Extended Activities

There is so much to learn about Oaxaca. If you want to learn more about the region, here are some extra activities.

Lesson 2: What is Oaxaca like?
Kids in Oaxaca love Mexican Hot Chocolate. Want to know what it tastes like? Here is a recipe. Be sure to ask an adult to help!

Lesson 3: A Visit to Homes in Oaxaca
Mole is a special sauce that is used on many foods in Oaxaca. Learn how it is made by watching this video.

Do you want to try to cook mole? This is a simple recipe you can put on tacos. Be sure to ask an adult for help!

Have you ever tried to make a tortilla? Here is an easy recipe. Be sure to ask an adult for help!

Lesson 4 – Traditions and Celebrations are Important to Every Culture
See how Oaxaca, Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead.

The Skeleton Song – Learn to sing this silly counting song in Spanish for Day of the Dead.

Make a papel picado banner. If you don’t have colored tissue paper, use white paper and color your banner.

Sugar Skulls are made for Day of the Dead and used as offerings. Color a sugar skull. You can print it or color it on your computer!

Cinco de Mayo is a festive holiday celebrated in Oaxaca. Listen to a short video and song that explains why and how the day is celebrated.

Lesson 5 – The Kids of Oaxaca Go to School
Here are some pictures of a school in Oaxaca. As you look at them, try to think of what is the same in your school. Or what is different.

Extended Activities – Lesson 5 Gallery

Lesson 6 – Kids in Oaxaca Work and Play
The children of Oaxaca love to play a game called Loteria. It’s like Bingo. Here is an English version of the game.

Would you like to try a digital game of loteria? You might even learn some Spanish!

Lesson 7 – Stone Cutters and Ceramic Artists
Try to make a clay bird whistle. Begin by watching this Red Trunk video.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can get more help from this Youtube video.

If you are interested in Oaxacan pottery, watch this Red Trunk video on pottery.

Lesson 8 : The Art of Making Alebrijes
Would you like to color an alebrije? Here are some free designs you can print and color.

Want to try to make your own alebrije out of clay? Here’s a video that will show you how you do it.

Meet the family of Pedro Linares, the creator of alebrijes. Linares created his alebrijes from papier mache. The alebrijes of Oaxaca are carved from copal.

Here is a digital story book called Dream Carver. Manuel Jimenez was from Oaxaca and he is the artist who started using wood from the copal tree.

Lesson 9 – Clothing in Oaxaca
If you love to dance and are interested in the native costumes of the people of Oaxaca, be sure to watch these Red Trunk videos. Just for fun, try to learn the folk dance demonstrated in the video.

Lesson 10 – Final Project
You’ve learned so much about the kids and culture of Oaxaca. Once you’ve finished your own Red Trunk, watch the Pixar movie “Coco”. If you’ve already seen it, watch it again! You will discover many things that you have been learning about for the past 2 weeks. It’s so much fun!