If you're teaching an advanced high school Spanish class, assign each student a book that deals specifically with marriage and family patterns in Latin America, then ask them to write a five-page analysis on the book you assigned them. Also, have the students write five questions about their books to be discussed in class.
Another idea is to hold a class lesson on the types of music and food in Latin America and the roots of these traditions. Discuss how Caribbean music styles such as salsa, merengue and bomba are a combination of Spanish, Native American and African influences. Or discuss how the indigenous population in Mexico contributed greatly to the development of traditional Mexican cuisine.
Dedicate a class period to teaching your students how to use business Spanish and practicing proper etiquette when visiting with businesspersons in Latin America. For example, mention that any documents you bring to colleagues there should be translated into Spanish, and that in Latin America they put a strong emphasis on conservative business attire.
Another idea is to have students write a two-page profile of a Hispanic American of their choosing. Advise them not to just choose entertainers and athletes but also politicians, writers, business owners and military servicemen. Then have them give a ten-minute summary of their profiles in class.