Encanto Lesson Ideas?

[Rachel14040]

Hi everyone!
I’m a year six teacher and our next topic is South America, and I would like to do some writing based on Encanto, but other than narrative/diary entry I can’t think of anything fun or creative or a bit different. Any ideas welcome!

Colombia is the home of magical realism, as seen in the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have not seen Encanto but a quick look at the plot line and the family of people with magical powers lead by a strong woman is not a million miles from his most known work, 100 Years of Solitude. I would have a read of that before doing anything, particularly if you like a good story.

Colombia is a very varied country, from slavery to the drug trade in terms of history, the Andes and the Amazon for geography such as the indigenous populations and lots and lots of indigenous languages. Beautiful coastal areas, some oil production, a national love of football. Shakira is Colombian and has her own charitable foundation there. It is home to El Dorado, and a huge range of biodiversity - could certainly look at environmental issues. Major exports include coffee and emeralds. Coffee is a sod to grow and worth a look at - the Kenco coffee project has interesting videos on its website (although not Colombia based). The Hotel del Salto near the Tequendama waterfall is about as atmospheric a building as it gets and I believe there is one of those upside down houses somewhere for contrast. There is an artist called, I think, Botero (might be Botera) and you probably know his work - pictures of people with flat, fat faces. Probably not too difficult to do an in the style of project?

It is a fab country around which to build a cross-curricula scheme of work, leading up to a screening of Encanto!

Wow, thank you so much for such a detailed response and so many brilliant ideas! I will definitely take some of these on board, particularly the Botera art and kenco coffee project. Thanks so much :)

Check out Mr Minchin on Insta / Twitter, he has done an Encanto themed day

Write the copy for an estate agent advert for Casita.
Write some of Mariano’s love poetry.
Write Julieta’s recipes with explanations of what they heal.
Write Pepa’s weather forecast based on how she is feeling today.
Imagine you are a Madrigal child with a gift. Draw your door and describe your room in Casita.

You could talk about Bruno from the movie. You could prepare character descriptions as well. A wordsearch on En canto might work as well.

The kids can do artwork too.