Primary Grades (K-4):
Kindergarten through fourth grade classes are structured with the Teach Them Spanish series. The curriculum in these grades is made up of thematic units with a focus on vocabulary, speaking and listening skills. We also use prior knowledge to build upon the words, phrases and ideas taught the previous school year. Some of the additional ways we will learn will be through the use of whole and small group or partner games, Spanish songs and favorite children's books translated into Spanish! Students also practice Spanish skills in the computer lab as well as with the portable laptops occasionally.
Middle and Upper grades (5-8):
We will also work to expand vocabulary and increase speaking and listening skills, but put an added focus on building reading and writing skills. Students also work on conjugating Spanish verbs in the present tense in preparation for beginning high school language classes. For these grade levels, we use the Spanish textbook ¡En español! Students will also be working with partners and small groups, presenting dialogs to the class, interviewing each other in Spanish, periodically utilizing the computer lab, and doing several special projects which have included creating Voicethreads on the computer, webquests and country studies.
Additional info
All Spanish classes meet once a week. Aside from the above curriculum we also spend some time discussing the similarities and differences between our country/language/culture/religion, and those of the various Spanish speaking countries of the world. The end of our school year is always wrapped up with a "Cinco de mayo" Spanish activities day in the room; this involves a classroom of middle school/junior high students inviting up one or two lower grade homerooms and working as the "teachers" for the day with small groups of the younger students.
