NOV20
All country briefings

Europe · Country briefing

Spain

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Madrid
  • Population
    ~48 million
  • Time zone
    Europe/Madrid (UTC +1)
  • Currency
    Euro (EUR)
Spain, with Madrid marked
loading map…

Climate in November: Mild autumn; warmer in the south.

Madrid, the capital of Spain

The capital

Madrid

Photo · Unsplash

Fun facts

What makes Spain a bit special.

  • La Tomatina

    A giant tomato fight every August

  • Flamenco

    Dance with hand-claps and guitar

  • Sagrada Família

    Cathedral being built for 140+ years

  • Tapas

    Small plates shared with friends

  • Sunshine

    Over 300 sunny days a year in the south

  • Football

    Two of the world's biggest clubs

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🐈

    Iberian lynx

    One of the rarest cats in the world

  • 🐻

    Brown bear

    Lives in the Cantabrian mountains

  • 🐐

    Spanish ibex

    A mountain goat with curling horns

  • 🦅

    Bonelli's eagle

    Hunts rabbits in the highlands

  • 🦭

    Mediterranean monk seal

    Very rare, lives in sea caves

School life

In a Spain classroom

Many schools include English from a young age.

Typical school day: Often 09:00–14:00 or split with a long break.

School year: September to June.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • ¡Hola!
    Spanish
  • Bon dia!
    Catalan

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01What languages are spoken in your region?
  2. 02What time do you eat lunch?
  3. 03What sports do you play?
  4. 04What's your favourite festival?
  5. 05Where in Spain do you live?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹSpain has multiple co-official languages by region.
  • ℹLunch is often the main meal of the day.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Tortilla
    • Paella
    • Churros
    • Jamón

  • Music

    • Flamenco
    • Pop
    • Reggaeton

  • Sport

    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis

  • Festivals

    • Tres Reyes (Jan)
    • Local fiestas year-round
Reflection prompts
  • “How would lunchtime as the main meal change your day?”
  • “What language would you like to learn from Spain?”

Could your class meet Spain?

Choose Spainwhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom