This week the 8th graders read about Carnaval, which is celebrated in many Spanish-speaking countries. The celebration occurs right before the Lenten season, which Spanish-Speaking Catholics celebrate. We read about how different countries have slightly different variations of how they celebrate Carnaval. In the Spanish Canary Islands, many of the colorful costumes have an African influence because the Canary Islands are located off of the coast of Africa. In Barranquilla, Colombia, the celebration is a combination of indigenous, African and European traditions. 
