Friday, December 14, 2012

Why learn a world language? Videos made by students

Students, I could tell you all the benefits of learning a world language. I could go ON and ON about the opportunities you get when you able to respectfully and appropriately communicate in another language. I could babble for hours about my own journey of language learning.  Like that job I had in Switzerland calling people and asking for their current contact information in Spanish and French, or the job in Mexico where I helped research the possibility of a National Football League team on the border of Mexico. We all know that you would probably not be impressed.

These videos of students describing how learning a world language are impressive. They are way better. Watch them.

Hot Tamale Activities (email me at bordner@cityhigh.org)

  • rank the top 5 videos and explain why you like them
  • choose 3 videos and give suggestions on how you would improve them
  • plan your own video! What would you show? What would you say?

Your hair dryer/phone charger won't work in many other countries

Ladies and gentlemen - I am doing you a HUGE favor by telling you this now as opposed to you finding out the hard way.

OUTLETS ARE DIFFERENT IN OTHER PLACES



This means you have to buy/borrow a dohickie (aka adapter) to plug in between your phone charger and the international outlet. And ladies, I cannot tell you how many times I have ruined a perfectly good hair dryer or hair iron because the wattage is also different in other countries. (Pro tip - get comfortable going natural with your hair or waste money on a appliance once you get to the country you're going to.)

Hot Tamale Activities (email your response to bordner@cityhigh.org)

  • identify the country for the flags - extra bonus include the watt power
  • send me links to different adapters that you can buy online and tell me which one I should get and why


How to Laugh online in Different Languages

There's a lot of ways to laugh online in English

LOL

hahaha

teehee

:D

But how to translate that to another language? Read this article to find out how to laugh online in 12 different languages.

Hot Tamale Activities (email me at bordner@cityhigh.org)

  • find images like this (or create your own) using different language laughs
  • create a Google Map with laughs from around the world (check out how to do this in these 2 videos here and here. Different project, same tool)
  • figure out and explain to me how to type those Chinese marks (I have no idea!)
  • explain which one of those is the most interesting to you? Why?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Photos from Traveling around Mexico City

Students in 10th grade have been researching and planning a trip to Mexico City. On Wednesday, they will be looking up places to go/things to see in and around Mexico City. Below are some links to slideshows of when I visited Mexico City.
This is an image of a mural by Diego Rivera in el Palacio de Bellas Artes

El Palacio de Bellas Artes has theatrical performances and murals by famous performances. 

This is an image of el Palacio Nacional. 

This is an image of ONE of the Catedrals de la Virgen de Guadalupe. 

This is an image from a futbol/soccer game I went to. 

This is an image of a Boy/Girl Scouts type group walking around Parque Chapultapec. 

This is an image of a VW Beatle covered with tiny little beads in the Museum of Popular Art.

This is an image from one of the markets in Mexico City.

This is an image from Teotihuacan - One of the biggest Aztec Ruins. 

This is an image from the neighborhood Coyoacan.


Hot Tamale Activity
  • Based on the photos, what are the top 3 things you would do in Mexico City? Why? 






Sunday, November 25, 2012

Spanish Music on Youtube

The Latin Grammys came and went. Below is a link to the Song of the Year "Corre" by Jesse and Joy.

There's a lot of Spanish music out there on YouTube and you can earn some Hot Tamale points by exploring it a bit. Here is a link to a playlist of Spanish music to get you started.

Hot Tamale Activities - email me bordner@cityhigh.org your responses.

  • Review "Corre" or any song on the Spanish music playlist. Do you like it? Why or why not? What do you think of the video?
  • Write a short bio on Jesse and Joy, or any other group on the Spanish music playlist - Where are they from? How many albums do they have? 
  • Translate "Corre" or any song on the Spanish music playlist, to English
  • Find more Spanish music and create your own Spanish music playlist! Describe why you picked the songs you selected. 

What music do you listen to?

Sunday, November 11, 2012

2012 Latin Grammys

The Latin Grammys will be held this Thursday, November 15th in Las Vegas. You can watch the ceremony on Univision.

Here is a list of all the categories an nominations.

Hot Tamale Activities

  • translate the categories to English
  • select one category - listen to each song and describe which one you like best and why
  • select one category - tell me what country each nominated group/person is from
  • select a group that was nominate in two or more categories - briefly describe their music and a short biography in your own words
  • Watch and review the show! Who won? Who was the best performer? Who was dressed well/poorly? 
  • See who won last year and complete activities from last year's Latin Grammy's Post

Food Blogs

There are many people who are passionate about food with blogs.


Hot Tamale Activity
  • Read and summarize 2-3 of her blog posts. Would you eat what she had? Why or why not?

LatinoFoodie is a blog with recipes of various latin themed food as well as great explanations of food and holidays within the cultural context of Spanish-speakers. 

Hot Tamale Activity
  • Find a recipe you would make and eat - what makes you want to create that dish?
  • Read and summarize a "cultural capsule" - compare it to a holiday and traditional food we eat in the United States


  • Find and email me other food blogs (tumblrs or flickr accounts too) that discuss latino food, culture, or international food in Pittsburgh.

Latino Food in Pittsburgh!

First, I love talking about food. Second, many of you know that I am new to Pittsburgh. There are a lot of things in this city that I still need to figure out, and one of them is where to get some good latino food!

Last weekend my parents were in town and we went to the strip and I was so happy to see a Mexican grocery store Reyna Foods!

Apple soda!

My mom in the isle of sweets, coffee, tea and piñatas!

Maté tea!

My dad holding up a bag of pork rines saying "I've never seen them so big before!"

Hot Tamale Activities
  • Where do you go for a good taco or latino food? (Taco Bell and Chipotle don't count!) 
  • Research online Latino Food in Pittsburgh - What stores/restaurants come up? Where are they? Which one looks like you'd try it?
  • What is yerba maté? Where do people drink it? How do they drink it? How is it similar to coffee? How is it different than coffee? Would you like to try it? Why or why not?
  • When at your neighborhood grocery store, go through the Latino isle - write down what is there and report back. More points for photos!



More Stories about Immigration

We have been focusing a lot on immigration. We have watched an undocumented family welcome a minuteman into their home for a month, we have responded to an undocumented student's letter, and we have studied a flowchart and tried to understand the different ways to become a legal American citizen.

Check out this video version of the flowchart to become a legal American citizen.

There are so many stories of people coming to the United States for a chance at a better life for themselves and their family. Below are a few stories from StoryCorps, an organization that goes around the country recording friends and family telling each other their life stories.


Click here to listen to José talk about missing his mother as she worked in New York City and he stayed behind in the Dominican Republic.

Click here for a list of more stories told by people who immigrated to the United States.

Recently I just finished reading Esperanza Rising, a young adult novel about a 14 year-old girl who lost everything in Mexico and had to immigrate to the United States to start over. I learned about what it was like in the 1950s to be a field worker, and how the workers were treated.

Hot Tamale Activities

  • Do you know someone who has immigrated to the United States? Maybe an older relative or a neighbor? Interview them. Where did they come from? Why did they come to the U.S.?What was it like for them that first month? What is something they miss from their home country? Would they ever go back? Email a summary. 
  • What stories touch you? What story do you sympathize with the most and why?
  • Read Esperanza Rising and have a brief, one-on-one discussion about the book with me. 











Elections, Latino Americans, and Infographics

This week elections were held all over the country to elect the President, other officials, and make a decision for many other things. (Maryland voted to allow illegal immigrants to be able to attend state universities and pay in-state tuition.)

Some of our classes have really been delving into various issues regarding illegal immigration. But it's important to remember that there are many legal immigrants, or American-born citizens who are Latinos and they can vote in elections. This group has been identified as the fastest growing group of our country.

Hot Tamale Activity - Create an info-graphic based on Latino Perspective on Government Policies. Here's how.

1 - What is an infographic?


Click on the link above to find out.

3 - How do you make an infographic?
Check both of them out, then use the one that is easiest for you.

4- Email your work to bordner@cityhigh.org


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Should Puerto Rico Become America's 51st State?

On Tuesday, Puerto Rico voted to become the 51st American State. Click here to listen to the story.

Hot Tamale Activities - email your answers to bordner@cityhigh.org

  • Create a timeline (or find one online) of when each of our 50 states became part of the United States.
  • What does it take to become a state?
  • What are the benefits Puerto Rico will get being a state? What are the drawbacks?
  • Why do you think Puerto Rico would rather become a part of the United States instead of it's own country?
  • If you were Puerto Rican, how would you have voted? Explain your answer 
  • What do YOU think - should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Dia de los Muertos in Pittsburgh!

Tonight I stopped by Mexico Lindo to see their Day of the Dead altar. It was phenomenally beautiful. See the photos below.

I also ate a chapuline (grasshopper). Yum!

Hot Tamale Activities

  • Anytime you go to something related to Spanish bring in a flyer from the event and hand it to us. or snap a photo w/ a camera or phone and email it to me. Along with a summarizing report of Who/What/Where/When you'll get Hot Tamale Points
  • Locate other Spanish related restaurants, businesses, etc in Pittsburgh. Include address and phone number.

Day of the Dead - photos by moi!

More Day of the Dead photos/videos!

photo of a family spending time at the cemetery next to the grave of a loved one

Look at the photos/videos then select a Hot Tamale Activities - email bordner@cityhigh.org or leave a comment
  • How do the photos show similarities between Halloween and Day of the Dead. How do they show the differences?
  • Many of the calavera photos are scenes from actual events. Select one or more of the scenes of the calaveras. Describe what is happening. Who is in the scene? When did it take place? What is happening?
  • Would you travel to Mexico to witness Day of the Dead? Explain.
  • Are there other celebrations from other cultures you would want to witness? What holiday? What country?

Monday, October 29, 2012

Halloween Special - La Llorona

Every culture has spooky legends, and La llorona is one of Latino culture's most terrifying stories! 

La llorona is Spanish for The Weeping Woman. Read about the legend here, here and here and complete one of the following Hot Tamale Activities by emailing me bordner@cityhigh.org or leave a comment.
  • What is she crying about? 
  • What would you do if you were her? 
  • What legends/scary stories do we have that are similar to this story?
La llorona is now mainstream in the United States. NBC's show Grimm used La llorona in their Halloween episode. Watch the behind the scenes below.

You can watch the whole episode here. Here are some additional Hot Tamale Activities
  • How does the Grimm episode and the story compare? How is the TV show different than the legend?

Videos of the Dead

Day of the Dead is coming up! Here are some popular videos with Hot Tamale Activities for each one.

Ozomatli - Cumbia de los muertos
Hot Tamale activities

  • Translate and summarize the lyrics.
  • Do you like the song? Why or why not? 
  • Research the band - Ozomatli. Where are they from? What are some of their famous songs?
  • Describe the type of music "cumbia" - link other famous cumbia songs.
Chúmbala

Hot Tamale activities
  • Translate and summarize the lyrics.
  • Do you like the song? Why or why not? 
  • Research this song - what is it's history? What are songs we have like it in our culture? 

La Negra by La Santa Cecilia


Hot Tamale activities

  • Translate and summarize the lyrics.
  • Do you like the song? Why or why not? Which song do you like more? Why?
  • Research the band - La Santa Cecilia. Where are they from? What are some of their famous songs?
  • Describe what types of instruments they use in their band.






Spanish Hip Hop

I recently heard a new episode of Alt Latino, my favorite PodCast about Latino music. The episode was all about new Latino Hip Hop. Here is a video of one of the songs they showcased.


I was blown away by the styles of the clothing, the bmx biking, and the view of the salt flats. IT LOOKS AWESOME.

Click here to go to the podcast. Complete the following Hot Tamale activities by emailing me at bordner@cityhigh.org or leaving a comment.

  • Listen to a song and review it. Do you like it? Why or why not? What other groups do they remind you of? 
  • Where are all the artist from? 
  • Find their lyrics in Spanish and English - what do they rap about?

Videos about Quinceñera

Right after we spent a few days learning about Quinceñeras, this video went viral.


Watch the video and then complete one of the Hot Tamale Activities by leaving a comment or emailing me bordner@cityhigh.org
  • Describe the video in English. What happens? Do you like it? Why or why not? Do you like the song? The singer? 
  • Do a basic web search on Colibritany. Who is she? Where is she from? What other videos has she made?
  • Describe how the video is similar to what we've learned about quinces in class. What is a chamberlán? What in the video is different? 

Here is an episode of Yo Quiero Mi Quince, the Spanish version of MTV's My Sweet 16 show. Watch the episode (there are multiple videos) and then complete one of the Hot Tamale Activities by leaving a comment or emailing me bordner@cityhigh.org

  • Summarize the episode. What happens? Where is Briana from? Where is her family from? 
  • How is the show similar and different to My Sweet 16? Do you like watching these shows? Why or why not?
  • Would you want to have a quince? What would be different? The same?

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Hear a true story about Guatemalan destruction

Last week in 10th grade Spanish we learned about Guatemala, and it's troubled recent history with democracy. There is a fabulous TRUE story that illustrates how towns in the country were devastated. Here is a preview of the story.  

"In 1982, the Guatemalan military massacred the villagers of Dos Erres, killing more than 200 people. Thirty years later, a Guatemalan living in the US got a phone call from a woman who told him that two boys had been abducted during the massacre -- and he was one of them. ProPublica's print version: Finding Oscar."


Hot Tamale activities - this is a time consuming story (about an hour) but very interesting and well worth it. Students who listen to/read the whole story please email me (bordner@cityhigh.org) and we will have a conversation. This can be done for 50 Hot Tamale points. 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Costa Rica

Did you know as a City High upperclassmen you will get the opportunity to go to Costa Rica? (Costa Rica is a country in Central America). They blogged about their trip here.

Check out some of the videos that City High class of 2013 made about their trip this past summer.



I've been to Costa Rica too and made a video! (Not with City High...yet!) Check out my video


Here are some Hot Tamale Activities

  • Watch the City High students' Costa Rica videos and summarize the trip - what did they do? Would you want to go on the trip? 
  • Have you ever done a service trip? Tell me about - where did you go? What did you do?
  • If you could go on a service trip where would you go? What would you do?
  • Interview someone who has gone to a Spanish speaking country (it can be a City High student who went to Costa Rica or someone else). Write down the questions you asked them and their answer.
  • Find out the City High requirements for going to Costa Rica.


Crazy Comida


10th grade students have been looking into Guatemalan food. Some of the students have been surprised to see "lengua en salsa" or cow tongue in salsa!

Here is a video of different food in Mexico


Here is a video of me and friends eating grasshoppers.



Different places and cultures have very different cuisines (food). Below I've put some photos and slideshows of food I've seen in my travels.

cow nostrils from market in Peru

deep fried guinea pig in Peru

Pig head for pozole in Mexico

cochinilo from Spain



Intrigued? Here's more! Click below to see slideshows of food from Spain, Mexico, and Peru.


Hot Tamale Activities email bordner@cityhigh.org your reply

  • Find out what people cook cow nostrils/tongue for. How do they cook it? What other countries do they use cow nostrils and tongue in their food? Does it sound tasty? Explain.
  • Are you a vegetarian? Why? (I was a vegetarian for 8 years, then I went to Spain.) 
  • Which of the foods pictured above would you be most likely to try? Explain. Which of the foods pictured above would you be least likely to try? Explain. 
  • Have you watched any of those TV shows where people eat crazy stuff from around the world? Tell me about an episode. What show was it? Where did they go? What did they eat? Would you have eaten it? 
  • Have you ever tried something from a different culture that you thought would taste bad but was actually tasty? Or something that was nasty that you expected to be delicious? Tell me all about it!




Thursday, October 4, 2012

Calle 13 - mi groupo de música favorito

In 9th grade Spanish we've been listening to a Calle 13's Latinoamérica this week to frame our discussion of what it means to be Latin American. Here are the videos we've been looking at and a few Hot Tamale activities.





Hot Tamale Activities
  • Write a short biography of Calle 13. Where are they from? What awards have they won? What kind of music do they play? What do they rap about? (I suggest you check out their official website and wikipedia page.)
  • Listen to this radio show where Calle 13 is a guest talking about their music (it's in English) and summarize what you heard. What song did you like the best? What did you learn about the band you didn't know before?



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Maximilian I of Mexico

We learned about Maximilian I of Mexico in our Cinco de Mayo lesson. This guy is really interesting to me, if for no other reason than because he wanted to do well as leader of Mexico, but wasn't really smart enough to be successful.

For example, when he took over power from the elected Mexican President Benito Juarez, he really thought the Mexican people wanted him there. It's hard for me to understand why he thought Mexicans wanted a foreign born dictator over the guy they already elected.

This is a painting of Maximilian accepting power from the people of Mexico. 

Also, Mexico was not rich, but he led a life of luxury. Check out the photos I took of his house when I was in Mexico last year.

Maximilian's ride - do you see the gold baby?!
Just your average hallway decorations.

Staircases, chairs and gold clocks


So here are the Hot Tamale questions to email me or reply as a comment in this post. 
  • Would you want Max to be your leader? Why or why not?
  • If you were one of Max's trusted team members, what would you tell him? 
  • Are there leaders like him today in the world? Who are they and what country are they ruling?
  • What would you do if you were Benito Juarez, the elected president that Max had pushed out of power?










Extending the 5 de mayo Lesson

Every year I teach about Mexican Independence Day, and all my students say "I thought Mexican Independence Day was cinco de mayo. What's cinco de mayo about?" So this year we learned about the key players in cinco de mayo, and how President Benito Juarez was like America's Abraham Lincoln.

We only touched on the tip of the cinco de mayo iceberg, so I want to offer more meat to chew on. Answer part of all of these questions for Hot Tamale points.

Cash Money

  • All these people we learned about are famous enough to have their faces on money. What currency was Napoleon III on? General Zargosa is on what Mexican peso bill? How much is that bill worth in US dollars? What Mexican peso bill is Benito Juarez's face on? How much is that bill worth in US dollars? Which person's currency is worth the most money (US dollars) today? 
  • For 10th grade students, who else have you studied at City High that has their face on a Mexican peso bill?
Abraham Lincoln
  • Abraham Lincoln's mom died of milk disease when he was 9 years old. What is that? How can someone die from drinking milk? 
Napoleon III
  • There are so many Napoleons I can't keep them straight, can you? The text mentioned his uncle Emperor Napoleon I, what was he famous for? 
  • I thought Neapolitan ice cream got it's name from one of these guys, but I was wrong. Where does the ice cream's name originate from?
  • Create a timeline explaining who was in power in France in the 1700-1800s. How did it go from Emperor Napoleon I to King Louis Philippe to Napoleon III?
  • How do you think a president can make themselves an Emperor? Who has done that recently in Latin America?

  • Describe what kind of leader you'd like to be of a country- an emperor, dictator, president, or King/Queen. Why would you prefer that kind of leadership?








Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sebastian El Charro de Oro on America's Got Talent

America's Got Talent is in it's final weeks. One of the TV talent show's final contestants is a 10 year-old boy named Sebastian who sings Mariachi music with a powerful voice.


Hot Tamale Activities - leave a comment or email me bordner@cityhigh.org

  1. Look into Sebastian's style. What does "el charro" mean? Describe traditional mariachi outfits and why they dress that way.
  2. Describe traditional mariachi music. What are the instruments of a mariachi band? How many people are in a group? What do the songs typical talk about? 
  3. Find other performances of mariachis and link them. What do you like/dislike about the music? Why?

Monday, September 3, 2012

La Sagrada Familia


I've been there. NBD.
Actually, it is a HUGE deal.

Hot Tamale Activities - reply in the comments or email your response to bordner@cityhigh.org

  1. Write a basic report on La Sagrada Familia. Who made it? Why is it special? When was it built (trick question!)? Where is it? What is it's theme? Link photos, videos, and other sites you used to find this information.
  2. Find more images of La Sagrada Familia, specifically from the inside. Post them on a word document, ppt, or use another site like Glogster.


What is your labor of love?

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day is a pretty awesome privilege that we often take for granted or are ignorant about

When we think about labor, we usually think it's the same thing as work. Sometimes we tend to narrow our focus and only think about work as a job, so we can make money, so we can buy things we want. 

But what if you thought about work like Jiro thinks about making sushi?


Jiro talks about improving his technique for 70 years. After all those years, he still sees that there is room for improvement, that he can achieve more. After 70 years, he still says "I feel ecstatic" and loves making sushi all day. 

Hot Tamale Activities - comment or email a response to bordner@cityhigh.org
  • What do you think your labor of love would be? What can you see yourself doing for a long long time?
  • Watch the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
    • What are some characteristics that Jiro has that you think makes him successful?
    • Compare and contrast Japanese traditions and cultures to your own traditions and culutre. 
    • Write a list of questions you would ask Jiro or other people in the film. 
    • Write a review of the film. Did you like it? Would you recommend it? Why?

I want to let you know, that teaching is a labor of love for me. I used to think traveling was my passion, but I got lonely. I love sharing about new and exciting things. I love learning and helping other people learn about different cultures. I really enjoy getting to know my students. 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Immigrants in the United States

Sometimes I get the sense that politicians and the media are telling me that the United States are going to be destroyed due to excessive immigration. So I was very surprised and interested in this graph showing that there is a smaller percentage of foreign born residents than 100 years ago. 


What has really changed is where they are coming from



Hot Tamale Activities - reply in the comments or email me bordner@cityhigh.org
  • Does this surprise you? How does this change what you already thought about immigration?
  • Why do you think this change occurred?
  • What do you think will happen in the next 100 years? Where will the largest percentage of immigrants come from? Why? 


Monday, August 27, 2012

Videos about learning languages

There are a ton of videos on YouTube showcasing why it's useful/super awesome cool to learn another language. Earn some Hot Tamale points by emailing me or commenting on this post with some you found. Here are a few to get you started.






Sunday, August 26, 2012

What are your most magical places in the world?

I got really excited when I saw this list of 15 Most Magical Places in the World and I had traveled to #1 when I was studying abroad in Switzerland!

Hot Tamale Activities - reply in the comments or email me bordner@cityhigh.org

  1. What are your top 10 places you want to travel to? Why? (No more than 3 can be in the United States)
  2. Research one or more of the 15 places mentioned here and locate them on a map. Describe them. Why are they special? When were they created? 

Food around the World

In general I am fascinated by what people eat around the world. There is an awesome book that has taken photos of families around the world and their weekly groceries. Click to see a sneak peak here and here.



Part 1 Hot Tamale Activities - reply in the comments or email me bordner@cityhigh.org

  1. Respond to the photos. What struck you as familiar? Different? Crazy? Which family looked like they had the most "interesting" groceries? Which family looked most "tasty"? Which family's groceries looked most simliar to yours?
  2. Do your own family's grocery photo and share it with us!


This week I came across this really interesting post about different school lunches around the world. Check it out.

Part 2 Hot Tamale Activities - reply in the comments or email me bordner@cityhigh.org

  1. Respond to the photos. What struck you as familiar? Different? Crazy? Which country looked like they had the most "interesting" lunch? Which country looked most "tasty"? Which country's lunch looked most simliar to yours?
Part 3 Hot Tamale Activities 
  • This website takes photos of what you could buy in different countries if you lived under the poverty line. Spend some time exploring the website then write your reaction in an email.

Nat-Geo - New Mayan Ruins Found

In 2010 Archeologist discovered another temple believed to be part of the Mayan Empire. National Geographic fills us in on the latest details about this discovery.

Read the article, watch the video, then select an extra credit opportunity. (Leave a comment or email me bordner@cityhigh.org)

  1. Summarize the article. What stood out to you? What questions do you want to ask after reading it? 
  2. Compare/Contrast the Mayans to the Aztecs/Egyptians
  3. Why is it popular knowledge to think the Mayans said the world will end in 2012? Do you believe it? What does Nat Geo say about it?
Bonus! Check out photos from when my mother and I visited Mayan ruins in Mexico!

Article - Why Major Makeup Brands Have Gone Bilingual

Recently LatinZine posted an article describing how and why makeup brands are marketing to hispanics.

Read the article - Extra Credit Opportunities (comment on this post or email me a response)

  1. Respond to this article. Do you think it will boost sales? Do you think it is a long time coming? What market do you think will cater to latinos next?
  2. Find images of Latinos in advertising for makeup (or clothing) and share the links.

Muy Bien!

Many times my students mock my go-to congratulatory phrase "muy bien!" So this year I've found some alternatives.

Praise Words for Spanish Teachers

Extra Credit Opportunities - comment on this post or email me for points

  1. translate the words (have Spanish and English)
  2. identify all the cognates
  3. suggest more!

Xcaret, Mexico


Extra Credit Opportunity Questions. (Click Reply or email me)
  1. Locate Xcaret, Mexico on a map. Describe this location.
  2. When do you think this was created? Why? By who?
  3. Come up with an original story about this image. 



Friday, April 27, 2012

Cinco de Mayo

It's almost cinco de mayo. Do you know what that celebrates?
Mexico owed Spain, France and Englad over 82 million dollars, so the European countries came over to get their due. The battle of Puebla, celebrated as 5 de mayo, was the battle that Mexicans won against those countries trying to take over Mexico/get their money back.
Last summer when I was in Mexico I went to Puebla, the town where the battle of 5 de mayo was fought. Below are some photos from the museum.


These are the countries that came to Puebla to get the money owed them.

This is how much money Mexico owed these counties.

This is Benito Juarez, the President of Mexico at the time.

Another Spanish Teacher in Chicago has two really good posts about 5 de mayo worth checking out


Extra Credit opportunity - email me your thoughts on one of the following questions
  • If someone owes you money, how do you go about making sure they pay you back? 
  • If you owe someone money and you can't pay, how do you go about making sure they don't try to "start a war"?
  • What would you do if you were the President of Mexico? 


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Text Language in Spanish!

On fb and twitter we type n shorthand all the time, amirite!? SMH, LBVS!

Check out some shorthands for spanish-
x = por -
k = que
xq= porque / Por qué
nls = no lo sé
vdd? = verdad?
a2 = adíos
bs, bss = besos
b7 = besitos
bb= bebé
tq = te quiero
tkm = te quiero mucho
ntp = no te preocupes
nkv= nada que ver
tb= también
+ = más
msj = mensaje
finde, fds = fin de semana
hl= hasta luego
q tl = qué tal?
qt1bd = que tengas un buen día
km= como
pf = por favor
salu2 = saludos
pa = para
xat = chat
tas = estás
mg= me gusta
“=” = igual
cdt = cuídate
bn = bien
ps, pss = pues
kiero= quiero

ways to earn extra credit -

  • translate these to English (real English, not text English mmkay?)
  • send me a text/email in Spanish using some of these shorthands (312-772-6055)


ttyl, brb, lol, :)