Pinata Lesson
By C. Jody Moritz
Class: Spanish I
Goal: To have the Spanish I students learn a cultural lesson on piñatas.
Time: Three class periods (48 minutes each)
Preparations:
1. A 12-inch balloon (one for each student)
2. Newspaper strips cut into 1 inch wide by 6 inches long (about 100 per student)
3. Wallpaper paste (6 Tablespoons per student)
4. A 15-inch length of string (one per each student)
5. Clean plastic pails (one for every two to three students)
6. 6-inch squares of index paper (four to six per student)
7. Strips of crepe paper in various colors 8. 4-inch squares of foil (four to six per student)
Objectives: 1. Students will construct their own star piñata to take home.
2. Students will complete the project with a better understanding of Spanish/Mexican culture
3. At the Faulkton School, the piñata created by Mrs. Moritz will be filled with candy and taken to the third grade (and/or fourth grade) to be broken with the Spanish I (and/or II )students for Benito Juarez Day in March as another cultural activity.
4. Students will write a reflection on what a piñata symbolizes.
Lesson Activities: Day One (Recommend this be a Friday):
Introduction (to be read to students and/or printed out for them to read along as a hand-out): "The piñata is a jar or pot ornamented with fancy paper. A true-to-tradition piñata (pe-nya-ta) is made from a clay jar."[1] The piñata is more of a Mexican tradition than a Spanish tradition but they originally came from Italy. The Spanish tradition of the piñata refers more to the game rather than the clay pot. The people on the first Sunday of Lent held a masked ball during which the clay jar was broken. These jars were ugly and not decorated. When the Spanish settled the New World, they brought the tradition with them. The celebration with the piñata in Mexico was more for Christmas rather than Easter. But since the piñata came to Mexico it has always been filled with candy and sweets for the children. [2] According to a legend, the piñata symbolizes evil and the children are good. When they break the piñata, good overcomes evil and the world is blessed.[3] Piñatas are used now for many occasions. Birthday parties often include the breaking of a piñata. One child is blindfolded and led to the spot beneath the hanging piñata. He/she is given a stick with which to hit the piñata. To make it more difficult, they can be turned around or the piñata can be given a big swing.[4] Today, piñatas are colorful and festive creations. They are made of cardboard, papier-mâché, paper bags or the traditional clay pots. Class today we are going to begin construction of an individual piñata for each student. First, each student needs to blow up his/her 12" balloon. It should be full but not too large because each student needs to be able to tie the end. After tying the end, each student needs to collect the newspaper strips he/she will need and get together with a partner or two. Each group should cover a desk with newspaper and get a pail of wallpaper paste goop. (Six tablespoons of paste mixed with about half a cup of water to be a paste). The newspaper strips should be dripped in the goop and wrapped around the balloon in one direction. When one coat of newspaper strips is on the balloon, take the string and tie it around the balloon and knot it at the top. Now cover the balloon with a second layer of papier-mâché making sure it is smooth. When the second layer is complete, allow it to dry for two to three days. Make sure and place these wet balls on dry newspapers. Clean up your newspaper, pail and any leftover strips.
Day Two: The balloons should be dry. Each student should pop the balloon (sometimes it has already shrunk). Each student will need four (4) to six (6) pieces of index paper to make star points. The paper should be rolled to make a cone shape and trimmed to fit the base against the papier-mâché balloon. Strips of masking tape should be used to secure the cone(s) to the balloon. The foil should be glued to the tip of the cone. Students can begin to glue the crepe paper strips onto the cones and then on the papier-mâché balloon until the whole balloon is covered. They can then hang it by the string.
Day Three: Continuation of day two since it will take a great deal of time to cover the whole balloon with the crepe paper. Each student may take the piñata home. They can be filled with candy and broken at a party or saved for a decoration.
Evaluation: See rubric. Comments about the piñatas will also be sought at Parent-Teacher Conferences to see what the students brought home to the parents about the project.
Rubric for Assessment of Reflection
| 4 points | Provided a great deal of historical information | Wrote a great deal about the piñata in Spain and Mexico | Wrote a comparison between American culture and the cultures that use piñatas |
| 3 points | Provided quite a bit of historical information | Wrote some about the piñata in Spain and Mexico | Wrote a comparison between American culture and a culture that uses piñatas |
| 2 points | Provided some historical information | Wrote a little about the piñata in Spain and Mexico | Wrote a couple of sentences with a cultural comparison. |
| 1 point | Provided a little historical information | Wrote only about the piñata in Spain or Mexico | Not much of a cultural comparison written. (Maybe one sentence). |
| 0 points | Did not do | Did not do | Did not do |
Assessment: Student growth will be assessed on being able to complete the project in the amount of time assigned. Student growth will also be assessed on how well they complete the reflection
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Bibliography
[1] Best, Shirley. Let’s Have Fun with Spanish Culture. Illustrated by Scott W. Earle. Copyright 1986 by J. Weston Walch, Publisher Portland, Maine. P. 146 [2] Downs, Cynthia and Terry Becker. Bienvenidos. Illustrated by Margherita DePaulis. Copyright 1991 by T.S. Denison and Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. P. 167 [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. p. 168
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