September 15th to October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month. As an American, I prefer to teach something that goes with every heritage month as best I can. As Americans, I value teaching my kids about all the different people that live here. All the different cultures, foods, music and people make America unique and beautiful.

The Book

This year, we are reading the book The Circuit by Francisco Jiménez.This book is about the author’s experience as a migrant child picking crops in California in the 1940s. His family immigrated here from Mexico seeking a better life. They lived without running water and electricity and did back breaking labor picking strawberries, cotton and other crops. The book is available in both a novel version and in a graphic novel. You can choose the one that works best for your student.

Of note, this book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. There is a sequel and 4 books in total that tell the author’s life story. If your student is upset about the ending, you can reassure them that our main character eventually went to Columbia University and got his PhD. He will be okay, even though his childhood was clearly difficult.

Get Our Free Unit Study

I have used this book to create a free unit study you can do with your students at home too! This unit study includes lessons about health, science, geography, math, social studies, and more! Using this unique piece of literature makes the lesson accessible for student from both middle school and high school and those with learning disabilities. You can grab a free copy here and get a copy of the book at your local library or from your favorite book seller.

Take your learning further this month by going out for Mexican food and check to see if there are any festivals near you! Learning about the diversity of the human experience is an important part of a deep and enriching education.