Ever feel like you need a fun break from curriculum in Spanish class? I know for me, sometimes our units feel like they drag on a bit, and there are so many interesting topics I would love to share with my students!
I think it’s not only ok, but extremely beneficial for students to take a few bird walks once in a while to explore the richness of the Hispanic culture!
Why Take a Fun Break From Curriculum?
Just because we might be taking a break from the prescribed curriculum doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to build proficiency.
Find a topic that will be interesting to your students. Then, create a 3-5 day mini unit on that topic. Include all the things; vocabulary building, opportunities to read, listen, speak and write about the topic and include some great visuals! When our students see that we are excited and/or can tie in our own personal experiences, they are engaged. And that’s when real learning takes place and passion is ignited!
What Can I Use When I Take a Fun Break From Curriculum?
I have 2 ideas for you!
#1) Music! Students love music- it’s universal through every culture in the world! But why not do a little exploration into one kind of music from the Hispanic culture?
In a few weeks, I will be using these activities with my students. They are going to learn about Bachata. But they need to be ready for the Seal of Biliteracy test and the AP Spanish exam- they’re both coming up! So, they will read, listen and have conversations about Bachata as they learn all about it! These activities are for Spanish 3 and up and I’ll link them in case your students would love them. I had such a good time recording the audio with my friend Julia from Chile. (Gracias, Julia!)
#2) another topic I’ll be using soon with my Spanish 2 and 3 students is travel. As summer vacation gets a bit nearer, I am going to use my travel experiences in Spain to take a fun break from our curriculum.
Fun Fact: I love taking pictures. When we visit my husband’s family in Spain, my camera comes with me everywhere! I developed these 2 mini-units using the pictures I took of Ávila and Benidorm. To be honest, these were places I had never been before, but wow! They are definitely worth seeing, even if it’s only through these activities!
These activities are designed the same way. They start with a visual presentation with me narrating. They talk about our trip to these places and highlight all the wonderful and interesting things you can do there. Then, there are follow-up activities in the form of listening, writing and speaking. They even contain bonus activities for your fast finishers or for students who need a bigger challenge.
Again- I look forward to a time when I’m ready for a break from the curriculum. These activities are very engaging for students, give a real-life glimpse into what the world holds for them, and everything is already made… so I can catch up on correcting!
I hope these bird walk activities might find a place for a fun break from curriculum in your Spanish classrooms! They’re on sale this week for all of my blog readers! Click the links below if you would like to know more. Enjoy!
Resources
Pre-AP Spanish Bachata Reading & Comprehension Questions
Pre-AP Spanish Bachata Listening Activity & Comprehension Questions
Pre-AP Spanish Interpersonal Speaking about Bachata Simulated Conversations
Spanish Culture Activities Ávila, Spain with Real Photos
Vacaciones en España Culture Presentation with Linked Activities Past Tense (Benidorm)
