Foreign Language Fun

Make a Mexican King Cake: la rosca de reyes

Admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:50:24 +0000

Epiphany. Twelfth Night. King’s Day. El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos. Whatever you call the celebration on January 6, the celebration calls for a King Cake! In many places around the world, people remember the Three Wisemen’s visit to the Baby Jesus with a delicious cake. A bean, porcelaine figure, or plastic Baby Jesus is hidden inside. Whoever gets the lucky piece becomes the king or queen of the party.

Introduce your kids to this fun custom from New Orleans, France, or Mexico by preparing a simple cake. And I mean simple. Check out Easy King Cakes for Kids for some great short-cut recipes.

In Mexico, the King Cake is called la rosca de reyes. Watch one being prepared in this video:

Discover the French and Spanish language and customs of King’s Day with these educational downloads:

King’s Day Celebration for French Class: Reading and Recipe

Spanish Three Kings Reading and Writing Activities

Three Kings Spanish Activities

Spanish Three Wisemen Coloring Page

Happy Kings’ Day!

A French King’s Day Celebration: J’aime la galette . . . la galette des rois

Admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:16:11 +0000

January 6 is Epiphany, or Kings’ Day. The French call it la Fête des Rois. I’ll be celebrating with my French class with une galette des rois, or a King Cake. Recipes abound online, but here’s my simple shortcut:

Purchase frozen puffed pastry dough. Roll it into two large circles. Spread almond paste onto one circle. Place a dry bean somewhere on the cake. Top the cake with the other circle of dough and spread the top with beaten egg. Bake according to the puff pastry directions. Once the cake has cooked, prepare a paper crown to set on top of the cake.

It is traditional for the youngest person at a French King’s Cake party to hide under the table and determine who receives each slice. When everyone is served, carefully eat the treat, searching for the hidden bean. Whoever finds it in their piece of cake becomes king or queen of the party.

Foreign Language House has a brand new French King Day download with a cultural reading and comprehension questions. Follow this link to find out more:

King’s Day Celebration for French Class: Reading and Recipe

J’aime la galette is a traditional song about a King Cake. Enjoy!

Wintertime Activities in Spanish and French

Admin — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:04:00 +0000

My family and I headed south for a vacation. An entire week with no snow. I know, I know . . . life’s rough! But I think I missed it. It was actually rather nice to pull into my driveway today and see the good ‘ol white stuff again. With the right childlike attitude, snow is FUN! Learn how to talk about wintertime activities in both Spanish and French. Foreign Language House has downloads available to help students express preferences about winter activities:

Spanish Communicative Tasks with GUSTAR and Winter Activities

French Winter Activities and Preferences: Conversation and Writing

If you’re lucky enough to see snow out your window, get out there and enjoy it

Spanish:

Lanzar bolas de nieve	To throw snowballs
Patinar en el hielo	To iceskate
esquiar	To ski
Hacer surf de nieve	To snowboard
Hacer un hombre de nieve	To make a snowman
deslizarse	To sled or slide
Hacer ángeles de nieve	To make snow angels

French:

Lancer des boules de neige	To throw snowballs
Faire du patin à glace	To ice skate
Skier/faire du ski	To ski
Faire du snowboard/faire de la planche à neige	To snowboard
Faire un bonhomme de neige	To make a snowman
Faire de la luge	To sled
Faire des anges dans la neige	To make snow angels

Photo Credit: by mzacha at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/865082

Three Kings Day: Los Tres Reyes Magos

Admin — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:37:24 +0000

Taking down the Christmas decorations is one of the saddest days of the year for me. I absolutely refuse to do it until January 7. Though the radio stations abruptly stop playing carols on December 26, I try to honor the Twelve Days of Christmas through Epiphany on January 6. So, as I write this post, the lights are still twinkling on my tree and the wreath is still hanging on my front door. I am preparing yet another family celebration to honor the Three Wise Men’s visit to the Baby Jesus on January 6.

In my home, our celebration consists of a simple King’s Cake. But in Latin countries, el Día de los Tres Reyes Magos is a really big deal. This is the day the Three Wisemen bring presents to leave in children’s shoes.

Want to help your children or students learn more about the language and customs of el Día de los Tres Reyes Magos? Check out these downloads from Foreign Language House:

Spanish Three Kings Reading and Writing Activities

Three Kings Spanish Activities

Spanish Three Wisemen Coloring Page

Paper Shoe Template

Happy King’s Day

Photo Credit: by SteveFE at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/677236

Happy New Year Around the World: Greetings in a Dozen Languages

Admin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 02:31:21 +0000

It’s hard to believe that it is almost 2009! Time to bring out the party hats and noise makers to ring in the New Year. Since having kids, my New Year’s celebrations have taken on a whole new vibe. Instead of paying top dollar for a sitter and hitting the town, I like to stay home and let my little guys join in the fun. But since I will NOT allow them to stay up until midnight, we celebrate in a different time zone. Click here to read about my annual French New Year’s celebration. We wish everyone a Bonne Année when it’s midnight in France, but still early here in Eastern Standard Time. We feast on French food, as well as some original New Year’s cookies.

I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year in a dozen different languages. Feel free to comment with a New Year greeting in other languages, too. I’ll be taking a little blogging break until after the New Year. May your 2009 be filled with blessings and happiness

French: Bonne Année!

Spanish: Feliz año nuevo

German: Ein glückliches neues Jahr

Italian: Buon anno

Czech: Stastny Novy Rok

Finnish: Onnellista uutta vuotta

Portuguese: Feliz ano novo

Dutch: Gelukkig nieuwjaar

Hebrew: Shana Tova

Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku

Thai: Sawatdee Pi Mai

Hungarian: Boldog uj evet

Photo Credit: by xymonau at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1123224

Piñata Land!

Admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:51:12 +0000

Bienvenido to Piñata Land! Now this is what I call some Foreign Language Fun. This photo is from a Spanish classroom at the high school where I teach. At home, Spanish II students create original piñatas from paper mache. The Spanish teachers then display the amazing works of art: Santas, Pokemon characters, chili peppers, giraffes, and more. On the last day before winter break, the kids fill them with candy and have the fiesta of all fiestas. My sombrero is off to my Spanish-teaching colleagues. You rock

Il est né le divin enfant: A French Christmas Carol

Admin — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:46:05 +0000

The Foreign Language Fun international Christmas carol series continues with one of my favorite traditional French carols, Il est né le divin enfant (He is born, the divine Child.) Here’s the chorus:

Il est né, le divin Enfant,
Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes;
Il est né, le divin Enfant;
Chantons tous son avenement!

He is born the divine Child
Play oboe, sound bagpipes
He is born the divine Child
Let’s all sing His coming.

Listen to the Salt Lake Children’s Choir sing an absolutely gorgeous version of this carol. Enjoy! Joyeux Noël!

Jingle Bells in Spanish

Admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:13:49 +0000

Enjoy this adorable Spanish video of Jingle Bells, or Cascabeles.

Feliz Navidad

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in Spanish and French

Admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:53:46 +0000

Enjoy these Spanish and French versions of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Spanish: Rodolfo el reno de la nariz roja

French: Le petit renne au nez rouge

Remember to leave out a carrot for Rudolph and the other reindeer on Christmas Eve. My three year-old will be sprinkling magical reindeer food outside in our yard this year. They looooove magical reindeer food. Go to DTLK’s Holiday Craft page to find out how to make it.

Free Peace on Earth Nativity Coloring Page in English, French, Spanish, and Italian

Admin — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:18:49 +0000

Foreign Language House has another free holiday gift for you–a nativity scene printable in four languages. Kids will love coloring the adorable picture of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus as they discover different ways to say Peace on Earth:

French: Paix sur la terre

Spanish: Paz en el mundo

Italian: Pace sulla terra

Click here to download your FREE multilingual Christmas printable.

As the kids are home on winter break these last days before Christmas, encourage them to practice French or Spanish while focusing on the real “reason for the season.” We have several inexpensive downloads at TeachersPayTeachers.com that will have kids busy coloring, reading, and learning about Jesus’ birth. Click on a title to learn more.

Nativity Mini-Book

Spanish Nativity Mini-Book

French Nativity Mini-Book

While the previous downloads are only available in the U.S., the following are also available internationally from Lulu.com. Each is 21 pages long and includes vocabulary, flash cards, a coloring/story book, comprehension activities, and coloring pages. We’ve lowered the price to just $2.25 U.S.

Le Premier Noel: Christmas Nativity Story for French Learners

Spanish Nativity Story

As a Christian, I cannot imagine a better context for language learning. Merry Christmas!