Tuesday, November 25, 2014

¡Feliz día de acción de gracias!

















6th, 7th, and 8th grade Spanish students had a very abbreviated week of foreign language. All grades did a brief Thanksgiving activity in Spanish where we talked about what we are thankful for. We did a short reading in Spanish about "Los peregrinos, los americanos nativos, y la barca se llama el Muguete" (pilgrims, native Americans, and the ship called the Mayflower). I want to wish all students and their families a "Feliz día de acción de gracias" (a Happy Thanksgiving)! 

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

An Important Week

8th grade Spanish students had their MovieTalk final assessment this week in which they had to create their own self-made MovieTalk using the animated short, "Simon's Cat." This clip can be found at the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1qHVVbYG8Y
Students finished up the week doing a class "Who am I?" activity. (¿Quién soy?) Students were given four hints both orally and in writing in Spanish and groups had to guess which celebrity was being described. Grades for both activities will be posted before the Thanksgiving break.

7th grade Spanish students are working on "La Comunidad" and a "Lugares en la comunidad" presentation. They are primarily working with the verbs "Tener: To Have" and "Estar: To be." This project has a significant oral and written component. Projects are due immediately before the Thanksgiving break.

6th grade Spanish students are practicing "Beginner Conversation" or expressions of courtesy. Meeting people and holding basic conversation is the focus of this unit such as:
* Buenos días, ¿cómo estás? (Good morning, how are you?)* ¡Bienvenidos! (Welcome)* Muy bien/muy mal/así-así. (Very well/very bad/so-so).* Buenas tardes, ¿cómo te llamas? (Good afternoon, what is your name?)*Me llamo _________. (My name is  _________.)* Mucho gusto. (Nice to meet you)* El gusto es mío. (The pleasure is mine)* ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)* Tengo  ____ años. (I am ____ years old).* Adíos, hasta mañana. (Good bye, see you tomorrow)* Por favor/gracias. (Please/Thank you)* De nada (You're welcome)* Lo siento/perdone (I am sorry/Pardon)
Students have also learned "rules of proximity" which refers to the rules of space in other countries. Students are learning that the amount of space you give friends/family/colleagues/etc is different in other places. They are also practicing appropriate gestures and physical greetings in hispanic places.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

A Shortened Week

8th grade Spanish students did two oral MovieTalks with week.
Our first was "Paperman" which can be found at the following http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xzt3vb_paperman_shortfilms
Our second was "Destiny" which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKLEeY_WeQ
Oral MovieTalks involve taking still shots of the animated shorts and discussing the film in Spanish. Students are asked questions regarding the plot, the thoughts/actions/feelings of the characters, and they offer their own theories about the endings/what happens next for our protagonists.

7th grade Spanish students have begun their unit on "La Comunidad." Students have primarily working with giving/receiving directions about how to get different places in town. Students have had opportunities to practice this both written and orally.

6th grade Spanish students did their first lengthy reading in Spanish this week. They deciphered the text using their knowledge of cognates and other context clues. Students also learned about the "Rules of proximity" this week in hispanic conversations (that Spanish speakers tend to speak closer than their English-speaking counterparts).

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Lots of Talk

8th grade Spanish students did two MovieTalks this week.
Our oral MovieTalk was "El fracaso de muerte" (Death Fails) which can be found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv9c_HuK9Gg
Our written MovieTalk was "La receta del amor" (Love Recipe) which can be found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ufQ9OUosKE
All discussion points and guiding questions were provided to students in class and can be found in their blue folders.

7th grade Spanish students did a segment of MovieTalk this week. This unit alternates between written days and oral days. The clip we watched can be found at the following link:
* "El día de los muertos" Day of the Dead (oral day): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQnUuq-TEE
All discussion points and guiding questions were provided to students in class and can be found in their blue folders.

6th grade Spanish students worked on the structures "Me gusta/No me gusta" (I like)... "Quiero" (I want)... "Necesito" (I need)... Students also worked with infinitives to express their wants, needs, and desires.


Monday, November 3, 2014

Thank you! ¡Muchas Gracias!

I want to thank all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade families for visiting and participating in fall conferences. It was wonderful to meet so many parents and your continued support is much appreciated!

8th grade Spanish students have started their unit on MovieTalk. This unit alternates between written days and oral days. The clips we have watched thus far can be found at the following links:
* Day of the Dead (oral day): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQnUuq-TEE
* Oktapodi (written day): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badHUNl2HXU
This unit will take us all of November. Students will create their own oral MovieTalk as their final assessment.

7th grade Spanish students wrapped up Day of the Dead with a oral MovieTalk assignment. Grades for this cultural unit will be available by the end of the week. Our next unit is La Comunidad: The Community which will begin Wednesday and will be the last unit of the first trimester.

6th grade Spanish students have been working on Day of the Dead and have created a variety of artifacts in class. After watching a slideshow surrounding "El día de los muertos" they created "Calacas" (skeletons that depict a joyful and active afterlife) and máscaras (traditional masks that are incorporated into the Mexican celebration). Students will complete a final WebQuest this week that will involve identifying artifacts and symbols associated with El día de los muertos.