It’s the holiday season, and Spanish teachers everywhere are getting ready to expose their students to holiday customs. Students will surely discover Mexican Christmas traditions, such as La Posada, the poinsettia legend, and los Reyes Magos. But December also provides a wonderful opportunity to learn about Hanukkah and the influential Jewish culture of the Sephardim in early Spain.
Foreign Language House has a unique downloadable Hanukkah unit with stories, vocabulary, and activities designed for 6th-12th grade Spanish students. Through the engaging story of Noah and his friend Kara, students will learn about the customs surrounding Hanukkah while developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish. Click this link to see a short preview:
Hanukkah for Spanish Grades 6-12
Here are a few Hanukkah related vocabulary words your students will learn en español:
Janucá – Hanukkah
la menorá – the menorah
las luces – the lights
la familia – the family
la comida – the meal
las canciones – the songs
los juegos – the games
In addition, students will learn or review ordinal numbers as Noah’s family members light the candles on the menorah. And there are Spanish directions for playing dreidel. Your students will be motivated to read in order to play the game in small groups. Why, you can even sing the Dreidel Song in Spanish. Here’s the first verse and chorus:
Yo tengo un dreidel. Lo hice de barro.
Cuando se seca, Juego al dreidel mucho.
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, lo hice de barro.
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, lo jugaré.
(In English: I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.
When it’s dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.)
Also be sure to visit Foreign Language House for elementary level Hanukkah mini-coloring books/story books in Spanish, English, and French.
Happy Hanukkah!
