Mexico

V: COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Part 1: Before and After Questions

Overview:
Any or all of the following questions can be utilized with students both before and after initiating a study of Mexico and before and after Chuchumbe's residency to gauge students' knowledge of these subjects. Teachers and students should write down or briefly note their answers to these questions before any lessons or units on Mexico. After studying Mexico, and after Chuchumbe's residency, the questions can be asked again. A comparison of the before and after answers will help both students and teachers see how their knowledge and understanding has deepened.

Many of these questions would also be excellent openings for discussions about cultural differences, stereotypes, and many other topics. Most of these questions are addressed in the lessons included in this curriculum, and several lessons contain more in-depth, subject-specific questions designed to function as precursors to those lessons.

• When you think of Mexico, what comes to mind?
• How would you describe Mexican music?
• What types of people inhabit Mexico?
• What are important cultural symbols in Mexico?
• How would you describe the geography of Mexico?
• What is culture?
• What are examples of cultural objects that are uniquely American?
• What are examples of cultural objects that are uniquely Mexican?
• How would you describe your attitude toward death? American attitudes toward death? Mexican attitudes toward death?
• How can foods suggest what is important to people?
• Why are certain foods more important to specific groups of people?
• How would you describe Mexican food?
• What foods are special in your family?
• What foods are special to your culture?
• How can buildings reflects people's values?
• What are famous historical sites in Mexico?
• What are famous religious sites in Mexico?
• What are famous cultural sites in Mexico?
• What are uniquely American holidays and festivals?
• What are uniquely Mexican holidays and festivals?
• What do you know about immigration?
• What do you think of when you hear the term "immigrant"?
• What are your thoughts and feelings about immigration?
• Do you think you have borders in your life?
• Do borders exist in your school? Your community?
• How do you overcome borders that you encounter?
• What are human rights?
• What would you consider a basic human right?
• What is an indigenous person?
• Can you identify any indigenous groups in the United States?
• Can you identify any indigenous groups in Mexico?
• How would you describe the treatment of indigenous groups in the United States?
• What is a stereotype?
• Do you encounter stereotypes in your own life?
• Are stereotypes present in your school?
• How does one overcome stereotypes?
• What stereotypes of Mexico and Mexicans exist?
• Why do stereotypes exist?
• Overall, what are your feelings about learning about new countries and people?
• Are other parts of the world interesting to you? Why? Why not?
• What about Mexico most intrigues you?
• Name one area of Mexico about which you want to learn.
• What was the most interesting thing you learned about Mexico?
• Can you play any instruments? Do you want to play any instruments? Which ones? Why?
• What instruments did you play?
• What do you know about how instruments make sound?