Just getting started with Calico Spanish? This post is made specifically with you in mind! Whether you’re a classroom teacher or a traveling specialist with a cart, this guide is designed to help you feel confident and equipped from Day One. We have all of the Spanish classroom setup tips ready for you to get started teaching this school year.

Calico Spanish is a comprehensive, story-based curriculum that makes Spanish accessible, engaging, and meaningful for elementary learners—and for the teachers guiding them, even if you’re not fluent yourself. If you are looking for an overview of the Calico Spanish curriculum, click here! 

Let’s explore how to organize your teaching space—whether it’s a full classroom or a mobile cart—and which essential supplies you’ll want from Day One.

Spanish Classroom Setup Tips

For Classroom-Based Teachers

If you have a dedicated Spanish room or corner in your classroom, consider:

• Visual Language Wall: Display posters from Calico Spanish (colors, feelings, calendar, animals). These anchor visuals will be referenced in daily routines. Our posters are included in your subscription for you to print. Alternatively, You can purchase our posters here!

• Establish a Calendar & Routine Station
  Set up a simple area for “Calendar Talk” with days of the week, weather vocabulary, and daily greetings. Limited on wall space? Calico Spanish also includes a digital calendar version—ideal for projecting or displaying on a smartboard.

• Showcase Student Work
  Reserve space for student-created art, vocabulary mini-books, or comic strip retells. It builds ownership and joy in language learning.

For Traveling/Carts-Based Teachers

You can deliver an immersive experience on wheels! Try this Spanish classroom setup if you teach on a cart:

• A three-tiered rolling cart with labeled bins:

  • Top tier: Daily visuals, class lists, copies of activity sheets for the day.

  • Middle tier: Flash cards, puppets, manipulatives.

  • Bottom tier: Basic classroom supplies, extra printouts.

• It is important to have access to a projector or interactive display to project the digital components of the curriculum to learners. Use a portable speaker and tablet or laptop for playing songs and videos.

• Zip pouches or folders per grade or class can keep things organized between classrooms.

Must-Have Supply List for Spanish Teachers

Calico Spanish provides PDFs of the posters, flashcards, activity sheets, and comics that you need. We also sell them in add-on bundles so you can save time and $$ at the printer. Here’s what we recommend having on hand to make your Spanish class flow smoothly:

Core Calico Spanish Materials:

• Student Activity Sheets or Workbooks (Levels A–D)

• Comic Book Readers for each level

• Flashcards (organized by unit or level)

• Posters for wall or portable use

Teaching Essentials:

• Mini dry erase boards or pouches and markers

• Sticky notes (perfect for “label the room” vocab hunts!)

• Magnets, Velcro dots, painter’s tape

• Plastic page protectors and clipboards

• Class set of scissors, glue sticks, and crayons

Interactive Props:

• Puppets for class dialogues (you will find that we provide Calico Spanish character finger puppets in the curriculum!)

• Toy food or household items for TPR and play

• Real-world objects (realia) for role-play

• Craft supplies for cultural connections (piñatas, papel picado)

FAQs from Spanish Teachers about Calico Spanish

Do I need to speak fluent Spanish to teach this?
Nope! The curriculum is designed to guide you as well. The video stories, embedded vocabulary, and teaching notes will support you every step of the way.

How much time should I plan for prep?
Minimal. The lesson plans are step-by-step and come with ready-to-go materials. Prep mostly involves printing. The most labor intensive prep will be assembling the flashcards for each unit. If time is not on your side, we recommend purchasing our visual add-ons!  

Do I need a projector?
We recommend having access to a projector or large screen if you are presenting the content to learners in a large group setting. For small groups, you may find that an iPad or other tablet is sufficient.

How can I send videos home with learners to watch?
Great news! We offer School-to-Home video access specifically for schools who want learners to have access to the curriculum at home. You can learn more about that by clicking here! 

Final Thoughts: Spanish Teacher Ready from Day One

Whether you’re setting up a full Spanish classroom or building your world language program from a cart, Calico Spanish equips you with meaningful content, engaging visuals, and a story-based approach aligned to ACTFL Can-Do Statements. With the right materials and a bit of planning, you’ll be ready to guide your learners on a joyful language journey from the very first class.

🛒 Ready to get organized? Shop classroom bundles and visuals to support your Spanish classroom setup!