¡Hola profes! I hope you have had a fantastic winter break so far and that you’ve had plenty of opportunities to recharge your batteries before going back to school!
Speaking of school – I can’t believe it’s time to start thinking about what activities to do with students when we get back. Returning to school after winter break can be a challenging transition for students and teachers alike. To help ease this transition for everyone, I find that it’s really helpful to incorporate activities that are both engaging and meaningful. Fortunately, as Spanish teachers, we have plenty of options at our disposal, including cultural activities, creative projects, and interactive games. Here are some ideas to energize your students (and you!) and help make the return to school as painless as possible:
Cultural Activities:
#1: New Year’s Eve Traditions in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Introduce your students to unique New Year’s Eve customs from Spanish-speaking countries. From eating 12 grapes at midnight in Spain to burning “año viejo” effigies in Ecuador, these traditions offer a glimpse into cultural diversity. Have students compare these customs to their own, sparking engaging discussions and expanding cultural awareness.
Don’t want to spend the rest of your winter break lesson planning? I’ve got you covered! Here are some ready-to-print activities that will help your students learn about New Year’s Eve traditions in Spanish-speaking countries:
#2: Artists from Spanish-Speaking Countries WebQuest
Take your students on a virtual journey through the world of Spanish-speaking artists. Assign each student an artist, such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, or Salvador Dalí, and have them research their life, works, and influence. Students can present their findings through a short written summary or a creative project, like recreating a famous artwork with their own twist.
Grab this no-prep webquest here!
#3: Research Famous Spanish-Speakers
Encourage students to explore the lives of influential figures from Spanish-speaking countries. From athletes and musicians to scientists and activists, this activity can highlight the global impact of the Spanish-speaking world. Students can create presentations or posters to share their findings with the class, practicing both research and Spanish language skills.
Like this idea? Check out more here!
Interactive Games:
#1: Board Games and Jeopardy-Style Trivia Games
Games are a great way to review and practice vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge in a fun and low-pressure setting. Use familiar board games adapted for Spanish class or create a Jeopardy game to practice recent concepts you’ve studied in class. Students can work in teams, fostering collaboration while sharpening their language skills.
Here are some games you might be interested in:
#2: Scrambled Sentences Puzzles
Scrambled sentences puzzles provide an engaging challenge for students that they will truly enjoy! Give students with word cards that can be rearranged to form grammatically correct sentences. This hands-on activity reinforces sentence structure, grammar, and word order in an engaging way. For added challenge, include vocabulary and structures from recent lessons or cultural themes.
Make it a game: Turn your scrambled sentences puzzle activity into a competition by timing groups to see who can complete the most sentences correctly in a set amount of time!
Here are some ready-to-use scrambled sentences puzzles that you can use in your classroom as you head back to school:
Creative Projects:
#1: Preterit-Tense Comic Strip Project
Let your students’ creativity shine by having them create comic strips in Spanish that describe events in the preterit tense. They can illustrate personal experiences or fictional stories, practicing narrative skills and verb conjugations. Display the finished comics in the classroom for everyone to enjoy!
Check it out here!
#2: Mi Año Pasado Project
Guide students in creating a book in Spanish that describes what they did over the past year. Provide prompts for each page, such as “En enero, yo…” or “El verano pasado, mi familia y yo…” This project encourages reflection and builds confidence in using past-tense verbs!
Like this idea? Check out this resource that has everything your students need to make their books! Physical and digital options included!
#3: Ideal House Project
Students can design their ideal house and describe it in Spanish, focusing on vocabulary related to rooms, furniture, and adjectives. They can present their projects to the class, incorporating speaking practice into the activity.
Check out the project here!
#4: Weather Forecast Project
Have students research the weather in a Spanish-speaking country and create a forecast presentation. They can include weather vocabulary and can even describe appropriate clothing to wear or activities to do. To make it even more engaging, let students record their forecast as a news segment.
Grab your copy here!
These activities combine language learning with cultural exploration, collaboration, and creativity. By incorporating various modes of learning, you can reach all students and keep them motivated. Best of all, these projects and games are adaptable for different proficiency levels, making them a versatile addition to your post-break lesson plans.
Embrace the fresh start of the new year with these fun and meaningful activities that will leave your students excited to dive back into Spanish class. Here’s to an engaging and successful return to school!
Señora Q 