Spanish Back to School Ice Breaker Activity - Comecocos (Fortune Tellers)

 How to Use Comecocos (Fortune Tellers) as an Ice Breaker Activity for Spanish Class


One of my students’ favorite activities we’ve done at the start of a new school year is making Comecocos!

It’s a great community building activity that gets students out of their seats, and talking to one another.


Comecocos are the fortune teller origami crafts you may remember making in elementary school. Sometimes they’re referred to as “Cootie Catchers” too!

Comecocos are the fortune teller origami crafts you may remember making in elementary school.

I use a template that has “Question Ideas” for students to create their own 8 questions.

I typically do this activity with my Spanish 2, 3 and 4 classes, because they have prior knowledge of Spanish, yet the questions can be quite basic - a perfect way to start the year!

template that has “Question Ideas” for students to create their own 8 questions.


My basic lesson plan is as follows:


  1. Each student will need a Comecocos template. They will write in 8 questions, either using the list for inspiration, or creating their own.

  2. Once they’re done writing their questions, they can choose 4 different colors to color in the outer squares.

  3. I model each of the following steps, to ensure nobody cuts or folds the wrong thing! 

    1. First, they will cut out the entire square template.

    2. Then we will watch the “How-To” video, pausing and making sure everyone is at the same step, before moving on.

Partially folded Comecocos origami craft

  1. Then I model with a student and my own comecocos, what the rest of the activity will look like. I point to and emphasize the projected student instructions as well. 

    1. Start by asking “¿Cómo te llamas?” if you don’t already know the classmate’s name.

    2. Then ask, “¿Qué color?”.

      1. If they say “amarillo” open and close the cootie catcher for each syllable, saying each syllable of “amarillo” as you do that. “A-ma-ri-llo” (so you will have opened and closed the cootie catcher 4 times)

    3. Then ask, “¿Cuál número?”

      1. If they say “siete”, you will open and close the cootie catcher 7 times, counting up to 7. “Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete”

    4. Then ask again, “¿Cuál número?”

      1. Whatever number they say this time, you open up the flap, and ask them the question. 

        1. The classmate should answer the question, in Spanish of course!

      2. If it makes sense, follow up with another question for more details.

    5. Then, the classmate who answered your questions will repeat the whole process, asking you the questions. 

Completed origami comecocos craft, opened slightly to reveal 2 of the 8 questions.

  1. Then students should find a new classmate to converse with using their Comecocos!


TIPS:

  1. You can do this activity for however long you wish! Generally, students are excited to get out of their seats, and ask each other their questions using their cute creations.

  2. Do your students’ schedules change at trimester or semester like mine? This activity is a fun ice-breaker activity to do mid-year, when it’s a new trimester/semester, and the students are in a different period of Spanish. It can help the students warm up to each other, and build classroom community!

  3. This next tip actually came from some of my students! 

    1. They had so much fun, that they wanted me to save their Comecocos in a box. 

    2. Every now and then, we’d pull out the box of Comecocos, everyone would grab a random one, and use the Comecocos to converse with one another! 


If you want to save yourself time from creating this activity, you can check out a Preview by clicking here.

It includes:

✅ 2 Editable Templates with “Question Ideas” for students to create their own Fortune Teller; Template 1 has numbers 1-8 and Template 2 has numbers 0-100

✅ Detailed Teacher Instructions explaining the times of the year, and ways to use this activity

✅Projectable Student Instructions with a How-To video linked on Youtube


I’d love to see your students’ Comecocos! Tag me on instagram @espanolconemily if you try this activity out with your students!


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