The IB Spanish Exam has come and gone (thank goodness!)….now what?! I am sharing some of my tried and true, favorite activities to do with students after the IB Spanish exam (these can also work for after the AP Spanish exam!)
1. Movies that Matter
I know it’s tempting to throw on any movie just to give everyone a much needed break but this is the perfect opportunity to share a movie that means something.
Was there a movie or documentary that you wanted to show earlier in the year and just didn’t have the time?
Some of my favorites to show are: Selena, Under the Same Moon, Motorcycle Diaries, Rumbo a las Grandes Ligas, and Street Food Latin America. All of these are relevant to the class, showcase some amazing cultural perspectives, and get overall good reviews from my students.
It’s up to you if you want to make these “academic” or just keep it light. A super simple way to make this academic is have your students complete a 3-2-1 after watching the movie.
They share 3 things that they found interesting, 2 cultural perspectives, and 1 follow up question that they are left with. You can change the prompts around any way that you’d like, the point is to get students reflecting and reacting.
2. Research Study Abroad Options at their College/University
In my district, our IB Students who take the exam are seniors so once the exam is over, senioritis is in FULL FORCE.
Something they do love talking about is the college they are attending. This is a perfect opportunity to have them research study abroad options at their school. Not only is it interesting, but it is beneficial for them to know what programs are available at their school.
You can have them fill out a graphic organizer asking for basic information: what countries are available, what is the cost, how long is the program, etc. or if you have time and would like to, you can have them make mini presentations to their classmates and share which program is interesting to them.
3. Passion Project
In my district we encourage our students to apply for the State Seal of Biliteracy. As part of this process, we have created a project which allows students to research something that interests them, and use research to present a thesis or essential question.
I love this project because students are motivated by their natural curiosity. I love seeing the topics that they pick, what they are interested in, and what has sparked their interest in Spanish class.
Although many seniors are unmotivated at the end of the year, this is interesting to them and they enjoy having the freedom to choose their topic.
4. End of Year Socratic Seminar
It’s not too late to end the year connecting with your students and reflecting on the year!
This is great because it is low prep and it will get your students speaking. Some great discussion starters are: what was your favorite topic this year? What is something you wish we did more of? What activity challenged you the most this year? How will you keep up with your Spanish in the future? What are you looking forward to next year?
If you haven’t tried a Socratic Seminar yet, that’s ok! There is still time to give it a try before the year is over.
