A Spain global studies unit for homeschool, worldschool or just for fun.
We've gotten out of our Global Smarties rhythm so I wanted to get us back on track with a straightforward global studies week. Spain Week was a lot of fun! We always love learning about artists so that helped the week move along well. A quick warning that material for Spain is a little tricky to find because lots of "Spain" searches for material simply turn up Spanish language material.
Printables
All of this week's information in an easy-to-read printable.
On the Dining Room Wall
This map of Spain
Art from my calendar cut-outs
Art from Wikipedia from Goya's page, Velazquez's page, Picasso's page and Gaudi's page.
Books
One from each category plus an assortment of picture books is usually just perfect.
Not all book series are as good as the next. Get the scoop on some of our favorites here.
Library Haul
Not all of these books will get read. Most library systems allow you to browse online and put books on hold. They'll round them up for you and deliver them to your local branch. It's a big time saver!
Base Non-Fiction Books:
Read every word or simply flip through and reach what catches your eye.
Spain week has so much art and we learned a bit about several of them. Instead of just one nonfiction book about Spain we went through several smaller artist profile books
Artists Profiles:
Base Fiction Chapter Book:
Some of these books are part of a series but all of them work as standalone books.
Younger Learners:
Calvino (Horse Diaries #14) My girls love this series that is told through the eyes of horses throughout history. This one, set in 1570 Spain is about a strong-willed Andalusian horse.
Older Learners:
Shadow of a Bull (by Maia Wojciechowska) We didn't actually read this one but it looked pretty good.
Picture Books
Library inventories vary so much with picture books. Rather than wasting time tracking down specific ones, I like to do keyword searches and just grab what's available.
Search these keywords:
We liked these books:
Katie and the Spanish Princess (by James Mayhew)
Lumpito and the Painter from Spain (by Monica Kulling)
The Three Musicians (by Veronique Massenot)
The Story of Ferdinand (by Robert Lawson)
Don Quixote and the Windmills (by Eric A. Kimmel)
Maria the Matador (by Anne Lambelet)
Things to Listen to/Watch*
Mouk S2, E4 - Paella and the Grapes of Luck (Watch on YouTube here)
Super Wings S2, E34 - Barcelona Birdhouse
*Always vet material before watching it with your kids, especially if they are sensitive viewers. I try to note any potential issues but everyone has different parenting thresholds of what they consider appropriate.
Interactive Learning: Crafts, Food, Activities
Make your own Spanish tapas or eat out at a Spanish restaurant.
Are their any art museums nearby that have pieces by Spanish artists?
End of Week Movie Night Ideas
Segue Ideas... Portugal Week
Wrap Up
We had so much fun with Spain week. We actually did Spain week a few years ago as well and here's a picture of my girls doing mosaic sticker art after learning about Gaudi.
All of this material would work great for a BLANK homeschool unit or, in our case, just some fun, extra learning.
Final Moment
In 2020 we had to cancel our trip to Spain with the kids. Instead, I'll leave you with a picture from 2009 of a Barcelona sidewalk view from our apartment.
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