Geography in Spanish class

Inside: Geography in Spanish class. Spanish class Geography unit of Spanish-speaking countries. Teaching Spanish Speaking countries in Spanish class.

Author: Allison Wienhold

Published: October 14, 2014 & most recently updated on February 19, 2025

Spanish Speaking Country Unit in Spanish Class

My 1st year teaching Spanish, all classes learned the Spanish speaking countries of the world.

Then year 2 I was pregnant 1st semester.

Before finding my Spanish speaking maternity leave sub last year, I was freaking out about finding activities that would keep my classes busy. I purchased a Spanish Speaking Countries Packet for my sub to use for a Geography unit. It focused on the Spanish speaking countries and capitals.

I ended up with an amazing sub. He was a recent Spanish teaching grad. I let him do all of his own plans.

Why Learn Spanish Speaking Countries?

[This post was originally written my 3rd year teaching Spanish.]

So, last year’s Spanish 1 never did have a specific unit about Spanish speaking countries.

I do think that Spanish speaking countries should be integrated daily. But, I realized this year that my particular students needed  to be specifically assed on which countries do and do not speak Spanish.

I had a Spanish 2 student try tell me at the beginning of the year that China spoke Spanish. They then defended that Chinese was “basically the same thing as Spanish, right?” This prompted that this year both Spanish 1 & 2 needed a unit on Spanish speaking countries.

Spanish Speaking Countries Unit – beyond just maps

I knew that it was important to do more than just assign a map of the Spanish-speaking world to memorize.

I created multiple stations for students to work at independently. This was while I did individual interpersonal assessments for out 1st unit.

Last year I bought basic IKEA photo frames to hold station directions.

I learned that it works best if you write out specific instructions at each station, so students can work independently without having to interrupt assessments every 2 minutes for basic questions. The stations were as follows:

1. Maps – Fill out their own blank maps with country & capital using world maps to have to study.
2. Quiz themselves – writing with a dry erase marker on laminated blank world maps. They then corrected themselves using the full maps on the reverse. 
3. Play “Old Maid” matching country and capitals with a laminated reusable class card set. 
4. Play “Memory” matching country and capitals with a laminated reusable class card set. 
5. Place laminated labeled country tiles on blank maps of each continent & then correct each other. 
6. Watch the obligatory annoying “Rock the Capitals” videos. I very much dislike the videos, but students in the past have loved them as a study tool. 

Other Spanish Speaking Country Activities

We also spent a day playing a variety of Kahoot games on countries and capitals. There was no need to make my own since there are a TON if you search “Los países hispanohablantes y sus capitales”

I rarely give tests in my class. But for this unit, we ended with a test where they are given a blank map with the countries numbered and need to label the countries & capitals.

There are many opportunities for expansion in the future, such as having each individual research one country and share with everyone else, or have a gallery walk to display their results. At this point, I just wanted to make sure my students understand China does not speak Spanish 🙂

Update: More Geography in Spanish class resources

Students are more visual learners than ever. Grab their attention with short travel videos that show the beauty of the Spanish-speaking world. I created a slideshow that has the country, capital, nationality, two maps, and a travel video for all 22 Spanish-speaking places. Or if you want multiple options for each country, you could get the culture slides bundle.

Use these Spanish culture travel videos as a class routine once per week to start each class or as a brain break. Or assign the whole slideshow as a cultural exploration sub-plan.

• NEW Spanish Speaking Countries martes del mapa 2025
• Spanish Speaking Countries Videos in ENGLISH – great for ESL or Exploratory classes
• Spanish Speaking Countries martes del mapa 2024

Learn more about Teaching Spanish Speaking Countries

Using Travel Videos to Teach Spanish Speaking Countries

Students are more visual learners than ever. Grab their attention with short travel videos that show the beauty of the Spanish-speaking world. I created a slideshow that has the country, capital, nationality, two maps, and a travel video for all 22 Spanish-speaking places. Or if you want multiple options for each country, you could get the culture slides bundle.

Use these Spanish culture travel videos as a class routine once per week to start each class or as a brain break. Or assign the whole slideshow as a cultural exploration sub-plan.

Learn more in this blog post

Get Travel Video Sample + a week of Spanish Bell Ringers

You might also be interested in Spanish Culture – how to incorporate more in class