Last unit of the year ?!? La Copa Mundial!

Aaaah, sports... not everyone is into them, but they are such a big part of so many cultures.

Why? Because they bring joy, hope, laughter, pride, and unity. 

(Here is my favorite example that I share with students to start the unit. I was at that game five days after I had run and finished the 2013 marathon. Scroll down for another, longer description of another special moment for me.)

And that is why I love teaching about La Copa Mundial, especially during a year that it is happening, like this year! This unit is such a good way to end with my seniors (I have two and a half more weeks with them and four more weeks with the underclassmen). The songs are positive and uplifting and full of cultural products, practices, and perspectives!

Not all students are interested in sports, so how to hook them?!? The music!!! Even my most anti-sports students end up loving this unit because of the music. I have been teaching a Copa Mundial unit since 2011 (here is what I started... it is so much better now!)

This year, I am using most of Nelly Hughes' excellent resources, but I have also compiled a unit packet that includes:

• Essential Questions for the unit
• A possible assessment with a rubric
• Questions to start discussing sports and their role in culture
• Questions to answer while navigating the Fifa site
• A question about this infografía,
• Questions about this infografía 
• An adapted Buzzfeed article (35 Cosas que harían los mexicanos con tal de ver a México ganar el Mundial) with questions
• And most importantly ----> activities for SEVEN of the NEW SONGS/VIDEOS  #Engagement 
• Four basic interpretive reading activities (read an article and answer questions in English) for four of the songs 

You can find it here on TPT ($5.00). NO LONGER AVAILABLE BECAUSE NO LONGER RELEVANT BECAUSE IT IS 2022

And here is my playlist (with all seven songs plus some other songs and videos) for the unit: 

My other special sports moment... 

I was in Costa Rica in 2014 with students when their team made it the farthest that they had ever made it. When we arrived, the ticos were sooooo proud and excited, but they all said that they wouldn't win the next game against the Netherlands.

We watched the game in Arenal at the hot springs with lots of tourists, but also with ticos. Everyone watched the entire time,  and many were singing and cheering for most of the game. Even my students started to cheer and sing once they actually realized what was happening. Costa Rica played amazingly well and the game was tied at the end. It went into penalty kicks... you could feel the hope and excitement that they could actually win, but Costa Rica ended up losing. It was a heartbreaker! But the way they fans reacted was incredible. At the end of the game, the ticos were clearly and obviously disappointed for a moment, but then started cheering and chanting --- it was a pretty special thing to be a part of. And my students got to experience it too! Talk about CULTURAL practices and perspectives!!