Culture and history go hand-in-hand with language learning. Civilizations lived in today’s Mexico long before the Spanish colonizers arrived. The activity I am highlighting today is based on the makech beetles, decorated beetles from the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico worn as living jewelry. The tradition of transforming these beetles into brooches originates from an old Mayan legend.

As a Spanish teacher, I have always dreaded teaching numbers in Spanish. Numbers as a lesson topic certainly pales in comparison with topics such as animals or food. After years of using traditional learning methods such as counting together and simple repetition activities, I have finally found a fun and enjoyable approach all my students are excited for!