Lesson Starters – Primary Spanish – La cultura folclórica de Veracruz

About the clip

This is one of a series of lesson starter clips for Key Stage 2 Spanish and is intended to support a specific unit of the QCDA schemes of work although it can equally be used to support many alternative schemes. The starter is aimed at learners in Years 5 and 6.

The filming was done on location in Mexico to help demonstrate that the Spanish-speaking world extends well beyond Europe. This presents an opportunity for the children to look at an atlas and discover where Mexico is in the world. We can find some differences in terms of pronunciation between the Spanish Castilian and the Mexican Castilian. The most important is the “seseo”. C and Z in Mexican are pronounced like ‘s’.

All the lesson starters (there are ten altogether) were filmed in or near a primary school in the city of Veracruz (Escuela 22 de septiembre). The city of Veracruz is found in one of the 31 states of Mexico, which is also called Veracruz. The clips also include scenes from popular celebrations.

Using the clips

The clips can be used to stimulate children’s observation of non-European Spanish-speaking environments as much as to embed and extend language learning and listening skills. The videos offer visual clues to help pupils better understand the context in which the language is spoken.

Each individual clip is short enough to be played several times; once as an introduction to the context and then for specific listening or language activities. It is a good idea to pause the video at certain points either to talk about what the children see (the context) or to break down what is being said, so the children become more accustomed to listening to the language and then identifying individual words or phrases.

Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) opportunities

All the lesson starter clips can be used on an interactive whiteboard and adapted using the whiteboard tools to capture video screen shots straight into the notebook. You can then annotate over the screen using the pen tools and make interactive resources within notebook such as spelling and vocabulary. Having captured a still image from the clip, the spotlight or reveal facility can be used to focus on one particular aspect. Using the interactive whiteboard tools, clips can be customised and broken down into even smaller chunks.

Clip 1:La cultura folclórica de Veracruz (Y5/6)

Context: Children talk about instruments that are played in the state of Veracruz to create the sound ‘jarocho’* (typical music of Veracruz). They also describe the traditional costumes.

QCDA unit 14: I am the Music Man

TRANSCRIPT: La cultura folclórica de Veracruz

Interview 1

¡Hola! Me llamo Ingrid y soy alumna del sexto grado. Tengo doce años y soy de la escuela 22 de Septiembre. Y ahora les vamos a presentar cómo mis amigos se preparan para el son Jarocho*.

Cuando nosotras las niñas bailamos el son jarocho, nos vestimos con el traje tradicional, que es éste que traigo puesto. Es una blusa blanca con un orlán, es la falda floreada, y el refajo que esto, es tejido a mano. Y en la cabeza utilizamos flores naturales. Utilizamos el cabello suelto o con una cebolla o dos trenzas.

Y los niños se visten, este, con un pañuelo, sombrero, la camisa se llama guayabera. Y el pantalón blanco y los zapatos negros.

Ahora les voy a presenter a los musicos.

Interview 2
Ingrid / ¿Qué vas a hacer?
Musician 1 / Yo voy a tocar este instrumento es el marimbol.
Ingrid / Y ¿qué sonido hace?
Musician 2 / Yo toco una jarana Segunda de cedro.
Ingrid / ¿Qué vas a hacer?
Musician 2 / Voy a interpretar unos sones tradicionales de Veracruz.
Ingrid / ¿Qué tipo de sonido hace tu jarana?
Musician 2 / Hace un sonido medio.
Ingrid / Me gusta ese sonido. Ahora vamos a entrevistar a Roel.
Roel / ¿Y qué tipo de instrumento tocas?
Roel / Yo toco la quijada de burro. Estas son las percusiones.
Ingrid / ¿Y qué vas a hacer?
Roel / Este, tocar, este, sones jarochos.
Musician 3 / Yo voy a tocar una jarana tercera.
Ingrid / ¿Y que tipo de sonido hace esa jarana tercera?
Musician 3 / éste es un sonido un poco más grave.
Musician 4 / Yo voy a tocar el instrumento, el requinto. Se llama requinto jarocho o guitarra de son.
Ingrid / ¿Y qué tipo de sonido hace su jarana?
Musician 4 / el sonido del requinto es este.
Ingrid / y a usted ¿qué tipo de música le gusta?
Musician 4 / a mí me gusta la música folclórica veracruzana.
Ingrid
Closing question / A mí también me gusta. ¿Y a ti?
¿Qué tipo de música te gusta?

Language elements

  • immediate future (voy a+ infinitivo/vamos a +infinitivo)
  • tocar + musical instrument
  • questions with “¿Qué vas a +infinitivo?”
  • simple opinions.

Suggested activities

  • Children listen for names of musical instruments and mime playing marimbol / guitar / quijada de burro, etc. as they hear these words mentioned.
  • Discuss with children what they understand by the word son (sound) and different sones they can think of e.g. high, low, loud, soft. How many different sounds are mentioned in this clip? (el son jarocho/sonido medio/sonido grave).
  • Use the internet to research traditional music from Mexico.

The consultant for the programme was Jenny Carpenter, MFL Adviser, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.