Cuba Lesson Plan

• Copies of the text lesson Cuba Lesson for Kids: History & Facts, one for each student
• Maps of Cuba, one for each student
• Chart paper
• Highlighters
• Map of the Caribbean Sea
• White boards and markers
• Cube template/cutouts
• Scissors
• Tape/Glue
• Markers
• Colored pencils

• Cuban Communist Party
• Caribbean Sea
• Havana

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3

• Divide students into partners and display a map of the Caribbean Sea.
• Ask partners to work together to identify Florida, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
• Now focus students' attention on Cuba. Ask partners:
  • What do you notice about the island of Cuba?
  • What landforms does Cuba have?
  • What is Cuba near?
• Give each student a map of Cuba and have them label Florida, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

• Now label chart paper 'Cuba' and distribute the text lesson Cuba Lesson for Kids: History & Facts and highlighters.
• Preview the text with students, working with them to locate titles, subtitles, vocabulary and other key features.
• Have students highlight these text features, then ask them to use scanning skills to locate items. For example, say 'Where can we read to learn about the culture of Cuba?' and 'Which section tells us about the Communist party?
• Now read 'Cuba: A Land of Mixed Cultures' with students.
• Work with students to record key information on your anchor chart, helping them to discern between main ideas and supporting details.
• Read the remainder of the lesson with students, repeating the process of identifying and recording key information on your anchor chart.
• Have students label their Cuba maps with cities and landforms found in Cuba.
• Give each partner pair two index cards: on each card they will write a question about Cuba on one side and the answer on the other.
• Collect index cards and divide students into new small groups. Give each group a white board and marker.
• Read each index card question and give students time to work together as a group to answer, about one minute. Instruct students in the groups to take turns recording answers on their white boards.
• Check and award points for each correct answer. Play until all questions have been answered.
• Take the quiz together as a formative assessment.

Activity

• Distribute copies of the cube cutout and explain to students they will be making a 'Cuba Cube.'
• One cube face should contain a title.
• The five other cube faces should contain a fact about Cuba that answers a 'w' question. Have students list the question and answer and use the markers and/or colored pencils for adding decoration.
• As students work, walk around to guide learning. Help students assemble when ready.
• Break students into small groups to share their Cuba Cubes, then display in your classroom.

• Work with students to read current events happening in Cuba, creating a timeline to show the path in that country.
• Research with students the Cuban community in America.

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