Valentine's Day in Colombia - Día del Amor y la Amistad Authentic Text Activity

Valentine’s Day in other countries is not always how we think of it in the United States. Other countries celebrate their loved ones on a variety of different holidays! This authentic text looks at el Dia del Amor y la Amistad in Colombia (Day of Love and Friendship).

• Target Audience – Spanish I or II high school, 9th-12th grades

• Students Language Level – Students should be at a Novice Low/Mid level

• Materials – The authentic text about the Day of Love and Friendship (Día del Amor y la Amistad) is from a blog online. A screenshot of the text is included, and no changes were made; students will see the text in its authentic form. I recommend printing a class set of the authentic text in color (to show the photos) and keeping them in sheet protectors. Students will answer questions on their own worksheet.

• Steps for reading –

o Pre-reading: First, quickly identify where Colombia is on a map. Then look at the pictures and title of the text as a class. Ask for volunteers to say what they think this text will be about and why they think that.

*This demonstrates critical thinking skills to the other students.*

o You may need to clarify the word “amistad” (friendship), since that is not a common word for Spanish I students to know. Show how it is related to the word “amigo.”

o Then, students will answer 8 comprehension questions about the text.

o After the reading comprehension questions, students will complete a chart comparing el Día del Amor y la Amistad to Valentine’s Day.

o Note: The assignment is in English to prove comprehension. Upper-level classes often do comprehension checks in the target language, but as Spanish I students, English responses are the only way to guarantee that the student understands what he or she read.