Inside: Are you asking yourself “What to do the first day after winter break in Spanish class?” Here are my no-prep plans for the first day of school in the new year for all levels of Spanish class. Back from winter break activities, after winter break activity, first day back from winter break ideas for Spanish class. Return from winter break activities for Spanish class.
First day back from winter break
Happy New Year friends! I hope you have enjoyed your break. I spent quality time with my little family and enjoyed some much-needed rest.
My plan each year has been to ease into the new year by talking about what students are dying to discuss, and what happened during their break. For in-person return from winter break activities, similar to my first day of school plan, I usually used the same basic activity across all levels.
NEW! If you prefer to learn via video, scroll to the bottom of this page to watch my Youtube Video about post-Winter break plans for every level!
Original 1st day after Winter break Spanish Class Plans (In Person)
- First in Spanish, welcome students back. Optional – show them a couple of pictures of your break, describing it in Spanish.
- Next, give students a couple of minutes to brainstorm something they did over the break (and write it if they would like). During this time I will write some common phrases on the board as an example. I know even in a couple of weeks they lose confidence and I do not want to put students on the spot.
- Then, discuss a few volunteers’ answers, of return from winter break activities for Spanish class, circling and repeating the high-frequency phrases.
- Pass out different versions of the find someone who sheet depending on the class.
Variations for Spanish 1/2 on 1st day back from Winter break
- Spanish 1/2 could use the newer Find Someone Who version just focusing of fue or my fue question cards. It is better to ease them in with just one verb in the past tense. The question cards have many options all using the same questions. You could post the big questions and have students sign under them, or break students into small groups with sets of all the questions. (Or even do all of them to get lots of repetitions in!).
- Spanish 1/2 (alternate) Or if you want to use versions of the same holiday break FSW in all classes, you could use the easiest version with the yo form listed to answer on the front, and the s/he form listed on the back to later talk about their classmates.
Upper-level Variations for the first day back from Winter break
- Spanish 3 – use the after-winter break holiday break FSW with the yo form listed, as to help with confidence using the correct yo form in the past tense, and a word bank of possible s/he forms on the back.
- Spanish 4 – use the return from winter break holiday break FSW with the least support and will come up with the yo and s/he forms on their own.
- Learn many ways to use a Find Someone Who in this blog post.
- Before setting them loose, students will get a chance to look through the possible questions and make sure they know what everything is asking. We will clarify as needed, so once the activity starts, it can be in all Spanish.
- With a clipboard, sheet, and pencil, students will go around asking each other questions in Spanish. They will add elaborating details and sign each others’ sheets.
- Once they have all squares signed, students will practice the s/he forms by writing about what their class did. Depending on the class, you can see above how much assistance they get with the writing. All students will also write about what they did. See this Find Someone Who blog post for more ideas.
Optional Extensions on 1st Day after Winter break
Depending on the class and interest I may pick a couple of extensions of return from winter break activities for Spanish class. These would probably happen the next day depending on time.
- Discuss as a class who did what.
- Make a giant Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting students, or the teacher and a student. (This would be a good way to add in the plural forms).
- Have students draw what a classmate did. Put these up around the room or project with a document camera and guess who the picture is describing.
- Have students draw what they did. These could be used to have them describe each other in Spanish. Or have the teacher use them to describe what they did.
- Play 2 Truths and a Lie (students write two things they actually did and one lie. The teacher then reads these and the class guesses who it was and what their lie was).
- Do a free write where students write what they did and what a classmate did.
But what if I am Paperless or have learners at home?!
Chat about winter break with quarantine-friendly options that can be used in editable Google Slides in person, hybrid, online, or a combination of all of them. These editable slides include reading, speaking, and writing practice and could be used as a class starter or for a full plan for your first class back. (This is what I personally used in 2021 to start the semester in my Spanish 3/4 class). You could assign these digital slides to students who are sick, absent, or on vacation. Or the whole class could use these as a digital extension after the Find Someone Who.
+More Weekend Chat ideas for all year long
**New Resources for French Class first day back from winter break
Follow these same plans for the first day back from French class! (similar to First Week of French Class)
Post-Break FRENCH Find Someone Who
NEW! Post-Winter Break Plans Youtube Video
Here are other ideas for this time of year
- Lista lunes – Winter Holidays
- Spanish Songs for Hanukkah
- Spanish Class Christmas Songs
- Valentine’s Day
- lista lunes febrero
- Black History Month
originally posted 12.31.18 by Allison Wienhold – most recently updated 12.27.22
Gracias! I am also going to have my classes make New Year's resolutions for themselves and their families, using "ir a" or the future tense, depending on the level.
Great idea! I might be borrowing that one!
This is also what I do the first week back of Q3! I plan to discuss our S1 final and our grades and then go into personal and academic resolutions.
(Emphasis on Ir + A + Inf and Tener + que + inf.). I use the resource from "El año nuevo" section from sparkenthusiasm (also of TPT). Then we do a chalkboard splash to compare what our priorities are and then we come up with a class resolution according to our common goals. Right after Vday, we do a mid check point to see how on track we are and revisit our goals.