Earth Day is a fantastic opportunity to bring awareness and language learning together in your elementary Spanish classroom. It’s a chance to teach your students about the planet while expanding their vocabulary and comprehension skills in Spanish. Here are some resources and ideas to make Earth Day engaging and educational!
Engaging Resources for Earth Day
Spanish Earth Day Story:This engaging story, told through a song, is a great way to introduce the life cycle of a plant in Spanish! Perfect for reinforcing science concepts or as a standalone activity, it helps students learn about plant growth and its different parts in a fun and interactive way.
Authentic Earth Day Song: This authentic Earth Day song is a fun Salsa tune that will make your students want to dance while learning about an important topic: climate change in Spanish. This resource is based on a campaign aired on a regional TV channel in Colombia a few years ago. The main character is a glass frog who is complaining and wondering what’s happening on its planet because nothing feels or seems right.
Global Warming Resources: This is lesson to empower novice-level students to learn about climate change in the target language. Students will be given the opportunity to connect with this topic in the target language through the support of visuals and cognates.
Plant Life Cycle Story:This engaging story, told through a song, is a great way to introduce the life cycle of a plant in Spanish! Perfect for reinforcing science concepts or as a standalone activity, it helps students learn about plant growth and its different parts in a fun and interactive way.
Take a Spanish Nature Walk
If possible, get your students outdoors for a fun and educational activity. Simple activities like talking about colors, animals, counting objects in nature or just reading a story outdoors. Talk to your students as they walk and point out things they see or may not have noticed before. It is an opportunity that really helps to clear your mind and relax. Read more here!
Teach a Song: Andean Music and Pachamama
This song, deeply rooted in Andean musical traditions, expresses a profound reverence for Pachamama (Mother Earth). The group, Takiwaska—though I’m not sure if they’re still active—is from Colombia, and their music has a way of resonating deep within the soul. The song itself is quite long, but I’m focusing on just one part.
Simplify and Focus:
If the song is too long, break it into digestible sections. For example, use the following excerpt from your chosen lyrics:
Madre hermosa, Pachamama (Beautiful mother, Mother Earth)
Canto a sus selvas (I sing to its forests)
Y al azul de sus montañas (And the blue mountains)
Canto al amor (I sing to the love)
Y canto al aire que respiro (And I sing to the air I breathe)
Canto al amor (I sing to the love)
y al espíritu del río (And the spirit of the river)
How to Teach It:
Cultural Background Information: Introduce students to the meaning of Pachamama and where this concept is embraced. Use a map to locate the South American countries where Pachamama is celebrated.
Introduce Vocabulary: Pre-teach key words like tierra (Earth), selvas (forests), montañas (mountains), and río (river) using visuals or gestures.
Clap the Rhythm: Have students clap or stomp to the beat while repeating each line.
Add Movement and Use TPR: Assign motions for each phrase (e.g., sway arms for “río,” mimic breathing for “aire”).
Madre hermosa, Pachamama: Students can mimic embracing or hugging to represent love for Mother Earth.
Canto a sus selvas: Students can mimic tree movements or sway their arms like branches.
Y al azul de sus montañas: Students can stretch their arms upwards to represent mountains.
Canto al amor: Students can make heart shapes with their hands.
Y canto al aire que respiro: Students can mimic breathing deeply.
Y al espíritu del río: Students can mimic flowing water with their arms.
Sing Together: Gradually layer verses, emphasizing pronunciation and emotional expression.
Discuss Meaning: Ask simple questions like “¿Por qué cantamos a la Tierra?” (Why do we sing to the Earth?) to connect lyrics to Earth Day values.
Using a magic box works with any grade level. It’s a wonderful way to deliver comprehensible input while keeping students curious and engaged. This tool helps reinforce vocabulary and encourages speaking in a fun way. I like using a song to build anticipation before introducing the magic box. You can find the song in this post.
Here are eight creative ways to incorporate it into your lessons:
1. Introduce Vocabulary
Fill your magic box with objects related to your lesson theme, like animals, food, or seasonal items. Pull out each object and describe it in the target language:
“¡Mira! Hay una manzana roja.”
“Es un oso pequeño. ¿Te gusta?”
Encourage students to repeat phrases or respond with simple sentences.
2. Play a Guessing Game
Place an item in the magic box and give students clues in the target language:
“Es un animal. Es grande. Es de color blanco y negro. Dice “Muuu”. ¿Qué animal es?
Take a few guesses before revealing the answer!
3. Storytelling with Props
Turn the magic box into a storytelling tool. Start with: “Había una caja mágica…” Reveal items one by one to build a story. For example, a wand, a frog, or a hat can inspire creative narratives. If students have enough vocabulary, they can add their own ideas in the target language to expand the story.
4. Create a Daily Mystery Box Routine
Make the magic box part of your daily or weekly lessons. Reveal one item each day and connect it to your theme:
“Hoy en la caja mágica hay una estrella. ¿Qué más tiene estrellas?”
5. Categorization Activities
Sort objects from the magic box into categories like colors, sizes, or emotions:
“¿Es grande o pequeño? ¡Es pequeño!”
“¿Es feliz o triste? ¡Es feliz!”
6. Interactive Commands
Add movement by incorporating actions:
“En la caja mágica hay un sombrero. ¡Ponte el sombrero!”
“Hay una pelota. ¡Tira la pelota!”
7. Hidden Questions
Include question cards or mini tasks in the box. For example:
“¿Cómo te llamas?”
“Salta tres veces.”
Students take turns pulling cards and responding.
8. Themed Explorations
Match box contents to specific themes:
Seasons: Leaves, mittens, or snowflakes for winter.
Animals: Plush toys or pictures.
Holidays: Small symbols of cultural celebrations.
The magic box is a simple yet effective tool for bringing excitement, curiosity, and meaningful input to your lessons. Whether you’re introducing new vocabulary, building stories, or creating themed lessons, this activity keeps students engaged and participating in the target language. Try it in your classroom and watch the magic happen!
Attention all elementary world language teachers! Are you ready for an amazing opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with a community of like-minded educators? The Elementary World Language Teacher Summit (EWLTS25) is back, and it promises to be better than ever!
This free (for a limited time) online conference is designed specifically for world language teachers like you. You’ll have access to a wide array of presentations from expert educators who are passionate about teaching languages to young learners. The topics are diverse and practical, ensuring you walk away with actionable strategies that you can implement in your classroom right away.
I will be presenting two engaging sessions focusing on the topics outlined below. These sessions are designed to provide valuable insights and practical strategies that you can implement in your classroom. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences with you, and I hope to create a collaborative learning environment where we can all grow together.
What You Can Expect:
Inspiring Sessions: Learn from experienced teachers and experts in the field of language education.
Practical Tips: Discover new methodologies, tools, and resources to make your teaching more effective and engaging.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with other educators from around the world who share your passion for teaching languages to young students.
Register for Free!
The best part? Registration for EWLTS25 is completely free during a limited period of time! You’ll have access to all the live sessions during the conference dates. This is a fantastic way to gain professional development without any financial commitment.
Upgrade to the All-Access Pass
While the conference is free, you might find that the All-Access Pass is a valuable investment. This pass gives you permanent access to all the presentations, so you can watch them at your convenience. It’s perfect for those who want to revisit the content or catch any sessions they might have missed.
If you register for this free conference using my unique link , and then decide that buying the All-Access Pass is right for you, I will receive a portion of your purchase. This conference system is what allows Jared, the host, to bring in incredible speakers and still offer you total access to the presentations for free.
I absolutely love this free PD opportunity. At the same time, if you decide to purchase permanent access, it is still an incredible value that I highly recommend. Although I may receive a commission for anything you purchase, you know me—I am only shouting about this conference because it is an amazing opportunity.
Don’t miss out on this chance to grow professionally and bring fresh ideas to your classroom. Click here to register now and secure your spot at EWLTS25!
The winter season in the Northern Hemisphere is a time filled with celebrations, traditions, and holidays that reflect cultural diversity. While Christmas often takes center stage, it’s important for teachers to recognize that not all students celebrate Christmas. Some may observe other holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Diwali, while others may not celebrate holidays at all. As educators, fostering an inclusive classroom environment during this season is essential for make sure that every students feels valued and represented. This is also an opportunity to learn more about your students and discover meaningful ways to connect with them.
Teaching About Diverse Winter Holidays in Spanish
If you’re a Spanish teacher looking to incorporate cultural diversity into your lessons, Holidays and Celebrations in Spanish (Las Celebraciones) is the perfect resource for your classroom. This engaging teaching tool introduces students to various global celebrations while helping them build Spanish language skills.
What’s Included:
Two leveled readings
Passages suitable for upper elementary students
Comprehension activities
True or False activity
Two writing/drawing activities for students to share their own celebrations
Why It’s Important to Teach About Diverse Holidays
By highlighting a variety of holidays and traditions, we promote cultural awareness and respect in the classroom. Discussing celebrations like Ramadan, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali alongside Christmas allows students to see the richness of global traditions and helps them appreciate their classmates’ unique backgrounds. These lessons encourage empathy, build community, and create a classroom environment where every student feels included.
How to Use This Resource in Your Classroom
Warm-Up Activities: Start each lesson with a holiday-related question or vocabulary review to engage students.
Holiday Comparisons: Use Venn diagrams or group discussions to compare and contrast celebrations like Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.
Crafts and Storytelling: Incorporate crafts and stories about Día de Reyes or other holidays to bring traditions to life.
Student Reflections: Encourage students to share their own traditions or create a mini-project about a celebration they learned.
Summer brings a variety of online and in-person professional development opportunities for World Language educators. These sessions are organized by various organizations and companies. I will be participating as a presenter in some of these sessions, and I have also presented at some in the past. These conferences offer a wide range of topics and presenters.
If you are new to comprehension-based teaching or would like to refresh your knowledge and gain new ideas for the upcoming school year, the CI-Reboot conference is perfect for you! It offers both pre-recorded and live sessions, so if you can’t attend in person, you can watch the videos later. Here are some of the topics that will be covered during the conference, with a diverse range of presenters each day:
Pre-conference: June 24 – 28 Sunday, July 7: The Fundamentals of CI/TPRS (What is CI Teaching? TPR, TPRS, CI Basics, SLA Theory) Monday, July 8: Backward Planning, Teaching Reading, FVR (Self-selected independent reading) Tuesday, July 9: Sheltered Subject Matter Teaching (All content) – What content are we teaching? Wednesday, July 10: Classroom Management, Classroom Set-up, Assessment Thursday, July 11: Advanced CI, Upper Levels, The Big Picture
If you would like to register for the conference, make sure to use THIS LINK, which provides a $10 discount for my readers. Valentina Correa and I will be presenting on July 7th about Using Comprehensible Stories to Spark Change.
Another excellent event for World Language educators is the World Language Teacher Summit – Back to School Conference. Teachers can attend this conference for free during the designated period – register here. I truly appreciate this complimentary professional development opportunity.
The conference will be held from July 22nd to 26th, with each presentation available for free for 48 hours. If you cannot attend during that week, don’t worry! You can upgrade to the All-Access Pass, which provides unlimited access to the entire event and exclusive bonuses. If you register for the free conference using my link and later decide to purchase the All-Access Pass, I will receive a commission. Also, don’t forget to register to receive the Playbook and learn about the presenters and topics.
I will also be presenting at the KLETT WL Conference. The registration for this conference is open from now until the end of September.
Video access begins on August 1, and you will have three months of access from the date of registration to watch the sessions at your own pace.
Because I enjoy sharing at regional conferences, I submitted a proposal to present at MaFLA this fall, and it was accepted! I’m really looking forward to connecting with teachers in person. Presenting not only brings me joy but also helps me continue growing as a teacher and motivates me to improve my practices.
Last but not least, if you are looking for in-person professional development opportunities tailored to your needs, let’s work together and create a plan that suits you or your department perfectly! Visit this link to contact me.
Which professional development opportunities will you be attending this summer?
