10 Inspiring Hispanic Heritage Month Project-Based Learning Driving Question Ideas

Hispanic Heritage Month projects offer a unique opportunity for students to explore the rich and diverse history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. As educators, we can deepen this learning experience through student-led project-based learning (PBL). Let’s dive into 10 Hispanic Heritage Month project-based learning driving questions.

Project-based learning is a fantastic approach for Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond. In my opinion, the history, heritage, and contributions of Hispanic Americans shouldn’t be recognized only during this month. With project-based learning, we can extend this focus throughout the year.
​
PBL is a sustained inquiry approach that creates long-lasting impact by addressing real-world issues. When students engage with Hispanic Heritage Month through PBL, the outcomes of their work resonate far beyond the designated month itself.

Enroll now for free!

For example, my students do a book fair Hispanic Heritage Month project every year. Teams create exhibits for a virtual Hispanic Heritage book fair. Teams research, analyze and highlight books by Hispanic authors or featuring Hispanic characters. The virtual fair, filled with student-created exhibits, is accessible year-round—not just during Hispanic Heritage Month.

The exhibits include book summaries, author bios, text analysis, book club discussion questions, theme posters, and read-aloud videos, which can be used by teachers and the community anytime.
​
This particular Hispanic heritage project resulted in meaningful, lasting work, that surpassed Hispanic Heritage Month itself. There are many other PBL examples that could do the same.

So, let’s explore some driving questions that can be tackled during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond. Ready? Let’s dive in!

10 Hispanic Heritage Month Project-Based Learning Driving Question Examples

1. How can our class design and launch a virtual book exhibit that showcases and celebrates books written by Hispanic authors or featuring Hispanic characters to educate and inspire our community?

This particular driving question reflects the virtual book fair PBL I discussed in the intro of this blog post. I break students up into teams to choose and read a book written by a Hispanic author or featuring Hispanic characters. Together, teams create exhibits around their chosen books that they build on a digital platform. The end product of this Hispanic Heritage project is a virtual museum of Hispanic heritage books with interactive learning elements to go along with each book. ​

2. How can our class create a community mural that represents the diverse experiences and stories of Hispanic individuals to promote social justice through art and raise awareness about equity issues?

I love combining art and social justice, which makes this Hispanic heritage project driving question one of my favorites. The cool thing about this PBL driving question is that you can replace “mural” with any medium. Maybe a mural isn’t in your wheelhouse or realm of possibility. So replace “mural” with sculpture gallery, tapestry, screen prints, and so on. The purpose here, regardless of the final product, is to combine social justice and art to promote awareness and equity.

3. How can our class develop a series of podcasts featuring interviews with Hispanic community leaders to educate our school on the importance of Hispanic cultural heritage and civic engagement?

In this podcast PBL, students would connect with Hispanic community leaders, like local business owners or activists, to highlight their contributions and insights. Teams would research these leaders and conduct and record interviews with them. Students could share the published episodes with the school and the greater community. The goal of this Hispanic heritage project is to share the stories and lessons about Hispanic cultural heritage to promote civic engagement.

4. How can our class organize a cultural food fair featuring Hispanic dishes from different regions to foster cross-cultural understanding and celebrate Hispanic culinary traditions within our school community?

My students really enjoy projects that involve food, so this PBL is a popular one! Project-based learning naturally fosters collaboration, partnerships, and community involvement. This PBL idea is a great way to engage local chefs and student family members. If you have Hispanic students, consider giving them a platform to share their rich culinary traditions and family heritage with the school community.

5. How can our class research the impact of Hispanic environmental activists and create an action plan to inspire local environmental efforts that reflect Hispanic environmental values and sustainability practices?

As a science teacher, I love this PBL idea. It’s so important for science teachers to integrate the diversity of contributors into their science lessons. This Hispanic heritage project impacts students by deepening their understanding of environmental issues through the lens of Hispanic environmental activists. They find a connection between cultural values and sustainability practices, gaining insights into effective environmental advocacy and strategies. 

6. How can our class produce a documentary showcasing the history of Hispanic civil rights movements to educate our community on the ongoing fight for equality and justice?

In this Hispanic heritage project, students create a documentary that highlights the history and impact of Hispanic civil rights movements with the purpose of inspiring continued action toward equity. This is a whole group project, but could easily be assigned to small teams. The end result in that case would be several documentaries to showcase. I like the idea of hosting a documentary screening party for the school and local community to spark discussion about the ongoing efforts for social justice.

7. How can our class curate a digital art gallery featuring works by Hispanic artists to highlight the influence of Hispanic culture on the arts and inspire creativity within our community?    

This is a great option for those of you who don’t have a lot of time. As I write this, Hispanic Heritage Month has already started. If you want to honor Hispanic history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Month, and it’s almost over, give this one a shot! Yes, it requires less time and resources, but it doesn’t make it any less impactful than the other Hispanic Heritage project ideas written here. 

8. How can our class create a cultural exchange program with a school in a Hispanic country to foster mutual understanding and respect through shared projects and interactions?

I have never done this PBL personally, but watched a colleague do it with her students, and it was so incredible. This coworker happened to have a teacher friend in Argentina. Their students not only connected by writing letters, but the classes collaborated and partnered on PBLs throughout the school year. This particular Hispanic heritage project may require quite a bit of work on the front end, but the outcomes and impacts are completely worth it. 

9. How can our class create an interactive timeline that traces the contributions of Hispanic individuals throughout U.S. history to educate the community on the rich and varied impact of Hispanic heritage on the country?

I’m not usually a fan of using timelines as the final product in PBL unless they reach a relevant audience. Project-based learning aims to make a real impact, so the final product should connect with and engage the intended audience with an authentic presentation.

Simply posting a timeline on the school wall might not effectively reach everyone. I challenge you and your students to think creatively about how to present the timeline in a way that ensures it reaches and resonates with those who need to see it. How can you make your timeline more visible and impactful?
​
Here’s an example: The desired impact is to educate the community, right? What if you and your students connected with a local Hispanic heritage center and had the timeline placed in their lobby or displayed near an exhibit?

10. How can our class collaborate with local Hispanic-owned businesses to create a promotional campaign that raises awareness of their contributions to our community and supports local economies?

This particular Hispanic heritage project will take time, as it is more sustained than some of the others mentioned here. But it is a super powerful experience that promotes local community engagement and partnerships. Awareness campaigns can vary from social media marketing campaigns to hosting a pop-up market for these businesses where they can share their products and services with the community. The latter is ideal if you have the time and resources to make it happen.

This Hispanic Heritage Month project-based learning ideas can be modified and adapted however you’d like. Customize the experience to work for you and your students! None of these driving questions are the end-all-be-all. 

How you and your students rewrite and/or carry out these Hispanic heritage project driving questions will depend on your class size, where you are in the world, the student population, the community demographics, and more. Get creative, and gather input from your students! You’ll be happy you did. 

​Questions about Hispanic Heritage Month projects? Ask away in the comments!

PBL Tools:

Relevant Blog Posts:

PBL Courses:

Let's Get Social:
​
​Join our experiential learning Facebook group!

Did you know there is an experiential learning Facebook group? Check that out - Experiential Learning Community for K12 Teachers - and join in the discussion about experiential learning ideas!

Find us on social media!

Follow Experiential Learning Depot on Pinterest, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram for more on experiential education, and check out my shop for experiential learning resources.