Curriculum Topics and Educational Goals

Celebrate learning language and cultural diversity by bringing Maya & Miguel into your classroom environment. The mission of this inspiring series is to present a contemporary Latino life rich in cultural traditions, language, and perspectives, closely representative of today's multicultural urban family and community for children, ages 6 to 8. Each episode chronicles the funny and often outrageous lives of ten-year-old bilingual Latino twins, Maya and Miguel Santos, as they live with their parents above the family run pet store and thrive within their multicultural urban neighborhood.

The two primary and overreaching goals of the series are:

• To promote the value of a culturally diverse society by supporting, respecting, and validating the variety of perspectives, traditions, languages, and experiences that populate today's world.
• To support English language acquisition and usage in personal, social, and cultural interactions with special emphasis on vocabulary.

Incorporating Maya & Miguel into the classroom setting provides educators with academic and cultural perspectives that encourages young minds to learn new and native language acquisition and develop culturally and socially in age-appropriate ways.

Ideas for Viewing the Program in a Classroom Setting

New and native language acquisition is nurtured as vocabulary is introduced in two languages and spoken language is encouraged through personal, social, and cultural interactions. Capture and share valuable teaching moments with young students by sharing episodes of Maya & Miguel and using these important viewing tips:

• Ask students to predict what each show might be about by previewing the show's title.
• Encourage opportunities for students to evaluate personal predictions and perspectives after watching each episode.
• Invite students to practice spoken new and native language presented during each show.
• Discuss how characters use language in different ways to communicate messages.
• Help students define unfamiliar bilingual and cultural words and phrases to help build understanding.
• Help students identify with the characters as they interact with their family and friends.
• Encourage students to share thoughts and ideas in English and Spanish, or own native language.
• Read and discuss suggested English, Spanish, and bilingual language books.
• Check for understanding of basic themes and concepts by asking questions using conversational English, Spanish, or own native language.
• Encourage students to draw a picture of characters and objects from each show.
• Develop speaking and listening skills by encouraging students to talk about the characters, their actions, and the events within each show.
• Extend show concepts and build language acquisition by using supporting Maya & Miguel online activities offered on this site.
• Select favorite episode topics and corresponding lesson plans and activities to use on a weekly basis in the classroom.

Ideas for Using the Companion Web Site in a Classroom Setting

Using Maya & Miguel episodes and corresponding lesson plans in the classroom delivers a rich language experience to students and becomes a comprehensive learning cycle for teachers, making every teachable moment count! For every on-air Maya & Miguel episode, activities are offered that expand on specific curriculum goals to creatively help educators extend learning opportunities for new and second language students. Maya & Miguel episodes showcase a broad range of current topics and cultural traditions. For example, Maya & Miguel episode, Mala Suerte, introduces the concept of Feng Shui to young students. This episode weaves new English and bilingual conversational language, vocabulary, and cultural significance of this Asian philosophy into an age-appropriate experience in a lively, meaningful way. Available lesson plans further extend and enhance language and cultural learning and understanding.

Explore the following resources created for educators to easily and selectively incorporate the Maya & Miguel Web site into the classroom curriculum!

Lesson Plans
There's been no stone left unturned in the areas of language and curriculum support created for each Maya & Miguel episode. Age-appropriate lesson plans support established learning objectives through major subject areas with special emphasizes on academic, social, and emotional growth. Lesson plans not only extend learning from the visual experience of watching Maya & Miguel episodes, but also present teachers with additional resources and teaching ideas to build important language and cultural foundations.

Activities
Take language acquisition to new heights! Every one of Maya & Miguel's episodes are linked to fun offline activities, created for the purpose of extending curriculum goals and building understanding of language and cultural concepts. Each activity page is presented in an easy-to-follow and time-efficient format, including a brief episode introduction, followed by materials needed, directions, follow up and extension ideas. Student age range, objectives, skills, and subject areas addressed in activity tasks are also included for a quick and valuable reference.

Online Fun
The following online activities engage learning and technology in age-appropriate and exciting ways, and actively support Maya & Miguel's mission to build strong language acquisition and cultural diversity skills for young learners in the classroom setting:

• Adventure Scrapbook
  Pick a favorite episode character and go on a fun-filled neighborhood adventure with the option of using two levels of English/Spanish language. (Flash Required)
• Cooking with Abuela
  Experience the joys of cooking with Maya and Miguel's grandmother, Abuela, and print a recipe! Two levels of English/Spanish language are offered to help new and second language learners make the most of this fun activity.
• Friends
  Get to know show characters in their favorite environment and experience asking characters questions about themselves!
• Global Groovin'
  Take musical interests one step further by using a mixing board to mix tunes with sounds and rhythms from different cultures. (Flash Required)
• Postcards
  Experience language and literacy, in both English and Spanish, in an exciting animated environment by writing and sending postcards in English, Spanish, or own native language!
• Printables
  Simply click and print to experience the multitude of cultural crafts, recipes, and celebrations, along with Maya & Miguel character coloring pages.
• World of Sports
  Join Miguel and Andy as they interview neighborhood experts about the history and basic rules of different sports from around the world. Then play clickable (click-tivity) game version of 4 different sports. (Flash Required)

Venga Conmigo! (That's Spanish for "Come On!") Learning language acquisition and understanding more about cultural diversity along with Maya & Miguel is only a click away. Join in on the fun by watching episodes, engaging in language-rich and culturally empowering lessons, extending learning with creative offline activities, playing lively interactive games, and enjoying printables that bring the Maya & Miguel experience full-circle for everyone involved!

Published: February 2005

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