Spanish act plays with emotions of students

One of the fun and exciting things that the Spanish 4 classes get to do is act in a short play that explains the traditions of Christmas and New Year’s that occur in Spanish-speaking countries.

The play is usually around ten minutes. Each Spanish 4 student receives lines to memorize and usually some fun props like signs, a cake, a piñata, or even grapes that go along with part of the play. After memorizing their lines, the students go into multiple classrooms the week before winter break and present their plays to the different classes.

Luckily the play is in English, so classes that are in a lower level of Spanish and other languages can be enriched with Spanish culture. For the students in the Spanish 4 classes, it’s a fun way to learn about the traditions and spread knowledge to others. It is also fun for the Spanish 4 students to work together on the play, creating a sense of community in the class.

“I think it’s surprising to students to learn about how varied the celebrations are,” said Spanish teacher Laurel Orduña.

One difference between American and Latino cultures is that in the U.S., Santa Claus is a jolly man who comes through the chimney to deliver presents for all of the good children, but in Spanish-speaking countries, Viejo Pascuero comes through the window to deliver his presents.

This merry Christmas play helps bring culture and new traditions to CVHS.