This collection of drawings is called Las caras de Zanahorio (The faces of Mr. Carrot) and they are an entertaining way to teach or review Spanish vocabulary. The drawings are cute and show Mr. Carrot doing common actions, in different moods, and in different conditions. The graphics are fun enough to interest children, and obvious enough to make the meaning of the Spanish caption clear. All of the faces are labeled with Zanahorio’s nickname “Za” and then a word or phrase. The vocabulary is for the most part practical and common. There is a list of the Spanish vocabulary below with a translation.
These pictures can be used as they are on the screen – just looking at the pictures and reading the captions is fun. They can also be printed and used for different activities. In either case, you can choose the vocabulary that you want to focus on rather than using the whole set.
These are a few of the activities you can do with Las caras de Zanahorio.
– Print two copies of the pictures and use them to make cards for memory.
– Make Za drawings for other adjectives, nouns such as professions, or verbs.
– Make similar drawings using other vegetables or fruit.
– Describe one of the pictures using related vocabulary or synonyms. Children find the picture you are referring to. Use sentences like these:
Za necesita un abrigo. – Za frío.
Le gusta la música – Za canta.
Está cansado. – Za duerme.
Za llora. – Za triste
Veo la lengua de Za. – Za mareado.
Za tiene los ojos cerrados. – Za duerme.
Veo los dientes de Za. – Za sonrie.
No veo la cara de Za. – Za por atrás./ Za no toi
Za tiene sombrero. – Za del Zorro.
– Tell a simple story by using two or more of the drawings in sequence to illustrate what you are saying.. For example:
– Un día Za tiene frío. Chilla mucho y está mareado. Za no está bien, está malito. Za tiene sarampión.
or
– Za va a una fiesta. Va del Zorro y se divierte mucho. Za está muy contento. Regresa a casa muy tarde y duerme.
This is the vocabulary used in Las caras de Zanahorio. The words are in the order of the faces.
con barba – with a beard
con cascos – with headphones. This vocabulary is used in Spain, where headphones are cascos or aurículares. In Latin America, headphones are most commonly called audífonos, although the vocabulary varies. In Argentina, for example, los audífonos are hearing aids and the word auriculares is used for headphones.
duerme – sleeps
canta – sings
por atrás – from behind
contento – happy
malito – sick
sonrie – smiles
frío – cold
chilla – screams/ cries
mareado – dizzy ( the d in mareado has been left out intentionally to mimic the sound of someone dizzy)
del Zorro – disguised as Zorro
triste – sad
no ‘toi – No estoy (I’m not here) written to mimic the sound of a little child saying no estoy
Za cupón – This picture represents a seller of the lottery ticket, El cupón. These lottery tickets are a fundraiser for ONCE – Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (National Organization of Spanish blind people) and are sold by the blind and visually impaired in Spain.
pensando – thinking
pirata – pirate
preso – prisoner
con sarampión – with measles
enfadado – angry
