Falles

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/falles

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary location?Valencia, Spain
2. What is the artistic medium?Monumental, satirical sculptures ('ninots') made from wood, cardboard, and papier-mâché
3. What are the Falles festival and ninots?The Falles festival is a big celebration in Valencia where huge colorful statues called ninots are built and later set on fire. They are made from wood, cardboard, and papier-mâché.
4. Why do people burn the ninots at the end of the festival?The burning, called La Cremà, symbolizes cleaning away winter and starting spring again. It lets the community say goodbye to the past and welcome the future.

Ninots: Large, elaborate, and often satirical sculptures central to the Falles festival, built to be burned.
La Cremà: The grand finale of the Falles festival, a ritualistic burning of the ninots symbolizing purification and renewal.
Artistas Falleros: Skilled artisans who design and construct the monumental ninots for the festival.
Comisiones Falleras: Local committees responsible for organizing, funding, and exhibiting the ninots in their neighborhoods.