Free Christmas Spanish Song book!!!

Just for a week I am giving away my Cancionero Navideno (sorry, no enies), it has 15 traditional songs in Spanish with an English translation.
I also have free mp3's of some of the songs, click here.

Hope you enjoy them!

Day of the dead

In honor of the Day of the Dead we colored paper skulls, you can print your own skull! Every time the kids switch crayons they had to say the color they wanted in Spanish, when they were done coloring, they told the class all the colors they used.

Parts of the face

This week we studied the parts of the face: ojos, nariz, boca, orejas & cabello. I used a face drawing that I made that has removable parts. Then I used Mr. Potato head to practice vocabulary. I have 4 heads so, each kid was able to get their own! After, we used plates (leftover from a party) to draw a face, then I wrote the name of the parts. Here are some pictures!

Video of kinders reading sentences!!!

Here's a video of the kinders reading sentences: "El rectangulo es rosa"!

Shapes board game video

Here's a video of the kids playing the shapes board game:

Last week we only have one class, so we reviewed vocabulary, played some Halloween bingo and then I gave each kid a "Spanish name". Some names don't quite have a direct translation so I tried to find a name that started with the same letter as the child name. I wrote the names on a card an we taped it on our wall. Here's the picture:

Shape board game

I created a board game to practice shapes with the preschoolers and kinders. Here is what I did:

1. Got a $1 poster board at the Dollar store.
2. Divided poster board in 6 parts.
3. Drew shapes in different colors (around 16). Make sure to use all the colors and shapes learned.
4. Marked start & finish.
5. I got a bunch of spider rings left over from Halloween last year, I cut the ring part and I used them for game pieces.
6. Do the same on each part of the poster board, at the end you'll have 6 game boards.

To play:

• Have the children take turns calling out the shape and color of the first shape in their game board. If they name it correctly they can move their game piece on top of that shape, if not, they will stay where they are.
• Do the same for each shape until they get to the last shape.

Here are some pictures:

Shape sorting with the preschoolers

This week I reviewed shapes with the preschoolers. I went around the house and found objects in different shapes then, I put them in a heart shaped tray and had the children sort by shape.

Sentences with the kinders

This week we reviewed shapes and started "making sentences". I introduced El, La and es. Our sentence is: "El corazon es rojo". Here are the pictures:

Feelings finger puppets

I created finger puppets for the following feelings:
Estoy feliz, estoy triste, estoy enojado, estoy asustado, estoy sorprendido.
Feel free to download the file: feelings finger puppets.

Shapes cont.

Wednesday we reviewed the shapes learned on Monday and added 3 more shapes for the preschoolers: el rectangulo, el ovalo y el rombo. With the kinders I reviewed all shapes and then we played a shapes board game. Here are some pictures!

Shapes

Today we reviewed colors and numbers then I introduced shapes with the preschoolers: el circulo, el corazon y el cuadrado. I used flashcards cut out in the shape we were learning, made with color construction paper and laminated.
Used 3 period lesson, then looked around the room to find things that have that shape, then we looked at our clothes and found more shapes!
With the kinders we did the same shapes as with the preschoolers but also, el rectangulo, el rombo, el ovalo, el triagulo y la estrella.
With the kinders we also did our "Hoy estoy wall" and the calendar.

Colors and numbers review

Last Wednesday we reviewed colors and numbers. I had labels for each number, from 0-10. The labels had the number symbol in one side and the number word on the other. I use the number symbol with the preschoolers and the word with the kinders.

We taped the papers with the stickers that we did last week (see previous posts) on the wall.

I asked the children to find a color and then count the stickers that color had. Then they had to find the label that match the number of stickers they counted.

Here are the pictures:

Numbers 0-10 book with kinders

Last week the kinders made their own Numbers 0-10 books. We put a sticker for each number. Here is the book:

Numbers - kinders

This week we reviewed numbers from 0-10. We used the big plastic numbers, then we played dominoes to practice counting from 1-10.

We also reviewed 11-15. Some of the kids didn't remember the numbers so we did a 3 part lesson for the ones they couldn't remember.

We will do a 0-10 numbers take home book next week with the stickers. Pictures to come, in the meantime here are my dominoes.

Numbers

I introduced numbers for the preschoolers this week. It was only one class this week due to labor day so we only introduced; cero, uno, dos & tres.

I used big plastic numbers that I found at the dollar store a few years ago, as usual I used the 3 part lesson and hid the one number at a time and asked them which number was missing.

For review we put stickers on color construction paper while practicing the colors introduced last week.

For my older preschoolers that were with me last year we did numbers from 0-10 and put stickers on construction paper. Again, I used different colors of construction paper to practice colors, then, put one sticker in one paper, two in another, and so on until we reached 10. We left one paper empty to represent cero.

I got a bunch of Halloween stickers at Walgreens, here are some pictures.

Numbers with the kinders

Yesterday we reviewed all colors, played pick up sticks and started with numbers.

Now, my kinders already (most of them) know 1-10, so we did a review.

We practiced with the flashcards, using the 3 period lesson. Then, we finished by labeling the numbers.

Also, we reviewed: "cuantos anios tienes?" (sorry, can't find enie :))

Finished colors with preschoolers

Yesterday I finished colors with the preschoolers: blanco, gris and negro. Did the same activities we did with the other colors.

We reviewed all the colors with the flashcards, then asked them again which colors they were wearing (they seem to love!! this activity :)).

We played pick up sticks (I found it last year at the dollar bin at target), it has only four colors but it is good practice for the children. I called a child name, then asked them to find a particular color. At the beginning I helped them if they didn't remember but, towards the end, most of them were finding the color I asked for with no help from me!.

Feelings video

Here's a video of the kids doing the "Hoy estoy" wall. As the weeks go by the children will say: "Estoy feliz" instead of just "feliz" as you see in the video. Remember: repetition, repetition, repetition!

Colors with the preschoolers and kinders

Yesterday I reviewed: rojo, azul, amarillo & verde. Then I introduced four more colors: rosa, morado, anaranjado & cafe. We did the same game and activities as before.

For the kinders I added labels and they matched the label to the colors.

Feelings cont.

Here's our "Hoy estoy" wall:

Feelings

Yesterday I did feelings review with the kinders. We tape the pictures with their faces showing the feelings and then I asked each one: "Como estas?" Then, they answered:" Estoy feliz" or "Estoy triste" or "Estoy enojado" or "Estoy sorprendido". We tape their answer under the "Hoy estoy" sign.

We will do this every day. Here are some pictures:

First lesson for my kinders!!!

All but one of my kinders have been with me for a couple of years so they are familiar with me and my teaching ways so this classes go smoother than the preschool ones :)

Wednesday we reviewed colors: rojo, gris, negro, blanco, cafe, azul, rosa, amarillo, anaranjado, morado and verde. I used the 3 period lesson for the ones they didn't remember.

We did the same color activities that I did with my preschoolers; "What color is missing" game and color sorting. (See previous post for details)

We also did feelings: "Estoy feliz"; "Estoy triste"; "Estoy enojado" & "Estoy sorprendido". Again used the 3 period lesson for the ones they couldn't remember.

Then the part they enjoyed the most: pictures!!! I took a picture of each child making the feeling I called. below are some pictures. Enjoy!

First lesson for my new preschoolers!

Wednesday we learned about colors with the new preschoolers. Most of them (if not all) have never learned Spanish before, of course they've watched a few shows were they hear a little bit of Spanish but that's it.

I introduced only 4 colors: rojo, azul, verde & amarillo. I showed them the flashcard, then said the color and then have them repeat it. After, I asked them to close their eyes and think about grass for green, then I asked: "What color is grass?" "Green" they said, "That's right grass is verde!" Then I asked each one of them if they were wearing that color, they got very excited when they were wearing it! We did the same for all 4 colors.

After I presented all 4 colors the same way I put them in the center of the circle (actually is an oval :)) and reviewed each color with the children.

We played "What color is missing game" in which I have them close their eyes and then I hide one flashcard behind my back and then ask them to open their eyes and tell me what color is missing.

Remember, at the beginning they will call out the missing color in English, but eventually it will be in Spanish, just keep trying!

After doing this with all the colors then I got out my colors cut-outs which I cut from magazines and newspaper ads and we sorted them by color and then, I would call out a name and a color ant the child would pick a cut-out and I would put sticky tape (masking tape) on the back so they can tape it under the matching color poster on the wall.

I had enough for each child to practice each color.

Below are some pictures of the activity.

First day of school!!

Yesterday was the first day of school. I explained the rules and some of the rituals in the classroom (where to line up; calendar; materials care, etc.)

Tomorrow we will start with the first lesson!!! We will be learning colors with the new preschoolers and with the Kindergartners (kinders)we will review colors and feelings.

I do feelings during the first class with the kinders because we make our "Hoy estoy ___" wall where each child makes a "Estoy feliz" face while I take a picture, then a "Estoy triste" face and so on. Then, I print and laminate the pictures and every class I ask the children: "Como estas?" and they tell me: "Estoy enojado", then they grab that picture of them and tape it on the "Hoy estoy ____" wall.

They love it! Pictures will come soon!

Back to school!

Ok. It’s that time again!!!!!

This past week I’ve been busy organizing all my materials and selecting the ones I will keep in my classroom. Also I’ve been trying to organize them by theme and figuring out what else I can teach with the same material. I will be printing my curriculum to be posted in the classroom this weekend.
I also took a trip to the Dollar store and found a few items that I could use. They are in English but it will be cheaper just to cover the English word with cheap construction paper (also from the dollar store) and write the Spanish word than to print it myself (ink could be very expensive as all of you know). I picked up some classroom signs; color border; a happy birthday wall banner and a month header. They are very colorful and would be great to cover the walls. Below is a picture of what I bought....