This week, our 4th grade students enjoyed a very special reading session as part of their English lesson. While continuing their extensive reading of King Arthur and the Sword, we decided to take learning one step further by connecting the story with the cultural elements from this month’s unit.
In November, the travelling characters from Diversicus, a circus group from their “Be Curious textbook” that visits different countries in each unit, arrive in Spain, the central theme of the month. As students reviewed facts about the country, its traditions, and its capital city, Madrid, a simple idea brought the lesson to life: if Diversicus is in Madrid, why not experience a little of Madrid ourselves?
And so, our students enjoyed authentic hot chocolate, a well-known favourite in everyday life in Madrid. With warm cups in hand, the class gathered to read and discuss the beloved story King Arthur and the Sword, creating a cosy atmosphere that blended literature, culture, and shared experience.
While reading, students explored meaningful connections between the story and the real world:
● Spain is a kingdom, just like the setting in King Arthur.
● England and Spain are both located in Europe.
● Both have a king and queen, allowing students to reflect on similarities between fiction and real cultural structures.
They also participated in a small “conversatorio,” where they discussed the characters, shared their opinions about the story, and reflected on what they found interesting or surprising. This conversation, combined with the experience of tasting a bit of Spanish culture, enriched the reading session and allowed students to practice English in a relaxed and meaningful way, using language beyond the page, in ways that felt authentic, enjoyable, and connected to their senses and imagination.
It was a lovely session, full of curiosity, warmth, and conversation. Moments like these remind us that English can be lived, felt, and shared, turning every class into a meaningful opportunity to learn, discover, and connect.
