# data[].attributes.body
This is a humanitarian project. Every Hispanic country has some humanitarian crisis or problematic social issue. Small groups must choose their country and create a character who is living through that particular crisis. The goal is to come up with ways to alleviate the crisis and proactively "help" their character. The learning goal is that students improve on writing fluency. Students are asked to write an "article" to raise awareness about their crisis. Students are involved in proactively look for solutions to real-world problems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself."

These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher.

The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest. He maintained that "education is not an affair of 'telling' and being told, but an active and constructive process."

Nearly a century later, educators around the world still hold fast to Dewey's theory and have embraced the learning method that is now referred to as Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL boasts roots dating all the way back to illustrious educational figures such as Aristotle and Maria Montessori, and has modern educators tossing out their textbooks and turning to authentic, student-led learning experiences.

As Spanish educators, we are well aware of the benefits of authentic learning for high school Spanish students. The beauty of Project Based Learning is that it takes authentic experiences and evolves them into a whole new approach to the teaching and learning process.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?

According to the Buck Institute for Education, Project Based Learning is a "teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge."

In short, PBL is a shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-led discovery through projects. The idea is that students learn from experience and become engaged in a topic through inquiry, investigation and reflection. In the Spanish classroom, PBL provides students with the opportunity to interact with the culture and the language by being immersed in meaningful experiences.

The Essentials of Conducting a PBL Project

While there's a lot of discussion out there on how projects should be conducted, I'm of the belief that you should do what works for your class. There aren't rigid rules for how educators should implement Project Based Learning, but if you're looking for some general guidelines, here are some things to look for:

1. A focus on student learning goals. Obviously you'll want class projects to be centered on student language learning goals.

2. Pose a question/problem. Most projects begin with students inquiring about a subject or topic. Inquiry then leads to investigation.

3. Investigation. Students are tasked with learning more in order to answer their question or solve their problem.

4. Authenticity. Most projects employ authentic activities and materials. Researching real-world problems and asking real-life questions lead to well-rounded students and legitimate learning experiences.

5. Student-led. Students take responsibility for their learning and study what interests them. They need to be motivated to reach their end product.

6. Critical thinking. This comes with the territory when students are questioning and investigating new ideas. When students are in groups, they're able to bounce ideas off of each other and conduct discussions that provoke higher-level thinking.

7. Review/Assessment. Projects should be a way for teachers to assess student learning.

8. Presentation. Projects and presentations are like peanut butter and jelly: they simply go together. Students should be given the opportunity to present their hard work and share their findings with the world. This is essential learning for high school students. Rarely are adults tested and given grades, but they are continually required to solve problems and present solutions in their daily life.

Why Use Project Based Learning in the Spanish Classroom?

It's fulfilling for students and teachers. Instead of worksheets and rote memorization, students finish their projects with a sense of accomplishment and purpose-which also results in happy and fulfilled teachers. This is a win-win situation!

Special, interactive projects can make learning Spanish all the more fun. The excitement and interest could be further amplified when you use fantastic content as learning material, such as the kind you'd find on FluentU.

With FluentU's diverse and growing library of authentic content, students learn and live Spanish in an immersive fashion.

FluentU works for the educator as well! FluentU's integrated teaching tools make it simple to monitor your students' progress as they complete exercises and review the newly-learned material.

Check out FluentU today to see how you can get your students even more excited for language studies! You're sure to find content that can work wonderfully as a basis for a project!

All of these projects can easily be tailored to the specific needs and learning goals of your class. They are geared towards the needs and interests of high school students, but can be adapted for use with many different ages. Some changes you make may also affect the skill level or the time needed to complete the projects. The overarching goal here is to get students thinking critically and gain real-world experience.

Project #1: Survivor

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced. The teacher can make this as detailed or simple as necessary.

Time Needed: 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on how detailed the teacher wants the project to be and how much time is allotted to students during class time.

This project is a "spin-off" of the hit TV show "Survivor." On that show, teams are dropped off at remote locations around the world and have to work together to "survive" (i.e., win the game).

Much like the show, small groups in your class are given the name of an unfamiliar Latin American/Spanish city and are asked to investigate all aspects of the culture and life there, in order to survive and become a contributing individual in that society. Students are asked to investigate local foods, shelters, resources, occupations, etc. in order to form a survival plan.

Learning Goals: Study Hispanic culture. Conduct research about cities in Latin America/Spain. Understand different ways of life. Learn life skills for living in a new place.

Problem/Question: How do we survive and even thrive in this culture?

Investigation: Students should make a plan and support their ideas with true evidence. They should use travel blogs, maps, country profiles, etc. to make their plan.

Authenticity: Research authentic steps to survive in each place. Students should find actual places to stay, eat, make money, etc.

Presentation: Students present their location and their plan for survival to the class. They can choose how information is presented (e.g., poster, video, role play, etc.)

Project #2: Shark Tank

Skill Level: Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

This project is also based off of a popular reality TV show called "Shark Tank." In that show, contestants are inventors who try to "sell" their product to high-profile investors. After explaining their product to the panel of investors, they try to convince the investors to get on board and invest in their product in order for everyone to make a bigger profit.

Similarly, in this project, the whole class is given a cursory introduction to a difficult Spanish unit (such as a subjunctive tense). Small groups are then tasked with learning the material completely, and then in turn must figure out the best way to teach the material to lower-level Spanish students.

Learning Goals: Truly understand new grammar by applying what they've learned and presenting it clearly and accurately. Basically, students employ the "Flipped Teaching" method.

Problem/Question: This unit or tense has been extremely difficult for students to learn in the past. What is the best way to present the material to students in the future?

Investigation: How have others taught this material? What can we do to effectively teach this theme?

Authenticity: Researching real methods and applying them in order to transfer knowledge and teach information to lower-level students.

Presentation: Small groups present, "Shark Tank" style, to a group of lower-level Spanish students. The lower-level students vote on which group's method is most understandable and who they want to "invest in."

Project #3: Would You Rather?

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

I believe Project Based Learning can be very open-ended. This project allows students to create Spanish-related "Would you rather...?" questions that appeal to them. They can be fun or serious.

Some examples (in English) include:

"Would you rather run with the bulls in Spain or attend a (a nine-day religious celebration) in Mexico?"

"Would you rather eat Spanish or Costa Rican (tripe soup)?"

"Would you rather hike to Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru?"

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students should complete and present all work in Spanish.

Problem/Question: Whatever the students/teacher come up with.

Investigation: Students are required to weigh the pros and cons of their decision. They are required to conduct research and then decide how to accurately convince their classmates to make the same decision.

Authenticity: You or your students choose real-life situations that students have to investigate and evaluate.

Presentation: Present findings and opinions to the class (in Spanish). Have the class vote on whether they agree or disagree, and if they were persuaded by the presenter's research.

Bonus: For a much quicker version of this project, the questions could be turned into a card game (in fact, there's even an English card game with the same name). Students would draw a card and explain to the class why they would rather do one thing over another. It's a simple but fun way to get students talking!

Project #4: Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: 2 to 4 weeks.

This is a humanitarian project. Every Hispanic country has some humanitarian crisis or problematic social issue. Small groups must choose their country and create a character who is living through that particular crisis. The goal is to come up with ways to alleviate the crisis and proactively "help" their character.

Learning Goals: Writing fluency. Students are asked to write an "article" to raise awareness about their crisis.

Problem/Question: What is the issue? How can we help?

Investigation: Students need to conduct research and find statistics. They should evaluate what things are currently being done to deal with the situation.

Authenticity: Students are involved in proactively looking for solutions to real-world problems.

Presentation: Present findings to the class and write an article in order to raise awareness. Send those articles to newspapers or post them on a class blog.

Project #5: Advertisement

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately 2 weeks.

This is a fun project that allows students to try new things. Students will need to research a certain food product from a Latin American country. The goal is to find a food that is actually sold online (or at a local ethnic grocery store), which isn't well-known in the U.S. and which can be purchased for a reasonable price. Students then purchase their item, test it out and try to convince others they should also purchase the product.

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students take their products and create a sales pitch to get their community interested in their product.

Problem/Question: What ethnic product would sell well in my community? How can I get more people interested?

Investigation: Find information about the product. Investigate ways to use social media to advertise the product.

Authenticity: Students try real products enjoyed in Hispanic cultures. They also investigate how to use social media outlets and engage with the community around them.

Presentation: Students are asked to present their products and create a sales pitch for their product. They should incorporate social media, visual aides and a short video to sell their product.

While Project Based Learning may not seem like a traditional teaching method, our old friends and mentors Dewey and Aristotle might beg to differ.

Exposing students to life though project learning isn't a radical concept-it's a practical and effective method that begets positive results. When we start challenging students to take ownership of their learning, we see that education doesn't have to be preparation for life, but indeed, education is life itself.

Hats off to you, Mr. Dewey.

Tricia Wegman Contreras has spent the last seven years in Costa Rica working as a bilingual Learning Specialist with students of all ages. She enjoys using her background as an Intervention Specialist to help all types of language learners succeed.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach Spanish with real-world videos.
Bring Spanish immersion to your classroom!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Awesomely Authentic Spanish Projects Your Students Will Cheer For!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself." These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher. The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest.

# data[].attributes.body
With this assessment, the whole class is given a cursory introduction to a difficult Spanish unit (such as a subjunctive tense). Small groups are then tasked with learning the material completely, and then in turn must figure out the best way to teach the material to lower-level Spanish students. The goal for students is to truly understand new grammar by applying what they've learned and presenting it clearly and accurately. Basically, students will employ the "Flipped Teaching" method. The authenticity of this assessment is researching real methods and applying them in order to transfer knowledge and teach information to lower-level students. Small groups present, "Shark Tank" style, to a group of lower-level Spanish students. The lower-level students vote on which group's method is most understandable and who they want to "invest in."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself."

These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher.

The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest. He maintained that "education is not an affair of 'telling' and being told, but an active and constructive process."

Nearly a century later, educators around the world still hold fast to Dewey's theory and have embraced the learning method that is now referred to as Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL boasts roots dating all the way back to illustrious educational figures such as Aristotle and Maria Montessori, and has modern educators tossing out their textbooks and turning to authentic, student-led learning experiences.

As Spanish educators, we are well aware of the benefits of authentic learning for high school Spanish students. The beauty of Project Based Learning is that it takes authentic experiences and evolves them into a whole new approach to the teaching and learning process.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?

According to the Buck Institute for Education, Project Based Learning is a "teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge."

In short, PBL is a shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-led discovery through projects. The idea is that students learn from experience and become engaged in a topic through inquiry, investigation and reflection. In the Spanish classroom, PBL provides students with the opportunity to interact with the culture and the language by being immersed in meaningful experiences.

The Essentials of Conducting a PBL Project

While there's a lot of discussion out there on how projects should be conducted, I'm of the belief that you should do what works for your class. There aren't rigid rules for how educators should implement Project Based Learning, but if you're looking for some general guidelines, here are some things to look for:

1. A focus on student learning goals. Obviously you'll want class projects to be centered on student language learning goals.

2. Pose a question/problem. Most projects begin with students inquiring about a subject or topic. Inquiry then leads to investigation.

3. Investigation. Students are tasked with learning more in order to answer their question or solve their problem.

4. Authenticity. Most projects employ authentic activities and materials. Researching real-world problems and asking real-life questions lead to well-rounded students and legitimate learning experiences.

5. Student-led. Students take responsibility for their learning and study what interests them. They need to be motivated to reach their end product.

6. Critical thinking. This comes with the territory when students are questioning and investigating new ideas. When students are in groups, they're able to bounce ideas off of each other and conduct discussions that provoke higher-level thinking.

7. Review/Assessment. Projects should be a way for teachers to assess student learning.

8. Presentation. Projects and presentations are like peanut butter and jelly: they simply go together. Students should be given the opportunity to present their hard work and share their findings with the world. This is essential learning for high school students. Rarely are adults tested and given grades, but they are continually required to solve problems and present solutions in their daily life.

Why Use Project Based Learning in the Spanish Classroom?

It's fulfilling for students and teachers. Instead of worksheets and rote memorization, students finish their projects with a sense of accomplishment and purpose-which also results in happy and fulfilled teachers. This is a win-win situation!

Special, interactive projects can make learning Spanish all the more fun. The excitement and interest could be further amplified when you use fantastic content as learning material, such as the kind you'd find on FluentU.

With FluentU's diverse and growing library of authentic content, students learn and live Spanish in an immersive fashion.

FluentU works for the educator as well! FluentU's integrated teaching tools make it simple to monitor your students' progress as they complete exercises and review the newly-learned material.

Check out FluentU today to see how you can get your students even more excited for language studies! You're sure to find content that can work wonderfully as a basis for a project!

All of these projects can easily be tailored to the specific needs and learning goals of your class. They are geared towards the needs and interests of high school students, but can be adapted for use with many different ages. Some changes you make may also affect the skill level or the time needed to complete the projects. The overarching goal here is to get students thinking critically and gain real-world experience.

Project #1: Survivor

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced. The teacher can make this as detailed or simple as necessary.

Time Needed: 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on how detailed the teacher wants the project to be and how much time is allotted to students during class time.

This project is a "spin-off" of the hit TV show "Survivor." On that show, teams are dropped off at remote locations around the world and have to work together to "survive" (i.e., win the game).

Much like the show, small groups in your class are given the name of an unfamiliar Latin American/Spanish city and are asked to investigate all aspects of the culture and life there, in order to survive and become a contributing individual in that society. Students are asked to investigate local foods, shelters, resources, occupations, etc. in order to form a survival plan.

Learning Goals: Study Hispanic culture. Conduct research about cities in Latin America/Spain. Understand different ways of life. Learn life skills for living in a new place.

Problem/Question: How do we survive and even thrive in this culture?

Investigation: Students should make a plan and support their ideas with true evidence. They should use travel blogs, maps, country profiles, etc. to make their plan.

Authenticity: Research authentic steps to survive in each place. Students should find actual places to stay, eat, make money, etc.

Presentation: Students present their location and their plan for survival to the class. They can choose how information is presented (e.g., poster, video, role play, etc.)

Project #2: Shark Tank

Skill Level: Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

This project is also based off of a popular reality TV show called "Shark Tank." In that show, contestants are inventors who try to "sell" their product to high-profile investors. After explaining their product to the panel of investors, they try to convince the investors to get on board and invest in their product in order for everyone to make a bigger profit.

Similarly, in this project, the whole class is given a cursory introduction to a difficult Spanish unit (such as a subjunctive tense). Small groups are then tasked with learning the material completely, and then in turn must figure out the best way to teach the material to lower-level Spanish students.

Learning Goals: Truly understand new grammar by applying what they've learned and presenting it clearly and accurately. Basically, students employ the "Flipped Teaching" method.

Problem/Question: This unit or tense has been extremely difficult for students to learn in the past. What is the best way to present the material to students in the future?

Investigation: How have others taught this material? What can we do to effectively teach this theme?

Authenticity: Researching real methods and applying them in order to transfer knowledge and teach information to lower-level students.

Presentation: Small groups present, "Shark Tank" style, to a group of lower-level Spanish students. The lower-level students vote on which group's method is most understandable and who they want to "invest in."

Project #3: Would You Rather?

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

I believe Project Based Learning can be very open-ended. This project allows students to create Spanish-related "Would you rather...?" questions that appeal to them. They can be fun or serious.

Some examples (in English) include:

"Would you rather run with the bulls in Spain or attend a (a nine-day religious celebration) in Mexico?"

"Would you rather eat Spanish or Costa Rican (tripe soup)?"

"Would you rather hike to Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru?"

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students should complete and present all work in Spanish.

Problem/Question: Whatever the students/teacher come up with.

Investigation: Students are required to weigh the pros and cons of their decision. They are required to conduct research and then decide how to accurately convince their classmates to make the same decision.

Authenticity: You or your students choose real-life situations that students have to investigate and evaluate.

Presentation: Present findings and opinions to the class (in Spanish). Have the class vote on whether they agree or disagree, and if they were persuaded by the presenter's research.

Bonus: For a much quicker version of this project, the questions could be turned into a card game (in fact, there's even an English card game with the same name). Students would draw a card and explain to the class why they would rather do one thing over another. It's a simple but fun way to get students talking!

Project #4: Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: 2 to 4 weeks.

This is a humanitarian project. Every Hispanic country has some humanitarian crisis or problematic social issue. Small groups must choose their country and create a character who is living through that particular crisis. The goal is to come up with ways to alleviate the crisis and proactively "help" their character.

Learning Goals: Writing fluency. Students are asked to write an "article" to raise awareness about their crisis.

Problem/Question: What is the issue? How can we help?

Investigation: Students need to conduct research and find statistics. They should evaluate what things are currently being done to deal with the situation.

Authenticity: Students are involved in proactively looking for solutions to real-world problems.

Presentation: Present findings to the class and write an article in order to raise awareness. Send those articles to newspapers or post them on a class blog.

Project #5: Advertisement

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately 2 weeks.

This is a fun project that allows students to try new things. Students will need to research a certain food product from a Latin American country. The goal is to find a food that is actually sold online (or at a local ethnic grocery store), which isn't well-known in the U.S. and which can be purchased for a reasonable price. Students then purchase their item, test it out and try to convince others they should also purchase the product.

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students take their products and create a sales pitch to get their community interested in their product.

Problem/Question: What ethnic product would sell well in my community? How can I get more people interested?

Investigation: Find information about the product. Investigate ways to use social media to advertise the product.

Authenticity: Students try real products enjoyed in Hispanic cultures. They also investigate how to use social media outlets and engage with the community around them.

Presentation: Students are asked to present their products and create a sales pitch for their product. They should incorporate social media, visual aides and a short video to sell their product.

While Project Based Learning may not seem like a traditional teaching method, our old friends and mentors Dewey and Aristotle might beg to differ.

Exposing students to life though project learning isn't a radical concept-it's a practical and effective method that begets positive results. When we start challenging students to take ownership of their learning, we see that education doesn't have to be preparation for life, but indeed, education is life itself.

Hats off to you, Mr. Dewey.

Tricia Wegman Contreras has spent the last seven years in Costa Rica working as a bilingual Learning Specialist with students of all ages. She enjoys using her background as an Intervention Specialist to help all types of language learners succeed.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach Spanish with real-world videos.
Bring Spanish immersion to your classroom!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Awesomely Authentic Spanish Projects Your Students Will Cheer For!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself." These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher. The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest.

# data[].attributes.body
This assessment is open-ended. This project allows students to create Spanish-related "Would you rather...?" questions that appeal to them. These questions can be fun or serious.
Some examples:
- "Would you rather run with the bulls in Spain or attend a Posada (a nine-day religious celebration)in Mexico?"
- "Would you rather eat Spanish Paella or Costa Rican Mondongo (tripe soup)?"
- "Would you rather hike to Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru?"

The authenticity about this is that you or your students choose real-life situations that students have to investigate and evaluate. Students are to present their findings and opinions to the class (in Spanish). Have the class vote on whether they agree or disagree, and if they were persuaded by the presenter's research.
For a much quicker version of this project, the questions could be turned into a card game. Students would draw a card and explain to the class why they would rather do one thing over another. It's a simple but fun way to get students talking!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself."

These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher.

The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest. He maintained that "education is not an affair of 'telling' and being told, but an active and constructive process."

Nearly a century later, educators around the world still hold fast to Dewey's theory and have embraced the learning method that is now referred to as Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL boasts roots dating all the way back to illustrious educational figures such as Aristotle and Maria Montessori, and has modern educators tossing out their textbooks and turning to authentic, student-led learning experiences.

As Spanish educators, we are well aware of the benefits of authentic learning for high school Spanish students. The beauty of Project Based Learning is that it takes authentic experiences and evolves them into a whole new approach to the teaching and learning process.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?

According to the Buck Institute for Education, Project Based Learning is a "teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge."

In short, PBL is a shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-led discovery through projects. The idea is that students learn from experience and become engaged in a topic through inquiry, investigation and reflection. In the Spanish classroom, PBL provides students with the opportunity to interact with the culture and the language by being immersed in meaningful experiences.

The Essentials of Conducting a PBL Project

While there's a lot of discussion out there on how projects should be conducted, I'm of the belief that you should do what works for your class. There aren't rigid rules for how educators should implement Project Based Learning, but if you're looking for some general guidelines, here are some things to look for:

1. A focus on student learning goals. Obviously you'll want class projects to be centered on student language learning goals.

2. Pose a question/problem. Most projects begin with students inquiring about a subject or topic. Inquiry then leads to investigation.

3. Investigation. Students are tasked with learning more in order to answer their question or solve their problem.

4. Authenticity. Most projects employ authentic activities and materials. Researching real-world problems and asking real-life questions lead to well-rounded students and legitimate learning experiences.

5. Student-led. Students take responsibility for their learning and study what interests them. They need to be motivated to reach their end product.

6. Critical thinking. This comes with the territory when students are questioning and investigating new ideas. When students are in groups, they're able to bounce ideas off of each other and conduct discussions that provoke higher-level thinking.

7. Review/Assessment. Projects should be a way for teachers to assess student learning.

8. Presentation. Projects and presentations are like peanut butter and jelly: they simply go together. Students should be given the opportunity to present their hard work and share their findings with the world. This is essential learning for high school students. Rarely are adults tested and given grades, but they are continually required to solve problems and present solutions in their daily life.

Why Use Project Based Learning in the Spanish Classroom?

It's fulfilling for students and teachers. Instead of worksheets and rote memorization, students finish their projects with a sense of accomplishment and purpose-which also results in happy and fulfilled teachers. This is a win-win situation!

Special, interactive projects can make learning Spanish all the more fun. The excitement and interest could be further amplified when you use fantastic content as learning material, such as the kind you'd find on FluentU.

With FluentU's diverse and growing library of authentic content, students learn and live Spanish in an immersive fashion.

FluentU works for the educator as well! FluentU's integrated teaching tools make it simple to monitor your students' progress as they complete exercises and review the newly-learned material.

Check out FluentU today to see how you can get your students even more excited for language studies! You're sure to find content that can work wonderfully as a basis for a project!

All of these projects can easily be tailored to the specific needs and learning goals of your class. They are geared towards the needs and interests of high school students, but can be adapted for use with many different ages. Some changes you make may also affect the skill level or the time needed to complete the projects. The overarching goal here is to get students thinking critically and gain real-world experience.

Project #1: Survivor

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced. The teacher can make this as detailed or simple as necessary.

Time Needed: 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on how detailed the teacher wants the project to be and how much time is allotted to students during class time.

This project is a "spin-off" of the hit TV show "Survivor." On that show, teams are dropped off at remote locations around the world and have to work together to "survive" (i.e., win the game).

Much like the show, small groups in your class are given the name of an unfamiliar Latin American/Spanish city and are asked to investigate all aspects of the culture and life there, in order to survive and become a contributing individual in that society. Students are asked to investigate local foods, shelters, resources, occupations, etc. in order to form a survival plan.

Learning Goals: Study Hispanic culture. Conduct research about cities in Latin America/Spain. Understand different ways of life. Learn life skills for living in a new place.

Problem/Question: How do we survive and even thrive in this culture?

Investigation: Students should make a plan and support their ideas with true evidence. They should use travel blogs, maps, country profiles, etc. to make their plan.

Authenticity: Research authentic steps to survive in each place. Students should find actual places to stay, eat, make money, etc.

Presentation: Students present their location and their plan for survival to the class. They can choose how information is presented (e.g., poster, video, role play, etc.)

Project #2: Shark Tank

Skill Level: Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

This project is also based off of a popular reality TV show called "Shark Tank." In that show, contestants are inventors who try to "sell" their product to high-profile investors. After explaining their product to the panel of investors, they try to convince the investors to get on board and invest in their product in order for everyone to make a bigger profit.

Similarly, in this project, the whole class is given a cursory introduction to a difficult Spanish unit (such as a subjunctive tense). Small groups are then tasked with learning the material completely, and then in turn must figure out the best way to teach the material to lower-level Spanish students.

Learning Goals: Truly understand new grammar by applying what they've learned and presenting it clearly and accurately. Basically, students employ the "Flipped Teaching" method.

Problem/Question: This unit or tense has been extremely difficult for students to learn in the past. What is the best way to present the material to students in the future?

Investigation: How have others taught this material? What can we do to effectively teach this theme?

Authenticity: Researching real methods and applying them in order to transfer knowledge and teach information to lower-level students.

Presentation: Small groups present, "Shark Tank" style, to a group of lower-level Spanish students. The lower-level students vote on which group's method is most understandable and who they want to "invest in."

Project #3: Would You Rather?

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

I believe Project Based Learning can be very open-ended. This project allows students to create Spanish-related "Would you rather...?" questions that appeal to them. They can be fun or serious.

Some examples (in English) include:

"Would you rather run with the bulls in Spain or attend a (a nine-day religious celebration) in Mexico?"

"Would you rather eat Spanish or Costa Rican (tripe soup)?"

"Would you rather hike to Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru?"

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students should complete and present all work in Spanish.

Problem/Question: Whatever the students/teacher come up with.

Investigation: Students are required to weigh the pros and cons of their decision. They are required to conduct research and then decide how to accurately convince their classmates to make the same decision.

Authenticity: You or your students choose real-life situations that students have to investigate and evaluate.

Presentation: Present findings and opinions to the class (in Spanish). Have the class vote on whether they agree or disagree, and if they were persuaded by the presenter's research.

Bonus: For a much quicker version of this project, the questions could be turned into a card game (in fact, there's even an English card game with the same name). Students would draw a card and explain to the class why they would rather do one thing over another. It's a simple but fun way to get students talking!

Project #4: Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: 2 to 4 weeks.

This is a humanitarian project. Every Hispanic country has some humanitarian crisis or problematic social issue. Small groups must choose their country and create a character who is living through that particular crisis. The goal is to come up with ways to alleviate the crisis and proactively "help" their character.

Learning Goals: Writing fluency. Students are asked to write an "article" to raise awareness about their crisis.

Problem/Question: What is the issue? How can we help?

Investigation: Students need to conduct research and find statistics. They should evaluate what things are currently being done to deal with the situation.

Authenticity: Students are involved in proactively looking for solutions to real-world problems.

Presentation: Present findings to the class and write an article in order to raise awareness. Send those articles to newspapers or post them on a class blog.

Project #5: Advertisement

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately 2 weeks.

This is a fun project that allows students to try new things. Students will need to research a certain food product from a Latin American country. The goal is to find a food that is actually sold online (or at a local ethnic grocery store), which isn't well-known in the U.S. and which can be purchased for a reasonable price. Students then purchase their item, test it out and try to convince others they should also purchase the product.

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students take their products and create a sales pitch to get their community interested in their product.

Problem/Question: What ethnic product would sell well in my community? How can I get more people interested?

Investigation: Find information about the product. Investigate ways to use social media to advertise the product.

Authenticity: Students try real products enjoyed in Hispanic cultures. They also investigate how to use social media outlets and engage with the community around them.

Presentation: Students are asked to present their products and create a sales pitch for their product. They should incorporate social media, visual aides and a short video to sell their product.

While Project Based Learning may not seem like a traditional teaching method, our old friends and mentors Dewey and Aristotle might beg to differ.

Exposing students to life though project learning isn't a radical concept-it's a practical and effective method that begets positive results. When we start challenging students to take ownership of their learning, we see that education doesn't have to be preparation for life, but indeed, education is life itself.

Hats off to you, Mr. Dewey.

Tricia Wegman Contreras has spent the last seven years in Costa Rica working as a bilingual Learning Specialist with students of all ages. She enjoys using her background as an Intervention Specialist to help all types of language learners succeed.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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5 Awesomely Authentic Spanish Projects Your Students Will Cheer For!

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"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself." These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher. The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest.

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The purpose of this assessment is to show cultural appreciation. The goal of this is to get students to research famous Mexican mural painters and make their own murals. The Mexican Muralist Movement is an interesting topic for high school. An interesting muralist they would come across is Diego Rivera due to his marriage to Frida Kahlo. Teachers would pre-teach the topic and introduce Spanish vocabulary related to art. Then you would ask students to research famous Mexican mural artists and present their findings to the class. The ending activity would consist of students creating a mural in the classroom that represents all the students, teachers, and staff. They can paint the cleaning staff, people who work in the cafeteria, etc.

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Spanish projects for high school are some of the most potent language-learning tools in your arsenal as a teacher!

Project-based learning is ideal for all levels of education and all subjects. There is nothing more engaging for students than a project to do, and self-motivation is crucial for effective learning.

Read this article to access eight Spanish projects for high school that are bound to improve your students' language skills. They'll create memories to cherish long after their graduation.

Benefits of Project-based Learning

First, let's review why teaching through projects is so important.

Spanish projects for high school teach much more than the language and offer five primary benefits. They:

1. Improve collaboration skills.

2. Solve real problems with creative and critical thinking skills.

3. Teach "how to learn" by working on projects, rather than merely memorizing facts.

4. Promote researching skills and a deeper understanding of the topic.

5. Boost organizational skills and perseverance, rewarding and empowering students upon finishing the project.

Fun Spanish Projects for High School

This list includes many types of projects such as Spanish cultural project ideas, Spanish art projects, and interdisciplinary suggestions. They are universal enough to adapt to most teaching environments.

As much as possible, encourage students to speak only in Spanish throughout these project-based lessons and activities.

1. Refugee Journey Board Game

Purpose: temporary language immersion, cultural competence

Goal: research and understand the forced migration of people from Central and South America. Design a game in Spanish that demonstrates the related challenges.

Materials: students choose materials that are suitable for their game
Helpful Resources:
This Spanish project for high school prompts students to understand the nuances of immigration. After studying and debating Latin American immigration, the students create a board game in groups.

The game could focus on the dangers of the journey or on challenges the newcomers face after reaching their destination.

Students will ideally design the game in Spanish. Be sure to pre-teach gaming vocabulary and grammar structures. For example:

Avanza dos casillas.
Advance two squares.

Has estado buscando trabajo por dos semanas.
You have been looking for a job for two weeks.

2. Mexican Fiesta

Purpose: language immersion, cultural appreciation, and competence

Goal: research typical Mexican fiestas and organize one of their own.

Materials: typical food, fresh fruit water, colorful papel picado (tissue paper), music, games
Helpful Resources:
This is a super Spanish project for high school at the end of the school year. Who doesn't love a Mexican fiesta?

Prompt your students to research what makes Mexican fiestas so great and fun.

Divide them into teams. Make one group responsible for the decorations and piñatas. Another group prepares typical Mexican party games. Another searches for music and makes playlists. The last group researches typical Mexican fiesta foods and assigns each participant a dish to bring.

During the party, everyone should speak Spanish exclusively.

3. Poetry Night (Noche de Poesía)

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to research famous Spanish-speaking poets and choose their favorite poems. Get students listening and reciting only in Spanish for the duration of the activity

Materials: printed poems, cookies, tea, candles, fancy clothes
Helpful Resources:
If you're doing a poetry unit, a noche de poesía (poetry night) is a wonderful Spanish project for high school students.

Have students dress up as a certain poet, or simply ask them to put on fancy clothes. Have students bring cake, cookies, tea, and drinks to the poetry event, and make sure the ambiance is warm and cozy.

To add an extra challenge, have the students memorize their poems by heart.

4. Famous Spanish-speaking People Dinner

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural appreciation, and competence

Goal: Get students to research famous Spanish-speaking people and choose their favorite one.

Materials: food, fancy clothes, cards with a short bio (optional)
Helpful Resources:
This Spanish project for high school is bound to be a success!

Assign each student a famous Spanish-speaking person (an athlete, actor, singer, writer, or artist). Have them dress up as this person and play their role during the party. They need to do thorough research about the person in advance.

The students' goal is to discover the identity of other guests without directly asking them who they are. Instead, they ask about each other's country of origin, family, professional life, etc.

5. Classroom Mural

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to research famous Mexican mural painters and make their own mural.

Materials: a wall, paint
Helpful Resources:
The Mexican Muralist Movement is an interesting topic for high school. Diego Rivera is the best-known muralist due to his marriage to Frida Kahlo.

Pre-teach the topic and introduce Spanish vocabulary related to art. Ask students to research famous Mexican mural artists and present their findings to the class.

The ending activity is the most exciting one- creating a mural in your classroom that represents all the students, teachers, and staff. They can paint the cleaning staff, people who work in the cafeteria, etc.

6. Alebrijes

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to understand the meaning of alebrijes and create their own

Materials: papier-mache, wire, cardboard, cloth, paints
Helpful Resources:
Have you seen the movie Coco? Spanish teachers often use it to talk about El día de los muertos (The Day of the Dead). This film is also an inspiration for an art project on alebrijes.

Alebrijes are colorful, fantastical Mexican creatures with bodies made of at least two animals. Pedro Linares created them in 1936, and they're now an important part of Mexican culture.

Nowadays, many artisans (mainly in Oaxaca) continue the tradition of making alebrijes with wire, cardboard, and papier-mâché.

Your students will love this project! Have them investigate the history and the meaning of these mythical creatures. Dedicate a few lessons to letting them make their own creations. The final step is an exhibition of their works.

7. My Dream Travel to a Spanish-speaking Country

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Understand the richness of the Spanish-speaking world

Materials: Internet
Helpful Resources:
Ask students to choose a Spanish-speaking country they would like to visit. They need to explain their choice and describe what they want to see in this country and why. Have them include a section on typical food with pictures and recipes.

Then, prompt the students to design the trip. They should select travel dates, flights, and hotels and create a budget for their trip in US dollars and local currency. They mark their route on a map and add local forms of transportation. They also research any tourist visa requirements specific to their destination.

Last but not least, they photoshop themselves into an iconic photo of their country of choice.

This is a great Spanish project for high school, both for regular and online classes. Ask your students to make it in the form of a booklet or as an online presentation. They're sure to enjoy preparing it and reading their classmates' projects.

8. Charity Shark Tank

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural competence, social work

Goal: Research non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Spanish-speaking countries and advocate for their cause.

Materials: Internet

Helpful Resource: 7 NGOs Making a Positive Impact in Spanish-speaking Countries

Making your students culturally competent and aware of other realities is as important as teaching them Spanish.

For this project, ask your students to investigate NGOs that operate in Spanish-speaking countries. They can work individually or in teams.

Ask them to prepare a persuasive presentation to convince their classmates to support their cause. The presentation should be in Spanish. Set the minimum time limit depending on your students' language skills.

Every student votes for the NGO they want to support. It would be extra meaningful if the students organized a fundraising activity for the winning NGO.

Get Support for Your Spanish Classroom

Spanish projects for high school are an important element on the journey to language fluency and cultural competence. They enable your students to become successful, bilingual individuals. What's more, students who know Spanish can more easily learn other Romance languages in the future.

Do you need support in your classroom? Homeschool Spanish Academy provides 1-on-1 and 2-on-1 online Spanish classes for K-12 students. We help ease the difficulty of having many students of varying skill levels. Sign up for a free class to give it a try today!

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and easy learning strategies? Check these out!

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8 Spanish Project Ideas for Your High School Classroom

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Spanish projects for high school are some of the most potent language-learning tools in your arsenal as a teacher! Project-based learning is ideal for all levels of education and all subjects. There is nothing more engaging for students than a project to do, and self-motivation is crucial for effective learning.

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My Dream Travel to a Spanish-speaking Country

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My Dream Travel to a Spanish-speaking Country

# data[].attributes.body
The purpose of this is to show cultural appreciation. The goal is for students to understand the richness of the Spanish-speaking world. Ask students to choose a Spanish-speaking country they would like to visit. They need to explain their choice and describe what they want to see in this country and why. Have them include a section on typical foods along with pictures and recipes. After, prompt the students to design the trip. They should select travel dates, flights, and hotels and create a budget for their trip in US dollars and local currency. They mark their route on a map and add local forms of transportation. They also research any tourist visa requirements specific to their destination. Lastly, students should photoshop themselves into an iconic photo of their country of choice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Spanish projects for high school are some of the most potent language-learning tools in your arsenal as a teacher!

Project-based learning is ideal for all levels of education and all subjects. There is nothing more engaging for students than a project to do, and self-motivation is crucial for effective learning.

Read this article to access eight Spanish projects for high school that are bound to improve your students' language skills. They'll create memories to cherish long after their graduation.

Benefits of Project-based Learning

First, let's review why teaching through projects is so important.

Spanish projects for high school teach much more than the language and offer five primary benefits. They:

1. Improve collaboration skills.

2. Solve real problems with creative and critical thinking skills.

3. Teach "how to learn" by working on projects, rather than merely memorizing facts.

4. Promote researching skills and a deeper understanding of the topic.

5. Boost organizational skills and perseverance, rewarding and empowering students upon finishing the project.

Fun Spanish Projects for High School

This list includes many types of projects such as Spanish cultural project ideas, Spanish art projects, and interdisciplinary suggestions. They are universal enough to adapt to most teaching environments.

As much as possible, encourage students to speak only in Spanish throughout these project-based lessons and activities.

1. Refugee Journey Board Game

Purpose: temporary language immersion, cultural competence

Goal: research and understand the forced migration of people from Central and South America. Design a game in Spanish that demonstrates the related challenges.

Materials: students choose materials that are suitable for their game
Helpful Resources:
This Spanish project for high school prompts students to understand the nuances of immigration. After studying and debating Latin American immigration, the students create a board game in groups.

The game could focus on the dangers of the journey or on challenges the newcomers face after reaching their destination.

Students will ideally design the game in Spanish. Be sure to pre-teach gaming vocabulary and grammar structures. For example:

Avanza dos casillas.
Advance two squares.

Has estado buscando trabajo por dos semanas.
You have been looking for a job for two weeks.

2. Mexican Fiesta

Purpose: language immersion, cultural appreciation, and competence

Goal: research typical Mexican fiestas and organize one of their own.

Materials: typical food, fresh fruit water, colorful papel picado (tissue paper), music, games
Helpful Resources:
This is a super Spanish project for high school at the end of the school year. Who doesn't love a Mexican fiesta?

Prompt your students to research what makes Mexican fiestas so great and fun.

Divide them into teams. Make one group responsible for the decorations and piñatas. Another group prepares typical Mexican party games. Another searches for music and makes playlists. The last group researches typical Mexican fiesta foods and assigns each participant a dish to bring.

During the party, everyone should speak Spanish exclusively.

3. Poetry Night (Noche de Poesía)

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to research famous Spanish-speaking poets and choose their favorite poems. Get students listening and reciting only in Spanish for the duration of the activity

Materials: printed poems, cookies, tea, candles, fancy clothes
Helpful Resources:
If you're doing a poetry unit, a noche de poesía (poetry night) is a wonderful Spanish project for high school students.

Have students dress up as a certain poet, or simply ask them to put on fancy clothes. Have students bring cake, cookies, tea, and drinks to the poetry event, and make sure the ambiance is warm and cozy.

To add an extra challenge, have the students memorize their poems by heart.

4. Famous Spanish-speaking People Dinner

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural appreciation, and competence

Goal: Get students to research famous Spanish-speaking people and choose their favorite one.

Materials: food, fancy clothes, cards with a short bio (optional)
Helpful Resources:
This Spanish project for high school is bound to be a success!

Assign each student a famous Spanish-speaking person (an athlete, actor, singer, writer, or artist). Have them dress up as this person and play their role during the party. They need to do thorough research about the person in advance.

The students' goal is to discover the identity of other guests without directly asking them who they are. Instead, they ask about each other's country of origin, family, professional life, etc.

5. Classroom Mural

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to research famous Mexican mural painters and make their own mural.

Materials: a wall, paint
Helpful Resources:
The Mexican Muralist Movement is an interesting topic for high school. Diego Rivera is the best-known muralist due to his marriage to Frida Kahlo.

Pre-teach the topic and introduce Spanish vocabulary related to art. Ask students to research famous Mexican mural artists and present their findings to the class.

The ending activity is the most exciting one- creating a mural in your classroom that represents all the students, teachers, and staff. They can paint the cleaning staff, people who work in the cafeteria, etc.

6. Alebrijes

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Get students to understand the meaning of alebrijes and create their own

Materials: papier-mache, wire, cardboard, cloth, paints
Helpful Resources:
Have you seen the movie Coco? Spanish teachers often use it to talk about El día de los muertos (The Day of the Dead). This film is also an inspiration for an art project on alebrijes.

Alebrijes are colorful, fantastical Mexican creatures with bodies made of at least two animals. Pedro Linares created them in 1936, and they're now an important part of Mexican culture.

Nowadays, many artisans (mainly in Oaxaca) continue the tradition of making alebrijes with wire, cardboard, and papier-mâché.

Your students will love this project! Have them investigate the history and the meaning of these mythical creatures. Dedicate a few lessons to letting them make their own creations. The final step is an exhibition of their works.

7. My Dream Travel to a Spanish-speaking Country

Purpose: cultural appreciation

Goal: Understand the richness of the Spanish-speaking world

Materials: Internet
Helpful Resources:
Ask students to choose a Spanish-speaking country they would like to visit. They need to explain their choice and describe what they want to see in this country and why. Have them include a section on typical food with pictures and recipes.

Then, prompt the students to design the trip. They should select travel dates, flights, and hotels and create a budget for their trip in US dollars and local currency. They mark their route on a map and add local forms of transportation. They also research any tourist visa requirements specific to their destination.

Last but not least, they photoshop themselves into an iconic photo of their country of choice.

This is a great Spanish project for high school, both for regular and online classes. Ask your students to make it in the form of a booklet or as an online presentation. They're sure to enjoy preparing it and reading their classmates' projects.

8. Charity Shark Tank

Purpose: language temporary immersion, cultural competence, social work

Goal: Research non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Spanish-speaking countries and advocate for their cause.

Materials: Internet

Helpful Resource: 7 NGOs Making a Positive Impact in Spanish-speaking Countries

Making your students culturally competent and aware of other realities is as important as teaching them Spanish.

For this project, ask your students to investigate NGOs that operate in Spanish-speaking countries. They can work individually or in teams.

Ask them to prepare a persuasive presentation to convince their classmates to support their cause. The presentation should be in Spanish. Set the minimum time limit depending on your students' language skills.

Every student votes for the NGO they want to support. It would be extra meaningful if the students organized a fundraising activity for the winning NGO.

Get Support for Your Spanish Classroom

Spanish projects for high school are an important element on the journey to language fluency and cultural competence. They enable your students to become successful, bilingual individuals. What's more, students who know Spanish can more easily learn other Romance languages in the future.

Do you need support in your classroom? Homeschool Spanish Academy provides 1-on-1 and 2-on-1 online Spanish classes for K-12 students. We help ease the difficulty of having many students of varying skill levels. Sign up for a free class to give it a try today!

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and easy learning strategies? Check these out!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Spanish Project Ideas for Your High School Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spanish projects for high school are some of the most potent language-learning tools in your arsenal as a teacher! Project-based learning is ideal for all levels of education and all subjects. There is nothing more engaging for students than a project to do, and self-motivation is crucial for effective learning.

# data[].attributes.body
This project allows students to try new things. Students will need to research a certain food product form a Latin American country. The goal is to find a food that is actually sold online (or at a local ethnic grocery store), which isn't that well-known in the U.S. and which can be purchased for a reasonable price. Students then purchase the item, test it out and try to convince others they should also purchase the product. This will help improve fluency. Students will take their products and create a sales pitch to get their community interested in the product.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself."

These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher.

The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest. He maintained that "education is not an affair of 'telling' and being told, but an active and constructive process."

Nearly a century later, educators around the world still hold fast to Dewey's theory and have embraced the learning method that is now referred to as Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL boasts roots dating all the way back to illustrious educational figures such as Aristotle and Maria Montessori, and has modern educators tossing out their textbooks and turning to authentic, student-led learning experiences.

As Spanish educators, we are well aware of the benefits of authentic learning for high school Spanish students. The beauty of Project Based Learning is that it takes authentic experiences and evolves them into a whole new approach to the teaching and learning process.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?

According to the Buck Institute for Education, Project Based Learning is a "teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge."

In short, PBL is a shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-led discovery through projects. The idea is that students learn from experience and become engaged in a topic through inquiry, investigation and reflection. In the Spanish classroom, PBL provides students with the opportunity to interact with the culture and the language by being immersed in meaningful experiences.

The Essentials of Conducting a PBL Project

While there's a lot of discussion out there on how projects should be conducted, I'm of the belief that you should do what works for your class. There aren't rigid rules for how educators should implement Project Based Learning, but if you're looking for some general guidelines, here are some things to look for:

1. A focus on student learning goals. Obviously you'll want class projects to be centered on student language learning goals.

2. Pose a question/problem. Most projects begin with students inquiring about a subject or topic. Inquiry then leads to investigation.

3. Investigation. Students are tasked with learning more in order to answer their question or solve their problem.

4. Authenticity. Most projects employ authentic activities and materials. Researching real-world problems and asking real-life questions lead to well-rounded students and legitimate learning experiences.

5. Student-led. Students take responsibility for their learning and study what interests them. They need to be motivated to reach their end product.

6. Critical thinking. This comes with the territory when students are questioning and investigating new ideas. When students are in groups, they're able to bounce ideas off of each other and conduct discussions that provoke higher-level thinking.

7. Review/Assessment. Projects should be a way for teachers to assess student learning.

8. Presentation. Projects and presentations are like peanut butter and jelly: they simply go together. Students should be given the opportunity to present their hard work and share their findings with the world. This is essential learning for high school students. Rarely are adults tested and given grades, but they are continually required to solve problems and present solutions in their daily life.

Why Use Project Based Learning in the Spanish Classroom?

It's fulfilling for students and teachers. Instead of worksheets and rote memorization, students finish their projects with a sense of accomplishment and purpose-which also results in happy and fulfilled teachers. This is a win-win situation!

Special, interactive projects can make learning Spanish all the more fun. The excitement and interest could be further amplified when you use fantastic content as learning material, such as the kind you'd find on FluentU.

With FluentU's diverse and growing library of authentic content, students learn and live Spanish in an immersive fashion.

FluentU works for the educator as well! FluentU's integrated teaching tools make it simple to monitor your students' progress as they complete exercises and review the newly-learned material.

Check out FluentU today to see how you can get your students even more excited for language studies! You're sure to find content that can work wonderfully as a basis for a project!

All of these projects can easily be tailored to the specific needs and learning goals of your class. They are geared towards the needs and interests of high school students, but can be adapted for use with many different ages. Some changes you make may also affect the skill level or the time needed to complete the projects. The overarching goal here is to get students thinking critically and gain real-world experience.

Project #1: Survivor

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced. The teacher can make this as detailed or simple as necessary.

Time Needed: 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on how detailed the teacher wants the project to be and how much time is allotted to students during class time.

This project is a "spin-off" of the hit TV show "Survivor." On that show, teams are dropped off at remote locations around the world and have to work together to "survive" (i.e., win the game).

Much like the show, small groups in your class are given the name of an unfamiliar Latin American/Spanish city and are asked to investigate all aspects of the culture and life there, in order to survive and become a contributing individual in that society. Students are asked to investigate local foods, shelters, resources, occupations, etc. in order to form a survival plan.

Learning Goals: Study Hispanic culture. Conduct research about cities in Latin America/Spain. Understand different ways of life. Learn life skills for living in a new place.

Problem/Question: How do we survive and even thrive in this culture?

Investigation: Students should make a plan and support their ideas with true evidence. They should use travel blogs, maps, country profiles, etc. to make their plan.

Authenticity: Research authentic steps to survive in each place. Students should find actual places to stay, eat, make money, etc.

Presentation: Students present their location and their plan for survival to the class. They can choose how information is presented (e.g., poster, video, role play, etc.)

Project #2: Shark Tank

Skill Level: Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

This project is also based off of a popular reality TV show called "Shark Tank." In that show, contestants are inventors who try to "sell" their product to high-profile investors. After explaining their product to the panel of investors, they try to convince the investors to get on board and invest in their product in order for everyone to make a bigger profit.

Similarly, in this project, the whole class is given a cursory introduction to a difficult Spanish unit (such as a subjunctive tense). Small groups are then tasked with learning the material completely, and then in turn must figure out the best way to teach the material to lower-level Spanish students.

Learning Goals: Truly understand new grammar by applying what they've learned and presenting it clearly and accurately. Basically, students employ the "Flipped Teaching" method.

Problem/Question: This unit or tense has been extremely difficult for students to learn in the past. What is the best way to present the material to students in the future?

Investigation: How have others taught this material? What can we do to effectively teach this theme?

Authenticity: Researching real methods and applying them in order to transfer knowledge and teach information to lower-level students.

Presentation: Small groups present, "Shark Tank" style, to a group of lower-level Spanish students. The lower-level students vote on which group's method is most understandable and who they want to "invest in."

Project #3: Would You Rather?

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately one week.

I believe Project Based Learning can be very open-ended. This project allows students to create Spanish-related "Would you rather...?" questions that appeal to them. They can be fun or serious.

Some examples (in English) include:

"Would you rather run with the bulls in Spain or attend a (a nine-day religious celebration) in Mexico?"

"Would you rather eat Spanish or Costa Rican (tripe soup)?"

"Would you rather hike to Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru?"

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students should complete and present all work in Spanish.

Problem/Question: Whatever the students/teacher come up with.

Investigation: Students are required to weigh the pros and cons of their decision. They are required to conduct research and then decide how to accurately convince their classmates to make the same decision.

Authenticity: You or your students choose real-life situations that students have to investigate and evaluate.

Presentation: Present findings and opinions to the class (in Spanish). Have the class vote on whether they agree or disagree, and if they were persuaded by the presenter's research.

Bonus: For a much quicker version of this project, the questions could be turned into a card game (in fact, there's even an English card game with the same name). Students would draw a card and explain to the class why they would rather do one thing over another. It's a simple but fun way to get students talking!

Project #4: Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: 2 to 4 weeks.

This is a humanitarian project. Every Hispanic country has some humanitarian crisis or problematic social issue. Small groups must choose their country and create a character who is living through that particular crisis. The goal is to come up with ways to alleviate the crisis and proactively "help" their character.

Learning Goals: Writing fluency. Students are asked to write an "article" to raise awareness about their crisis.

Problem/Question: What is the issue? How can we help?

Investigation: Students need to conduct research and find statistics. They should evaluate what things are currently being done to deal with the situation.

Authenticity: Students are involved in proactively looking for solutions to real-world problems.

Presentation: Present findings to the class and write an article in order to raise awareness. Send those articles to newspapers or post them on a class blog.

Project #5: Advertisement

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Time Needed: Approximately 2 weeks.

This is a fun project that allows students to try new things. Students will need to research a certain food product from a Latin American country. The goal is to find a food that is actually sold online (or at a local ethnic grocery store), which isn't well-known in the U.S. and which can be purchased for a reasonable price. Students then purchase their item, test it out and try to convince others they should also purchase the product.

Learning Goals: Improve speaking fluency. Students take their products and create a sales pitch to get their community interested in their product.

Problem/Question: What ethnic product would sell well in my community? How can I get more people interested?

Investigation: Find information about the product. Investigate ways to use social media to advertise the product.

Authenticity: Students try real products enjoyed in Hispanic cultures. They also investigate how to use social media outlets and engage with the community around them.

Presentation: Students are asked to present their products and create a sales pitch for their product. They should incorporate social media, visual aides and a short video to sell their product.

While Project Based Learning may not seem like a traditional teaching method, our old friends and mentors Dewey and Aristotle might beg to differ.

Exposing students to life though project learning isn't a radical concept-it's a practical and effective method that begets positive results. When we start challenging students to take ownership of their learning, we see that education doesn't have to be preparation for life, but indeed, education is life itself.

Hats off to you, Mr. Dewey.

Tricia Wegman Contreras has spent the last seven years in Costa Rica working as a bilingual Learning Specialist with students of all ages. She enjoys using her background as an Intervention Specialist to help all types of language learners succeed.

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5 Awesomely Authentic Spanish Projects Your Students Will Cheer For!

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"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself." These words were penned by John Dewey, the 20th century educational reformer and philosopher. The educational renegade of his day, Dewey proposed that learning should have a foundation in experience and be driven by student interest.