En el mes de Mayo:

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I would like to send a special Gracias, Thank You, to all of my
estudiantes, students, y papas, parents, for such a wonderful year and
the great support I have received for the Spanish language!

Let me explain what we will be learning in May:

The Kinders:
In kindergarden, we will be learning the song Los Pollitos, The
Ckicks, and La Raspa, a very popular Mexican dance! We will also be
reading and writing about la Primavera, the Spring y el Verano, the
summer.

First Graders:
This month, the First Graders will be learning La Cucaracha, the
cockroach, an interative song about a poor bug that lost its leg! We
will also be learning Los Numeros, the Numbers, in Spanish from uno,
one, to veinte y cinco, twenty five. We will be busy reading them,
writing them, and counting, counting, counting! Bingo and other games
will help us memorize the numbers in a fun way!

Second Graders:
In Second Grade, we will be learning the song En la Escuela Soy Feliz,
I Am Happy In School! continue to read many books... all in Spanish!
These books include different activity sheets that the students must
complete after reading each book. Very good practice in Spanish
comprehension! Tan inteligentes! So intelligent!

Third Grade:
The Third Graders have completed their delicioso menus de Chipotle.
We are ready for our fun trip and excited to order our food en
Espanol... un burrito porfavor!

Fourth Grade:
The Fourth Graders are going to Chipotle with minds full of Spanish
phrases and tummies full of tacos! They have done such a great job
this year! I am so proud of all of my fourth graders that are ready
to move on to Fifth Grade Spanish! Buena Suerte! Good Luck!

The estudiantes have sure learned a lot this year!

Felices Vacaciones! Happy Vacation!

Muchas Gracias, Senora Steelman!

Lots it's going on in the upper grades. 5TH GRADERS have been learning how to describe people, by learning adjectives to talk about what a person's physical and personality features are. This is a hard lesson, since there are a couple of rules to remember to apply which are so very different from English. They've practiced by describing themselves, teachers, friends, family and even pets! One of their favorite games, besides ''guess who?' (in Spanish) is guessing ''el estudiante misterioso''.

In 6TH GRADE, we've just finished the family unit, learned the verb tener (to have, to be...old): conjugation and grammar application. Also, we have practiced numbers 1-100 with different games and activities, especially to talk about someone's age. Yes, now I know how old parents of my students are. We've continued talking about and describing others for further practice. Next is learning the use of this verb (tener) in certain expressions where in English to be is used. This is a fun and interesting lesson for students.

Both 7TH GRADE classes have gone to Chipotle for lunch with Sra. Steelman and I. They have had the chance to demonstrate their oral and comprehension skills while ordering and answering the personnel questions. This is always a fun walking in the neighborhood field trip. We are now in the middle of the 'regular present tense verbs', which will help the students communicate better at Spanish Camp. 

We are getting ready for this annually, already anticipated weekend experience of going to Bemidji's Concordia Spanish Camp El Lago del Bosque. Students are getting more and more excited as the date approaches, May 14th-16th. Staff over there do a great job making students feel comfortable with whatever level they are at. Such a unique, fun immersion into the Spanish language and culture. Wish us a ¡Buen Viaje!and keep tuned for the after news.

8TH GRADERS have all taken their placement tests at this point. We've covered everything it's needed to be placed in level 2, and basically for the rest of this year we'll be reviewing content, and having cultural units through readings, geography and cooking videos and music, too.

The school has just acquired for my 'wish list' the 2 videos which contain all of the cooking shows from the PBS program MADE IN SPAIN,featuring Spanish chef José Andrés, and his cook book. What a great addition to enrich our Spanish awareness. I can't wait to tell you more once I've showed the videos. 

Talking about food, 8th graders have also enjoyed going to Chipotle for lunch. ¡Qué riiiiiiiiiiiico! (how yummy!)

Aren't you hungry now? YO Sí = I AM. Gracias for reading about us!

Sra. Marián Pradas

A quick peek at what our estudiantes will be doing in Abril:

Kinders:
In kindergarden, we will be learning about our bodies and its parts with help from the song Mi cuerpo, My Body. We will be writing and reading a booklet all about our main body parts: the mouth, feet, hands...

First Grade:
First graders this month will be learning about all of the wild animales in the forest, Los Animales Del Bosque. Their booklet will help them write different animals names and while the read it they will practice how to sound them out.

Second Grade:
In April, we will be writing and reading a book all about our favorite zapatos, shoes. The second graders will draw pictures of their favorite shoes and write sentences about them, todo en español, everthing in spanish. You will see this book at home, since they will be bringing it with them to read to their parents.

Third Grade & Fourth Graders:
This month, the third graders and fourth graders are going to have a great time learning El Menu De Chipotle, their Chipotle menu! They will learn common phrases of ordering, please, thank you, I would like, how much is it?... They will also be learning the ingredients of their order, tomatoes, burrito, lettuce, tacos, onions... With this unit they will be creating their own menu which will consist of a 'sloppy copy' and a final menu, which they will take with them on their trip to Chipotle.

Buen Provecho! Enjoy your meal!

Muchas Gracias, Feliz mes de Abril!

Señora Steelman