Simple exercises like matching a word to a picture, ordering syllables to make a word, or ordering words to make a sentence are easy ways to provide important repetition of vocabulary. All of these activities, however, should be done in a way that provides a context for the words. In this case, of course, we’re talking about Thanksgiving in Spanish, and that is a topic that kids understand and are excited about.
Creating a context for vocabulary words can be as simple as using them in a sentence, describing a word and having children guess which it is, asking a personal question with the word or having children illustrate a sentence.
The following activities are simple printables to help kids reinforce Spanish Thanksgiving vocabulary. They are at a variety of levels. They are in order here from simple to more difficult.
Printable Spanish Thanksgiving Vocabulary Activities
Match words to pictures – 9 words (el pavo, el maíz, los peregrinos, la cena, la calabaza, el barco, los nativos americanos, el pan, las papas) This activity has simple drawing that kids match to vocabulary words. Of course, you will have to introduce this vocabulary before kids can do the exercise. Once you have done that, and kids have matched the pictures and words, you can follow-up on the activity with a listening activity where kids guess the word you are describing. Try descriptions like this:
– Es una comida. Es anaranjada. Es redonda. (la calabaza)
– Son personas. Vinieron de Inglaterra. (los peregrinos)
– Es un tipo de pájaro. Es grande. Se come en el Día de Acción de Gracias.
Order syllables to form words – 8 words (pavo, cena, gracias, otoño, familia, barco, cabalaza, pregrinos). This activity is a good follow-up to the matching activity above for beginning readers. To reinforce the meaning of the words after doing this activity, you can ask children to make a small drawing of the word or draw a scene and label the words. You will probably want to leave the word gracias out of a drawing activity or talk about how you could represent it.
Order words to form sentences – These sentences go together to make a very brief account of the first Thanksgiving. You can ask children to illustrate these sentences to make a mini-book. If you want a complete discussion of the first Thanksgiving in Spanish, Univisión has a slide show of pictures with text.
Spanish Thanksgiving Vocabulary List – This list has many of the common words associated with Thanksgiving.
You may also be interested in this post: Learn Spanish with Pictures – Turkey Float in Thanksgiving Day Parade
