Spanish Level 2, Activity 07: Vamos al supermercado / Let’s Go to the Supermarket (Face-to-Face)

Created Dec. 3, 2024 by Amber Hoye, Madi Goertzen, Gabby Bates, Abby Cain, Claire Werlin, Alejandra Garcia, Sue Juarez, Mardy Morales, Borja Aguilera, Scott Watford, Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

Activity modified the 13th of May by Scott Watford.

Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner.  — The Pathways Project

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  • Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
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Vamos al supermercado / Lets go to the supermarket! Novice High

Proficiency Level:

Novice High

Description:

In this activity, students will go shopping at different grocery stores in search of the best prices for their foods. Students will use vocabulary involving food, money, and numbers. They will also learn about culture through use of discussing grocery stores. Students will also learn how to ask and answer questions about shopping and selling. 

Keywords:

Groceries, Shopping, Store, Food, Supermarket, Prices

World Readiness Standards:

  • Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
  • Standard 1.2 - Students understand and interpret spoken and written Spanish on a variety of topics.
  • Standard 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas in Spanish to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
  • Standard 2.2 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of Hispanic cultures.

Idaho State World Language Standards:

  • COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
  • COMM 2.1 - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
  • CLTR 1.3 Function appropriately in diverse contexts within the target culture.

Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can ask for the cost of food items
  • I can identify common food ingredients 
  • I can compare/contrast the price of food items from different grocery stores
  • I can compare/contrast how prices are written in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking countries (Intercultural)

Materials Needed (hyperlinked):

  • Click the materials listed below to access.

Would you like to make changes to the materials? Access the template(s) below:

- Grocery Lists (Canva template, free account required)

- Food Cards  (Canva template, free account required)

Warm-up

1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity. 

“Hoy vamos a ir al supermercado. Aquí están los Can-Do statements, vamos a leerlos." 

2.  La Cultura- Show the slide labeled "La Cultura". Explain how in the United States a period is used, while in some Spanish-speaking countries, and many other countries around the world, a comma is used when writing a price. 

En los Estados Unidos se usa el punto (period), mientras en otros países se usa la coma para escribir el precio de algo."

3.  Give each student a whiteboard & marker. Have them set up their whiteboards so that they can put six items in order from least expensive to most expensive. 

"En sus pizarras, pongan una linea como ésta (example on the Google slide) para poner en orden los objetos del más barato al más caro."

4.  Put the six Food Cards on the whiteboard in a random order. Tell students that they need to list the items in order from least expensive to most expensive on their whiteboards.

"Voy a poner seis fotos en la pizarra. En tu pizarra, vas a hacer una lista de las comidas en orden de la más barata a la más cara, según tu opinión."
¿Cuál es la comida más cara? ¿Cuál es la más barata? ¿Cuál está en medio?"

5. The next slides will show the items in the correct order from least expensive to most expensive along with the prices of each item in PESOS. The exchange rate is 1 peso is equal to 5-6 cents, but this rate changes constantly. (Note: You can show them how to find the current exchange rate linked here.)

"Las próximas diapositivas van a tener las cosas en orden de la más barata a la más cara y también tienen los precios de los objetos en PESOS. El  peso vale más o menos cinco o seis centavos, pero el valor cambia continuamente."

Main Activity

1. Split the students into two different groups. Half the students will be owners or employees of a grocery store using the advertisements. The other half of the students will have a grocery list they must "shop" for.  (Note: This is the recommended distribution, you may distribute the students in the best way for your class.) 

2. Have students who "own" or "work" at a grocery store spread out in the room. The students with the lists will have to find the store that offers the cheapest options for the items on their lists. They will then write down the price for the item and the store they “bought” the item from.  

3. After the round ends, repeat by having the students switch roles. 
*Note: Make sure each "shopping" student has a different list (they are numbered at the top).  

"Ustedes tienen que encontrar la tienda más barata para comprar la comida. Los estudiantes que tienen las listas de comida en los "supermercados" van a ser los vendedores. Entonces, van a escribir en sus pizarras el precio de cada cosa que compras y en cuál tienda la compraron. "               

4.  Tell your students:
"La mitad de ustedes tiene una lista de compras (groceries) y la otra mitad tiene un anuncio de un supermercado. ” 
“Ustedes tienen que encontrar la tienda más barata para comprar sus abastos. Los estudiantes que tienen las listas de abastos van a ser los vendedores. Entonces, van a escribir en sus pizarras el precio de cada objeto que compras y en qué tienda lo compraron.” 

5. Have students talk about reflection questions with their partner once they have "bought" all their items and if time permits.

"Ahora, van responder a algunas preguntas de reflexión con su pareja." 

¿Qué vegetal fue el más barato? ¿Dónde lo compraste? ¿Cuánto costó?

¿En cuál(es) tienda(s) compraron más de una cosa?

¿De todas tus compras, cuál alimento costó menos? ¿Cuánto costó?

¿Cuánto costaron todos tus alimentos en total? (Sumar los precios)

Wrap up:

Ask students the following wrap-up questions:

¿Qué alimentos compras frecuentemente en el supermercado?

¿Qué no compras frecuentemente?

End of lab:

• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. 
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.) 
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can ask for the cost of food items
  • I can identify common food ingredients 
  • I can compare/contrast the price of food items from different grocery stores
  • I can compare/contrast how prices are written in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking countries (Intercultural)
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