Writing

To conclude our study on Spanish speaking countries, each student had to plan and write a response to all they had learnt.  Our focus was to organise our ideas into paragraphs.  Here are some of the best pieces.  Can you work out what the main idea from each paragraph is?

Celebrations.  What comes to mind when you hear that word?  Christmas, Easter, a birthday or Halloween.  Many cultures celebrate these events but in different ways.  In some Spanish speaking countries, they have Day of the Dead, which is kind of like Halloween.  They dress up in costumes, scare each other and go watch plays that make fun of the dead.  They also make and decorate sugar skulls, which are edible and sweet.

They also have Three Kings Day, which celebrates the three kings – Balthazar, Caspar and Mekhior.  The people (especially children) make paper crowns and dress up.  Adults make giant puppets.  There is also a parade that everyone can join in.

Columbus Day is celebrated every year on October 12.  Christopher Columbus founded the Americas in 1492 on October 12^th.  That is why it is celebrated.

Spanish speaking countries also have lots of different foods as well.  In Mexico a popular dessert is flan.  Flan is like custard jelly - custard stuck together but not frozen and usually served with berries.  Guacamole and salsa are Mexican.  Tacos are Mexican.  Tacos are baked shells that you put filling of your choice in.  Churos are very popular.  They are fluted strips of dough covered in sugar and cinnamon.

Spain has different food to Mexico.  The Spanish love prawns.  Most of their dishes are prawn dishes.  Even omelets.  A Spanish meal that is crunchy, tender and has the most delicious smell is roasted baby pig.  One very popular snack is wedges.  Wedges are spicy potato chips cut into crescent shapes.

Niamh

Researching about Spanish speaking countries has been really fun and I have learnt lots about different countries around the world.  There are just over 20 countries that speak Spanish around the world, like Chile, Peru, Spain, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Venezuela and many more.  The countries I found facts about were Mexico, Chile, Spain, Colombia, Guatemala and Cuba.

My favourite country that I researched would have to be Mexico.  I liked researching Mexico because I found lots about it.  Some of the facts I found out about some countries are that in Mexico they have 31 states and each one has it’s own leader.  Also Mexico was its own country in 1821.  Another thing is that in 1492 Cuba was discovered and in Chile they celebrate by having festivals.  Also in Colombia, salsa is a traditional dance.  Guatemala is located in Central America and did you know that the population in Cuba is 11 241.

In Mexico they have a lot of different foods.  Some of their food we don’t have in New Zealand but some is the same but made differently.  Some different food from Mexico are churros which is a straight fried donut covered in cinnamon and sugar.  Also flan which is a dessert that is a vanilla or caramel custard dessert.  Some food that is made differently are salsa and nacho chips or tacos.

So as I finish my story on Spanish speaking countries, I would so love to visit one of these countries and see how life is different over there.  For me, I would love to go to Mexico.

Eden