Pen Friends

This year my students had the opportunity to be pen pals with students in New York thanks to my 3rd grade teacher: Mrs Flynn. This year she was teaching 6th grade- the perfect age to be friends with my little spaniards. Her 29 students were divided up between my 7 sixth graders and 16 fifth graders, and  7 lucky students had 2 pen pals.

My students had a golden opportunity to learn about another culture and to practice their English. Some cultural differences brought up:
1) Calling your teacher by their first name
2) Where does your dad live if he doesn't live in your house?
3) Why does she only have a mom?
4) It snows in New York, not in Valencia
5) In Valencia, students go home for lunch
6) Valencians eat rabbit
7) Futbol/Soccer

Some similarities:
1) Everyone likes Pizza and Ice cream
2) Most students dislike Math
3)Physical education is the favorite class
4) Video games RULE
5)Kids in both countries speak Spanish

I really enjoyed helping my students with the letters, and reading the responses. A lot of them made me laugh and Im glad to have given my students the opportunity to write to children on the other side of the world. They are so excited about their new friends in New York!

Here is a video we all worked on to tell our new New York friends about their school, their culture, and their language!