Students in Grade 8 have been studying the rich culture and geography of South America to gain a better understanding of the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. They completed a digital escape room consisting of five puzzles to learn about the culture and unique geography, which has shaped the experiences of each country. One example of a cultural tradition is Carnaval, an annual five day celebration before the Catholic Lent that begins on Ash Wednesday. The roots of this celebration come from the Roman Catholics, who refused to eat meat on certain days as a way of driving away bad things from their life. Nowadays, this holiday is seen more as a tourist attraction and as a day for people to have a good time together while continuing the tradition. In addition to the cultural traditions, students learned about the geography of South America. Students learned about the Andes Mountains, the Amazon River, the rainforest in Brazil, and the desert in Chile. They then made beautiful watercolor paintings of the many different landscapes in South America, celebrating the diversity of this region.