Spanish Class Field Trip in Chicago
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If you’re looking to take your Spanish class on a field trip in Chicago, Pilsen is a great area to visit! It’s full of art and culture that you can visit via a walking tour of the neighborhood. Check it out!
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Fascinating Spanish Class Field Trip to Pilsen, Chicago
My most favorite place to take my Spanish students on a field trip is to the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Pilsen has been a predominantly Latino neighborhood since about the 1960’s and is brimming with Hispanic culture and history. What’s one major reason I love taking my Spanish students to Pilsen? Because of the beautiful murals! Read on to find out more…
Take a tour of the murals and learn some history about the area.
One of my students’ favorite parts of our Spanish class field trip was taking a tour of the neighborhood. (I highly recommend Walk Chicago Tours since they are used to working with student groups and many of the docents are former teachers.) There is so much to see and so much history visible in the murals and the buildings around Pilsen. For example, my Spanish students noticed that some of the houses are set lower into the ground compared to the street. Why? Because the streets were raised in order to accommodate plumbing and pipes!
But that’s just one curious tidbit to start off the walking tour. We get to see so many amazing murals that tell the history of the Hispanic population in the neighborhood. Read on to find out about a few of my favorites.
Las cosas q’se ven – Jeff Zimmerman
This amazing mural represents the growth and prosperity of the Hispanic population generation after generation. It’s easy to connect the caption of “si se puede” with Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and President Barack Obama.
Cooper Dual Language Academy Mosaics
Do a Spanish class scavenger hunt outside the Cooper Dual Language Academy! There are soooo many famous Latinos represented: Selena, Chavez, Tortolero, and many more!
Declaration of Immigration – Yollocalli Arts Reach
This mural is really a capstone for my seniors after studying immigration. “No human being is illegal” is a quote that resonates with them. There are so many interesting symbols that they can pick out from the mural to relate to the topic of immigration.
Spanish Class Field Trip in Chicago
The art and history of this beautiful neighborhood in Chicago speaks volumes about Chicago being a port of entry for so many different immigrant populations, most recently Latinos. We could honestly spend all day just wandering around and checking out the different pieces! It’s an easy visual way to connect broader topics or specific Hispanic people to both visual arts, and a concrete neighborhood. Both you and your Spanish students will love getting to know Pilsen and its many stunning murals!
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Looking for more Spanish class field trip ideas?
Check out these Spanish class field trip ideas that can work no matter where you live! Click here to read the blog post.
