By – Allison Wienhold
Inside: Fun Spanish field trips. If you need an idea of a Spanish field trip, you are in the right place.
Student engagement in Spanish class is always a big goal. Field trips are a fantastic way to immerse students in the Spanish language and culture. Spanish field trips also provide real-world learning experiences.
My Experience with Spanish Field Trips
As a secondary Spanish teacher for many years, I know students love getting to leave the school. In my experience, the private school I taught at was much more lenient about field trips. It did not have as many hoops to jump through and forms for approval. They were so lenient, they let my maternity leave sub take my Spanish 4 to a Mexican restaurant on a field trip.
There was a great authentic Mexican restaurant about 15 minutes away that we visited each year. It had a large space and let us make reservations for a large group. We also asked them to only talk in Spanish with the students.
The year The Book of Life came out I got to take my Spanish 4 the film The Book of Life in 3D. We also had lunch at Chapala with Spanish conversation.
Once I moved to a public school I had to beg to take my students anywhere. Bussing was very limited during the day, so it was impossible to get a new field trip approved. 9I was denied taking students to Coco when it came out). The only trip I was able to take was with my Spanish club. We ate lunch at an authentic restaurant and visited a Mexican grocery store.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of taking your students on Spanish field trips and offer some ideas to get you started.
Benefits of Spanish Field Trips
Feel free to use these on your field trip request form! It helps if you can also connect to Hispanic Heritage Month.
Cultural Immersion: Field trips can provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Spanish-speaking world. Whether it’s visiting a Spanish restaurant, attending a cultural festival, or exploring a local Hispanic neighborhood, students will have the chance to experience authentic Spanish culture firsthand.
Authentic Spanish Practice: Field trips offer students the chance to practice their Spanish in real-life situations. Students have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios.
Increased Motivation: Field trips are exciting and fun. This can help increase students’ motivation to learn Spanish. By providing them with engaging and memorable experiences, you can inspire a love for the language.
Ideas for Spanish Field Trips
I understand rural schools have more limited access to authentic Spanish field trips. You might need to travel farther or be more creative with your field trips in Spanish class. Or I have in school field trip ideas as well.
Visit an Authentic Restaurant
Take your students to a local Spanish-speaking restaurant. They can try authentic cuisine and practice ordering food in Spanish. As mentioned above, visiting a local authentic Mexican restaurant was my go-to Spanish field trip.
Attend a Cultural Festival
Check to see if there are any Spanish-speaking cultural festivals or events in your area. Take students to experience the music, dance, and food of the Spanish-speaking world. Universities, colleges, and local tourism offices are great places to start your festival research.
Explore a Hispanic Neighborhood
Take your students on a walking tour of a local Hispanic neighborhood. They can explore shops, restaurants, and other businesses while practicing their Spanish language skills. For example Pilsen in Chicago or the Eastside of Des Moines, IA.
Visit a Museum
Many museums have exhibits dedicated to Spanish art, history, and culture. Take your students on a guided tour of a museum or art gallery to learn more about the Spanish-speaking world.
For example, when I was in high school, my Spanish class visited the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen, Chicago. This museum is free by the way! We visited the museum during the Day of the Dead exhibit, walked around Pilsen, and ate lunch at a Spanish restaurant. (This means we did 3 of the suggestions to get the most out of our bus ride to Chicago).
Attend a Show
Look at the offerings for programs from colleges and universities. For example, 1,2,3 Andres is coming to perform at my local university next year. It would be perfect for elementary Spanish students. Or if live theater is not an option, a movie related to Spanish class.
Cooking Class
Organize a cooking class where students can learn to make traditional dishes. They can also practice their Spanish language skills. This is a great option if you are in a rural area without many places to go. Bring in a native Spanish-speaking chef, or even a community member. This cooking class could take place in your school’s family & consumer science kitchen.
We did this when I was student teaching in rural Illinois. My cooperating teacher was from Venezuela. We spent a day of Spanish 4 in the home ec trailer where he instructed the class in Spanish how to make arepas. This was a part of a cooking unit.
More In-School Spanish Field Trip Ideas
In addition to the cooking class above, here are more ideas if you can’t leave the school.
- Classroom Guests who speak Spanish (parents, employees, or community members)
- Bring in a Hispanic food truck
- Hispanic dance performances – go to one or bring them in
Travel Videos of the Spanish-speaking World
- Have students learn all about different places each week with NEW Spanish Speaking Countries martes del mapa 2024.
- For exploratory students use Spanish Speaking Countries Videos in ENGLISH
- Learn more >>Teaching Spanish Speaking Countries
More Spanish Field Trip Ideas
- Contact the Spanish club or honor society at a local university & do something together
- Visit the embassy of a Spanish-speaking country
- Go to a Hispanic dance or theater performance
- Go to an authentic Mexican grocery store
- Do a Scavenger Hunt on the field trip with Heritage students
- Attend a minor league baseball or other sporting event with Spanish-speaking players. Plan a meeting to get to chat with the players in Spanish.
Tips for Planning a Successful Field Trip
- Plan Ahead: Research the destination and plan the itinerary in advance. Communicate this plan with all adults to ensure a smooth and successful trip. Pay in advance if possible to ensure everyone is covered.
- Set Learning Objectives: Clearly define the learning objectives for the field trip and communicate them to your students beforehand. For example, make it clear if & when students are expected to use Spanish.
- Provide Context: Give your students background information about the destination. Also, explain what they can expect to see and do during the trip.
- Prepare Activities: If you teach younger students, plan activities or games to keep students engaged. This is especially helpful if you know there will be downtime and you want them to practice Spanish during the trip. As a camp counselor, I always had many decks of cards in my “bag-of-tricks” to pass out to kids to use.
- Follow-up: After the field trip, reflect on the experience with your students. Discuss what they learned and how it enhanced their understanding of the Spanish language and culture.
In conclusion, field trips are a fantastic way to enhance your students’ learning experience and immerse them in the Spanish language and culture. By providing them with engaging and memorable experiences, you can inspire a love for the language that will stay with them long after they leave your classroom.
More Spanish Culture
- Spanish Culture Incorporate More in Class
- Teaching Spanish Speaking Countries
- NEW Spanish Speaking Countries martes del mapa 2024
Want Colombian Culture Without Leaving the Classroom?
Grab these free culture of Colombia slides that pair perfectly with Encanto.
