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Learn About Puerto Rico: Draw a Coquí Frog

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In Puerto Rico, we find a special kind of frog called the coquí, pronounced ko-kee.

Coquís are named for the loud sound the male frogs make at night. Coquís are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. During the day, they rest in the shade under logs and rocks. Coquís are carnivores, which is a fancy word for meat-eater. They like to eat other small critters like ants, crickets, moths, spiders, snails, smaller frogs, and even lizards!!

In today’s lesson, you will learn how to draw your own coquí! Before you begin, you will need a pencil, eraser, and colored pencils or crayons.

Coquís are one of the largest frog species found in Puerto Rico!

Coquís are a beloved symbol of Puerto Rico and the Taíno culture. Legends tell of a time when the island was inhabited by millions of coquís way before humans came to the island of Puerto Rico.

Many frog types have webbed feet but not coquís! Their scientific name (Eleutherodactylus) literally translates to “free toes.”

Coquís grow to be about one to two inches long. That’s the size of two quarters side by side. So tiny but so loud when they all sing at night in the jungles of El Yunque rainforest! Check out the clip to hear the sound the male coquís make at night!


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TT Lesson 15 Learn About Puerto Rico: Draw a Coquí Frog

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Learn About Mexico: Lucha Libre

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Did you know that Mexican wrestling as we know it today, found its popularity as a sport in the early 1900s?

The origins of the freestyle wrestling form, lucha libre, which literally translates to “free fight” go all the way back to 1863. That’s over 150 years of a Mexican wrestling tradition!

Today’s activity is to create your own lucha libre mask and to color a lucha libre wrestling scene. Before you begin, grab some crayons or colored pencils and a pair of scissors to cut out your mask when you are done.


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TT Lesson 12 Learn About Mexico: Lucha Libre

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Learn about Mexico: Draw an Axolotl

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In Mexico, one of the most studied salamanders in the world are known as Axolotls.

Wild axolotls live in swampy areas of Lake Xochimilco and in the canals that flow into the southern edge of Mexico City.

Axolotls have also been known to have once lived in Lake Chalco, one of Mexico City’s five “great lakes”. This is one of the areas that the Aztecs settled. The Aztec called themselves Culhua-Mexica and they were a Nahuatl-speaking people who ruled a large empire in what we now call central and southern Mexico. The Axolotl name comes from the Nahuatl language and is pronounced Ax-oh-lot-ul. Atl means “water” and axolotl means “dog,” after the Xolotl, the canine Aztec deity.

In today’s lesson, we will learn how to draw your own Axolotl!

Before you begin, you will need a pencil, eraser, and colored pencils or crayons.

1) Did you know: Even though the Axolotl is commonly known as a “Mexican Walking Fish” it is not a fish at all. Axolotls are salamanders which is also a kind of amphibian. They are more like a cousin to a frog than they are to a fish.

2) Axolotls are carnivores known to eat worms, insect larvae, tiny shellfish known as crustaceans, and some fish.

3) Axolotls can live up to 10-15 years but are now considered to be a critically endangered species.

4) Did you know: Axolotls are neotenic salamanders, which means even as they grow older, Axolotls still look as if they are young.

5) Axolotls can regenerate (which is a fancy word to re-grow) the same limb up to 5 times!!


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TT Lesson 11 Learn about Mexico: Draw an Axolotl

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Let’s create a compass rose to learn about the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west!

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What is a compass rose?

A compass rose is a drawing that is usually found on maps to show the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west. Have you ever looked at a map and said, “the United States of America is above Mexico?”

But if you are in Mexico and looked up you wouldn’t see the United States. Instead, it is better for us to say that the United States of America is north of Mexico. The most northern point on our planet is the North Pole and the most southern point is the South Pole.

When facing north, east would be left in relation to where you are standing, and when facing north, west would be to the left.

Before you create your own compass rose style, check out the examples for some inspiration.


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TT Lesson 7 Let’s create a compass rose to learn about the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west!

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Note to parents

See if you can play a game with your child saying what countries are east and west, and north and south of each other using a political map and a compass rose.. For example: “I spy with my little eye a country that is south of the United States of America.” See if they can find Mexico or any country that is south of the United States of America. You can also use hints using family members or friends that are from or live in different parts of the world; for example, “I spy a country that your grandfather is from that is east of Brazil.”


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Learn About Your World: Animals of the World

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Let’s get to know where some of our favorite animals live in the world!

Before you begin, you will need markers or crayons, scissors, and glue.

1) Color the map and its animal shapes.
2) On the sheet with the animal illustrations, color the animal illustrations and cut them out.
3) Match the animal cut out to the correct animal shape on the map to see where these animals live in the world.
4) When you’ve matched the shape, glue the animal to its home!

Why do you think some animals live in only some parts of the world? What are some animals that live near water or in the water?


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TT Lesson 4 Learn About Your World: Animals of the World

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Note to parents

Use this as a jumping-off point to discuss differences in weather or terrain. You could also talk about how animals need to live in certain climates to survive and live happy lives.


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