2nd and 3rd Grade: September 10, 2014

Today in class we began our first unit of the new year.  We'll be learning about the story of el Ratoncito Pérez!  We don't know too much about him right now, but we'll find out more next week!  We also continued practicing numbers and we began learning our first Bible verse this year.

Ask your student:

• Who do you think the Ratoncito Pérez is?  Why do you think he's important?
• What do you think the Ratoncito Pérez looks for?  What do you think he finds?  What do you think he takes?  What do you think he leaves behind?  (Questions are related to today's vocabulary.)

This week's vocabulary:

• busca - he/she looks for
• deja - he/she leaves behind
• encuentra - he/she finds
• toma - he/she takes

Homework

• Watch this video to review the 4 verbs we learned in class today.
• Practice our vocabulary words with THESE online flash cards.
• Play THIS GAME to practice the numbers 1-10 and the 4 verbs from class today.
• Practice our Bible Verse:  Ephesians 4:32 
• Sean amables unos con otros.  Efesios 4 versículo 32
• Audio Version CLICK HERE.
• By memorizing this verse and saying it to me on or before October 29, you will earn 4 stickers!

1st Grade: September 10, 2014

Today in Spanish class, we started off talking about the calendar and weather.  Then, we began our new unit:  La Mariposa Monarca (The Monarch Butterfly).  Today we focused on talking about the egg stage:  el huevo.

We also began learning a Bible verse in Spanish.  During the months of September and October we will be learning Psalm 24:1.  Students can use this AUDIO SLIDE SHOW to hear the verse in Spanish as they practice.  Students should be ready to say the verse to me (in Spanish) on or before October 29th.

La tierra es del Señor y todo lo que hay en ella.  Salmo veinticuatro versículo uno.

Ask your student:

• What is a Monarch caterpillar egg like?  (Es pequeño - It's small.  Es un óvalo - It's an oval.)
• Do you remember what a tiny Monarch caterpillar does after he hatches out of his egg?  (He eats the egg - Come el huevo.)

Today's vocabulary:

• el huevo - the egg
• la oruga - the caterpillar
• come - he/she/it eats
• sale - he/she/it leaves or goes out
• tiene hambre - he/she/it is hungry

Homework:

• Listen to our new song: "Si yo fuera mariposa."  (If I Were a Butterfly)
• Practice our Bible memory verse:  Psalm 24:1
• To review calendar/weather vocabulary at home, you can sing along with these songs...
• Weather, seasons, and months

Kindergarten: September 10, 2014

Today in class, we began our new unit:  Ropa y Colores (Clothing and Colors).  Today we focused on learning colors.  Over the next few weeks, we'll keep reviewing those words as we learn clothing vocabulary.

We also began learning a Bible verse in Spanish.  During the first semester, we will be learning Proverbs 3:5.  You can use this AUDIO SLIDE SHOW to hear the verse in Spanish as you and child practice at home.

Confía en el Señor de todo corazón.  Proverbios tres versículo cinco.

Ask your student:

• Do you know how to say your favorite color in Spanish?  (See below for colors in Spanish.)
• Do you remember the actions that go along with your Bible verse?  
• Confía = trust = take open hands, and clasp them shut, as if you're grabbing on to something.
• en el Señor = in the Lord = point up to heaven
• de todo = with all = hold arms out wide
• corazón = heart = bring your arms in, and make a heart with your hands

Today's vocabulary:

• blanco = white
• negro = black
• rojo = red
• rosado = pink  (rosa is also used for "pink" in some countries)
• anaranjado = orange (naranja is also used for "orange" in some countries)
• amarillo = yellow
• verde = green 
• azul = blue
• morado = purple
• gris = gray
• marrón = brown (café and pardo are also used for "brown" in some countries)

Homework:

• Practice learning colors with these little bugs!  (Click here for game)
• Listen and sing along with this colors song!
• Practice our Bible verse:  Proverbs 3:5

Ratoncito Pérez Verbs

Bible Memory: Galatians 5:22

This is the 5th and 6th Grade Bible Memory verse for the months of September and October.

Bible Memory: Ephesians 4:32

This is the 2nd and 3rd grade Bible Memory verse for the months of September and October.

Bible Memory: Psalm 118:24

This is the 3rd and 4th grade Bible Memory verse for the months of September and October.

5th/6th Grade: September 3, 2014

Today in class, we talked about what students can expect this year.  We also spent some time talking about cognates and reading a small brochure in Spanish.

Ask your student:

• What is a cognate?  Why are they important?  (Cognates are words that look and/or sound the same in Spanish and English.  They are important because they can help us to understand more.)
• What is a false cognate?  (A false cognate or "falso amigo" is a word that looks the similar in Spanish and English, but it doesn't mean the same thing.  An example is "carpeta."  It looks like "carpet" in English, but it really means "folder."  Thankfully, there aren't too many false cognates to worry about!)
• What is your Quia username and password?  (Quia is a website that we will be using this year for completing assignments.  Students received their usernames and passwords at Meet the Teacher Night or today in class.  If your student has misplaced the card with the information, please feel free to email me and I can send you the information.)

Today's vocabulary:

• Cognates:  Words that look and/or sound the same in Spanish and English

Homework:

• Listen and sing along with our song:  Eres Digno de Alabar
• Practice Assignment on Quia (worth 2 pegatinas/stickers)
• Complete THIS assignment about cognates on Quia.  Have your username and password handy!  (This assignment is worth 2 stickers.  Please email me if you misplace your username and/or password)

3rd/4th Grade: September 3, 2014

Today in class we spent a little time talking about procedures and class expectations.  We also talked about cognates and how they can help us understand Spanish.

Ask your student:

• What is Quia? (Quia is a website that we will be using this year for completing homework assignments.  Our first assignment is linked below.) 
• What is a cognate?  (A cognate is a word that looks or sounds the same in both Spanish and English.)

New Vocabulary:

• We talked about cognates (words that look or sound the same in both Spanish and English).  Ask your student if he/she can tell you what some of these Spanish words mean...

Homework:

• To practice with Quia, try this Practice Assignment.  Completing it is worth dos pegatinas (two stickers).
• This Quia assignment is to practice cognates.  Completing it is worth dos pegatinas (two stickers).
• NOTE:  For both assignments above, you'll need your Quia username and password.  If you have misplaced your card, please email me and I'll send you that information.  (ambrouwer@hollandchristian.org)

2nd/3rd Grade: September 3, 2014

Today in class, we learned a song in Spanish (I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy)!  We also began practicing numbers in Spanish. Today we started with 1-20, and we'll work our way up to 100 by the spring.

Ask your student:

• Do you remember how to say "five" in Spanish?  (Cinco.  We will be practicing saying numbers...not only in order (counting), but also recognizing them out of order).
• What are some of the actions from the song you learned?  (Here are a few of the actions:  gozo=joy=Wave arms in air; Paz=peace=smooth hands over desk, like a peaceful lake, corazón=heart=form heart with hands)

Today's vocabulary:

• Numbers 1-20

Homework:

• Sing along with the song we learned today!  Yo Tengo Gozo (I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy...)  See if you remember the actions!
• Use THIS WEBSITE to practice the numbers 1-20 in Spanish.

1st Grade: September 4, 2014

Today in Spanish class, we spent a little time getting to know each other.  We also began learning seasons and weather terms in Spanish.  Each week, we'll begin class by talking about the weather (and eventually the calendar) in Spanish.

Ask your student:

• Do you remember what "hace sol" means in English?  (It means "it's sunny."  If your student needs an extra clue, we hold our arms above our heads in a circle as we say "hace sol.")
• Do you remember how to say the month or season that your birthday is in?  (We sang a song "Weather, Seasons, and Months," and each students stood up when his/her birthday month was called.)

Today's vocabulary (We will practice calendar/weather vocabulary all year):

• ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy? - What's the weather today?
• hace sol - it's sunny
• está nublado - it's cloudy
• está lloviendo - it's raining
• está nevando - it's snowing
• hace viento - it's windy
• hace calor - it's hot
• hace frío - it's cold
• el invierno - the winter
• la primavera - the spring
• el verano - the summer
• el otoño - the fall
• Weather and seasons (Listen and learn)

Homework:

• Spend some time practicing days of the week, months, weather, and seasons in Spanish.  You may use the links in the vocabulary section, or sing along with these songs...
• Weather, seasons, and months

Kindergarten: September 3, 2014

Today, students were introduced to Pedro, a bilingual friend who will help us out in class this year.  Students also learned 6 common classroom commands/phrases that we will use throughout the year.

Ask your student:

• Who is Pedro?  How does he help Sra. Brouwer?  (He is a stuffed mouse, he speaks in English to let us know what Sra. Brouwer is saying in Spanish).
• Do you remember what "¿Cómo te llamas?" means?  (What's your name?)

This week's vocabulary:

• ¿Cómo te llamas?  ¿Cómo te llamas tú? = What's your name?
• me llamo... = my name is...
• ponte bien = sit up straight (literally=put yourself right)
• levántate = stand up
• siéntate = sit down
• levanta la mano = raise your hand
• mira =  look!
• escucha = listen!
• rápidamente = fast/quickly
• lentamente = slow/slowly

Homework:

• Watch this vocabulary video.  Watch the video until you are able to do all of the actions before Sra. Brouwer does them.  You may need to watch the video a few times to be sure you don't forget!