During the last two weeks of school, students in sixth-grade Spanish explored Hispanophone countries and food vocabulary through a creative activity involving food trucks. First, they were each tasked with researching a Spanish-speaking country—like Ecuador, Cuba, Argentina, or Venezuela—and authentic foods from that respective culture. Next, they brainstormed, planned, and designed a miniature model food truck and a menu, both representative of their selected country. Finally, it was time for the Food Truck Festival!
On the days of the festival, the food trucks were on display in the classrooms of Middle School Spanish Teachers Dhaniela Sousa-Charleville and Marcela Casco-Lee. Señora Sousa-Charleville had decorated her classroom with flags of the countries that students were presenting about. The scene was set for the sixth graders to interact with their classmates in Spanish!
Taking the food-truck stage, each small group of two to three students presented information about their selected country to their classmates. Then, it was time for a role-play activity. One student from the audience was chosen at random to join the stage as a customer. Each of the sixth graders in front of their peers assumed the roles of customer, chef, or cashier. In Spanish, they practiced food vocabulary, relayed descriptions, stated preferences, communicated prices, ordered food, and had simple interpersonal conversations. The conversations were dynamic, expressive, and filled with laughter.
This activity was inspired by the Upper School Spanish Food Trucks project that was done in the past. “We adapted the activity to fit the sixth-grade Spanish language level,” explains Señora Sousa-Charleville. “Students really enjoyed it!” This was the first time sixth graders conducted a food truck festival in Spanish.
What a fun, delicious way to wrap up the school year in Spanish!