El Gato Ayuda: Beginner Spanish Story to Practice -AR Verbs

This cute, short story is ideal for beginners who are just getting started with -AR verbs.

Learners can build confidence as they repeat the refrain, «y el gato ayuda» and perhaps read along with the rest as they wait for the next hilarious cat gif!

This blog post includes the video story as well as a free PDF activity sheet.

Expansion activity: Students can write a similar story about another animal that helps (el elefante ayuda, el pingüino ayuda, el oso ayuda, etc.).

If you share this with your students, I would love to know how it goes! Any feedback is always welcome and appreciated 🙂

YouTube video of story

Here’s a Free PDF Activity Sheet for Download!

Practice Spanish Stem-Changing Verbs in the Preterite: ¿Qué compraron? (Video activity with PDF Guided Notes)

In this video we’ll learn about stem-changing verbs in the preterite. Then we’ll practice making sentences with verbs in the preterite to talk about what people bought on their shopping trips.

There is a printable PDF document of Guided Notes that you can fill out as you watch the video posted below this video link.

Video link: https://youtu.be/O0-t9V-xvjA

Link to free PDF Guided Notes to print & fill out as you watch:

Regular Preterite Verbs Short Story & Activity: Mi amigo y yo probamos nuevas comidas en San Juan, Puerto Rico (Video & PDF)

This activity is designed for beginning learners to get introduced to regular preterite verb conjugations while practicing with vocabulary for food & drinks. It also invites students to learn more about Puerto Rican food.

The first half of the video introduces regular preterite verb conjugations for -ar & -er/ir verbs. It also explains “spelling change” verbs (-CAR, -GAR, -ZAR –> -QUÉ, GUÉ, CÉ) with the examples llegar – yo llegué and pagar – yo pagué.

Note: This activity does not include any irregular or stem-changing verbs.

The read-along story begins at minute 5:48 of the video. It is narrated by a Spanish-speaker from Zacatecas, México.

The free PDF activity sheet features prompts for pre- and post-viewing discussion, charts & brief questions about regular preterite conjugations based on the video, and a cloze activity with the story.

 Any comments or suggestions are welcome!

 If you use this with your students, I´d love to hear how it goes!

Video URL: https://youtu.be/EQvMuObI60k

Download Free PDF Activity Sheet:

Spanish Adverbs Video Lesson with Printable Notes

In this video lesson, we’ll learn what an adverb is, how to form them in Spanish, and practice with lots of examples of commonly used Spanish adverbs.

Below this video, there is a link with printable notes that you can refer to as you watch! (PDF)

Learn Spanish with Stories: La casa embrujada

I used this short, spooky story to review making comparisons, using prepositions of place, and vocabulary for describing houses.

Here is the video story narration:

Here is the activity sheet that I used in class that you can download.

I´d love to know if you use this story in your classroom!

«Viaje Seguro: Consejos para viajeros» – Formal Commands Video & Activity (Free PDF)

In this activity, we’ll practice formal, usted commands in Spanish as well as useful travel vocabulary.

First, we’ll watch a video about some travel safety tips.

Then, we’ll review & practice with formal commands by completing each sentence on the handout with the correct form of the verb.

Finally, we’ll write more travel advice.

Algunas fechas importantes en la historia del mundo hispano Una actividad para practicar los años y el pretérito (video & PDF activity)

Algunas fechas importantes en la historia del mundo hispano: Una actividad para practicar los años y el pretérito

In this video lesson, we begin with how to say years in Spanish. Next, we practice while learning about some of the many important dates in the history of the Spanish speaking world. We´ll also practice preterit verb forms while we talk about these historical feats.

Here is a printable PDF worksheet to accompany the practice section: https://estudiafeliz.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/practice-with-years-and-preterite-handout.pdf

Enjoy the video!

Any feedback is always welcome and appreciated 🙂

Note: This video lesson & activity is adapted from my Intermediate Spanish II class for students in their fourth semester of Spanish classes.

Modales en la mesa a nivel internacional: Actividad cultural para practicar los mandatos informales (video, PDF & Powerpoint)

Modales EspañaLos mandatos informales, informal «tú» commands, can be a bit challenging at first because you must remember to conjugate the verb differently depending on whether the command is affirmative (Yes! Do it! ¡Sí! ¡Hazlo!) or negative (No! Don´t do it! ¡No! ¡No lo hagas!) This cultural presentation will take you on a journey of table manners around the world while practicing affirmative versus negative tú commands.

Objectives: 

  • Practice conjugating affirmative and negative tú commands
  • Practice vocabulary about food & the table
  • Make cultural connections about table manners

First, conjugate the verbs in this handout: Modales curiosos: Mandatos Informales Handout

Now, see how you did with this video lesson!

Also, here’s a Powerpoint presentation based on this lesson (especially for teachers!): Modales Internacionales Powerpoint

Share your reflections and what you´ve learned in the questions at the bottom of the handout. Do you think any of these tips for international table manners will come in handy someday?

Modales México

The images in the presentation were adapted for educational purposes from an infographic & article by Huffingtion Post España.

Also, thank you to the Teaching & Learning Spanish Blog Facebook Page for sharing the Huffington Post article.

If you would like to share these materials, please do so by providing a link to this blog post. Thank you!

Update: A typo in the handout has been corrected (10-8-2018)!

Update: This post has been changed & updated to include the video lesson (5-21-2020)! We re-posted to the front page of the blog for visibility without deleting the previous link for those who may have saved it.