Fun Resources for Cinco de Mayo in the Spanish Class

 Hello Modern Language teachers!

It's Cinco de Mayo! Today is one of those days that students get excited about. However, if you have been teaching a while, you know how easily the real meaning of the day can get lost in the fun. Every year, it's great to pause and remind students (and colleagues) that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. Instead, it celebrates the Mexican army's surprising victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Pretty powerful for a small country fighting a world power!

Over the years, I have found that the best way to teach about Cinco de Mayo in Spanish is to keep it simple, make it interactive, visually stimulating, vocabulary-driven at times, and fun and engaging. Let's be real: By May, our students are tired, and we are too! That is why I put together a set of low-prep, engaging activities that make the week leading up to or on May 5th fun, educational, and stress-free.

Depending on the student's level, here's what's been a hit in my classroom over the years.

1. Cinco de Mayo Coloring Pages—These are my go-to for early finishers, chill days, and younger students. My middle school students enjoy them now and again, but the younger students love them. With the older students, I use a PowerPoint presentation of the images with explanations for each one as coloring pages.

2. Word Search Puzzles - My students love a word search and we have a lot of Word Search Puzzles in our Teachers Pay Teachers store. This one sneaks in vocabulary while giving them a break from screen time. This include 2 Word Search puzzles with words such as bailar, música, bandera, celebración and so much more.

3. Matching Activity - This activity is fun and straightforward. It includes great images that students can match to their Spanish vocabulary. These are words that students are familiar with, such as cactus, poncho, and taco. It is an excellent activity for building confidence with vocabulary.

4. Word Unscramble Activity - Students race to unscramble the Spanish words using Cinco de Mayo vocabulary. I use this as a warm-up or team activity for small prizes.

The Word Search, Match, and Word Unscramble activities are vocabulary-driven and are a great way for students to learn meaningful vocabulary that they can use in future communication.

Here is a brief lesson plan on how to implement these activities

1. Start with a short video or reading about the Battle of Puebla.

2. Review the vocabulary in the vocabulary list with activities like matching.

3. Reinforce the vocabulary with the word search or unscramble activity.

4. Wrap up the lesson with a reflection or exit ticket: "Why s Cinco de Mayo celebrated more in the U.S. that in Mexico?

I hope these resources can be implemented in your lessons on Cinco de Mayo. 

If you are looking to save time and give your students a cultural experience, these activities will be enjoyable. Check out our TpT store for more low-prep, easy-to-use, fun, and engaging activities for students. 

Wishing you a festive, low-stress, and meaningful Cinco de Mayo with your students.

¡Feliz enseñanza!

- ModLangTeacher

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New years bring new possibilities, new ventures, and new goals. It is a great time to set new intentions and goals. I grew up believing that planning the new year out in the very beginning dictates the type of year you will have. We all have plans, but sticking to them is always the key. Sticking to the new year plans or goals require that you firstly make up your mind that you will commit to the plan and secondly revisiting the plan to stay focused. I know it sounds easier said than done. However, let's resolve to stick to our plans this year to accomplish our goals. In accomplishing our goals, let's consider our language teaching profession and how we can move forward into the new year.

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Bonjour and ¡Hola, language lovers! The start of a new year is the perfect time to help students reflect on their past achievements and set goals for the future. That is why we are excited to introduce our newest resource: the Spanish and French New Year’s Resolution Worksheet! Designed to inspire students to reflect on the past and focus on their future goals, this activity encourages students to practice their language skills while sharing their favorite memories and aspirations.

What’s Included? This worksheet is crafted to suit beginner and intermediate learners in both Spanish and French. Here’s what it features:

Favorite Things Section: Students reflect on the highlights of the past year, such as their favorite food, book, or song. Prompts are available in both Spanish and French, with space for students to write their answers.

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Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! and Bonne Année! 

I hope you had a great holiday break and are well-rested to start the new year strong. In a matter of minutes, we will be in our Spanish or French classrooms, welcoming our students back from the holidays. 

The start of the new year is always a wonderful opportunity to start new intentions, such as writing new year resolutions. We have just the resources for that or to add some creativity into the classroom. One of the resources that we have used since last year is our Spanish and French New Year's Coloring Pages.

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Summer fun in the Sun!

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In this blog post, we'll explore the transformative power of summer travel for language educators and share tips for making the most of this valuable experience.

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When it comes to teaching foreign language vocabulary, educators are continually seeking innovative and effective strategies to engage students and facilitate meaningful learning experiences.

While traditional methods certainly have their place, integrating interactive activities such as word search puzzles, matching games, and unscramble exercises can offer a dynamic and engaging approach to vocabulary acquisition. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of these activities and provide practical tips for incorporating them into your foreign language classroom.