Spanish Students Explore Global Impact of Fast Fashion Through Cross-Level Project

Canterbury students in Spanish Level IV Honors and Spanish Level I Honors recently participated in a cross-level project that connected language learning with a real-world global issue.

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As part of their unit on the Atacama Desert in Chile, Spanish Level IV Honors students created infographics focused on the environmental impact of fast fashion. Their work explored the growing issue of discarded clothing accumulating in the desert, along with the long-term environmental effects of materials such as polyester, which can take up to 200 years to decompose.

The project challenged students to research, analyze data, and communicate their findings in Spanish. Each infographic included a QR code linking to a student-created audio recording, allowing viewers to hear students explain their topic, describe statistics, and discuss the issue in Spanish. Students also presented their infographics in class, speaking about what they learned without reading directly from their projects. This allowed them to demonstrate spontaneous communication and a deeper understanding of the topic.

For many students, the project was personally meaningful. Liya B. ’27 reflected, “Este proyecto me ha abierto los ojos. Yo valoro proteger el medio ambiente, y ahora quiero ser más consciente de mis hábitos de compra.” In English, she shared, “This project has been an eye-opener for me. I value protecting the environment, and I now want to be more mindful of my shopping habits.”

Spanish Level I Honors students also engaged with the project in a meaningful way. Each student selected an infographic, scanned the QR code, listened to the Spanish recording, reviewed the infographic, and wrote in English what they understood. Glossaries included on the infographics helped make the content accessible for novice learners.

Students then collaborated in small groups to refine their understanding and build confidence before exploring the issue more deeply through authentic resources, including video content. The experience gave beginning Spanish students the opportunity to engage with advanced-level work while connecting language learning to an important global conversation.

The project highlighted how students across levels can learn from one another while developing their Spanish language skills, engaging with authentic content, and considering how individual choices can impact the world around them.