Looking at Food Through Google Earth

I'm always a fan of a food post! Keeping with the Google Earth theme let's look at a few of their explorations about food.

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio (or send an email to your teacher), title it the same as this blog post, then complete two of the tasks below.

1. Learn about Mexico City Street Food and describe 3 new things you learned. 
2. Which food from the  Mexico City Street Food would you want to eat? Explain your answer.
3. Learn about Global Markets and describe 3 new things you learned. 
4. Which place in Global Markets would you want to visit? Explain your answer.
5. What is a new food you learned about? Would you try it? Explain your answer.
6. What's your favorite and least favorite foods? Explain your answer.

Chichen Itza, Famous Mayan Ruins of Mexico

Chichen Itza is a well preserve ancient ruin site of the Mayan civilization. It is located in Mexico.

You can explore the pyramid or other areas of the ruins. 

 

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio (or send an email to your teacher), title it the same as this blog post, then complete two of the tasks below.

1. Explore the link about the Maya and explain 3 new things you learned.
2. Explore the links about the Chichen Itza pyramid or other areas of the ruins and explained 3 new things you learned.
3. Would you want to visit Chichen Itza? Explain your answer. 
• (Here are some photos of when I went).
4. Color the famous pyramid and take a screen shot of your creation. 

Dia de los Muertos Resources

This week we celebrate Day of the Dead 2016! Each year I post a few resources about the holiday so here are some great ones for this year!

This gif describes the significance of different levels of an altar in Spanish.

Oaxaca: The Day of the Dead from Bob Krist on Vimeo.

Check out this article about how Mexico City will now host a Day of the Dead parade inspired by the 007 film Spectre.

This was not shot in Mexico, but it inspired Mexico City to host for the first time ever a parade similar to it!

A short video cartoon

La Santa Cecilia's music video to the song "Calaverita"

Hot Tamale Activities

Create a blog post on your Spanish blog and include at least 2 of the following

• A summary in your own words what Day of the Dead celebrates, where is it celebrated, and how it is celebrated.

• Who would you honor on Day of the Dead? What would you put on an altar for this person? What is their favorite food? Passtime? Include a photo of this person and explain why they are important to you.

• How do you remember friends and family that are no longer living?

• Include images that you have found of Day of the Dead and explain what is happening.

• Include a video that explains/shows something about Day of the Dead and summarize the video in your own words.

• Compare Day of the Dead and Halloween. How are they similar? How are they different?

Mexican's Independence Day

¡Feliz día de Independencia México!

Check out these two videos to learn about Mexico's Independence Day

Did you think that Cinco de Mayo was Mexico's Independence Day? 

You're not alone, clear up your misunderstanding by watching this video.

Hot Tamale Activities

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio
and complete one of the following tasks.

• Write a basic summary about Mexican's Independence Day including 
• Who was involved, including which country rule Mexico before it won independence and who started the revolution?
• What started the fight for Independence and what is the "Grito"?
• Where did the "Grito" first take place?
• When did the "Grito" happen and when did Mexico finally gain independence?
• Why did Mexicos want to be independent?
• How is it celebrated today?
• Compare how México celebrates their Independence to how the United States celebrates our Independence

Comida de Cinco de Mayo!

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla.

click here to see photos I took while in Puebla, Mexico

Now how should we celebrate Cinco de Mayo? By eating food from Puebla, Mexico of course!

mole sauce

chicken in mole

chile en nogada

Click here to read more about traditional dishes of Puebla, Mexico.

Hot Tamale Activities 

Create a new blog post on your Spanish blog portfolio and answer one of the following questions in complete sentences in English.

• Which traditional dish from Puebla would you like to eat? Explain what is in the dish, how it is made, and why you would like to try that dish. Include a photo of the dish.
• Reflect on the photos that I took in Puebla. What do you see? What does it make you wonder? Include 3 photos in your post.

Música de Juarez, México

National Public Radio recently covered a rapper from Juarez, Mexico, and his new song.  Watch the video and click here to listen to the radio piece.

Hot Tamale Activities

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio. Embed the video and answer the following questions.

• What's the name of the song? What is the song about?
• Provide three details about the artist. 
• In the song there is a woman who lost her sons to violence in Juarez, Mexico, talking to the then President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon. In your opinion, what do you think a President of a country is responsible for doing to decrease violence in their country?
• What is your opinion of the song?
• As you watch the video, what do you notice? What does the song or video make your wonder?

Mexican Cuisine

One Minute in Mexico from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo.

When I was in high school like my students I didn't really have exposure to international cuisine. One time the French club was having a fundraiser for something and they were making crepes and it made me throw up. I didn't eat an avocado until I was in my twenties. I was a vegetarian and didn't drink soda, so I pretty much survived on oatmeal and Little Debbie brownies. I get it if you are a picky eater.

But when I traveled, those walls started coming down. It started when I found desserts better than store bought brownies, and eventually I got to the fruits, veggies, and meats.

In an effort to encourage you to try something new sooner, I have a few videos, photos, and blog posts from Matador, a great travel website for 20-somethings (bookmark it for the future!) Click on the links below to read the articles.

8 weird things you can eat in Mexico that are actually really good

(This is a photo of my friend Courtney, taken on our trip to Mexico when we tried grasshoppers!)

10 foods to try in Mexico

8 signs you've never eaten real Mexican food

Hot Tamale Activities - Complete one or more of these activities as a advanced/Hot Tamale blog post. Title your post the title of this blog post.

• Respond to one or more of the blog post/video - which "weird" Mexico food would your want to try and why? According to the article article 8 signs you've never eaten real Mexican food, have you ever had real Mexican food? What was it? Describe the experience. Which foods would you not want to try? Include images in the blog post.