Field Trip # 39: Pachanga at the Supermarket

Here is another supermarket field trip but a totally different experience. Head to Megamart Supermarket in Rockville with your students to get a feel for Central America. One of the things that strikes me as I walk into Megamart is that there are many products that are similar to Safeway or Giant so it is not as different as Kam Sam or Maxim so that means that you will need to take advantage of the truly Latin items in this market so that means two things: Pinatas and snack foods.

As you walk into the market you will first notice the music blasting merengue and cumbia music as well as the pinatas hanging from the ceiling. So here is my suggestion of how to use this supermarket: have your students first choose a pinata that connects to something that you are studying in class at that time and then have them shop for items that can be put inside. This means that you will want to bring their attention to items that are from specific countries so that you can bring their attention to interesting differences between cultures. You will find goat's milk caramel lollipops from Mexico at the check-out stand. You will also find a whole snack center boasting items from El Salvador like cinnamon gum, coconut bars, and peanut candies. There are also plenty of baked goods from the well known Mexican bakery called Bimbo.

You will want to really prep students so that they have a criteria for items to place in the pinata. So that will mean coming to the market beforehand and maybe taking pictures or buying items to take back to class so that students will understand what types of items will be allowed in the pinata.

So how does this make this an educationally viable trip? Once they have created a pinata with authentic Central American candies and goodies, bring it back to class break it open and then delve into writing essays that compare and contrast the snack foods with items that are regularly found here. You will be connecting to geography by asking why coconut, tamarind and chilis are common ingredients in candies from Central America. You could also have students research the history and significance of pinatas. These will be follow up activities but don't forget the significance of assigning students to walk into the doors of a place they would normally never walk in, to interact with communities with which they are not familiar and to rely on themsleves to navigate a language that they may not speak. These are the experiences that build self-reliance and awareness of what is outside their own communities. These are lessons worth teaching.

Contact Info:
Megamart Supermarket
11790 Parklawn Dr.
Rockville, MD 20852
Tel: 301-770-7400
www.megamartlatino.com
PS: If you go to the website there is a great video that gives you the specials for the week and it would be fun to watch it before going so that students get a sense of what is for sale.