The students and I began this school learning new rules due to COVID 19. Students then started to learn the Spanish alphabet, the letters and their sounds, the vowels, and the numbers 0-10. Students also learned how to recognize an infinitive verb and then how to conjugate it in the present tense. 

Por el COVID 19, los estudiantes y yo empezamos el año escolar aprendien nuevas reglas. Los estudiantes empezaron a aprender el abecedarop, los nombre de las letras y sus sonidos, así como las vocales. También los estudiantes aprendieron a usar algunos verbos en infinitivo y aprendieron como usarlos a conjugarlos en tiempo presente.      

Many Hispanic countries celebrate the Children’s Day on April 30th. This is why on this day, don’t miss the opportunity to say to your children how much you love them. Enjoy it the following pictures of your children. They are the future!

Happy Children’s Day!

El 30 de abril, se celebra en muchos países Hispanos el Día de los Niño. Por eso en este día, no mierdas la oportunidad de decirle a sus hijos  cuánto los ama. Disfruten de las siguientes fotos de sus hijos.  ¡Ellos son el futuro!

¡Feliz Día de los Niños!

Thank you, Parents and students

I would like to say a big “thank you” to parents and students at St. James Day School for keeping up with the homework. The following are some Spanish assignments that students have been working from home. They are great! 

Thank you and stay safe.  

Gracias, Padres y estudiantes,

Les quiero dar las gracias a los padres y los estudiantes de St. James Day School por eguir trabajando desde casa. Los siguientes son algunos ejemplos de los trabajos que los estudiantes han estado mandandome desde sus casa. Son excelente!

Thank you y mantenganse seguros.

Sight words! Sight words!

At the beginning of the semester, the students were instructed that they were responsible for reading 100 to 200 Spanish sight words by the end of the semester. The students can choose a variety of formats to study and learn the sight words in the classroom.  For example, they can form small groups of around three students to practice their sight words or they can study on their own. The first and second graders should be able to identify and pronounce some 100 sight words by the end of the semester, while third and fourth graders must learn 200 sight words.  The advantage of working in groups is that they learn to work with each other and practice together the pronunciation of the words they are learning. Also, learning together can be more fun.

¡Palabras de alta frecuencia!  ¡Palabras de alta frecuencia!

Al principio del semestre, los estudiantes fueron instruidos que ellos eran responsible por aprender de a 100 a 200 palabras de alta frecuencia para a finales del semestre. Los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de elegir una variedad de formas para estudiar y aprender las palabras de alta frecuencia en el salon. Por ejemplo, ellos pueden elegir formar grupos de dos a tres estudiantes para practicar las palabras de alta frecuencia, o pueden elegir estudiar solos si así lo desean. El primer y segundo grados deberían de identificar y pronunciar por lo menos 100 palabras de alta frecuencia para finales de semestre, mientras que el tercer y cuarto grados deberían de aprender 200 palabras de alta frecuencia. La ventaja de trabajar en grupos es que los estudiantes aprenden a trabajar juntos y con cada uno de ellos en practicar juntos la pronunciación de las palabras que están aprendiendo. También aprendiendo juntos puede ser más divertido.

The Body Parts:

The students learned to sing the song of the body parts.The song helps the students to pronounce and recognize the body parts in Spanish. The kids love it!

LasPpartes del Cuerpo:

Los estudiantes aprendieron a cantar la canción de las partes del cuerpo. La canción ayuda a los estudiantes a pronunciar y a reconocer las partes de cuerpo. ỉA los niños les encanta! 

The Numbers!

The students are learning new vocabulary in Spanish. They are learning how to count the numbers in a sequence and are busy completing a variety of number-matching assignments. They also had fun coloring the one-hundred-days-of-school worksheet.

ỈLos Números!

Los estudiantes están aprendiendo un vocabulario nuevo en español. Los estudiantes están aprendiendo cómo contar los números en secuencia y así también están aprendiendo cómo contar los números y ponerlos en orden de acuerdo a su número correcto. Ellos han coloreado una hoja de recuerdo por los cien días de escuela y se divirtieron mucho.

Here at St James Day School, the students are continuing to learn about the culture and traditions of various Spanish countries. We started the New Year learning how some Latin American counties celebrated the arrival of the three wise men. In some Latin countries, such in Mexico, they celebrate the arrival of the three wise men and the cutting of the Wreath Bread (a round sweet bread) on January 6. The students learned that many Latin American children write letters to the three wise men asking for gifts the day before January 6. Students also learned that inside the bread are plastic figurines of baby Jesus. The adults cut the Wreath Bread and distribute the pieces to the children. A piece of bread that contains a baby Jesus inside means that that person has to prepare some food to share on the day of February 2, which is Candlemas Day (Día de la Candelaria).

St. James students had the opportunity to eat some sweet bread (do not worry the bread did not have a plastic baby Jesus inside) and drink some champurrado (hot chocolate). They also wrote letters to the wise men and colored some drawings of them.

We continue to have fun learning!

 Los Tres Reyes Magos                         

En la Escuela de St. James, los estudiantes continúan aprendiendo un poco más acerce de la cultura y tradiciones de various paises Hispanohablantes. Empezamos el Año Nuevo aprendieno cómo en algunos paises Hispanohablantes se celebra la llegada de los Tres Reyes Magos. En algunos paises Hispanohablantes como en Mexico celebramos en enero 6, la llegada de los Tres Reyes Magos y partimos Rosca de Reyes. Los estudiantes han aprendido que los niños en Mexico escriben cartas un día antes del 6 de enero para pedir regalos a lost tres reyes magos. Los estudiantes también han aprendido que adentro de la rosca de reyes hay bebitos parecidos al niño Jesus. Los adultos cortan y reparten la rosca de reyes con los niños. Si en el pedazo de rosca se encuentra un niño Jesus esto significa que está persona tiene que preparer comida para compartir el 2 de febrero, el Día de la Candelaria.  

Los estudiantes de St James han tenido la oportunidad de saboriar algunos pedazos de pan dulce (pero no se preocupen que el pan dulce no contenía los niñitos) junto con un chanpurrado calientito. También han podido escribir cartas a lost tres reyes magos y han coloreado algunos dibujos de ellos.   

¡Continuamos diviertiendonos  aprendiendo!

Project Piñatas:

The students in fourth and third grades are finally ready to show their piñatas to the class and parents. The students worked, learned, and had fun while making their piñatas and I am proud of these kids!

The students started this project by researching the type of piñata they wanted to make and how to make it.  They then bought their materials needed to make their piñata.  Lastly, they built their piñatas.  They were required to write a few sentences describing how they did their work.  The student made a wide variety of piñatas. Some of these piñatas include an ice cream on a cone, a disco ball, a pumpkin, stars, a horse, a hot-air balloon, a taco, a rainbow fish, a pear, and even a PVC pipe as piñatas.

Students learned Spanish vocabulary that corresponds to making a piñata—words such as globos, periódico, cuerda, papel de seda, pegamento, pompones, carton, cartulina, cinta adhesive, pegamento caliente, and pintura.

The students not only learned new vocabulary on how to make piñatas, but they also had fun working together.  They discovered that it is possible to learn through play.

Proyecto Piñatas:

Los estudiante de cuarto y tercer grado finalmente están listo para mostrar sus piñatas a las compañeros de clase y a sus padres. ¡Los estudiantes trabajaron, aprendieron y se divirtieron mientras hacían sus piñatas y estoy muy orgullosa de estos niños!

Los estudiantes comenzaron este proyecto investigando el tipo de piñatas: que querían hacer y cómo hacerlo. Luego compraron los materiales necesarios para hacer sus piñatas. Por último construyeron sus piñatas. Se les pidió que escribieran algunas oraciones que describieran cómo hicieron sus trabajo piñatas. Los estudiantes tuvieron una variedad de tipos de piñatas las cuales incluyen helados en conos, una bola de discoteca, una calabaza, estrellas, un caballo, un globo aerostático, un taco, un pez de arcoiris, una pera, e incluso una pipa de PVC como piñatas.

Los estudiantes aprendieron vocabulario en Español que corresponde a hacer piñatas: palabras como globos, periódico, cuerda, papel de seda, pegamento, pompones, cartón, cartulina, cinta adhesiva, pegamento caliente y pintura.

Los estudiantes no solamente aprendieron un vocabulario nuevo sobre cómo hacer piñatas, sino que también se divirtieron trabajando juntos. Descubrieron que es posible aprender jugando.

The students at St James are learning how to write, read and spell words in Spanish. Some of these words are the names of the colors and shapes, as well as a variety of words we are learn day by day.

Los estudiantes de la Escuela de St. James están a aprendiendo a cómo escribir, a leer y a cómo escribir palabras correctamente. Algunas de las palabras son los nombres de los colores, formas, y palabras que vamos a aprendiendo día a día.

New vocabulary—Vocabulario Nuevo

The fourth grade students are learning new Spanish vocabulary. They are practicing much of this new vocabulary while making their favorite piñatas.  Some of this vocabulary include words such as balloons, tape, newspaper, tissue paper, rope and cardboard.

Los estudiante de cuarto grado están aprendiendo un vocabulario nuevo en Español.  Los estudiantes están aprendiendo a usar sus habilidades de cómo hacer sus piñatas favoritas de esa forma están aprendiendo a practicar las palabras nuevas como globos, cinta adhesive, periódico, cuerda, y cartulina.  

The students at St James Day School are learning the names of the letters and the sounds of the alphabet in Spanish. They are learning how to identify vowels, write numbers, and know how to say different colors in Spanish. They are also learning the song La Marcha de las Vocales.  Some students are learning how to spell out words, read sight words, and new vocabulary. Other students are learning how to write the short sentences in Spanish. They are using the personal pronouns to conjugate verbs in Spanish!  

Los estudiantes de la escuela de St James están a aprendiendo las letras y sonidos del abecedario en Español. Los estudiantes están a aprendiendo a identificar las vocales, están a aprendiendo a escribir los números, y  también están a aprendiendo como se dice los colores en Español. Los estudiantes están aprendiendo la canción La Marcha de las Vocales. Algunos estudiantes están a aprendiendo a deletrear y a leer palabras de alta frecuencia y palabras nuevas. Mientras tanto otros estudiantes están aprendiendo cómo escrbir pequeñas oraciones usando los pronombres personales para conjugar verbos en Español.  

Hispanic Month

One reason September is known as the Hispanic month is because Mexican Independence Day is in September.  Students are learning about the culture of Mexico and the names of some important people who made Mexican independence possible. The students are also learning about special days in Mexican calendar and learning how to make Mexican decorations.  September 16 is Mexico’s Independence Day.  

Mes de la Hispanidad

En septiembre hay una razón porque en Mexico se conoce cómo el Día de la Hispanidady porque se celebra el Día de la Independencia de Mexico. Los estudiantes de St James están  aprendiendo sobre la cultura de Mexico, y nombre de personas importantes que hicieron posible la independencia. Los estudiantes también están aprendiendo sobre los días especiales y cómo hacer bonitas decoraciones. El 16 de septiembre es el Día de la Independencia de Mexico.

End of the school year!

St. James Students continue to have many activities as the school year winds down.  The kindergarten students compete with each other to be the first to identify in Spanish different colors.  They learn the names and sounds of the Spanish alphabet. They are also learning how to spell Spanish words by sounding them out.  Most impressively, students are able to write short sentences in Spanish in their notebooks.  I am so proud of them and I can’t wait to the next school year to start so that they can learn even more.

 The 1st through 7th grade students are having fun learning how to make piñatas, and then, of course, busting them open.  Students learned about the historic significance of Cinco de Mayo and the importance of Mothers’ Day in Mexican culture.  I also assigned the Spanish sight-words that they learned and were able to use in sentences.  Students learned to read and write the numbers 1-100 in Spanish, and many of them were able to count up to 200 and above.  We continued to work on verb agreement, nouns and pronouns, and regular and irregular verbs.  I also excited for these students to return next year so that they can develop their Spanish even more.  Meanwhile, I wish everyone a great summer! 

The Kindergarten class is mastering the alphabet, numbers, and words with one to two syllables.  They have fun drawing their favorite animals or sketches. The First, Second, and Third graders are reviewing past and new vocabulary, sight words, and numbers. They are writing short sentences using the sight words. The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh graders are working on when to use one of two Spanish verbs that translate to TO BE. Spanish has two different verbs for the English verb TO BE, namely SER and ESTAR.  Sometimes Spanish also uses the verb TENER to denote TO BE.  Students often find translating the verb TO BE confusing because a direct translation with all its meanings does not exist with just one Spanish equivalent verb.  But once students learn the differences between SER, ESTAR, and TENER, they are on their way to learning some of the most difficult aspects of mastering Spanish: learning the verbs. 

6th and 7th Grades

The sixth and seventh graders’ Spanish-mini projects were marvelous. Unlike the fourth and fifth graders, the sixth and seventh graders were allowed to use computer applications, such as PowerPoint, to present their research. However, some students decided to present their research on a white poster. Both the presentations and the content of the projects were excellent.  The students had fun with it, but, most importantly, they did a great job talking about what they learned from conducting research on a Spanish-speaking country.

The sixth and seventh graders learned not only about the geography of the country they studied, but they were able to identify their country on a map.  They were also able to formulate research questions and answer them.

After the students presented their work to their classmates, I asked them some questions, such as what aspect of conducting your research did you like best and why? I was impressed with their thoughtful answers.

Wonderful job Sixth and Seventh graders!

Fifth Grade

It was so wonderful to see how hard the Fifth Graders worked on their Spanish-mini projects. They made it look easy and fun, but, most importantly, they were eager to talk about what they learned from conducting research on a Spanish-speaking country.  Although I told the students the project was not meant to be hard, I knew it was. Fortunately, they worked hard and did an excellent job completing projects on Spanish-speaking countries. Fifth Graders learned the geography of the country they studied and how to find their given country on a map.  They were also able to formulate research questions and answer them. They did a great job and we had fun!

Below are some photos showing the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th graders conducting research on a Spanish-speaking country.  Each student chose a Spanish-speaking country to do a research presentation. The students are working hard on their presentations, which they will present to their classmates next week. I can hardly wait to see the students to do their presentations!  

1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders are learning to distinguish between feminine and masculine nouns, and singular and plural objects.  They are also practicing how to use a Spanish-English dictionary.

Kindergarten students are working on learning the numbers and naming the letters and their sounds.  

The second graders at St. James Day School had a wonderful performance at the Grandparent’s Day celebration!!  The title of the poem the second graders recited was “Mis Abuelitos” (My Grandparents). They not only learned a poem in Spanish, but they also learned how to incorporate emotions using their hands and faces to express how much they love their grandparents.  The students at St. James continue to learn new Spanish vocabulary and parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, articles.

¡ Feliz Día de los Abuelitos!

Happy Grandparents’ Day!

Wow! Time is going by fast! The second grade students in St. James’ Spanish classes are preparing to recite a poem in Spanish during the celebration of Grandparents’ Day. Other students are working on writing sentences and using proper subject verb agreement. We are also learning different parts of speech in Spanish to construct sentences. We are still working on reviewing previous vocabulary, words, numbers, the alphabet, and vowels. I hope the students are continuing to have fun as they learn new vocabulary!

Students in St. James’ Spanish class are learning the Spanish word for certain farm animals, including goat, horse, cow, sheep, pig, and dog. They are also learning new sight words such as over there, here, on the top, etc. I am using different teaching methods to help students learn vocabulary and conversational Spanish.  One method is to divide students in small groups and give them assignments to build vocabulary and have short conversations in Spanish. The conversations are designed to help them retain old vocabulary and learn new words. They are engaged and love working together.