Hispanic Heritage Month Lesson Plans for ELA

Adult and student in colorful traditional clothing at a market for Hispanic Heritage Month lesson plans.
August 15, 2026

Hispanic Heritage Month lesson plans do more than fill your fall calendar. In ELA, you can use them to help students study author voice, poetry, and cultural context through readings that invite discussion and analysis.

Use these Newsela ELA resources from September 15 to October 15 to plan lessons around Hispanic authors, poetry, stories, and present-day cultural connections.

[Hispanic Heritage Month ELA lesson plans for author studies](id-author)

Author studies are a great way to help students connect literature to voice, craft, and lived experiences. Use these Hispanic Heritage Month lesson plans to introduce students to storytellers through multimodal resources like interviews, biographies, and videos.

Hispanic Heritage Month ELA resources

Get to know authors and their writing

Choose a biography to introduce an author, an interview or article to discuss what shapes their writing, or a resource about a book to explore literary themes and reviews.

Author biographies 6 resources
Author biographies resources
Resource Instructional use Runtime / Reading level Spanish?
Writer Gloria Anzaldua and Chicana feminism Biography Introduce Anzaldua’s writing and activism in the context of Chicana feminism. 550L–1270L ✓ Yes
Elizabeth Martinez, writer and activist for Chicano and feminist causes Biography Connect Martinez’s writing and activism to Chicano and feminist history. 970L–1300L
Pam Muñoz Ryan Video Biography Introduce Ryan before your class reads or discusses her books. 2:35
Julia Alvarez Video Biography Give students background on Alvarez before reading or discussing her work. 2:33
Writers: Sandra Cisneros Video Biography Introduce Cisneros’s writing, voice, and influence before reading her work. 2:32
Gary Soto Video Biography Introduce Soto before students read and analyze his poetry or prose. 2:33

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Writers on their work 5 resources
Writers on their work resources
Resource Instructional use Runtime / Reading level Spanish?
Interview with Prisca Mojica Rodriguez, author of “For Brown Girls” Interview Discuss how personal experiences can shape an author’s perspective and writing. 540L–1030L
Author Elizabeth Acevedo on writing a coming-of-age novel Video Discuss how Acevedo develops character voice and coming-of-age themes. 4:00
For poet Richard Blanco, the El Paso massacre became a catalyst to write Article Connect the event that prompted Blanco to write with the purpose of his poetry. 580L–1240L ✓ Yes
Author Sandra Cisneros explains how writing is a therapy Article Discuss how Cisneros describes writing as a form of expression and reflection. 500L–1050L ✓ Yes
Maria Hinojosa on writing, how immigration nearly separated her from her mother Article Discuss how Hinojosa draws on her family’s immigration story in her writing. 550L–1040L

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Books and literary coverage 3 resources
Books and literary coverage resources
Resource Instructional use Runtime / Reading level Spanish?
America Ferrera enlists stars for multicultural essay collection Article Discuss how an essay collection can bring together stories about identity and representation. 610L–1360L ✓ Yes
Book Review: “With the Fire on High” is poetic and perfect for foodies Review Compare the reviewer’s opinion of “With the Fire on High” with the evidence used to support it. 540L–1070L
Colombians await “One Hundred Years of Solitude” screen adaptation Article Discuss how a screen adaptation can introduce new audiences to a well-known novel. 580L–1450L ✓ Yes

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

[Hispanic Heritage Month poetry lessons for ELA](id-poetry)

Poetry gives students a focused way to study theme, imagery, and word choice during Hispanic Heritage Month. Choose poems students can read closely, discuss together, or compare across authors or topics.

Hispanic Heritage Month ELA resources

Read and analyze poetry for Hispanic Heritage Month

Choose a poem to study how poets use imagery, tone, or structure to shape meaning. You can focus on one poem for a close reading or pair two to have students compare the choices each poet makes.

Imagery, tone, and figurative language 4 poems
Poems for studying imagery, tone, and figurative language
Poem Grade level Teaching focus
“swimming in pool-scented skies” Poem 4–12 Examine how sensory details and imagery convey the speaker’s reflections.
“In Praise of Dreams” Poem 6–12 Discuss how tone and figurative language communicate hopes and aspirations.
“A Song of the Road” Poem 6–12 Explore how journey imagery and symbolism contribute to the poem’s mood.
“One Night” Poem 6–12 Analyze how descriptions of the setting and imagery establish mood.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Speaker, message, and perspective 4 poems
Poems for studying speaker, message, and perspective
Poem Grade level Teaching focus
“Instructions on Not Giving Up” Poem 9–12 Trace how metaphor communicates the speaker’s message about resilience.
“The Conditional” Poem 9–12 Examine how word choice and structure shape the speaker’s point of view.
“Mercy” Poem 6–12 Discuss how the speaker’s emotional tone communicates compassion.
“The U.S. of Us” Poem 9–12 Discuss how the speaker addresses identity, belonging, and civic voice.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

[Paired text activities for Hispanic Heritage Month](id-paired)

Paired texts help students connect literature with nonfiction context. Use these Hispanic Heritage Month ELA resources to teach comparing main ideas, analyzing author’s purpose, and discussing genre and style while supporting their thinking with evidence from both texts. 

Hispanic Heritage Month ELA resources

Compare fiction and nonfiction with Hispanic Heritage Month paired texts

Pair a story or play with nonfiction about the same historical setting. Students can examine how the fictional text portrays people and places, use nonfiction to build context, and draw on evidence from both texts to support a comparison.

Text set What students will read ELA focus
“How the King of Birds Was Chosen” and Ancient Mexico Text set A play based on an ancient Maya folktale paired with nonfiction about ancient Mexico. Compare elements of the folktale with the historical context. Identify the nonfiction text’s main idea, examine text structure, and use evidence from both texts.
“A Day in the Life: The Aztecs” and Aztec Society Text set A fictional account of Toci, a young servant girl, paired with nonfiction about the social classes in Aztec society. Analyze character and historical setting, then compare the fictional portrayal with nonfiction about Aztec social structure. Support the comparison with details from both texts.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Lesson flow

Guide students through both texts

  1. Preview the topic.

    Ask what students already know about the historical setting and what they expect to learn from each text.

  2. Annotate while reading.

    Mark character, plot, and setting details in fiction. In nonfiction, identify the main idea and details that explain the historical context.

  3. Discuss each text.

    Have students summarize the fictional text and explain the main idea of the nonfiction selection before discussing how they connect.

  4. Compare the texts.

    Use one guiding question to help students make a comparison and support it with evidence from both texts.

Discussion support

Choose one comparison question

Pick a question before students read so they know which details to notice and annotate.

Option 1

What is the central idea or message of the fictional text? What is the main idea of the nonfiction text? How do they connect?

Option 2

How are the ideas in the two texts similar or different? Use details from each text to support your thinking.

Option 3

How is each text organized? How does its structure help the author achieve their purpose?

Option 4

How do the genre and style of each text shape the author’s message?

Graphic organizers

Organize evidence from both texts

After reading and discussing the pair, choose an organizer that matches the comparison question students will answer.

Compare and contrast

Use the Venn Diagram to sort similarities and differences between the texts.

Support a written response

Use Paired Text Analysis to organize details from both texts around one guiding question.

[Build background knowledge with culture-focused text sets](id-culture)

Key Takeaways

  • Focus on specific cultures and communities. Choose text sets that explore particular traditions, places, and experiences rather than treating Hispanic Heritage Month as one shared story.
  • Connect background reading to literary analysis. Pair nonfiction with myths or stories, then ask students to use details from both texts to explain their interpretations.
  • Choice doesn't mean changing the ELA goal. Students can read different text sets while practicing the same skill, such as comparing ideas or supporting a claim with evidence.

Culture-focused text sets can help students connect ELA skills to history, language, and traditions that you want to cover and explore during Hispanic Heritage Month. Use these resources to choose multimodal content that adds context before discussion, close reading, or written responses.

Explore Latin American and Indigenous Mexican culture today

Use this text set to build background before a novel study, independent reading activity, or a discussion about language and cultural traditions. It’s particularly helpful when you’re doing an ELA lesson that asks students to connect informational text to identity, setting, and representation.

To keep the lesson focused, have students choose one article from the text set and track two details: One that helps them understand a specific cultural practice, place, or community; and one that raises a question they want to discuss.

Hispanic Heritage Month ELA resources

Culture, traditions, and communities across Latin America

Choose a topic your students can study closely, such as Maya-language publishing, Mexican food traditions, or community advocacy. These resources cover different places and experiences, so you can build background knowledge without treating Latin American cultures as one shared story.

Art, identity, and community 5 resources
Art, identity, and community resources
Resource Runtime / Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Global Icons: Frida Kahlo Video 2:36 Introduce Frida Kahlo before discussing her role in Mexican art and culture.
Radio connects Mexicans in remote Tlaxiaco with family in U.S. Article 570L–1230L Discuss how radio helps families and communities stay connected across borders. ✓ Yes
Census 2020 provides more visibility to Indigenous Mexicans in Central Valley Article 550L–1340L Examine how census data can affect the visibility and representation of Indigenous Mexican communities.
“Encanto” is Disney’s first Latino musical: How filmmakers got Colombia right Article 600L–1350L Examine how the filmmakers researched Colombian culture and represented it in “Encanto.” ✓ Yes
Mexican and Guatemalan Indigenous leaders take on vaccine inequity in U.S. Article 610L–1280L Discuss how Indigenous leaders address public health inequities and language access in their communities.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Languages and cultural knowledge 4 resources
Languages and cultural knowledge resources
Resource Runtime / Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Women in Mexico are publishing the first Maya works in over 400 years Article 560L–1260L Discuss why publishing works in Maya languages matters for cultural preservation and literary expression. ✓ Yes
This college student decoded the data hidden in Inca knots Article 520L–1160L Examine how researchers interpret evidence recorded in Inca knots. ✓ Yes
Florida teen girls step up to translate Indigenous Mayan languages Article 530L–1220L Discuss how young translators help meet language needs in their communities. ✓ Yes
How translating symbols helped us understand Maya culture Article 460L–940L Consider what translating historical symbols reveals about Maya culture.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Food and traditions 5 resources
Food and traditions resources
Resource Runtime / Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Making bread is one way to celebrate the Day of the Dead Article 410L–1040L Examine the role breadmaking plays in traditions of remembrance during the Day of the Dead. ✓ Yes
Day of the Dead sweets and treats Article 310L–1290L Compare the meanings of different foods associated with Day of the Dead traditions. ✓ Yes
Mexican restaurant serves nostalgia, with seating for 2,200 Article 580L–1190L Discuss the connections between food, memory, place, and cultural identity. ✓ Yes
Mexican regional cuisine drives booming food scene Article 580L–1290L Compare how regional Mexican cuisines reflect different local traditions. ✓ Yes
Edible insects give Mexicans a taste of history—and maybe the future Article 600L–1310L Discuss how a long-standing food tradition connects history with changing ideas about sustainability. ✓ Yes

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Land and cultural practices 3 resources
Land and cultural practices resources
Resource Runtime / Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Mexico City fishermen fight to save Aztec floating gardens Article 520L–1300L Discuss how protecting floating gardens connects environmental preservation with cultural history. ✓ Yes
Aztec ballgame returns to Mexico City after 500 years Article 520L–1220L Examine how the return of an Aztec ballgame connects recreation with cultural history. ✓ Yes
The Aztec chinampa farming system Article 550L–1050L Examine how chinampa farming connects agriculture, engineering, and Indigenous knowledge.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Explore Hispanic culture through myths, stories, and contemporary texts

Use this text set to give students a glance at Hispanic culture across areas like myths, film, music, and food. They can choose one resource for independent reading or compare two texts that approach culture through different genres. 

For a focused ELA task, ask students to identify what the text teaches about a tradition, story, or cultural practice. Then have them explain how the resource’s genre shapes the way the author presented that information.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Explore traditional stories and contemporary culture

Use myths, legends, and a play to study how stories communicate ideas and traditions. Then choose a contemporary article to examine how people represent and celebrate culture through music, food, art, and film.

Traditional stories and drama 4 resources
Traditional stories and drama resources
Resource Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Popol Vuh: Origin Story of the Maya Myth/Legend 410L–850L Examine how the Maya origin story uses the structure and details of a myth to explain the world. ✓ Yes
Anansi and Turtle: a Caribbean story Myth/Legend 640L–650L Analyze the characters' choices, how the plot develops, and the lesson communicated by the story. ✓ Yes
How the King of Birds was Chosen Play 610L–620L Examine how dialogue and character roles tell a folktale in the form of a play. ✓ Yes
Legend of the Poinsettias: a Mexican Story Myth/Legend 760L–780L Discuss how setting and symbolism connect the legend to a Mexican cultural tradition. ✓ Yes

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Contemporary culture and traditions 5 resources
Contemporary culture and traditions resources
Resource Reading level Teaching focus Spanish?
Women in Latin music are poised for a breakthrough Article 540L–1310L Discuss how the article presents women's representation and changing opportunities in Latin music. ✓ Yes
What we know about the earliest history of chocolate Article 560L–1350L Examine the evidence researchers use to explain chocolate's early history and cultural connections. ✓ Yes
Sweet 15? Quinceañera and the work of Eva Castellanoz Article 530L–1120L Discuss how the article connects quinceañera traditions with art and cultural identity. ✓ Yes
Cultural powerhouse “Coco” wins Oscar for best animation Article 570L–1240L Examine how the article describes cultural storytelling and the reception of “Coco.” ✓ Yes
“Encanto” is Disney’s first Latino musical: How the filmmakers got Colombia right Article 600L–1350L Examine how research into Colombian culture informed the film's setting and details. ✓ Yes

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Keep teaching with Newsela ELA beyond Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month lesson plans can help students read across genres, study authors and poets, and build background knowledge about culture. But these lessons don’t have to end in October. The same resources can support these goals and other ELA skills throughout the school year.

As you plan, choose the resource that best fits the ELA skill you want students to practice next. A short poem might work well for close reading, while paired texts support evidence-based discussion. 

With Newsela ELA and the entire Newsela Learning Suite, you can keep finding texts that match your students, your standards, and topics that make reading feel relevant. Sign up for free and start your 45-day trial of premium content and explore more ELA resources for Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond.

Newsela Lite Hero Hands

Everything you need to accelerate learning across ELA, social studies, and science

Create your free Newsela account

If you like this article...

Browse more educational and seasonal content from Newsela.
An educator guides two students through hands-on plant observation for Hispanic Heritage Month STEM activities.
Blog

Hispanic Heritage Month STEM Activities for Students

Use Hispanic Heritage Month STEM activities to teach about Hispanic scientists, space exploration, ecology, and science careers.

Colorful papel picado banners above red script text reading “Hispanic heritage month” on a tan background.
Blog

Hispanic Heritage Month Ideas for School: Social Studies

Use these Hispanic Heritage Month ideas for school to teach identity, culture, geography, civic action, and history in social studies.

Students reading books outdoors for a blog on 23 Hispanic Heritage Month books for ELA.
Blog

21 Hispanic Heritage Month Books for ELA

Explore Hispanic Heritage Month books for elementary, middle, and high school ELA, with Newsela novel studies and ready-to-use activities.

Related resources

Explore more in-depth content on the education topics that matter in your schools and classrooms.
No items found.

Inspire the desire to learn.

Ready to engage, support, and grow every learner?