Last week of May

8th grade Spanish students began MovieTalk part II with an episode called "Presto." The strategies that I used to keep the kids engaged are the same ones that CI teachers use when interpreting any text: asking questions and personalizing the information. You can ask circling questions about the obvious (The car is blue. Is the car blue or is the face blue?) or ask inferential questions (Why is he bald? What does she say to the man?). To personalize the information, connect what you’re describing on the screen with students in the class (He’s wearing shorts. Who in the class is wearing shorts? Why is (student) wearing shorts in the middle of winter?). I try to not let the discussions get too long before bringing them back to the movie clip.

7th grade Spanish students had a week of intensive writing. They have taken what they have learned about agreement, and have been really challenged to put comprehensible sentences together using adjectives, and the two verbs we have been working the most closely with, "Tener: To Have" and "Ser: To be."

6th grade Spanish students did two "Rincón cultural" (Culture Corner) activities this week. We read about interesting manners and customs that are practiced by people of hispanic/Spanish heritage; we learned about how they eat their meals, how they tell time, view time, spend their leisure time, and about their important sports and events. This was a wonderful segue from learning about food because mealtimes and family were the focus of this Culture Corner, but also a good transition into La Tomatina and the Running of the Bulls since we will be learning exclusively about how Spaniards celebrate.

What's going on in May

8th graders completed their Tomatina/Running of the Bulls gallery walk. Grades will be posted for this unit early next week on Infinite Campus. We ended the week by starting part II of MovieTalk. I have provided a link explaining and outlining the merits of Total Comprehensible Input with MovieTalk (TCI) that can be found on Martina Bex's Website, "The Comprehensible Classroom."
http://martinabex.com/tag/tprs/

7th grade Spanish students completed their "Spanish Agreement" unit by doing an activity called "La jardín de adjetivos" (Adjective Garden). Grades for agreement will be posted on Infinite Campus by Thursday of next week.

6th grade Spanish students have either completed/are completing their menu projects. I have communicated to all students that no more class time will be given to complete this project but I am giving them an additional week to complete these at home. I have told them to paste their projects to a GoogleDoc if they cannot bring their laptops home and therefore can access them via home computer. If computer access is an obstacle I have asked those students to see me privately and we will work out a way for them to complete their assignment in a timely manner. Students read an article "La historia de chocolate" this week about the importance of cacao in hispanic culture and it's roots.

The latest

8th grade Spanish students have continued work on their Tomatina/Running of the Bulls work. Early next week they will do a gallery walk for this unit. They will finish the year with their second edition of MovieTalk.

7th grade Spanish students finished their unit surrounding Spanish Agreement. They did an activity involving "Descripciones" in which they drew a person, animal, monster, or character based on a Spanish description either spoken or in writing. They also drew their own characters and described them in Spanish themselves and tested their table buddies to see if they were comprehensible to others.

6th grade Spanish students continued work on their menu projects. Students have been researching authentic cuisine in Spanish speaking places, and then creating a 15 meal menu (5 breakfast, 5 lunches, and 5 dinners) entirely in Spanish. Students are also practicing how to order at a restaurant and practicing vocabulary in this setting. Phrases such as "Quisiera..." (I would like)... "La cuenta, por favor" (The bill, please), "Puede darme" (Can you bring me...)

7th graders

7th grade Spanish students please do the following 3 activities at the following links. Have 3 different classmates "sign off" when you have completed each at 100%.

1.) http://www.studyspanish.com/practice/adj1.htm

2.) http://www.learnspanishfeelgood.com/adjectives-agreement3.html#

3.) https://sites.google.com/a/ccboe.org/chilton/spanish-i/practice-quizzes/adjective-agreement-quiz

Progress Report Grades are In

**All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Spanish students' progress report grades are updated in IC and will appear on progress reports that go out with students early next week. These progress report grades are NOT final, students still have the opportunity to hand in their missing work or retake low test grades if they wish to do so.**

8th grade Spanish students have officially begun their compare/contrast project surrounding "The Running of the Bulls" and "La Tomatina." This unit meets the National ACTFL standards for culture that reads: "Experiencing other cultures develops a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between languages and other cultures, as well as the student's native culture. Students become better able to understand other people's points of view, ways of life, and contributions to the world." This assignment is due Tuesday, May 20th.

7th grade Spanish students played a class game of "Jeopardía" where conjugation, pronouns, Spanish Agreement, and clothing vocabulary were reviewed. Students had an extremely abbreviated week as it was a 2-day Spanish week and we lost one day due to conferences. 

6th grade Spanish students have received rubrics for their Spanish menú project. Students will be creating a menu entirely in Spanish using authentic dishes that they research themselves. Students will then use their menus to create skits at a restaurant in which they will practice ordering food.

The Beginning of May

8th grade Spanish students have finished their unit on "La Hora" and received their tests back. I am encouraging students to make-up the test in the next week if they are unhappy with their scores. *th graders started their study of two major Spanish festivals, "La Tomatina" in Buñol, Valenica, and "The Running of the Bulls" in Pamplona, Navarre. Students will synthesize this unit with a compare/contrast assignment.

7th grade Spanish students did several activities this week that centered around "Spanish Agreement." We played a class game of ¿Quién soy? (Who am I?) and finished writing sentences about characters that students created themselves. Next week we will do an assignment that features Spanish Agreement, but the focus will be writing about themselves (instead of others) in the form of 'Wanted' posters. This assignment will be called "Se Busca" in IC.

6th grade Spanish students have begun their unit on "La Comida." Students have done severval descriptive activities with food and identifying food through colors and other adjectives (spicy, juicy, sweet, salty, etc). Next week they will be introduced to their Menu project.

8th graders: Running of the Bulls

1.) Where does the Running of the Bulls take place?

2.) The Running of the Bulls takes place amidst which festival?

3.) What does everyone where around their neck during this festival?

4.) What takes place every afternoon of the festival?

5.) What takes place every evening of the festival?

6.) Can you name 3 rules of the Bull Run?

7.) How many people have died during the Bull Run in recorded history?

8.) How many people attend the Festival of San Fermín?

9.) About how many bulls are released during the Bull Run?

10.) How do participants generally dress for the Bull Run?