Patchwork Designs > HISTORICALLY SPEAKING COSTA RICA PATCH PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING COSTA RICA PATCH PROGRAM
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1. Costa Rica, meaning “Rich Coast”, is the third smallest country in Central America. Locate Costa Rica on a map and its Capital. Identify Costa Rica’s flag.

2. The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Learn how to count to ten or a simple phrase in the Spanish language.

3. The most popular dance in Costa Rica is the Punto Guanacaste. They also have other folk dances, maypole dances, salsa, and the lambada. Watch a dance or learn more information about a dance and try your own moves.

4. A typical served dish in Costa Rica is gallo pinto, a mixture of red and white beans, white rice, oions, peppers, and seasonings. They have a large variety of dishes with beans and rice. Try a recipe, food, or drink from Costa Rica. Examples include: Olla de carne, (beef dish), sopa negra, (soup), arreglados, empanadas, picadillo, banana bread, pastel de tres leches, salsa and chips.

5. Each community celebrates different fiestas, street fairs, and various holidays. At Christmas they decorate their tree with gifts, candies, and bows. Learn about festivals in Costa Rica, go to a festival, participate in one, OR complete a craft that represents a festival. Examples include: New Year’s Day, Nuestra Senora de los Angeles, Festival de la Luz, and Carnaval.

6. Legends and stories are passed down for many years through the generations. Most of the legends are based on actual events. Read a story, legend, OR listen to a legend or play.

7. Costa Rica is known for it’s popular folk art designs on oxcarts. Popular designs are flowers, leaves, landscapes and very ornate detailed designs. They are displayed in local festivals and entered into contests. Find out more about oxcart designs or create your own card out of a shoebox and cardboard. A template is located in the manual.

8. Many islands are on the coast of the 630 mile Costa Rica Pacific coast. The most popular island is the Isla del Coco. It has waterfalls, scuba diving, snorkeling and a National Park.

10. Many of Costa Rica’s artistic handicrafts are sold to tourist. They are known for decorated gourds, brightly painted wooden bowls and trays, woven baskets, mats, and leather goods. Create a craft or project using a traditional a skill OR representing Costa Rica, OR observe someone creating a handicraft OR view them on the internet or books.

11. The tropical rain forest has many different layers. In each layer there are different habitats and animals. Learn about the different layers in the rainforest OR create a small rainforest OR create a craft about the animals or rainforest OR learn about [3] animals or plants in the rainforest.

12. Traditional clothing in Costa Rica is worn on festival days or during folkdances. The skirt for women has two layers and a thin ribbon along the bottom, blouse, with a shawl and sash. Men’s wear black pants, white long-sleeved shirt, red or yellow neckerchief or bandana around the neck, long sash around the waist and straw hat. Draw a picture of the clothing, dress up in a Costa Rica themed costumes, create an accessory, complete our paperdolls OR view traditional clothing through books or the internet or our country manual.

13. There are a variety of games that played in Costa Rica by children. Learn a traditional game OR play a game that symbolizes Costa Rica OR play a water game OR play a game in our manual. Some examples include: Prendas, el Gato y el Raton, and Canicas.

14. In 1897, the National Theater was the first world-class concert hall opened in Costa Rica. The top singers and musicians perform there. Sing a song in Spanish OR in English from Costa Rica OR listen to music or a song OR create a puppet OR watch a play with Spanish influence.