In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Frank P. Long Intermediate School fourth graders in Diana Santos’ dual language class researched famous and influential Hispanic persons.

During an extensive nonfiction unit, the students researched in Spanish and English an influential Hispanic person, many of whom have had an effect on American culture. Some of the more popular choices included Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Jennifer Lopez, artists Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso and athletes James Rodriguez and Lionel Messi. The students were then instructed to write a paragraph about their subject in Spanish which included facts about the individual and reasons why this person was so influential. During a culminating activity, the students dressed as their subject and read their thoughtfully written paragraph to the class in Spanish.

Ms. Santos explained that the unit not only taught the students how to conduct research but assisted with their oratory skills in Spanish and reading skills in English.