Crazy Faces!

1st Grade Fun!

We had a blast in the first grade faces practicing body vocabulary by making "Caras Locas" or Crazy Faces!  Can your first grader find the faces their class made?  See if they can point to the vocabulary:  

Pelo (Pay-lo)- Hair

Orejas (Or-ehh-ha-s)- Ears

Ojos (Oh-Ho-s)- Eyes

Nariz (Na-ree-s)- Nose

Boca (Bo-ka)- Mouth

Review, Review, Review!

This week was another week spent on reviewing concepts that we had learned last year in 1st Grade and 2/3 Grade classes.  We had fun reviewing using activities like Numero Magico in 1st Grade (Magic Number), Pepito Sheet in 2/3 (Body Parts), Lata Magica in 1st Grade (Magic Can), and the Me duele la cabeza song in 2/3!  If you want to listen to the Me Duele song, click here! You student should remember the actions :)

Kindergarten classes are off and running, or should I say marching!  We have learned the commands for Stand up, Sit down, and March!  They are doing such a good job at these that we will be adding new ones soon!  They are also working really hard on their numbers 1-10!  They have learned a song to remember!  123 Amigos that goes to the tune of 10 Little Indians.

First Week Reflections

WOW!  I can't believe that the first week is complete!  I had so much fun meeting staff and students this week, not to mention being able to see how much the 1st-3rd Graders remembered over the summer!  Do I have some SMART students :)  This week we did a lot of review.  Here is a look at what we covered!

Grades 2 & 3: 

• We reviewed our numbers 1-30.  (You should ask your student to do the Number Dance: El Baile de los Numeros) 
• We reviewed the colors by singing our colors song, saying a color and if they had that color on their shirt they stood up, and by playing the game tengo tengo (I have). 
• We answered the question ¿ Como estas? (How are you?) and ¿ Como te llamas? (Whats your name)
• We practice our mandatos (commands) and added 4 new ones: abajo, arriba, adelante, atras (down, up, forward, and back)

Grade 1

• We reviewed our numbers 1-20 (You should ask your student to do the Number Dance: El Baile de los Numeros) 
• We reviewed our colors by singing our color song and by saying a color and if they had that color on their shirt they stood up
• We reviewed our mandatos (commands) including: marchen, salten, doblense, anden, densen vuelta, and bailen. (March, Jump, Bow, Walk, Turn around, and Dance)
• We reviewed our body parts by singing Cabeza, Estomago, Pies (Head, Stomach, Feet to the tune of head and shoulders)
• We read the book Clifford Va a La Escuela (Clifford goes to school)

Kindergarten

• We practiced saying "Hola Senorita Schwartz"
• We learned our numbers 1-10 and sang the song 123 Amigos
• We learned the commands: levantense, sientense, and marchen (Stand up, Sit down, march)
• We learned the difference between chico and chica (boy and girl)
• We read the book Margret and Margarita which is about two girls who go to the park.  One speaks English and the other speaks Spanish.  They realize that they play together and become friends, despite not speaking the same language!  

All Grades

• We practiced the rules of Spanish class.  See if your student can remember the rhyme and actions we learned to help us remember the rules.  They are:

1. Hablen en Espanol (Speak in Spanish)
2. Leventan la mano (Raise your hand)
3. No toquen (No touching/keep your hands to yourself)
4. Respeten (Respect-your teacher and your class)
5. Escuchen (Listen)

Can't wait for this week!  

~Senorita Schwartz

Welcome

Bienvenidos!!! 

Welcome to the beginning of yet another new year!  As I am preparing for meeting all my new students I get more and more excited.  As a team of eight FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools) teachers this year, we have some awesome new activities and materials ready to start, and are still developing more and more.  We are adding some new concepts this year as we are building the 2nd grade curriculum including a look at Puerto Rico, telling time, and learning the alphabet.  We will continue to grow our number recognition and start skip counting with numbers this year.  

An Introduction

My name is Joelle Schwartz and I recently graduated from UNI (Go Panthers!!!) and have spent the Spring 2013 semester substitute teaching near my hometown.  I am originally from Hubbard, IA and grew up on a farm; however, I never had much for animals.  I just a dog and my one 4-H bucket calf.  I graduated from South Hamilton High School in Jewell, IA in 2008 and then graduated from UNI in December 2012 with a degree in Spanish Teaching and English as a Second Language Teaching.  I studied abroad for a Semester in 2010 to Oviedo, Spain.  It was a wonderful experience where I was able to learn many things including the language and culture of Spain.  I took 15 credit hours at the local University in their language program and traveled around the country. I moved to Cedar Rapids this summer and am excited to start the new school year!