June 19, 2018
Greetings from South of the Border! The secret word of the day was CORN! We used soaked corn husks as the wraps for our tamales, which were made from masa (corn flour), and used a metate to grind nixtamal (corn cooked with lime). We also worked on our Aztec calendars and found out what our birthdates would look like using Aztec glyphs. Busy as usual!
June 15, 2018
Hola! We used our backstrap looms to weave today. To go along with the weaving project, we read a book called Abuela's Weave and learned a little more about the tradition of weaving. We also made our clay pots. Pictures of your child at work on these projects will be part of the slide show that you can view on Open House night. We also found some time to work on our pinatas.
June 18, 2018
Today we reviewed Maya math and began our study of the Aztec Indians. Our story was a legend about Quetzalcoatl and his victory over Tlaloc, the rain god, when they played tlachtli, the traditional Aztec ball game. Some Tlachtli courts are still standing in Mexico nowadays. We examined some glyphs on a website called Mexicolore. We began coloring a replica of the Aztec calendar and worked on our pinata. By the way, our Thursday "field trip" will be a trip to the high school in Pine City so we can use kitchen facilities to make pan dulce, which is a Mexican sweet bread. We should have enough time to sample our pan dulce and eat it with Mexican hot chocolate. Please remember that Thursday is an extended day, from 8:30--2:30, so the drop-off times will be different if your child is using a Project Seek bus for transportation. Hasta luego! Mrs. Siqueiros
Greetings from South of the Border! The secret word of the day was CORN! We used soaked corn husks as the wraps for our tamales, which were made from masa (corn flour), and used a metate to grind nixtamal (corn cooked with lime). We also worked on our Aztec calendars and found out what our birthdates would look like using Aztec glyphs. Busy as usual!
June 15, 2018
Hola! We used our backstrap looms to weave today. To go along with the weaving project, we read a book called Abuela's Weave and learned a little more about the tradition of weaving. We also made our clay pots. Pictures of your child at work on these projects will be part of the slide show that you can view on Open House night. We also found some time to work on our pinatas.
June 18, 2018
Today we reviewed Maya math and began our study of the Aztec Indians. Our story was a legend about Quetzalcoatl and his victory over Tlaloc, the rain god, when they played tlachtli, the traditional Aztec ball game. Some Tlachtli courts are still standing in Mexico nowadays. We examined some glyphs on a website called Mexicolore. We began coloring a replica of the Aztec calendar and worked on our pinata. By the way, our Thursday "field trip" will be a trip to the high school in Pine City so we can use kitchen facilities to make pan dulce, which is a Mexican sweet bread. We should have enough time to sample our pan dulce and eat it with Mexican hot chocolate. Please remember that Thursday is an extended day, from 8:30--2:30, so the drop-off times will be different if your child is using a Project Seek bus for transportation. Hasta luego! Mrs. Siqueiros
June 14, 2018
Hola! We had another busy day. As a matter of fact, we did not have the chance to work on our pinata or work with the Mexican clay. However, we journaled about the Huichol Indians and the significance of the God's eye--hopefully, your child will remember to tell you about it. We also worked with the Maya number system. I would give each and every student an A+ in Maya math! Our story of the day told us about the mythical origin of backstrap weaving. In preparation for the weaving project tomorrow, we crushed cochineal bugs in a molcajete (one of the items on the work table) to make red dye and strung our looms. Tomorrow we will weave! Hasta luego! Mrs. Siqueiros
Hola! We had another busy day. As a matter of fact, we did not have the chance to work on our pinata or work with the Mexican clay. However, we journaled about the Huichol Indians and the significance of the God's eye--hopefully, your child will remember to tell you about it. We also worked with the Maya number system. I would give each and every student an A+ in Maya math! Our story of the day told us about the mythical origin of backstrap weaving. In preparation for the weaving project tomorrow, we crushed cochineal bugs in a molcajete (one of the items on the work table) to make red dye and strung our looms. Tomorrow we will weave! Hasta luego! Mrs. Siqueiros
Hola! I hope your child is enjoying our visit to Mexico via our South of the Border class (a very inexpensive way to travel, and no passport required!). On our first day, we learned about the symbolism of the Mexican flag. Other projects included the beginnings of a paper mache pinata and an introduction to the "work table," which consists of various Mexican objects, toys, and games. Today, we learned about the Huichol Indians, who are known for the Ojo de Dios (God's Eye) and intricate beadwork. I loved seeing the perseverance of all students as they mastered the weaving technique of the God's Eye! Tomorrow, our introduction to the Maya will include their number system, the dyeing of fabric using real cochineal bug dye, and Mexican clay pottery. Please feel free to send an oversized t-shirt for our messy projects! Hasta luego! Mrs. Siqueiros
Hola!
I am so excited to be teaching this class for the 2nd year. I have so many hands-on projects for us to do, and I think you will learn so much about Mexico. We will learn about many different groups of people who live in this fascinating country, and here is a list of just some of the things we will do: weaving, beaded clay masks, pottery, Maya math, making tamales and Mexican sweetbread, corn grinding, Mexican games, and holiday celebrations. Some of these projects can get messy, so feel free to bring an over-size shirt to wear it for some of those activities.
I have been teaching in North Branch at the elementary school for 24 years. Before that, I taught English to Spanish speaking students in California. It was there that I began to learn the language and rich traditions of Mexico. I am looking forward to sharing this with you.
Adios for now!
Mrs. Siqueiros
I am so excited to be teaching this class for the 2nd year. I have so many hands-on projects for us to do, and I think you will learn so much about Mexico. We will learn about many different groups of people who live in this fascinating country, and here is a list of just some of the things we will do: weaving, beaded clay masks, pottery, Maya math, making tamales and Mexican sweetbread, corn grinding, Mexican games, and holiday celebrations. Some of these projects can get messy, so feel free to bring an over-size shirt to wear it for some of those activities.
I have been teaching in North Branch at the elementary school for 24 years. Before that, I taught English to Spanish speaking students in California. It was there that I began to learn the language and rich traditions of Mexico. I am looking forward to sharing this with you.
Adios for now!
Mrs. Siqueiros