Inside: Cinco de mayo in Spanish class. Cinco de mayo Spanish class activities that celebrate the culture of Mexico. Celebrating culturally appropriate 5 de mayo in Spanish classes. 10 Cinco de mayo activities for Spanish students.
Author – Allison Wienhold
5 de mayo in Spanish class was originally posted 4.29.18 & most recently updated 4.3.25
Cinco de mayo in Spanish Class – a history
Cinco de mayo in Spanish class has become a pretty controversial topic in the Spanish teaching world. I would hope that as Spanish teachers, we all know what it is REALLY about and help share that with our students. Cinco de mayo lesson plans is a great opportunity to teach language learners what hapend on May 5th.
In all honestly, when I was in high school 5 de mayo meant food and I really did not know what it was all about. When I was student teaching it meant my end of teaching el cinco de mayo party. The fiesta was complete with quesadilla maker and some fluff activities in English about the “holiday.”
Now that I know better, my goal is to do better. The turning point for me was discovering Martina Bex’s 5 de mayo readings and cultural unit in my third year of teaching. That was the year I was trying out CI using my first novel and story units using Spanish language texts. By that Spring, I knew that I could and should teach about the holiday in comprehensible Spanish.
Instead of a meaningless fiesta, we spent about a week digging deeper into what it was all about. I used variations of those plans at all levels.
I also make a point to hype up Mexican Independence Day on September 16th. We make a big deal out of Hispanic Heritage Month. So as a point of reference my students KNOW that 5 de mayo is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day. I always want to clear up common misconceptions and focus on historical facts.
So, what is 5 de mayo really about?
Cinco de mayo is a celebration of Mexican heritage. Historically, 5 de mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Despite being greatly outnumbered and outgunned, the Mexican army under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza managed to defeat the French forces under the command of Napoleon III. La Batalla de Puebla is true history of cinco de mayo.
Although the victory at the Battle of Puebla did not end the French occupation of Mexico, it was still a significant achievement and a source of pride for the Mexican people. So, important note, 5 de mayo marks a battle the Mexicans won in a war they eventually lost. (Hence why outside of Puebla this is US holiday, not one celebrated in Mexico). Cinco de Mayo celebration has become a symbol of Mexican identity and resistance against foreign domination.
In addition to its historical significance, Cinco de mayo is also celebrated in the United States as a joyous festival of Mexican culture and heritage. The holiday is marked by lively parades, mariachi music, dancing, and feasting on traditional Mexican food. A cinco de mayo activity should honor Mexican Americans.
If I do not want to be stereotypical, what should we do for 5 de mayo in Spanish class?
Cinco de mayo is the perfect time to bring a bit of culture into your lessons. Even though it is a relatively minor holiday, it can be a good way to focus on cultural traditions in your high school Spanish class. Get World Languages students excited to learn about Mexico’s background and honor their culture with engaging activities.
Whether you are an experienced Spanish teacher or just starting out, we have plenty of ways to create engaging materials that will spark student interest.
Read on for lots of ideas on how to learn about Mexico in a positive way for Cinco de mayo in your Spanish class.
5 de mayo in Spanish class idea #1 – The film Chupa
A new 2023 addition to celebrate Mexico is the new Netflix film Chupa. This live-action film with a Mexican director and actors includes the theme of being proud of Mexican heritage. It is a family-friendly take on the legendary Chupacabras. It includes lucha libre, authentic Mexican food & many more ideas for cultural expansion. If your group of students have not yet seen Chupa, it is my number 1 suggestion and a great way to start your celebration of cinco de mayo.
Read Chupa in Spanish Class blog post for many ideas on how to use this film in Spanish class. I have a ready-to-go Chupa guide in my website store or Chupa movie guide on TPT as well.
Spanish 5 de mayo class idea #2 – A Million Miles Away
Brand new for cinco de mayo 2024 is A Million Miles Away. This might be Spanish teachers’ new favorite movie and a perfect lesson. It is based on the true story of the 1st Mexican-American in space with NASA. There is a positive representation of what it means to be Mexican-American.
Get my A Million Miles Away Movie Questions Worksheet for a couple of no-prep days. I have the same Million Miles Away guide on TPT too. Get tons of authentic resources for the film in this blog post A Million Miles Away.
5 de mayo Spanish idea #3 – The Casagrandes Movie
The newest film about Mexico on this list is The Casagrandes Movie. This brand new 2024 Netflix film follows the family from the Nickelodeon show with the same name. This large multigenerational Mexican-American family travels to Mexico to visit Great Grandma for the summer. The Latinx creator and actors make The Casagrandes enjoyable and not stereotypical.
There is a ton of Spanish in this entertaining and funny adventure with a lot of culture of Mexico and Indigenous peoples. Get my new The Casagrandes Movie Guide in my website store or Casagrandes Questions on TPT. Get authentic resources for the film in The Casagrandes Movie blog post.
5 de mayo Spanish class idea #4 – Mexico Reading
If you can not show a film, this novice level Mexico reading comprehension and activities would be a short way to introduce a little about Mexico to novice students. I created the reading and comprehension questions to go with the novel Tumba. I have many posts for the novel if you have a little bit more time to dig into Mexico.
Also, I updated this resource to make it in Google Slides. This way you can assign it digitally on Google Classroom or your platform of choice.
Cinco de mayo in Spanish class #5 – El Camino de Xico
Another movie to teach about Mexico that is authentic and was created in Spanish is El camino de Xico. It is authentic, animated, family-friendly, and would work from upper elementary all the way to high school seniors. (Trust me, my Spanish 3/4 class watched it as a part of an environmental unit and they enjoyed it!)
This blog post has all kinds of authentic readings and videos to go along with the film. If you want something that is no-prep and all ready to go, I have a movie guide in my website store OR guide on TPT for all levels of Spanish (with English and Spanish versions of questions, plus a key).
Positive Culture of Mexico Idea #6 – El Libro de Vida
A movie to teach about Mexico set during Día de Muertos that is a little more lighthearted is The Book of Life. I have a basic free guide & intro slides for novice Spanish. Kara Jacobs has great materials for upper-level students.
5 de mayo Idea #7 – Canela
Another great authentic film set in Mexico is Canela. There are resources for the movie here. It is an appropriate movie that ties in many common Spanish 1 themes such as family, food, and the house while centering around the culture of Mexico and mole.
Cinco de mayo ideas #8 – Selena
If you want to celebrate Mexican-American heritage, learning about Selena would be a great option. Find lots of resources about Selena in this Selena blog post. Plus I have a Selena Movie Guide for Spanish Class
5 de mayo Spanish class Idea #9 – Indigenous Cultures
If you really want to dig deeper into pre-colonial Mexico, check out this blog post. Indigenous Peoples in Spanish class. You also might like the short TV program Maya y los tres. Get free character introduction slides at the bottom of this post.
Idea #10 Piñata Mini Unit
If you have a lot more time to work with, you could honor Mexico with a Piñata Mini-Unit.
Read more >> 9 Good Cinco de mayo movies
More 5 de Mayo Ideas for Spanish Class
- McFarland USA in Spanish class
- Going Varsity in Mariachi in Spanish Class
- Coco
- Mexico Untamed – learn more & get a freebie for any documentary
- 5 de mayo activities – Mexico Pinterest Board – For more ideas about 5 de mayo and Mexico, follow my Mexico Pinterest Board.
- Maya y los tres in Spanish class – get a freebie at the bottom of the post!
Digital Resources for 5 de mayo in Spanish class
In the Spring of 2020 when we were doing voluntary digital learning, all levels did some readings based on the level on Garbanzo, as well as a virtual field trip from Sra. Cruz. I also asked that they teach someone they live with (or someone they connect with virtually) what 5 de mayo is and is not. If you need some digital options check out the resources below.
During our live class zoom, we did some kind of review game, such as those below:
- Quizlet Vocab (Quizlet live individual mode)
- Quizlet – complete the phrase (Quizlet live individual mode)
- 5 de mayo Kahoot (in Spanish)
- 5 de mayo Quizizz
What about you? Do you ignore 5 de mayo in Spanish class, throw a big fiesta, or are you somewhere in the middle like me? Are you doing anything with distance learning? Please share your ideas!
