Patricia and I are happy to say: habemus guía. Arroz con cosas now has a Teacher’s Guide, and it is a great one. You can get it from your favourite comprehensible books distributors: CPLI, VOCES Unplugged, and Bryce Hedstrom.
What is Arroz con cosas about
Arroz con cosas is a comprehensible novel for beginner Spanish learners. It is a fun, heartwarming story inspired by real culinary controversies around paella, the rise of questionable “paella” recipes online, and the passionate defense of authentic paella valenciana by proud Valencians. The Teacher’s Guide gives you flexible, classroom-ready resources to teach the novel with confidence.
Remei is a 75-year-old retired cook and a local legend for her paella valenciana. For her, paella is tradition, culture, and serious business. She has strong opinions about what belongs in a paella and what does not. Now retired, with a phone and time on her hands, she discovers a new threat on Instagram. Influencers are posting “paellas” with sushi, chorizo, avocado, even ketchup. That is not paella. That is arroz con cosas. “¡Qué horror! This cannot be allowed.” With no internet experience and no followers, Remei sets out to become an influencer and tell the world the truth about authentic paella.
Arroz con cosas explores universal themes with humor and heart: cultural identity, generational wisdom, the role of elders, and the idea that you are never too old to start a trend.
To support the reading of Arroz con cosas, we created a comprehensive Teacher’s Guide with creative classroom activities and culturally relevant resources. Let me show you what is inside.
What you will find in the Teacher’s Guide
Two-day Introductory Module. Build background on the title, storyline, characters, and cultural context. Make Spanish–English vocabulary connections. Introduce the creators behind the story. Help students understand what paella is and what arroz con cosas is, so they are ready for the controversy at the heart of the book.
Collections of visuals for Picture Talk and MovieTalk. Memes about arroz, “What is paella?”, “What is arroz con cosas?”, paella songs and adverts, photos of arroz con cosas, Fallas celebrations with paellas, controversial paellas, and official paella emojis. Pick and choose before reading or as the paella competition unfolds.
Editable slideshows for Chapters 1 to 17. Customizable slides grouped by vocabulary, themes, and topics for structured, engaging lessons. Each chapter includes:
- Personal questions
- Clear lesson goals
- A vocabulary builder activity, with links to Gimkit sets
- Comprehension questions with answer key
- A post-reading activity
Professionally recorded audiobook. Narrated by Valencian voice artist Carles Teruel. Great for pronunciation, listening, and independent reading.
Five easy nonfiction cultural readings. Short texts on Barracas of Valencia, paella influencers, Fallas and paella, paella controversies, and Valencia’s 2024 floods.
Flexible use
Teach it live, print it as worksheets, or assign it as a sub plan for students to complete independently. Every component can be printed or projected, depending on what you need.
These materials are designed to spark meaningful conversations about authenticity, cultural change, and how we preserve heritage in a changing world. We hope you and your students enjoy this story as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life. ¡Buen provecho!
Get the guide from
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