¡Buenos Días! As the school year winds down, I am impressed by how well the students are speaking in Spanish. I applaud the efforts of the students and the parents in making Spanish learning fun and a priority. Children learn a second language at a fast pace, and immersing them in Spanish is a great way to get them interested in the Hispanic culture too. I also invite you to register your child or children between the ages of PreK and fourth grade for an intensive Spanish language immersion camp, which I will hold at St. Cletus School the week of June 7-June 11. A school permission slip will go out on April 28.
PreK and Kindergarten 
The students played Twister in Spanish and learned vocabulary for animals at the zoo over the past week. In the upcoming weeks, I plan on taking the classes outdoors to play with the paracaidas (parachute) and to practice vocabulary for such prepositions of place as arriba (above) and debajo de (below). Also, I plan on playing the game, ¿Señor Lobo, Qué hora es? (Mr. Wolf, What time is it?) with them.
Grades 1-2
Just as I played Twister with PreK and Kindergarten over the past week, I also played this game with the first and second grade classes. Additionally, I will take the students outside to play with the paracaidas (parachute) and to practice vocabulary for such prepositions of place as arriba (above) and debajo de (below). They will play ¿Señor Lobo, Qué hora es? (Mr. Wolf, What time is it?) in the courtyard.
Similarly, the third graders played the game Twister in Spanish. Along with the third graders, the fourth graders will play a game, ¿Qué es esto en mi mochila? (What’s in my backpack?), to practice the vocabulary for the objects in the classroom. The fourth grade students read and discussed about Spain and watched a video on La Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Seville, Spain. There will be a fiesta (party) in room 115 for Cinco de Mayo because a parent bid and won this at the St. Cletus School auction for the class.
Grades 5-6
These students played Battleship in Spanish and practiced conjugating verbs. Moreover, the students watched a video on La Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Seville, Spain and the sixth graders also have completed a project for class on Hispanic culture. This assignment included doing research on a Spanish speaking country and creating a travel brochure.
Machu Picchu
These middle school students prepared a travel brochure on a Spanish speaking country and watched the video on La Semana Santa (Holy Week). The students will read and discuss about Peru and see a slide show of Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Peru. Furthermore, they played Battleship in Spanish and reviewed how to conjugate verbs.
I am certain that the students will continue to excel in Spanish through the remaining weeks of school. While in class during the last few weeks and if weather permits, I will take the students outside more to play games and practice their vocabulary.
Spanish: May 2010
Spanish Newsletter Spring May 2010
¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? (Hello. How are you?) The school year is coming to a close, and summer is fast approaching. I would like to invite you to sign your child up for an intensive and fun Spanish language summer camp with me at St. Cletus Parish, which will run from June 7-June 11 for children in grades PreK through 4. All of the students have enhanced their Spanish vocabulary and honed their grammar over the past several months. In the upcoming weeks, I will continue to work with them on building their Spanish language skills.
PreK and Kindergarten
In the last class, we reviewed parts of the body in Spanish and students colored in the different parts of the body on a worksheet of a little boy. Furthermore, we’ll sing about being happy or sad in class and learn the song, “¡Si estás feliz y lo sabes a aplaudir!” (If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.)
Grades 1-2
The students in these grades also reviewed parts of the body by playing the game, build a person, and having a relay race between two teams to see which team could complete coloring a Caillou picture first. We’ll also sing the song, “¡Si estás feliz y lo sabes a aplaudir!” (If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.)
Grades 3-4
Just as the students in first and second grade reviewed vocabulary, the third graders played the game, build a person, to go over the parts of the body, and did the worksheet. They’ll also learn the song, “¡Si estás feliz y lo sabes a aplaudir!” (If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.) Fourth graders continue to build their Spanish vocabulary and grammar by playing the game, Señor Lobo, Qué hora es? (Mr. Wolf, What time is it?)
Grades 5-6
Students reviewed the vocabulary in Spanish for the family. They also played the game, how do you like your neighbor? and practiced saying “Me gusta…” (I like…) Additionally, they read about and discussed Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the United States.
Grades 7-8
These students celebrated Cinco de mayo with a fiesta. Furthermore, in preparation for an oral quiz, which is on May 20 and May 21, the students are preparing flashcards with vocabulary from the textbook, ¿Qué Tal? The students in grade 8 will use vocabulary and grammar from Unit 8, which is about setting a table, and create a make-believe table for a fiesta. Moreover, the students in grade 7 will use the vocabulary and grammar from Unit 1 and draw and label the different parts of the body on a poster.
Now that the school year is almost over, I would like to wish all families a wonderful and safe summer. In June, I look forward to seeing several children in the Spanish language camp, and hope that all of the students keep up with their español. ¡Hasta luego!