2 Soul Sisters Art Ed: Maracas for Cinco de Mayo (What do you know about Cinco de Mayo?)

We blogged about these before. See the links below:
http://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2017/02/rain-shakers.html
http://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2016/09/paper-mache-maracas-hispanic-heritage.html

We wanted to get in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, so we chose to do this lesson on this 9 weeks wheel session. Information below are links to Cinco de Mayo webpages:
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cinco-de-mayo
http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

Other links on Cinco de Mayo:
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/holidays/cincodemayo/
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/
https://www.kinderart.com/seasons/cincodemayo.shtml

http://www.mnn.com/family/family-activities/blogs/5-facts-about-cinco-de-mayo

What's the big deal about Cinco de Mayo, literally translated as the fifth of May? Here's what you need to know :

1. Cinco de Mayo IS NOT Mexico’s Independence Day. Most Americans confuse this holiday with Mexico's Independence Day, but that date is Sept. 16.

2. Cinco de Mayo IS a celebration of the Battle of Puebla. The holiday commemorates the Mexican Army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867).

3. Cinco de Mayo IS a celebrations of underdogs. Why make such a big deal over one victory? The win at Puebla was a huge deal for Mexico because the Mexican Army went into the battle as underdogs. They had no training and no equipment and were vastly outnumbered against the well-armed, well-disciplined and well-funded French, who up until that point had defeated them at every turn. Yet, they prevailed.

4. Cinco de Mayo IS NOT really a big deal in Mexico. With all of the fuss around May 5 here in the U.S., you would think it was the biggest holiday in Mexico — but that's not the case. That honor goes to Mexican Independence Day. Still, Mexicans do celebrate the day with family gatherings, fireworks, dancing and lots of yummy food.

5. Cinco de Mayo IS a holiday for everyone to celebrate. Many towns around the U.S. have festivals, fiestas, dances, fireworks, food and music in honor of the holiday. It's a great time to teach your kids about the culture, people and history of Mexico — or even learn a little yourself.

http://www.ajc.com/news/national/five-facts-about-cinco-mayo/JbADiPnh0xPWw4gXA5SJNL/

Cinco de Mayo is here. Many will be celebrating the holiday with margaritas and Mexican food. Here are five facts about the Mexican holiday that you can use to impress your friends.

1) Despite a common misconception, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. The holiday celebrates the Battle of Puebla, where, against all odds, the Mexicans made a stand against an invading French army in 1862.

2) Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the United States than it is in Mexico, with the exception of the city of Puebla. Mexico holds more of a celebration on its Independence Day, September 16, than it does on Cinco de Mayo.

3) The holiday means big business for the avocado industry. The California Avocado Commission says that Americans consume around 81 million avocados during Cinco de Mayo.

4) Chandler, Ariz., has a unique way of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. It hosts a Chihuahua race every year. The event has been cancelled for 2016.

5) The 2010 U.S. Census estimates that about 31.8 million U.S. residents are of Mexican origin. The largest concentration of Mexican-Americans is in Los Angeles, the city that holds the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the U.S.