Explore How the World Celebrates

We're coming up on end of the year holidays so let's take this opportunity to learn about many different celebrations all around the world. 

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 how Easter is celebrated about and describe 3 new things you learned. 
2. Learn about how Eid al-Fitr is celebrated about and describe 3 new things you learned. 
3. Learn about how Holiday Food Around the World is celebrated about and describe 3 new things you learned. 
4. Take the Holiday Traditions quiz and take a screen shot of your score.
5. Take one of the holidays you learned about and compare it to how you celebrate it. 
6. What holiday is your favorite? Explain your answer. How do you celebrate it?

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 - October 15, 2020. You can see previous posts about the month here and here.

Click here to read about Latino Culture in the US

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 one of the tasks below.

1. Explore the link about Latinx Culture in the U.S. and write 4 things you learned. 
2. Explore Film, Dance, Music, Tradition or Style and write 4 things you learned. 
3. Where have you learned about Latinx culture? What have your learned?
4. Watch Nickelodeon and/or Disney video and write 4 things you learned. 

San Valentín Infographic

A few years ago I posted about phrases related to Valentine's Day and I recently came across this infographic.

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio, title it the same as this blog post, and answer 2 of the following questions in complete sentences based on this infographic.

• How are you celebrating Valentine's Day this year? How have you celebrated it in the past? What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine's Day?
• According to this infographic, who spends more money, males or females? How much (in US dollars)?
• Translate to English the top 4 things that males receive and give.
• Translate to English the top 4 things that males receive and give.
• What is something that surprises you on this infographic. Explain.

Building a Human Tower in Spain

Every year in early October in Spain teams of people compete to see who can build the largest tower made out of humans!

Members of "Vella de Xiquets de Valls" fall as they try to complete their human tower during the 26th Human Tower Competition on October 2, 2016. #

See more photos here.

Watch this video to see one being built in action.

Here is an another article and video about the human towers.

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio, title it the same as this blog post, and answer 4 of the following questions in complete sentences based on these images.

• What are the human towers called?
• Where does this take place? What is the region of Spain?
• How many people does it take to make a tower?
• What is the history behind this activity?
• Would you ever participate in this competition? Explain.

el día de San Valentín

Valentine's Day is approaching and if you really want to impress that special someone then say something special en español!

source: Speaking Latino

Create a new blog post in your Spanish Blog Portfolio and complete the following task 

based on the information above.

• Create a card using one of the phrases above. You can create it
• electronically using Publisher or Photoshop
• online
• by hand and take a picture of it.
• Embed/Insert it into your blog post!

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

Hispanic Heritage Month Infographic

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from el 15 de septiembre - 15 de octubre. Last year I posted some videos, this year I'll post an infographic!

source: H & R Block blog

Hot Tamale Activities

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

• Summarize 3-5 facts that are provided in the infographic in your own words in complete sentences in English. Explain why this information stood out to you.
• Find 2-3 events to go to in Pittsburgh to expose yourself to Hispanic culture. (Click here to see events happening during Hispanic Heritage Month 2016 in Pittsburgh  or check out Latinoburgh for information). Explain where and when the event is, and what will happen at the event. Explain which event are you most likely to attend.

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.

el día de los muertos - más videos

Feliz Día de los Muertos! Here are some videos/activities to learn more about Day of the Dead. You can also click here to visit previous posts about Day of the Dead on this blog.

A quick 60 second summary of Day of the Dead from Al Jazeera news.

A 3min. animation about a girl celebrating Day of the Dead

How Day of the Dead is celebrated in Guatemala

An explanation in Spanish about how Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico

Here is the Google Doodle for Day of the Dead, el 2 de noviembre 2015.

Click here to read more about Day of the Dead

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?

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hola! We are currently in Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States so I wanted to post some resources related to the month.

Here is another video about some basic facts about Hispanic Heritage Month

After watching the two videos above, write a blog post in your Spanish blog summarizing what you learned about Hispanic Heritage month and Hispanics in the United States.

End of the Year Traditions

There are a lot of ways to celebrate the end of the year! Check out the infographic below to learn a bit about some Latin American celebrations.

Also, Kristen does a fabulous job of describing a couple of traditions. 

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

• Translate some information from the infographic above and find images online of the celebrations to include in your blog post.
• Find end of the year (or new-years celebrations) traditions not mentioned and explain them in your blog post.
• What are your end-of-the-year traditions? What do you do to ring in the new year? What was/is your resolution? How is it going?