Honoring Hispanic Heritage: Inspiring Stories and Lessons with Fishtank ELA
September 15, 2025
From September 15 to October 15, Fishtank ELA empowers classrooms to honor Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. These explorations deepen students' understanding of diverse experiences and affirm the importance of representation. When students see their heritage reflected, it affirms their identity, broadens perspectives, and lays the groundwork for lifelong cultural understanding.
To enhance these learnings, teachers can incorporate read-aloud sessions featuring Hispanic authors into their classes. Discussions based on the stories can encourage students to share personal connections and gain insights into diverse cultural narratives. With Fishtank ELA, our lessons are designed to support engaging and meaningful instruction at every grade level.
Elementary ELA: Building Early Connections
Hispanic Americans have driven social change and innovation for centuries, and even our youngest learners can begin to explore these stories. Our elementary ELA units cover family traditions, artists, immigration journeys, and folktales, introducing students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 to the achievements and narratives of Hispanic Americans.
In Kindergarten, students begin their journey with the "Falling in Love with Authors and Illustrators" unit, where they meet beloved authors Yuyi Morales and Monica Brown. They enjoy books such as Dreamers, Just a Minute, Just in Case, Niño Wrestles the World, My Name Is Celia, My Name Is Gabriela, and Tito Puente: Mambo King.
In Grade 1, the "Love Makes a Family" and "Inspiring Artists and Musicians" units invite students to explore family stories and learn about Hispanic artists who have made significant contributions. Students can read I Love Saturdays y Domingos, Mango, Abuela, and Me, When Angels Sing: The Story of Carlos Santana, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, and Funny Bones. Additionally, we have our "Making Old Stories New" unit, which encourages first graders to discover how classic tales can be retold in fresh, playful ways, with books such as The Three Little Javelinas, Little Roja Riding Hood, and The Three Little Tamales.
In Grade 2, the "Stories of Immigration" unit introduces students to the experiences of families immigrating to the U.S. from Mexico and Central America, featuring books like My Diary from Here to There, Xochitl and the Flowers, and La Frontera.
Third-grade students explore the history and influence of stories passed down through generations in the "Passing Down Wisdom: Hispanic and African American Folktales" unit, with texts such as Tales Our Abuelitas Told and The Sea-Ringed World.
In the Grade 4 alternate unit, "Politics and People: U.S. Government" highlights leaders who advocated for equity and representation, including Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes, featuring Sonia Sotomayor. Finally, in Grade 5, students read Return to Sender and examine immigration and stereotypes in real life through the "Friendship Across Boundaries" unit.
Middle and High School ELA: Identity, Belonging, and Resilience
As students grow, they think about identity, belonging, and resilience. Fishtank’s middle school units feature Hispanic poets, authors, and characters to facilitate meaningful conversations.
Transitioning to middle school, Grade 6 students encounter the work of Afro-Peruvian activist Favianna Rodriguez and the story of Isabel, a Cuban refugee, in Refugee. In Grade 7, students read The House on Mango Street and reflect on identity, community, and what it means to be an immigrant.
As students move into high school, they dive into complex stories and histories rooted in Hispanic and Latin American experiences. At Grade 9, students read In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and closely examine political courage, women’s agency, and Latin American history. In Grade 10, magical realism takes center stage through Gabriel García Márquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold, alongside works by Isabel Allende, Julio Cortázar, Jorge Luis Borges, and Octavio Paz.
By offering both “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors” through literature, students gain a sense of belonging and curiosity, while recognizing Hispanic and Latinx narratives as integral to American culture. Fishtank Learning is committed to providing every classroom with a curriculum that celebrates diversity, centers on student experiences, and inspires lasting knowledge of oneself, others, and the world.
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