I love singing and acting out the song La Muralla! For the very first time, I saw it performed by Chilean math teachers who recently visited our middle school. It is quite an emotional, catchy song with strong symbols and actions that could be presented visually through artwork by the students, props, and pantomime. Consider posting the lyrics to the chorus and teaching the audience that repetitive chorus as well as part of the assembly as an fine ending to the program. The Chileans had us hold hands and sway with the music; it was an experience I will never forget! The non-Spanish speaking people there were also blown away by this song and were eager to learn and understand the lyrics. If your students have a good foundation in Spanish, they should be able to handle the lyrics. Nicholás Guillén, the poet-author, is Cuban. Read his interesting biography. Quilapayún, a Chilean singing group, performs it well. Their albums are available through amazon.com.
Another excellent alternative song to present is Paz y Libertad by José-Luis Orozco in his CD De Colores. Children act out the different lines with gestures. One year I had a small group of the children holding little white doves they had made and making peace signs at the correct moment. For the no más parts, the children would show signs with the objects/actions crossed out, i.e. no más bombas poster shows a nuclear bomb with a line through it. I also have incorporated the Statue of Liberty that has opened and is still opening her arms to so many immigrants. Immigration is a topic that is usually a part of middle school curriculum anyway. Consider using the flags of the individual Spanish-speaking nations which make up the current immigrant population. If you consider mentioning the countries, I would also consider somehow pointing out the fact that Puerto Rico is part of the United States, as well, as most people are ignorant of this important point.
Since both these songs emphasize the beauty and the attainability of world peace, investigate the World Peace Project for Children for more ideas. The mission of the World Peace Project for Children is "to promote world peace by educating children about global matters that concern them and by giving them tools to build positive connections with children in other cultures." And isn't the latter point exactly what we FLES teachers are doing with the children we teach? Explore the many peace resources I have accumulated. My children love the "The One World Kids 'Hi' Sign."
By concentrating on one theme for the assembly -- world peace, you will have much success. Expand on that theme with decorations, costumes, posters, songs, choral movement, etc. And make sure you and your children enjoy what you plan to do together. Present your ideas and have them brainstorm for more input with you having the deciding vote to the options created. I have found that if I don't feel comfortable and confident about an activity or a presentation, this message quickly gets transferred to my students and I face various forms of negative participation.
Regarding a limited budget, I have worked wonders with rainbow hues of large rolls of crepe paper and jumbo rolls of masking tape. I cover the entrance doors to the gym with crepe paper "curtains" --- strips of crepe paper that all the children and adults have to pass through; they are thrilled and it sets an upbeat, excited tone to the activity. With adult volunteers and big ladders, we also cover the rest of the gym ceiling and walls with crepe paper for more festiveness. I play lively Spanish music until the actual production begins. And, instead of having children in rows watching the stage, I have the individual classes sit around the sides of the gymnasium and the children perform in the round. Everyone then gets a bird's eye view.
¡Buen éxito!
