Bring Food "to Life" for Students Studying Spanish!

I teach 1st and 2nd year Spanish, including a freshman self-contained Special Education class, in a high school in the Bronx. The vast majority of my students are visual and/or kinesthetic learners who respond to hands-on activities. I use many flashcards when teaching them Spanish vocabulary, but would like to bring more pizazz to a unit on foods. Food is a high-interest area, and having props for the students to manipulate will increase their interest in learning new vocabulary. The addition of such props to our classroom will also enable us to carry out more student-centered activities in authentic situations. For example, students can simulate a market excursion and buy items from each other, or put together shopping lists of food (in Spanish, of course) necessary for a meal they will prepare, and then go “shopping” for the items. The students will be able to communicate with each other about the foods they see/have/hold. Some of the food items will also enable us to role-play in a restaurant setting. In my experience, students remember the vocabulary that they acquire in “authentic” situations. Your donation will enable them to acquire and practice vocabulary related to food & meals.