High-interest topics serve as a springboard for discussion and writing assignments. The first four chapters emphasize U.S. Latino heritage, culture, and society-at-large, treating topics such as immigration, the Latinization of the United States, brief historical notes, and other topics to which students can easily relate. Numerous opportunities are available for individual and group work, and class participation Cultural awareness is promoted through community involvement, independent study, research projects, and Internet activities. Cooperative learning and a content-based approach help students learn more about the diversity of Hispanic cultures and improve their oral proficiency. A supplementary Unos pasos mas: Fuentes y recursos section provides resources for additional reading and suggestions for feature and documentary films that can be used for individual and group projects related to chapter topics.