I learned about this activity many years ago from my college friend and one of the best Spanish teachers I know, Joanna Parrin. I’d love to give someone credit for creation, but I can’t find out who deserves it. Let me know if it’s you!
1. Give every student a script on a small slip of paper with 5 lines. Can’t think of any great lines for the skits? Here are some ideas:
- Use phrases from choruses of the last 5 songs you’ve used in class: “Súbeme la radio.”
- Pull lines from Sr. Wooly videos: “Es una ganga.”
- Write lines that use high frequency verbs: “Tengo tres vacas.”
- Use only colloquial phrases and slang: “Es la leche.”
- Focus the phrases on a particular theme: “El gobierno controla.”
- Let 5 groups of kids each create a line for the skits: “Me oriné en los pantalones.”
- Select phrases from their favorite movies: “Volveré.”
- Create phrases to practice the grammar you have to teach: “Dámelo.”
2. Create groups with about three students each.
3. Let the students know that they have 5 minutes, or whatever amount if time you want to give them, to perform a skit in front of the class.
4. Permit students to change the order of the sentences to allow for some freedom and creativity. In upper levels, give some partial sentences or leave some Mad Lib-style blanks for uniqueness.
5. When the time ends, send all of your students to the prop boxes. Don’t allow them to get distracted by the costumes before the time is over and their story is complete.
6. Film the craziness and try not to laugh over all of the footage. #SorryNotSorry
¡Gracias por visitar!
Do you tell them how long the skit has to be? Are there any requirements other than using the five lines or do they have complete creative license as long as they fit the lines in? This sounds like a lot of fun! Thanks. 🙂
Hey, Michelle!
You can use this activity yours with any rules you want! When I do it, the skit is over when their lines have all been spoken, and that’s the only time length requirement. The other requirements are to use the lines in any order so that a story is told while using props and movement to help provide meaning to the audience. The more advanced classes are given more freedom with the lines. For example, I might leave a blank space in a sentence, I might just provide sentence starters, or I’ll just give one word per line.
Thanks for the question, Michelle!
Can you give me some suggestions of phrases that you have used for this activity before? Are they parts of a story? Or random phrases?
Hola!
I’ve used this activity using phrases from all contexts. Here are some ideas:
– Use phrases from choruses of the last 5 songs you’ve used in class: “Súbeme la radio.”
– Pull lines from Sr. Wooly videos: “Es una ganga.”
– Create phrases to practice the grammar you have to teach: “Dámelo.”
– Write lines that use high frequency verbs: “Tengo tres vacas.”
– Use only colloquial phrases or slang: “Es la leche.”
– Focus the phrases on a particular theme: “El gobierno controla.”
– Let 5 groups of kids each create a line for the skits: “Me oriné en los pantalones.”
– Select phrases from their favorite movies: “Volveré.”
Good luck, and I’ll add this to the post!