Geographical Association

Tocuaro Key Stage 1 Offer

Includes the Tocuaro KS1 Picture Pack containing eight A2 photo boards, a 32 page teacher's book and a full colour A1 poster, plus Tocuaro: A Mexican village map. Price: £66.99/£46.99 (GA members)

Tocuaro Key Stage 2 Offer

Includes the Tocuaro KS2 Pupils' Book which explores the geography, history and environment of the village, plus Tocuaro: A Mexican village map.
Price: £14.99/£11.99 (GA members)

Tocuaro is a very popular choice for the Key Stage 1 study of a contrasting locality overseas, and there are a number of resources available, linking with unit 22 of the QCA Scheme of Work for Geography for Key Stages 1 and 2, to support this study.

Tocuaro: A Mexican village
Key stage 1 picture pack
Individual, small group and whole class teaching and learning are all possible with the varied resources contained in this pack, which provides a core geography resource around which a rich variety of cross-curricular activities can be developed. These materials present youngsters with a full and balanced picture of life in Tocuaro, a small village in the centre west of Mexico, as seen through the eyes of three generations of the Horta family. The picture pack contains eight A2 photo boards, a 32 page teacher's book and a full colour A1 poster.

Available to buy from the GeographyShop

Tocuaro: A Mexican village
Key stage 2 pupils' book
This full colour book for key stage 2 children explores the geography, history and environment of the village through the lives of three generations of the Horta family. It also covers the eruption of the nearby Paricutin volcano in 1943, and the pollution of Lake Patzcuaro, an important local issue.

Available to buy from the GeographyShop

Tocuaro map
This map has been specially designed by Sue Thomas to help young pupils learn about the village of Tocuaro in Mexico. Using the map to make geographical enquiries will help pupils learn about distant places. Introductory questions such as ‘What does the map tell you about Tocuaro?’ ‘How does it look different from where we live?’ and ‘What landscapes would you see in Mexico?’ will encourage close observation of the maps and their keys.

Available to buy from the GeographyShop

Tocuaro: A Mexican village CD-ROM
This CD-ROM allows children to explore Tocuaro through a combination of still and moving pictures and interactive activities. The prime focus is on the village, where children can meet the Hortas, as well as exploring work, school, food, weather and climate and local environmental issues. Some topics broaden out so they can be examined on a wider scale, e.g. volcanoes and earthquakes, Mexican art, dance and music, and history. For more information contact Kevin Cook.

Geography at key stages 1 and 2: Unit 22:
A contrasting locality overseas – Tocuaro
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
A ‘short’ unit introducing a distant locality through aspects of life that will be familiar to children such as housing, cooking and going to school.
See the DCSF website for more information.

Barnaby Bear Series 3 DVD Pack
Barnaby visits Tocuaro and Mexico City. Includes the Watch programmes, teacher’s book packed with activities and two colour posters.
Available from the BBC website.

Latin American Bureau
Provides details of publications on Latin America and the Caribbean, including Mexico in Focus. Visit their website for more information.

Meet Mexico
An educational project addressed to the children and youth of Great Britain, enabling them to make a virtual journey to Mexico and get to know its people, culture and artistic expressions, history, geography, government and economy. A good general introduction to the country and useful context for work on the Tocuaro locality, or other topic work focused on Mexico. Presented by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mexican Institute for International Co-operation and the Embassy of Mexico in the UK.

Mexico for Kids
Provides an opportunity to ‘explore’ the different states of Mexico, including finding out about their geography, flora and fauna and economy.

Global Eye
Worldaware's website for pupils includes a section on Mexico featuring the Horta family.

Mexicolore
The Mexicolore team aim to bring Mexico, including Tocuaro, alive to British audiences and will visit primary schools, by arrangement. They visited the Horta family in 2001 and can provide a cross between an illustrated talk and a workshop, enabling up to 60 children to take part in the session. They also have a supply of Mexican artefacts and costumes for sale and hire, and operate a slide library.