Did you know the answers to last week's trivia questions?

In what century did the Moors invade southern Spain?
The 8th century
At which Mexican port did Cortés arrive to conquer the Aztecs?
Veracruz
During which centuries were the Reyes Católicos in power?
The 15th and 16th centuries

Trivia

Every Friday our starter activity is a cultural or geographical trivia question. Here are some of the questions from today. Do you know any of the answers?

• In what century did the Moors invade southern Spain?
• At which Mexican port did Cortés arrive to conquer the Aztecs?
• During which centuries were the Reyes Católicos in power?

Check back next week for the answers. Have a great weekend!

7th grade clothing store projects

This week the 7th grade students are working on a clothing store project. It is listed as being due on Tuesday November 10 on the test schedule. Because there are a couple of projects due in other classes this week the new due date for the clothing store project will be Monday, November 16th.

Los esqueletos

This week for el día de los muertos, los estudiantes del 8o assembled and decorated colorful skeletons as is tradition in Mexico for those who celebrate el día de los muertos. Here are the finished projects. Felicidades to the skeletons from each class that won after all the Spanish students voted!!

3rd hour skeletons

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5th hour skeletons

***************************6th hour skeletons

El día de los muertos

This weekend while many Americans celebrate Halloween, many Mexicans and their families will celebrate a holiday known as el día de los muertos. El día de los muertos is a holiday in which families take time to remember their loved ones who have died. Rather than being a solemn occasion, it is like a celebration of that person's life and memory. This holiday began with the Aztecs of Mexico and their belief that death was not an end, but merely a step in the ongoing life of a person.

People who celebrate el día de los muertos spend lots of time preparing for this holiday. They build altares, altars for the deceased family member. The altares contain items that remind the family of their loved one like his/her favorite foood, magazines, movies candy, or toys if the person was a child. The altares also contain velas, candles. The family decorates their home and the grave site with cempazuchitl which are marigolds. These bright flowers are known as the flower of the dead.

The families go to the grave sites of their loved ones. They clean and decorate them and then they spend time at the cemetary reminiscing about their loved ones. This is a way for them to honor and remember their relatives.

¡Por fin llega el viernes!

What a week! A group of the 8th graders went to Washington D.C. last weekend and we got back late Monday night. The week has been a blur since then!
The 8th graders took their Explore test yesterday and a test in Spanish today on saying what has just happened, regular -er/-ir verbs and emotions. We worked on sports vocabulary today and next week we will work on vocabulary and the verb jugar (to play a sport/game).
The 7th graders started a new chapter on San Antonio, Texas this week. We saw some pictures and video clips of the Paseo del río and the Alamo in San Antonio. Today we took a quiz on our physical appearance vocabulary words and we learned clothing words.

Everybody deserves a break this weekend. Make sure you get lots of rest and keep drinking agua!!

Airlines merge

Two major airlines in Latin America, Avianca from Colombia and Taca from El Salvador are merging to form one airline that will service the Americas and Europe. This will create a major airline from two prominent airlines that are currently operating. Visit this link to read an article about the merger. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8296256.stm

Have a great weekend!!