melting wax over the plywood and then pressing the yarn into the wax to make designs and pictures. This is an activity for older students and care should be taken so they don't burn themselves with the wax.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Jack Hollingsworth/Photodisc/Getty Images Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Todd Warnock/Lifesize/Getty Images
