Easy-to-use Spanish-Speaking Countries Project

Looking for a meaningful way to immerse your students in the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries? This Spanish-Speaking Countries Project is the perfect tool to spark curiosity and encourage in-depth learning about the diverse Spanish-speaking world.

Whether you’re teaching Spanish 1 or a world language exploratory class, this project gives students a structured yet flexible way to explore one country in detail, practice their research skills, and develop cultural understanding!

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Keep It Simple, Keep It Real: A Fresh Spin on the Spanish-Speaking Countries Project

One of my favorite ways to get students more invested in their Spanish-Speaking Countries Project is to let them be the expert, but in a way that doesn’t feel like just another presentation. Try giving them a “local guide” prompt. They imagine a friend is coming to visit their country, and they need to recommend three places to go, one dish to try, and one tip only a local would know. I usually just have them sketch it on a post-it or index card, and it works like magic to bring the project to life.

Students often get more excited when they’re creating something that feels personal instead of copying facts from a website. That’s why I’ve even had them make fake postcards from their country. A quick drawing on one side, a short note on the other, and boom, they’re writing, thinking, and having fun without even realizing it’s an extension of their Spanish-Speaking Countries Project.

How to Use this Project in Your Classroom

Here is an outline to use this Spanish Speaking Countries Project:

• Introduction Day: Start by assigning each student a Spanish-speaking country to research. The project includes clear instructions, a setup guide, and an accompanying video demo to help students get started.
• Research and Creation: Over the course of 3-4 days (depending on your class’s comfort level with technology), students will research their assigned country’s geography, culture, and other key facts. With detailed maps and lists of countries available, students will have a solid foundation to work from.
• Final Presentations: After completing the research, students can present their projects to the class, either in a large group setting, or in a digital gallery walk set up.

Introduction Day

Print off the student instructions and make copies, then assign countries or let students choose. I like to use wheeldecide.com for a little extra fun! I just project it on the screen and they spin. You can customize it to remove choices after they’ve been landed on, change the colors, the spin time, and more. Super easy!

Go through the student instructions, making sure each student has written down what country they are working on. You don’t want them to forget! Then, play the tutorial video or post in your secured learning management system. Remember, a secured learning management system just means students have to log in to access it!

Research

Over the next few class days, students will work on their research. I always recommend reaching out to your school’s media specialist or English teacher for research techniques. This way you can reinforce what they learned or will be learning in other subjects!

How long you give them to research will totally depend on how comfortable your students are with research methods and the technology they use. By day 3 students should have a good handle on all of the information needed.

Creating their Spanish-Speaking Countries Project

Once students have all of the information, they’ll create their interactive map! They need to add markers and shapes, insert images, and information. When students think they are done, I always have them go back through their Spanish-Speaking countries project with the rubric to grade themselves.

Presentation

There are many ways you could have students present their finished Spanish-Speaking Countries Project. I personally like to have students explore each others’ in a digital gallery walk! Learn more about that activity here:

Download this Spanish Speaking Countries Project

This project includes:

• Student instructions for both traditional and Google Classroom setups.
• A video demo hosted on YouTube to guide students through the project setup.
• Lists of Spanish, French, and German-speaking countries to make this project adaptable for a world language setting.
• A detailed rubric for easy grading and student guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• How long will this project take?
  Depending on your students’ comfort level with technology and grade, this project can take anywhere from 3-4 days for a 6th grade 1:1 setting, up to more time if your students need additional support or you have larger class sizes.
• How is this different from the “Spanish Speaking Countries Interactive Digital Map Project”?While the Digital Map Project offers an overview of all Spanish-speaking countries, this project dives deeper. Students will focus on one country, allowing for more detailed exploration and understanding.
• What do students need to complete this project?
  Students will need a device, access to the internet, and the Google My Maps tool. If you would like to project the video demo, you will need access to YouTube.

Let the Project Grow with Your Students

The best part? You can scale this project to fit your students. Some years I go all-in with group presentations and a full gallery walk. Other times, we keep it low-key and just do one slide and a short share-out. Both work. The point is giving students a way to engage with culture that sticks.

Whether you’re using this project as an intro to geography or as a deeper dive into culture, the Spanish-Speaking Countries Project gives you the freedom to meet your students where they are, and that flexibility is worth everything.

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