La Maleta: An End of the Year Tradition

La Maleta: An End of the Year Tradition

Running around with a maleta (suitcase) in one of the most fun traditions to do at the end of the year. This tradition requires some preparation, but not many things. All you need is a suitcase, some clothes in it, a desire to travel during the new year, and a passport if you have one.You only have five minutes to run around the block before the year ends, thinking about all the places you want to go in the new year.

I have to be honest that I have done this a few times and have gotten great results!

This is an opportunity to pull out a map and point out all the Spanish-speaking countries in the world. If possible, use Google Earth to take a virtual trip, then invite your students to get their suitcases ready.
Depending on the level of your students,  you can choose the difficulty of their task. They could complete simple sentences such as “Yo quiero visitar _______________” or write a long paragraph about the place where they want to go. For example:
1. Yo quiero visitar Colombia.
2. Colombia está en América del Sur.
3. En Colombia se habla español.
4. Los colores de la bandera de Colombia son amarillo, azul y rojo.
Make sure your students have their pasaportes in their suitcases and have fun running around the room!
Click HERE to download the free resource!
You might like this resource available on Teachers Pay Teachers:
AÑO NUEVO: LAS DOCE UVAS

AÑO NUEVO: LAS DOCE UVAS

December 31st  is an exciting day in Colombia and many other Spanish speaking countries. Everyone is focused on family and fiesta, and the resolutions and wishes for the New Year come to mind.
Those five minutes before the year ends are especially important. Yellow underwear for good luck, suitcases filled to go around the block, a dollar bill in your pocket, and many other exciting and fun things for a New Year.

My favorite tradition is “las Doce Uvas”. The tradition of eating twelve grapes that represent wishes for the New Year.  Every grape is eaten when the bell of the end of the year strikes. It strikes 12 times before the New Year starts.

This is a fun tradition to share with your students. Depending on the level you teach have your students make pictures or write about their wishes on every grape (see freebie below). You can also create bunches of grapes (see freebie below) in class and have your students work on just one wish.

Here are some examples of wishes you can teach your students:
1. Yo deseo más recreo.
2. Yo deseo paz.
3. Yo deseo amor.
4. Yo deseo jugar.
5. Yo deseo ver películas en clase.
6. Yo deseo tomar una siesta.
7. Yo deseo comer dulces.
9. Yo deseo tener más amigos.
10. Yo deseo bailar.
11. Yo deseo aprender más español.
12. Yo deseo una fiesta.

This resource is available on Teachers Pay Teachers:

FUN ACTIVITIES USING A SNOWMAN

Winter has finally arrived here in Boston. It’s time to start building snowmen, but even if snow never gets to the where you are, you can create opportunities to teach about seasons and weather in different parts of the world.

Here are some ideas:

1. Create your own snowman with felt fabric. Use it to teach or review colors, shapes, parts of the body, clothes and sizes.

This is how my snowman looks now:

 

2. Pin the Nose on the Snowman: I sing the fist part of “El Hombre de Nieve” song while one of the students puts the nose on the snowman.

3. Teach “El Hombre de Nieve” song with this video:

4. Snowman is also known as “Muñeco de Nieve”in Spanish. Here is another song.

5. Use this worksheet for your students to read the colors and color the different pieces according to what they read.

I have included two versions, one for readers and one for non-readers. I also included two versions: “El Hombre de Nieve” and “El Muñeco de Nieve.”

Download the coloring pages here!
Stay warm!

Carolina

 

LA NOCHE DE LAS VELITAS – RESOURCES FOR SPANISH CLASS

LA NOCHE DE LAS VELITAS – RESOURCES FOR SPANISH CLASS

Every year on December 7th, Colombia celebrates “La Noche de las Velitas” (also known as El Día de las Velitas), a night filled with candles and joy to celebrate Virgin Mary. This night also marks the beginning of all Christmas activities in Colombia.

What a good opportunity to bring some culture to your Spanish classes. Use a map and invite your students to find Colombia. You can also use Google Earth to make the trip more interactive and use a play passport for the trip. Share with them some information about this important celebration. Here are some useful resources for teachers to learn about the celebration:

La Fiesta de la Luz (Historia)
The Beautiful Noche de la Velitas in Bogota

Some videos of the celebration:

 Families get together to light the candles outside their homes. It’s a long night filled with happiness, fiestas and tons of Colombian goodies.

 

In the main parts of the big cities, people gather together to watch fireworks and shows.

Invite your students to decorate the flag or the map of Colombia with candles!
Click HERE to download it!
Conversation tips for your classes class
1. ¿Dónde se celebra la noche de las velitas? ¿En Costa Rica o Colombia?
2. ¿Dónde está Colombia? ¿América del Norte o América del Sur?
3. ¿Quién celebra la Noche de las Velitas?
4. ¿De qué color es la bandera de Colombia?
5. ¿Qué lengua se habla en Colombia? ¿Inglés o español?
Have fun!