Resources to Teach about Colombia

I know many of us plan units around a topic, theme, or studying a particular country so today I wanted to share with you a few resources to teach about Colombia in your classroom! Just a quick note, there are so many amazing options out there, I tried to gather as many as I could, but if there’s something I’m missing, please feel free to drop a comment to help other teachers as they are planning!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Spanish Teachers from Colombia

Make sure you check out these amazing authors and creators to see what they have shared!

• Carolina at Fun for Spanish Teachers
• Profe Valentina
• Adriana Ramirez
• Spanish Cuentos
• Diego Ojeda
• Seño Bluemel
• Bilingual Marketplace

Readers Based in Colombia

Just a head’s up – I haven’t read all of these, but I have read books by these authors that have been amazing!! The ones I have not read myself I found recommended in a Spanish teachers’ group online, from others who have used them. It’s always a good idea to preview a book before adding it to your library with your specific classroom and learners in mind!

• Acuerdo Natural
• El Camino del Café
• Cómo salir de la zona de amigos 
• El pequeño angel de Colombia
• Es posible soñar
• La marimba de mi abuelo
• Me perdí en Medellín
• El duende de Salento
• Peter va a Colombia
• La perezosa impaciente
• Un Nuevo Amanecer
• Rigo
• El Último Viaje

Shorts, Movies, and Documentaries

As always, I’d recommend watching these before showing them to your students. Just because it’s a good fit for one classroom doesn’t mean it’s a perfect fit everywhere! I’ve also tried to list where they can be found now, but we know the internet is always changing on us, so hopefully if they’re not on that host any longer it might be found through a quick Google!

• El color de las montañas (Netflix)
• Magia Salvaje
• Crime Diaries Night Out
• Sonic Forest (YouTube)
• La bruja (Netflix)
• La Niña
• El Niño de Medellín (Amazon)
• Encanto (Disney)
• Fruit at Bogotá’s Paloquemao Market – YouTube link
• Colombia’s folk beat has African roots – Cumbia

You can have them create a brochure, poster, or digital slide to present to the class.

Website for Virtually Touring Colombia

Try playing this Geoguessr Game to introduce your unit to your classes!

Mini Project Ideas for Exploring Colombia

One of my favorite ways to help students learn more about a specific country is through mini projects. They are easy to prep, flexible, and can be done independently or with a partner. A great project for Colombia is a travel guide! Students can pick a city or region in Colombia and include fun facts, foods to try, places to visit, and a short recommendation written in Spanish.

You can have them create a brochure, poster, or digital slide to present to the class. These make a great gallery walk activity too! I like to hang them around the room and have students vote on where they would most like to visit based on their classmates’ guides.

Another idea is a Colombian music map. Students can explore musical styles like cumbia, vallenato, or champeta and connect them to their region on a blank map of Colombia. Then, play short clips of songs in class and let students guess which genre they are hearing. Add in some artist bios or favorite lyrics for an extra language boost!

Food, Legends, and More

Adding a little food or folklore into your unit is always a fun way to explore culture! You can show a quick video about Colombian street food or traditional dishes like bandeja paisa or arepas. If food isn’t allowed in your classroom, no worries! Videos or readings work just as well to give students that cultural context.

After learning about food, students can do a short writing activity about what they would try or what they would serve to a visitor from Colombia.

Another fun idea is exploring legends like El Mohán or La Llorona with short readings or summaries. Have students draw their favorite scene or describe the legend in Spanish using vocabulary they know.

Looking for more? Let me know and I’ll send you a quick list of video links, maps, or student-friendly articles to support your Colombia unit!

Additional Resources

Here’s a few more resources you could use in your unit(s) on Colombia!

• Diana Trujillo – Plans from Spanish Plans
• Virtual Field Trip (Spanish & English)
• Country Report Project (Printable | Digital)
• Colombia Mini Book Printable
• Illustrated Alphabet

Día de las Velitas

Día de la Velitas is a beautiful holiday celebration in Colombia that also kicks off the Christmas season. Check out resources and slides you can use to teach about this tradition in my blog post here!

Resources to Teach about Colombia

I hope these are helpful for you as you plan your unit on Colombia! Like I mentioned in the beginning, I know there is so much to cover, so if you have a video, book, or another resource you love including, please feel free to share in a comment below so I can add it for others to see!