Latin America: Teacher Tips

Teacher's Guide

June 5, 1999 Update
Remember, the "Kids' Versions" are aimed at K-6.

The team generated the following reports:	Try the following activities:
Kavitha - Reunited and It Feels So Good... Kid's Version Available Kavitha reflects on the Team's travels over the past five months through Latin America, and shares the Team's anxiety as they are all five reunited for the first time in over a month, and as they head off to Africa.	This dispatch can be used as a great culminating activity OR introductory activity for your studies of Latin America: Culminating: What do your students believe was the most important thing they learned and why? What three key facts can they relate about each of the areas and events that Kavitha refers to? Younger students can choose one most important thing and create a drawing of it, along with a brief description. Introductory: What do your students already know about each of the regions or areas Kavitha refers to? Give them a certain amount of time to review the Trek archives in the Time Machine section for cool facts. Either have them all review the entire region, or have them work in groups and then report back. This can serve as a great teaser for the students who think exploring Latin America or history is unimportant or irrelevant.
Shawn - Che Guevara - Giving Everything, Always, Until Victory Shawn provides a brief bio of one of Latin America's most famous revolutionaries, of his involvement with the Cuban Revolution, and of his eventual murder in Bolivia at the hands of the CIA.	Older students will probably welcome and enjoy a serious consideration of the merits of the kind of life Che led and of his ideals. Specifically: his adoption of the use of violence to address the injustices of life and political structures in Latin America, his rejection of aid from the Soviet Union, his interest in working internationally, his rejection of all aspects of a personal life in favor of engaging in actions to create social change, and of what about him gave rise to his popularity within pop culture and throughout Latin America, and whether he deserves it.
Kevin - Journey from the Eyes of a Jeep Kevin writes of his visit to the salt flats of Bolivia - from the perspective of the jeep transporting him!	Have your students try their own hand at personification, relating a tale of something they did recently, or a favorite trip, etc., but have them write it as if some object that was with them was their friend accompanying them!
Monica - Robbed, Again! But Hey, Isn't the World Beautiful... Monica reflects on the loss of her fanny pack, the upcoming Africa Stage, and emphasizes how important it is that students not limit their aspirations in the world and that they venture out to know more of the world.	Whether your students have been following along with the Trek or not, this is a great opportunity to have students reflect on what they would like or not about being on a Trek like the Team Members. OR, have them reflect on an experience that really helped them better understand the world.
Making a Difference - Save a tree, go napkin-free! Kid's Version Available The Team suggests an easy activity your students can do to raise environmental awareness.	With few supplies and little time, your students can create little reminders to be posted in local businesses or within their own school, about the little things people can do to reduce their use of energy and paper.

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