What Can You Do

With a Rebozo?

           By Carmen Tafolla

Illustrated by Amy Cordova

 

 

Summary

            A young girl comes up with creative ways to use her mother’s rebozo – a long Mexican shawl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities

 

1.   Language Arts

 

      A.   Activity      Rebozo Wrap-ups

Have students write about their own rebozo and what they could do with it.

             TEKS:        LA/W – 14.A, B

 

2.   Math

 

      A.   Activity      Rebozos Measure Up!

After making rebozos for their paper dolls (see below), have students measure them with a large paper clip.  Lay out rebozos from longest to shortest.

             TEKS:        M – 10.A

 

      B.   Activity      What Comes Next?

Give students a half sheet of construction paper cut lengthwise.  Have them decorate their rebozo with a pattern using crayons or markers.

             TEKS:        M - 5

 

3.   Science

 

      A.   Activity      Rebozo Warming   

Use the experiment at the following link:  http://www.kids-science-experiments.com/insulators.htm to discover if a rebozo is a good insulator (a material that keeps something warmer for longer).

                                

                                 Materials:    

Boiling water, 4 mugs, 4 rubber bands, rebozo, newspaper, wool sock, aluminum foil

 

Fill 4 mugs with boiling water.

Cover each mug with on of these items:  rebozo, newspaper, wool sock, aluminum foil.

Let sit for half an hour

Measure temperature with hands first and estimate which is warmer.  Them measure with thermometer and put results on a graph using Graph Club.

             TEKS:        S – 1.A, 2.B, 4.A, 7.A,B; M – 12.A,B

 

4.   Social Studies

 

      A.   Activity      Rebozo Treasure Hunt

Use Culturegrams Kids Edition and click on photos.  Click on Africa and the Americas and locate photos of women using shawls in their everyday lives.

             TEKS:        SS – 14.B, 15.A, 17.B;  LA/R – 16.A

 

      B.   Activity      Rebozos around the world

Map the areas in the world where women use long shawls to do different tasks.

           TEKS:          SS – 5.A,B;  LA/R – 10.B

 

5.   Social Studies

 

      A.   Activity      Dramatic Play

           Students will demonstrate uses for a rebozo.

      B.   Activity      Watch videos demonstrating the use of shawls around the world

           www.youtube.com  type in ‘sara’, ‘rebozo’ and ‘kitenge’  Preview video before presenting to class.  Some videos use strong language.

      C.   Activity      Request parents or acquaintances who use a sari, rebozo, or kitenge to demonstrate how to use them.  Videotape for classes that can’t attend the presentation.    

             TEKS:        LA/R – 3.D, 13.C;  SS – 14.A,B, 15.A;  T – 1.A, 3.B, 4.A

 

6.   Fine Arts

 

      A.   Activity      Paper Doll Rebozos

Students will cut out a paper doll (see attachment) and color it to resemble themselves.  Collect fabric scraps and have them use the scraps to make a rebozo for their paper self.

             TEKS:        A – 2.A,C, 3.C

 

 

Internet Resources

 

      Author’s Website        http://www.carmentasolla.com

      Illustrator’s Website    http://www.amycordova.com

 

      Other Web Resources

 

Literary Connections

 

Sheth, Kashmira.  My Dadima Wears a Sari.  Peachtree Publishers, 2007.

DePaolo, Tomie.  Adelita:  a Mexican Cinderella Story.  G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2002.

 

Activities by Chayla Henderson, Nancy Hartline, and Denise Brunner

 

 

 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

Used by permission of Tricycle Press.