As part of their Humanities curriculum, the fifth-grade Post SIP students have focused on the geography, history, and literature of the Spanish-speaking islands: Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

Most recently, they studied Puerto Rican folklore literature that focuses on the character of Juan Bobo. These stories illustrate a key aspect of Puerto Rican life and traditions. Juan Bobo cannot get anything right and follows instructions to a fault. However, through his mishaps, Juan Bobo often points to a hidden virtue or helpful way to approach life.

After reading and analyzing traditional Juan Bobo stories, the students were given the task to create their own stories in Spanish. Students went through the full writing process in Spanish and pushed their ability to write in the language while combining their creativity with maintaining the essence of Juan Bobo. Their books had to be a minimum of 10 pages and had to include illustrations and an about the author page.

Once completed, the students “published” their writing, signed their books for inclusion into the school library, and shared their stories with the younger Spanish Immersion students.