5th and 6th Grade: August 29, 2018

Today in Spanish class, started off by speaking a lot of Spanish.  We watched a short video and reviewed some vocabulary from previous years while learning a few new words.

Ask your student:

• What does it mean when Señora Brouwer says "aguacate" (avocado)?  (Students reply "guacamole" and they stop talking and listen carefully for directions.)
• What was in the water in the movie?  What did your class think it was?  (In the animated video we watched, there was a object that looked like a tree trunk or a crocodile.  We voted as a class before watching the surprise ending of the video!)

Vocabulary:
Words in bold are new this week, others are review

• el ñu - the wildebeest 
• dice - he/she says
• agarra - he/she grabs
• mira - he/she looks at
• toca - he/she touches
• tiene - he/she has
• es - he/she is
• está en - he/she is located in
• hay - there is/there are

Song of the Week
Each week, we'll listen to and sing along with a fun song in Spanish.  Yes, even 5th and 6th graders!  It's a fun way to get us all up and moving while learning more!  If possible, I'll post a link to the song here so you can listen at home as well!

• Bebé Tiburón (Baby Shark). 
• Note for YouTube Link:  I cannot control/predict the advertisements that YouTube will play before a song.  Please be aware of this and watch videos with your child so that you can monitor ads.

Homework:

Please email me if you need your Quia username and/or password.

• Quia Vocabulary/Language practice:  
• Vocabulary Review (The vocabulary review does not earn stickers.  However, it gives you extra practice with the vocabulary words so that you are able to complete the assignment listed next.)
• Assignment (worth 2 stickers)

In 5th and 6th grade, there will be a Spanish homework assignment nearly every week.  In general, I will use the website Quia for our homework assignments.  These assignments will give students one extra opportunity during the week to practice Spanish.

A few notes about Quia assignments:

• You will need your Quia username and password to access the assignments.  Each student should have received that information at Meet the Teacher Night or today in class.  If you have misplaced the paper, please email me and I can get you that information as soon as possible.
• Students are allowed to practice and "redo" Quia assignments as often as they like.  Practice is how we learn.
• For each assignment completed, students will earn 2 "sellos o pegatinas" (stamps or stickers).  At the end of the year, they will be able to trade their stamps and stickers for small prizes. 
• Let me know if you have any questions!

4th Grade: August 29, 2018

Today in Spanish class, we reviewed the question "¿Cómo estás?" (How are you?). We reviewed the answers that students may have learned previously, and we learned a few other responses.

Ask your student:

• What does it mean when Señora Brouwer says "aguacate" (avocado)?  (Students reply "guacamole" and they stop talking and listen carefully for directions.)
• What's the difference between "estoy cansado" and "estoy cansada"? (Estoy cansado means "I'm tired" if a boy is talking about himself.  Estoy cansada also means "I'm tired," but is used when a girl is talking about herself.)

Vocabulary:
Words in bold are new this week, others are review

• ¿cómo estás? - how are you?
• Estoy triste - I'm sad
• Estoy enfermo/enferma - I'm sick
• Estoy contento/contenta - I'm happy
• Estoy enojado/enojada - I'm angry
• Estoy cansado/cansada - I'm tired
• Tengo miedo - I'm afraid

Song of the Week
Each week, we'll listen to and sing along with a fun song in Spanish.  It's a fun way to get us all up and moving while learning more!  If possible, I'll post a link to the song here so you can listen at home as well!

• Bebé Tiburón (Baby Shark). 
• Note for YouTube Link:  I cannot control/predict the advertisements that YouTube will play before a song.  Please be aware of this and watch videos with your child so that you can monitor ads.

Homework:

Please email me if you need your Quia username and/or password.

• Quia Vocabulary/Language practice:  
• Vocabulary Review (The vocabulary review does not earn stickers.  However, it gives you extra practice with the vocabulary words so that you are able to complete the assignment listed next.)
• Flash Card Style
• Battleship Game Style
• Assignment (worth 2 stickers)

In 4th grade, there will be a Spanish homework assignment nearly every week.  In general, I will use the website Quia for our homework assignments.  These assignments will give students one extra opportunity during the week to practice Spanish.

A few notes about Quia assignments:

• You will need your Quia username and password to access the assignments.  Each student should have received that information at Meet the Teacher Night or today in class.  If you have misplaced the paper, please email me and I can get you that information as soon as possible.
• Students are allowed to practice and "redo" Quia assignments as often as they like.  Practice is how we learn.
• For each assignment completed, students will earn 2 "sellos o pegatinas" (stamps or stickers).  At the end of the year, they will be able to trade their stamps and stickers for small prizes. 
• Let me know if you have any questions!

2nd and 3rd Grade: August 29, 2018

Today in Spanish class, we reviewed a very important word in Spanish:  hay.  We also began learning our beginning of class routine (days of the week, months, weather vocabulary), and we reviewed the numbers 1-10.  Over the course of the year, we'll spend time practicing numbers 1-100!

Ask your student:

• What does "seis en el suelo" mean?  (It means "six on the floor."  The four legs of your chair and your two feet should be on the floor when you're sitting at your desk.)
• What does it mean when Señora Brouwer says "aguacate" (avocado)?  (Students reply "guacamole" and they stop talking and listen carefully for directions.)
• Who is Pedro?  (He's a little mouse who helps Señora Brouwer in Spanish class.)
• What does "hay" mean in Spanish?  (Hay means "there is or there are".  Since the letter "h" is always silent in Spanish, it sounds more like "aye!")

Vocabulary:
Words in bold are new this week, others are review

• hay - there is/there are
• estrella - star 
• grande - big
• mediano/mediana - medium
• pequeño/pequeña - small
• ¿Cuántos? - How many?
• ¿Cuántos hay? - How many are there?

Song of the Week
Each week, we'll listen to and sing along with a fun song in Spanish.  It's a fun way to get us all up and moving while learning more!  If possible, I'll post a link to the song here so you can listen at home as well!

• Bebé Tiburón (Baby Shark). 
• Note for YouTube Link:  I cannot control/predict the advertisements that YouTube will play before a song.  Please be aware of this and watch videos with your child so that you can monitor ads.

Homework:
Occasionally, I will post links to videos, songs, or other resources for you to watch with your child over the week.  This is not required homework, but it is an opportunity to provide exposure to Spanish during the week.

• Some weeks, we will use the website, Quia, for practice activities.  This week, play this short game to practice the word "hay."  CLICK HERE  
• A few notes about Quia...
• If the game is not loading for you, it may be because you don't have the most up to date version of Adobe Flash.  If you get a message that the game can not load, you can click on "HTML Version."  The graphics aren't as fancy, but the content is the same.
• Our older (4th-6th Grade) students each have a unique Quia username and password...one of your older siblings/children may have that.  However, for 2nd and 3rd grade, students do NOT need to log in to play Quia games.  Just follow the link and begin the game. 

1st and 2nd Grade: August 29, 2018

Today in Spanish class, we started learning a few basic words and procedures in Spanish class.  We also practiced a few basic greeting questions.

Ask your student:

• What does "como pretzel" mean?  (It means that you sit like a pretzel, or "criss cross applesauce.")
• What does it mean when Señora Brouwer says "tortilla"?  (Students reply "salsa" and they stop talking and listen carefully for directions.)
• Who is Pedro?  (He's a little mouse who helps Señora Brouwer in Spanish class.)
• What song do you sing at the end of Spanish class?  (Each week, we'll finish class by singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish.)

Vocabulary:
Words in bold are new this week, others are review

• estrella - star 
• ¿Cómo te llamas? - What's your name?
• se levanta - he/she stands up
• se sienta - he/she sits down
• camina - he/she walks
• abre - he/she opens
• cierra - he/she closes

Song of the Week
Each week, we'll listen to and sing along with a fun song in Spanish.  It's a fun way to get us all up and moving while learning more!  If possible, I'll post a link to the song here so you can listen at home as well!

• ¿Quién es el rey de la selva?  (Who's the King of the Jungle?)

Homework:
Occasionally, I will post links to videos, songs, or other resources for you to watch with your child over the week.  This is not required homework, but it is an opportunity to provide exposure to Spanish during the week.

• Watch this video (featuring Pedro!) to practice more weather vocabulary words.
• Me llamo, Me llamo (Song to practice ¿Cómo te llamas? What's your name?)
• Note for YouTube Links:  I cannot control/predict the advertisements that YouTube will play before a song.  Please be aware of this and watch videos with your child so that you can monitor ads. 

Kindergarten: August 29, 2018

Today in Spanish class, we started learning a few basic words and procedures in Spanish class.  We also practiced a few basic greeting questions.

Ask your student:

• What does "como pretzel" mean?  (It means that you sit like a pretzel, or "criss cross applesauce.")
• What does it mean when Señora Brouwer says "tortilla"?  (Students reply "salsa" and they stop talking and listen carefully for directions.)
• Who is Pedro?  (He's a little mouse who helps Señora Brouwer in Spanish class.)
• What song do you sing at the end of Spanish class?  (Each week, we'll finish class by singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish.)

Vocabulary:
Words in bold are new this week, others are review

• estrella - star 
• ¿Cómo te llamas? - What's your name?
• se levanta - he/she stands up
• se sienta - he/she sits down
• camina - he/she walks

Song of the Week
Each week, we'll listen to and sing along with a fun song in Spanish.  It's a fun way to get us all up and moving while learning more!  If possible, I'll post a link to the song here so you can listen at home as well!

• ¿Quién es el rey de la selva?  (Who's the King of the Jungle?)
  

Homework:
Occasionally, I will post links to videos, songs, or other resources for you to watch with your child over the week.  This is not required homework, but it is an opportunity to provide exposure to Spanish during the week.

• Me llamo, Me llamo (Song to practice ¿Cómo te llamas? What's your name?)
• Note for YouTube Link:  I cannot control/predict the advertisements that YouTube will play before a song.  Please be aware of this and watch videos with your child so that you can monitor ads.  

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to a new school year!

¡Bienvenidos!

Families and students, welcome to a new school year at (HC)2!  I'm excited to get back to school and start learning lots of español!

Throughout the year, I will use short notes in the (HC)2 Weekly to keep you informed of what we're learning in class.  This blog is where I'll post vocabulary lists and links to songs or videos that we use in class.  Please take a few minutes to review these resources at home once or twice a week.  Doing so will give your child additional exposure to the Spanish language. 

For 4th-6th grade students, I will also link online homework assignments here on the blog.  Want to try out a practice assignment? Click HERE.  You will need your Quia Username and Password.  5th and 6th grade students, it should be the same as last year.  4th grade and other new students, I will give you your information at Meet the Teacher Night. 

Want to know more about what we'll be learning this year?  Click on your child's grade level below:

Kindergarten

1st/2nd Grade

2nd/3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th/6th Grade

Want to learn more Spanish this summer?

Occasionally, students or parents will ask how they can learn more Spanish on their own.  Between our local libraries and online resources, there is no shortage of material:

• Holland's Herrick Library (both branches) and Zeeland's Howard Miller Library feature growing collections of children's material in Spanish.  Discover a new book or find an old favorite in a new language.  Check out their DVD collections and audio books for great listening practice in Spanish.

• Listed below are some online resources I've used or recommended in the past.  Most are music or game based to make learning Spanish as much fun as possible!  
• (Parents, please note that many of these sites use Google Ads.  I can not control nor predict the ads that are shown.  You may want to preview the sites with ads ahead of time or have an ad blocker set up on your browser.)

Games and Activities for Students:

Rockalingua:  This site offers great songs and games to practice different vocabulary themes in Spanish.  Some resources require you to purchase a subscription, but there is a lot of material that is available for free.

Online Free Spanish:  The "beginner" level includes a lot of basic vocabulary.

1, 2, 3, Teach Me:  In addition to games and vocabulary activities, this site also includes listening activities with simple conversations.

StoryPlace:  Listen to a story online, then follow up with online activities, a "take home activity" (craft), and get suggestions of other books to borrow from the library.  Great for younger (K-2nd) learners.

Salsa Online Video Series:  According to their website, "Salsa is Georgia Public Broadcasting's award-winning Spanish language series for young learners in kindergarten through the third grade. Puppets in familiar stories, digital graphics and animation teach the language."

PBS Spanish Games:  These games feature PBS Kids characters in a variety of Spanish games.

BBC Primary Languages:  This site is geared toward slightly older students (3rd grade and up), and features vocabulary practice, games, and videos.  (Note:  This site emphasizes the pronunciation and culture of Spain while most US-based sites emphasize Latin American pronunciation and culture.  See what differences you notice!)

SpanishTown:  This site provides 30 "lessons" of interactive vocabulary lists and short videos.  There are also printable activities and grammar lessons for older students.

Duolingo.com:  Parents will want to check this one out as it can be a bit "reading heavy" for young learners.  It may be an activity you can complete together.  Older students, however, will love the competitive game-based language learning!

For Parents:

Spanish Playground:  A fantastic resource with ideas and resources for teaching Spanish.

Mommy Maestra Blog:  This blog is run by a Latina homeschooling mom.  She posts a lot of bilingual books, resources, and other activity ideas.

5th and 6th Grade: April 25, 2018

**Note:  If you're interested in learning more Spanish on your own this summer, click HERE to see some of my favorite online resources and activities.

Today in class, students were able to use stickers they had earned in class to buy small prizes.

We also played Toma Todo, a traditional Mexican game.  The spinning tops we used in class were from Mexico, but you can follow THESE DIRECTIONS to make your own version of the game to play at home!

Vocabulary:

• pon - put
• toma - take
• todos - all, everyone
• todo - everything
• toma todo - take it all
• todos ponen - everyone put one in

Have a great summer!  ¡Qué disfruten el verano!

4th Grade: April 25, 2018

**Note:  If you're interested in learning more Spanish on your own this summer, click HERE to see some of my favorite online resources and activities.


Today in class, students were able to use stickers they had earned in class to buy small prizes.

We also played Toma Todo, a traditional Mexican game.  The spinning tops we used in class were from Mexico, but you can follow THESE DIRECTIONS to make your own version of the game to play at home!

Vocabulary:

• pon - put
• toma - take
• todos - all, everyone
• todo - everything
• toma todo - take it all
• todos ponen - everyone put one in

Have a great summer!  ¡Qué disfruten el verano!

2nd and 3rd Grade: April 25, 2018

**Note:  If you're interested in learning more Spanish on your own this summer, click HERE to see some of my favorite online resources and activities.

Today in class, we played our number memory games.  A few weeks ago, everyone worked hard to make the cards for the game.  Because of that, we had enough game boards for each student to take one home!   Ask your student to teach you how to play!

Have a great summer!  ¡Qué disfruten el verano!

1st Grade: April 25, 2018

**Note:  If you're interested in learning more Spanish on your own this summer, click HERE to see some of my favorite online resources and activities.

Today in Spanish class, we celebrated the end of the year together with some of our favorite activities.

Have a great summer!  ¡Qué disfruten el verano!

Kindergarten: April 25, 2018

**Note:  If you're interested in learning more Spanish on your own this summer, click HERE to see some of my favorite online resources and activities.


Today in class, we finished our Animal unit by playing some games and putting the finishing touches on our books! Ask your student show the book to you, they were very proud of them!

Have a great summer!  ¡Qué disfruten el verano!