¡Primeros días de clases! 1st Days!

Beginning-of-the-year highlights:

1st & 2nd Grade

In first and second grade we reviewed the rules and then read Davíd va al colegio by David Shannon. This book is great because of its simple language and funny illustrations. It also reinforces a lot of the vocabulary that I use in the classroom.  

2nd grade- Manzanita del Perú game

Students played the game "Manzanita del Perú" to review phrases "¿Cómo te llamas?" (What is your name?) and "¿Cuántos años tienes?" (How old are you?)       
   Manzanita del Perú, (Little apple of Perú) 

   ¿Cómo te llamas tú? (What is your name?)

  Manzanita del Perú, (Little apple of Perú) 

   ¿Cuántos años tienes  (How old are you?)

To make it more like a game, I have students spell their name and pass the apple as they say each letter. On the last letter, the students with the apple stands up and becomes a "judge".  I play until all students are standing except for the winner! We do the same with age, except each person says a number, instead of a letter.

3rd Grade

Students begin the year by learning the emotions and people in the school. A great way to practice both is by reading the book, ¡ No te comas a la maestra ! (Don't Eat the Teacher) by Nick Ward. This book is about a shark, Samuel, who is muy nervioso on the first day of school. Unforunately when he is nervous, he eats everything! His friends have to remind him, "No te comas a la maestra (Don't eat the teacher)!"

4th grade- Fortune Tellers

After reviewing all of the colors in Spanish as well as numbers 1-15 and Spanish greeting questions, students get to make and use fortune tellers.  We also spell out color words using the Spanish alphabet and do color "math problems" (rojo + azul = morado). Finally, we practice with an online game and speed quiz!

Check out this color website!
http://www.spanishspanish.com/colors/color_menu.html

5th grade ¿Cómo se dice...? 

Scavenger Hunt/Video

I start off fifth grade with a letter to each student explaining my goal for the year is to prepare them for future foreign language classes. They will be expected to speak more Spanish in class and will do more writing and reading than in the past (because they are ready for it!).  I also tell them they will be doing a lot more projects and speaking activities independently this year. 

    Students also do a         scavenger hunt to    practice the "frase imporante": ¿Cómo se dice...? (How do you say...?) Students have to find all of the labels around the classroom and find out how to say/spell words like "pencil sharpener" and "tissues". It helps students to also locate these items in the classroom!

Students also watch a video called, "The Importance of Being Bilingual". Watch it now and see why you think it is important to speak more than one language!