Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the Music Room

 Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in your elementary music classroom with this ready-to-use K–1 lesson plan. Includes movement, song, instruments, and a read-aloud!

September 15–October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the cultures, music, and contributions of Hispanic communities. If you’re teaching kindergarten or first grade, you’ll want something simple, engaging, and interactive that helps students connect to both music and culture.

Here’s a complete K–1 music lesson you can use this month that includes movement, singing, instruments, and a storybook wrap-up.

🌍 Introduction: Explore the Map + “Join the Celebración”

Start by showing your students a map of the world. Ask:

• “Can you find Mexico?”
  
• “What other countries speak Spanish?”
  
• “Which countries are part of Hispanic Heritage Month?”
  

This sparks curiosity and helps students make geographic connections.

Then, play Nickelodeon’s Join the Celebración video (check your school’s streaming access). It’s colorful, upbeat, and a perfect way to start a conversation about Hispanic culture and celebration.

Encourage students to share what they notice:

• What languages did they hear?
  
• What instruments or dances did they see?
  
• Have they ever celebrated something similar with their families?

💃 Movement Activity: Soy Yo

Next, get students moving! Use the Soy Yo movement video created by Mrs. Romo. She does an incredible job of creating routines to songs students love—and this one is always a hit.

Options for teaching:

• Follow along: Play the video and let students mirror the movements.
  
• Lead it yourself: Memorize the routine ahead of time and guide your class live.
  

This is a great way to get the wiggles out while exposing students to authentic Latin music.

🐤 Song Activity: Los Pollitos Dicen

Now it’s time to sing! Los Pollitos Dicen (“The Little Chicks Say”) is one of the most popular children’s songs across Latin America—and it’s perfect for primary grades.

1. Play the Canticos version of the song.
   
2. Ask students: “What do you think this song is about?”
   
3. Teach the first verse with simple movements:
   
   • “Los pollitos dicen” → Flap your wings like little chicks
     
   • “Pío, pío, pío” → Open and close hands like chirping beaks
     
   • “Cuando tienen hambre” → Rub your belly like you’re hungry
     
   • “Cuando tienen frío” → Hug yourself like you’re cold
     

Add Egg Shakers

If you have egg shakers, this is the perfect moment to bring them out! Practice keeping a steady beat in different ways:

• Tap them on the floor
  
• Tap them in your hand
  
• Pass them back and forth
  
• Keep the beat while singing

🥚 Movement Extension: I Know a Chicken

Keep the egg shakers handy and transition into I Know a Chicken by Laurie Berkner. The song gives fun, silly directions that tell students exactly what to do with their egg shakers—shake them up high, down low, in a circle, and more!

This activity keeps the energy high while reinforcing steady beat and listening skills. It also has nothing to do with Hispanic Heritage month lol, but is the perfect tie in to “Los Pollitos Dicen” and the use of egg shakers!

📖 Storytime: The Best Mariachi in the World by J.D. Smith

To close your lesson, gather students for a read-aloud of The Best Mariachi in the World by J.D. Smith.

After reading, discuss:

• What is mariachi music?
  
• Which instruments are common in a mariachi group? (guitars, trumpets, violins, guitarrón)
  
• How does mariachi music sound different from other music we’ve heard?
  

This brings the lesson full circle—connecting movement, song, and instrument play to cultural tradition and story.