Home: For The Teacher

The purpose of this webpage

This website is intended to provide an introduction to several aspects of Cuba's culture. It is intended for freshman or sophomore high school students. It is not meant to be the final authority about the island, nor is it meant to be political. We have tried to express only facts or have related anecdotes of that which we personally experienced. Through relating these experiences to Cubans or other visitors to the island, we confirmed that they represent a pattern of cultural behavior.

Each unit is intended to be independent of the other units. Nevertheless there is some cross-referencing between them. The order in which units are assigned is not critical. Because of the nature of the material and our objectives, not all units are of uniform length.

Each unit begins with pre-activity questions designed to activate students' knowledge. Each unit ends with questions which require the student to demonstrate knowledge gained. These questions are often in the form of essay questions which require students to compare their culture to what they have just learned about Cuba. The last question in each set of question requires the student to do some research on the web. Useful links are also provided if a student is looking for additional information.

We would recommend requiring students to keep a journal of their answers.

Outline of Objectives

Geography - Students will:

1. acquire information concerning Cuba 's global location and size, especially in relation to the United States ;
2. acquire information on Cuba 's diverse geographical features, climate, and natural resources/agricultural products;
3. acquire a basic understanding of the ethnic or racial make-up of Cuba 's society;
4. develop and understanding of the urban nature of Cuba 's population.

Housing - Students will learn about:

1. how housing differs due to climate and building materials
2. how socialism affects housing
3. how public space is used differently
4. how socialism affects public space in the form of lack of product advertising

Selling Socialism - Students will:

1. learn that Castro is constantly trying to sell the Revolution, its past, present, and future;
2. learn that the cult of personality in Cuba is used to get people to identify with the Revolution through the models presented by Martí, Che, Maceo, and the Miami 5;
3. learn that public documents in Cuba , from the constitution to newspapers, all carry the same, pro-socialist message;
4. learn that public space in Cuba is monopolized by official state propaganda that generally appears on billboards and murals;
5. acquire a basic understanding of the regimes role in the Cuban street, as seen in the CDRs and public protests.

Tobacco - Students will:

1. learn the geographical conditions for growing tobacco and where these conditions converge in Cuba ;
2. develop an understanding of the importance of tobacco to the Cuban economy;
3. learn about the life of a typical tobacco farmer;
4. learn the process of tobacco farming, from planting to shipping;
5. gain an understanding of the manufacture of export- and domestic-grade cigars;
6. learn about the Cuban black market on cigars.

Economy - Students will learn about:

1. the characteristics of a socialist economy using Cuba as an example
2. the two economies of Cuba - the peso based economy and the dollar economy
3. the current poor economic situation of Cuba with rationing and jineterismo

Transportation - Students will learn about:

1. the various modes of transportation in Cuba, public, private, urban, and rural
2. the affects of the troubled Cuban economy on transportation.
3. distances and travel times between some major cities in Cuba

Santería - Students will learn about:

1. the origin Santería and other syncretized religions
2. the customs of Santería and how they relate to Cuban culture today

Food - Students will learn about:

1. what crops grow in Cuba
2. how shopping for food differs from North America
3. how the Cuban diet differs from North America
4. some typical Cuban dishes with recipes

Hemingway - Students will:

1. become familiar with the life and works of Hemingway;
2. learn about Hemingway's fascination with the Hispanic culture/Cuba;
3. acquire information about three of Hemingway's locales in Cuba : the Floridita, the Bodeguita, and the Finca Vigía.

History - Students will:

1. learn about factors that contributed to the Cuban independence movement and the war of 1898;
2. gain an understanding of the how the United States has influenced the course of Cuban history since 1898;
3. develop an understanding of the instable nature of Cuban politics, 1898 – 1959;
4. gain an appreciation for the factors that gave rise to Castro's Revolution and ultimate victory;
5. learn the basics of a “revolution” and how Castro's victory can truly be seen as a “revolution”;
6. learn how the Cuban economy has struggled since 1961 and how the end of the Cold War has affected Castro's Revolution.

Cuba News

1. learn about current events involving Cuba on the domestic and international levels;

2. continue exploring the state of U.S.-Cuban relations;

3. acquire information about the growing leftist/anti-U.S. bloc in Latin America and how Cuba plays a major role in this.

Photos from top to bottom:
El Morro in Havana with the Malecón in the foreground
a shrine in Santería
a man and his horse in Viñales

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