Do you need a Ramadan activity for Spanish class? Whether you work in a district with a Muslim population or not, Ramadan is an important holiday. In my district, a unit we teach in Spanish 3 is about celebrations. And I have Muslim students. It made sense to include this holiday is what we learn about. I didn’t know much about it, and it’s a beautiful holiday. I made this Ramadan activity for Spanish class, and would love to know if you teach about it in your classes!
Ramadan Basics
If you want to do a Ramadan activity for Spanish class, step one is to learn the basics. I did some research and created a comprehensible reading for my students. But before I made copies, I asked a Muslim student to fact check for me. It was really helpful! Here are some basic facts:
-Ramadan lasts about a month
-It ends with a celebration called Eid al-Fitr
-During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sun up to sun down. Then, they break the fast and eat a big meal.
-The month-long holiday is meant to bring Muslims closer to god, practice self-discipline and cultivate empathy for those less fortunate.
-At the end of the month, when Eid is celebrated, families and friends get together to have a big feast and give gifts. They also participate in community-serving activities.
Ramadan Activity For Spanish Class
If you are looking for ideas for how to incorporate a Ramadan activity for Spanish class, here are some ideas.
I like presenting new information to students with comprehensible input. I created this reading activity. The pictures and level-appropriate language make this reading accessible to students.
But next I like to turn a reading into a game! I make questions for students, and then I choose a way to make the questions into a competition. For example: after students have the chance to read on their own, I put them into pairs or teams. I ask them to re-read the article, or certain sections. Then I ask a question. Each team can choose a member to answer, or the team can answer together. Then I create a point system.
The winners of the game may or may not matter. What the students don’t know is that they ALL win if they have learned something new and have done so in the target language!
Another Ramadan Activity For Spanish Class
Because we do a whole unit on celebrations in my school, I didn’t want just a one-time focus on Ramadan. Students need to see/hear new information and vocabulary multiple times if we want it to stick!
The next part of my lesson plans included a vocabulary activity that paired with another holiday we learned about. Students sorted the words under the headings and did some other activities to reinforce the important words associated with those holidays.
And then I created some Guided Partner Conversations. These are a great way to get students talking in Spanish is a semi-authentic way! The conversation guide gives them a general idea of what to say to help them keep the conversation going, but they are still able to use what they know and create with language so that their conversation is somewhat real-life.
If you want to create your own Ramadan activity for Spanish class, this post about how to make guided conversations could help!
Finally, I give my students a writing challenge. They work in groups to write a letter to a friend explaining what they learned. This forces students to re-use the new vocabulary they’re learning and reinforces the facts they’ve learned about Ramadan. However, it also helps increase creativity with language and working together helps students improve their writing skills. My students really enjoy these group challenges!
Resources
Here are the activities I use with my students if you don’t have the time to make them yourself!
Ramadan Bundle (Includes a reading, a game to check comprehension, guided partner conversations and a group writing challenge!)
Three Kings Day Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening Activities Día de Reyes
Afro Latinos Reading Comprehension Scavenger Hunt Mystery Black History Month
Spanish Spring Festivals in Spain Reading Scavenger Hunt w/ Follow Up Activities
Other Posts You May Like
Black History Month Spanish Class Activity: New and Engaging!
