What is happening in the Spanish Class in November.

¡Hola!


I can’t believe it is November already! The children at OWS are doing a great job learning Spanish. I am amazed by how well the Kindergarteners through Fifth Graders are connecting with the language. Thank you for having such wonderful children!

The Kindergarten Class will be talking about the feelings this month, such as: estoy feliz (I am happy), estoy triste (I am sad), estoy enojado/a (I am angry), and estoy asustado/a (I am scared). We will also be learning vocabulary words related to autumn and Thanksgiving in November. We continue to sing songs to help learn vocabulary. One very exciting activity we have been participating in is visiting the Vista Spanish Department. The Seventh Grade students have been kind enough to interact with the Kindergartners by reading to them and reviewing vocabulary. The visits have been fun for both ages of students. I am looking forward to continuing the adventure of introducing the new language to the Kindergartners.

The First Graders have been reviewing the numbers, the days of the week, the weather, how to introduce themselves, and greeting each other. This month we will be learning autumn-related vocabulary and what they like and do not like to eat. Here are the basic phrases you can practice with them: Me gusta comer ______ (I like to eat _____); No me gusta comer _____ (I don’t like to eat ____); filling in the blanks with words such as: vegetales (vegetables), frutas (fruit), pollo (chicken), carne (meat), leche (milk), agua (water), jugo (juice), pan bread), etc.

The Second Graders are excited to have their own binders in Spanish, for storing their assignments. They are starting a new book, ¡Viva El Español! System A. We have been spending time reviewing vocabulary in Spanish. This month, we will be learning the numbers 11 through 30, learning the shapes, and practicing vocabulary related to autumn and Thanksgiving. They will be asking each other, “¿Qué figura es?” (What shape is it?) and “¿Qué numero es?” (What number is it?).

The Third Graders have been spending time with the new book, ¡Viva El Español! System C, reviewing most of the vocabulary learned last year. I am very impressed by how well they remember the vocabulary. I am also pleased to see the Third Graders turning in their Spanish homework every Thursday and Friday. Thank you parents for helping to make this happen! This month we will be focusing on learning activities related to: “¿Qué hay en nuestra casa?” (What is in your house?).

The Fourth Graders have just completed the first unit in the new book they will be using this year, ¡Viva El Español! Hola. They are doing an amazing job of turning in their homework every Friday. ¡Gracias! We are starting a new unit covering the animals from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. The Fourth Graders will be able to describe the animals by using size, colors, physical characteristics, and where they are from. Each student will develop a project where they will select a specific animal to describe. I will send home instructions soon on how they will be expected to present this project next month.

The Fifth Graders are responding well to the new Spanish text book, ¡Expresate! We have completed Chapter 1, which was mainly a review of the greetings, introducing themselves, numbers, the alphabet, and telling time. They have also been learning grammar with a video guide that makes the lessons easy to understand. We are now starting Chapter 2, which will focus on “all about you.” The Fifth Graders will be able to talk about themselves, their likes and dislikes, favorite sports, favorite pastimes, and foods. The students have been doing an excellent job of turning in their homework every Thursday; keep up the good work!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me in person, by phone, or by email. I am looking forward to continuing a great year with all of the students at OWS in Spanish!

Mary Brodahl (Spanish Specialist)

(425) 747-2911, Ext 212
mariab@ows.org

The Day of the Dead! (El DIa De Los Muertos)

What is happening in Spanish Class In October?


This month in the Spanish room, we will be talking about the holiday celebrated in Mexico October 31st through November 2nd called, “El Dia de los Muertos,” which translates as, “The Day of the Dead.” The celebration might sound morbid, but it is not observed in that Spirit. It is a festive and joyous celebration that demonstrates a strong sense of love for cherished ones who have passed away, and at the same time, celebrates the continuance of important family relationships. The students will participate in different types of activities to experience some elements of the celebration including making papel picado (tissue paper decorations), paper skeletons, interpretive drawings, paper flowers (marigolds) and decorating sugar skulls. They will also be learning related vocabulary.

I encourage you and your OWS child to learn more about this interesting cultural celebration. Have a great time!

Gracias,

Mary Brodahl

Spanish Specialist

mariab@ows.org

Welcome Back to the Spanish CLass!

¡Hola y bienvenidos a la Clase de Español! Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! I am very excited to be teaching Kindergarten through Fifth Grade here in my sixth year at OWS and to be part of the language learning experience as it continues forward.


To our new students at OWS, last week I sent out a Spanish handout containing simple phrases, vocabulary review, and activities to practice at home.

In the month of September the students will be reviewing materials from last year to refresh and re-connect with the Spanish language. They will continue building new vocabulary and phrases throughout the year, and working on becoming more fluent in conversational Spanish.

This year Kindergarten through Second Grade will be taking home a list of words and simple phrases each month to practice and reinforce their new Spanish skills. I encourage you to practice these lists with your child, and in listening to them practice, you might pick up some Spanish as well. I would highly recommend this year that the Third, Fourth and Fifth Graders have a Spanish / English Dictionary at home for reference to build more strength in the language and to help with the assignments that will be provided this year. Some good publishers of Spanish / English dictionaries include Larousse, Oxford and Webster. Also, with parent permission, students can use an internet search engine to look up Spanish translation to help with the homework.

We will also be learning about various cultures and countries that speak Spanish through art projects, stories, videos, and more. If you are interested in giving a presentation to the students relating to the Spanish language and culture that will enhance the learning experience, please let me know.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you would like more information about our class or other resources to supplement the classroom curriculum.

I look forward to a very exciting year of Spanish with the students of OWS!

Gracias,

Mary Brodahl, Spanish Specialist
mariab@ows.org