¡Saludos desde la clase de español! (Greetings from Spanish class!)

Our 6th grade and 7th grade Spanish classes have been very busy this holiday season! They spent a day learning the basics of salsa dancing with our very own band teacher, Mr. Petry. Mr. Petry is a trained ballroom dance instructor and helped lead this fast-paced latin dance.
Our students also learned about El Día de la VIrgen Guadalupe, Las Posadas, and enjoyed a Spanish tapas party before the winter break. When they returned from break, they learned about El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos–a holiday that is celebrated throughout the Spanish-speaking world commemorating when the Three Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus. In Spanish-speaking countries, this is often the day Christmas gifts are exchanged (or another reason to give gifts.) As the tradition goes, children leave out their shoes, and the Tres Reyes Magos come during the night to fill the shoes with gifts. Our 6th and 7th graders made some paper shoes…and sure enough…on the 6th of January, their shoes were filled with treats. On January 6th, we also celebrated with a traditional Rosca de Reyes or a King’s Ring. This is a sweet bread baked into the shape of a ring, decorated with strips of candied fruits. There are some surprises hidden inside of the bread…and the students who find those hidden surprises will be the padrinos or madrinas (godfathers or godmothers) that sponsor a party or do something special for our class. There is so much learning happening in Middle School Spanish class…and that’s always a reason to celebrate!