Kindergarten End-of-Year Wrap-Up, 2012-13

We got a really late start last fall, so we are diligently trying to finish up our studies for Life Science and Ancient History. We still have a good month or more to go for each. Insert a big sigh here...lesson thoroughly learned. We won't be starting late again, as long as I can help it. I had planned some extra fun electives for this summer, but they aren't going to happen and I'm bummed. Good news is we have managed to complete our core subjects this past month, as well as Spanish...again.

Here's what we have recently completed and are doing now.

Completed Singapore Math 1B. Started Singapore Math 2A.

Completed Hooked on Phonics: Second Grade. Started Evan-Moor Daily Phonics, Grade 1 and Daily Reading Comprehension, Grade 1. We will start All About Spelling 1 and grammar this fall.

Completed Teach Them Spanish!, Grade 1. Starting Risas y Sonrisas: Spanish for Kids next term. I'm really excited about our new Spanish program, but I'll write more about it later in a future post.

Teach Them Spanish! - Grade 1

Tessa completed Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K last week. She did an amazing job and loves studying Spanish. Wonderful, right? Yes, but...

Oh, how I wish someone would publish a quality, hands-on, yet affordable Spanish curriculum for lower elementary. Heck, if it were absolutely perfect, I wouldn't even mind spending $50-$100 on it. As it is, nothing is quite right for us, so we're making do...once again.

As mentioned in a previous post, I was thinking about using newly released School Song Spanish by Classical Academic Press after Tessa completed Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K by Instructional Fair, an imprint of Carson-Dellosa. In the end, I decided not to use it. Well, not yet anyway. If Tessa completes School Song Spanish now, there won't be anything even remotely age-appropriate left for her afterward.

Knowing that Tessa was quickly approaching the end of Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K weeks ago, I researched like crazy in hopes of finding something a little more advanced, yet still fun and engaging. Something that doesn't require pages of mindless copywork. I actually bought Flip-Flop Spanish, Ages 6-9: Level 1 (or download the digital version for less from Currclick), but have delayed starting it as well. I really like that it comes with quality audio files...that's what drew me in, but I don't think the presentation is a good fit for us at the moment. It seems like it might be more appropriate for large homeschooling families as well. We may try to use it later. I'll have to wait and see.

I admit it. I decided to finish out the school year with Teach Them Spanish!, Grade 1 (or download the digital version for just $3.99 from Carson-Dellosa) pretty much by default. After cutting out all of the review, which Tessa doesn't need coming straight from Grade K, it will only take us a couple of months to complete. Then, I'll have to do some more crazy searching.

Teach Them Spanish!, Grade 1 is a lot like Grade K, except it uses flash cards instead of posters to introduce and review new words and phrases. The worksheets are more writing-intensive as well. There aren't anymore cut-and-paste activities and very few circle its. Nothing Tessa won't be able to handle, though. It will just take a little adjustment on her part.

For each lesson, I am still either using Forvo to download MP3 files of native speakers speaking corresponding words or searching Usborne Quicklinks for the same thing. I transfer the files to my Kindle Fire and play them for Tessa several times. I am dropping the Little Pim videos, but am still using the Whistlefritz DVDs.

Day 1

Introductions and Greetings - Teach Cards

"Adíos Means Goodbye" - Song (48)

Speak/Find Cards - Activity (54)

Day 2

Introductions and Greetings - Review Cards

Speak/Find Cards - Activity (54)

Sí/No Game - Activity (54)

Day 3

Introductions and Greetings - Review Cards

"Introductions Review" - Worksheet (8)

Day 4

Numbers 0-20 - Teach Cards

The Usborne Picture Dictionary in Spanish - Play Quicklinks audio files for numbers 11-20.

"Diez (Veinte) Amigos" - Song (48)

Counting Practice - Activity (57)

"Listen for the Numbers 0-10" - Worksheet (11)

"Numbers 0-20" - Worksheet (16)

Day 5

Numbers 0-20 - Review Cards

Bingo - Activity (57)

"Show Your Number"” - Worksheet (17), use stickers or stamps.

Day 6

Numbers 0-20 - Review Cards

Mystery Number - Activity (57)

"Sunshine 0-20" - Worksheet (18)

Day 7

Numbers 0-20 - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (57)

"Numbers Crossword" - Worksheet (19)

Day 8

Classroom Objects - Teach Cards

"Classroom Objects Song" - Song (49)

Label the Classroom - Activity (59)

"Listen Carefully" - Worksheet (22)

Day 9

Classroom Objects - Review Cards

Find It! - Activity (59), or use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (28-29).

Guess What? - Activity (59)

"Use the Clues" - Worksheet (23)

Day 10

Classroom Objects - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (59)

"En la Clase" - Activity (59)

Day 11

Food - Teach Cards

"Food Song" - Song (49)

Find the Food - Activity (61)

Colors Review - Activity (61)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Adentro y Afuera (DVD)

Day 12

Food - Review Cards

Guess What? - Activity (61)

Find It! Poster - Activity (61), cut out pictures from magazines or grocery store ads.

Day 13

Food - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (61)

Find It! - Activity, use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (56-57).

"Use the Clue"” - Worksheet (27)

Day 14

Clothing - Teach Cards

"Clothing Song" - Song (50)

Find It! - Activity, use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (22-23).

"Remember These" - Worksheet (30)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Las Estaciones (DVD)

Day 15

Clothing - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (63)

Find It! Poster - Activity (63), cut out pictures from magazines or department store ads.

Colors Review - Activity (63)

Day 16

Clothing - Review Cards

Clothing Relay - Activity (63), modified for home-school environment.*

Find It! - Activity, use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (52-53).

"What Belongs" - Worksheet (31)

* We used a container of carefully selected Polly Pocket clothes. I threw in some extras to make it a bit more challenging.

Day 17

Face - Teach Cards

"Face Son"” - Song (49)

Find It! - Activity, use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (18-19).

Funny Face - Activity (64)

Day 18

Face - Review Cards

!Simón dice! - Activity (64)

"Face Riddles" - Worksheet (33)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Vamos a Jugar (DVD)

Day 19

Face - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (64)

"A Blank Face" - Worksheet (34)

Day 20

Family - Teach Cards

"Family Song" - Song (50)

Find It! - Activity, use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (8-9).

"Listen Well" - Worksheet (37)

Day 21

Family - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (65)

"Family Crosswords" - Worksheet (36)

Day 22

Animals - Teach Cards

"Animals Song" - Song (50)

Find the Animal - Activity (66)

Find It! Poster - Activity (66), cut out pictures from magazines.

Day 23

Animals - Review Cards

"Animal Crossword" - Worksheet (40)

"Animal Art" - Worksheet (39)

Day 24

Animals - Review Cards

Spanish Bee - Activity (66)

"Use the Clues" - Worksheet (41)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Los Animales (DVD)

Spanish Alphabet

I didn't really care for the Spanish alphabet lessons in Teach Them Spanish!, so to help Tessa learn it, I downloaded Ms. Lily's Spanish Sing-Along I "Alphabet...Alphabeto I" song from Amazon for just .99 cents. We sang along with it while looking at a Spanish alphabet chart over the course of two days. While Tessa didn't quite get it down with perfection, this is something that we will be studying long term with our new Spanish curriculum. She continues to listen and sing to the song just for fun.

Teach Them Spanish! - Grade K

Who knew finding good Spanish curriculum for the younger grades would prove to be so difficult? After a lot of digging, I unearthed maybe six-to-nine options. Most felt very homegrown. Several were rather pricey...for no apparent reason. All lacked in some way. I finally decided on Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K by Instructional Fair, an imprint of Carson-Dellosa.

Although I studied Spanish for five years during high school and college, I am far from fluent. With a lot preparation, I could probably teach Tessa using the language immersion approach during Spanish time. However, I highly doubt that would be a pleasant experience for either of us. So, I speak to her in both English and Spanish. I do a lot of code switching. I also supplement with Spanish language immersion videos, audio/video clips of native speakers, picture books...anything I can find that's of decent quality.

Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K is full of potential. It provides lesson plans, worksheets, classroom activities, games, songs and reading lists. However, the curriculum, which consists of one inexpensive 96-page black-and-white reproducible paperback book could be much better designed. Lessons need to be better defined and organized. They require a lot of flipping back-and-forth within the book as it is. On a positive note, the content is age-appropriate, fun and requires little-to-no writing. Tessa is enjoying it.

The following plans are how I chose to divide and supplement the lessons in Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K. Most books and videos listed are not included in the curriculum. While I am confident Tessa could memorize the Spanish words and their English equivalents in this curriculum in a much shorter amount of time than noted, that isn't my goal. I want her to develop a true familiarity with them. Tessa officially studies Spanish twice a week, but I try to incorporate appropriate Spanish words and phrases into daily life as well.

Note: Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K would be easiest to use with regular access to a copy machine. However, the book could be taken apart (it's staple bound) and be used that way. After Teach Them Spanish!, Grade K, we will likely use newly released School Song Spanish by Classical Academic Press.

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These plans are a work in progress. I will add to them (and delete, when necessary) as Tessa and I progress through the curriculum.

For each lesson, I either use Forvo to download MP3 files of native speakers speaking corresponding words or search Usborne Quicklinks for the same thing. I transfer the files to my Kindle Fire and play them for Tessa several times.

Day 1

Say Hola to Spanish - Susan Middleton Elya

Introductions and Greetings - Teach (7)

"Hola Means Hello" - Song (48)

Usborne: First Picture Spanish Interactive - Play appropriate phrases from "En La Escuela" and "En La Fiesta" segments.

Pictures of Greetings - Worksheet (8)

Global Wonders: Mexico DVD - Global Wonders

Day 2

Say Hola to Spanish, Otra Vez - Susan Middleton Elya

Introductions and Greetings Poster - Review (79-80)

"Adios Means Goodbye" - Song (48)

Usborne: First Picture Spanish Interactive - Play appropriate phrases from "En la Escuela" and "En la Fiesta" segments.

Greetings Paste-Up - Worksheet (9)

Day 3

Numbers Introduction 1-5 - Teach (10)

Usborne: First Sticker Book: Easy Spanish Words - Play Quicklinks sound files for numbers 1-5.

"Cinco Amigos" - Song (48)

Classroom Counting - Activity (54)

Numbers Review - Worksheet (11)

Little Pim: I Can Count DVD (Episodes 1-2) - Little Pim Co.

Day 4

Numbers Poster - Review 1-5 (81-82)

Usborne: First Sticker Book: Easy Spanish Words - Play Quicklinks sound files for numbers 1-5.

Roll 'Em - Activity (54)

Matching Numbers - Worksheet (12)

Little Pim: I Can Count DVD (Episodes 3-4) - Little Pim Co.

Day 5

Numbers Poster - Review 1-5 (81-82)

Usborne: First Sticker Book: Easy Spanish Words - Play Quicklinks sound files for numbers 1-5.

Dominoes - Activity (54)

Number the Shoes - Worksheet (13)

Day 6

Colors Introduction - Teach (14)

Colores de la Vida - Cynthia Weill

Find Classroom Colors - Activity (55)

Find the Crayons - Activity (55)

Pictures to Color - Worksheet (15)

Little Pim: Playtime DVD (Episode 1) - Little Pim Co.

Day 7

Colors Poster - Review (83-84)

My First Book of Spanish Words - Katy R. Kudela - Find the named colors. (24-25)

McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary - Find who's wearing the named colors. (74-75)

Rainbow Colors - Worksheet (55)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, La Fiesta de Fritz DVD - Whistlefritz

Day 8

Colors Poster - Review (83-84)

El Artista Que Pinto Un Caballo Azul - Eric Carle - Read by native speaker via YouTube.

I Spy - Activity (55)

Color the Cars - Worksheet (17)

Day 9

Numbers Poster - Review 1-5, Teach 6-10 (81-82)

"Diez Amigos" - Song (49)

Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three - Pat Mora

Classroom Counting - Activity (56), or use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (28-29).

1-10 Matching - Worksheet (18)

Little Pim: I Can Count DVD (Episodes 5-7) - Little Pim Co.

Day 10

Numbers Poster - Review 1-10 (81-82)

Counting Ovejas - Sarah Weeks

Beanbag Counting - Activity (56), or count toys, beans, counters, etc.

Count the Cookies - Worksheet (19)

Day 11

Numbers Poster - Review 1-10 (81-82)

Roll 'Em - Activity (56)

Critters 1-10 - Worksheet (20)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Vamos a Jugar DVD - Whistlefritz

Day 12

Numbers Poster - Review 1-10 (81-82)

Count on Culebra: Go from 1 to 10 in Spanish - Ann Whitford Paul

My Favorite Number - Worksheet (21)

Numbers Paper Chain - Activity (56, 69)

Day 13

Colors Poster - Review, Teach (83-84)
Colores de la Vida - Cynthia Weill

"Colors Song" - Song (49)

Find It! - Activity (57)
Birds of Color - Worksheet (22)

Day 14

Colors Poster - Review (83-84)

Find the Crayons - Activity from Colors, Part 1 (55)

Casa de Colores - Worksheet (23)

Day 15

Colors Poster - Review (83-84)

Colors Bingo - Activity (57), or use cards from a store-bought Spanish bingo game.

Flores y Colores - Worksheet (42)

Day 16

Colors Poster - Review (83-84)

I Spy - Activity (57), or use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (54-55).

De Colores - Worksheet (25)

Day 17

Read Books of Choice

My Name is Celia - Monica Brown

My Name is Gabito - Monica Brown

My Name is Gabriela - Monica Brown

Cuckoo: A Mexican Folktale - Lois Ehlert

Elena's Serenade - Campbell Geeslin

Off We Go to Mexico - Laurie Krebs

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin - Duncan Tonatiuh

Diego - Jonah Winter

Frida - Jonah Winter

Day 18

Watch Video of Choice

Families of Mexico DVD - Master Communications Inc.

More Families of Mexico DVD - Master Communications Inc.

One Wee World Celebrate Mexico DVD - One Wee World LLC

Spanish for Kids: Learn Spanish for Beginners Level 1, Volume 1 DVD - Language Tree

The Three Caballeros DVD - Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Travel With Kids: Mexico DVD - Equator Creative Media/Travel With Kids

Day 19

Classroom Things - Teach (26)

"Classroom Objects Song" - Song (49)

Label the Classroom - Activity (58)

Matching Objects - Worksheet (27)

Day 20

Classroom Objects Poster - Review (85-86)

Scavenger Hunt - Activity (58), modified for home-school environment.

Draw and Color Your Classroom - Worksheet (28)

Day 21

Classroom Objects Poster - Review (85-86)
McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary - Find the named classroom object. (28-29)

Match Pictures and Words - Worksheet (29)

Day 22

Family Words - Teach (30)

"Family Song" - Song (50)

Draw Your Family - Worksheet (31)

Day 23

The Family Poster - Review (87-88) 

My First Book of Spanish Words - Katy R. Kudela - Find the named family members. (4-5)

McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary - Find the named family member. Then, count how many girls and boys. (7-8)

Family Word Meanings - Worksheet (32)

Day 24

The Family Poster - Review (87-88)

Guess Who? - Activity (59)

Matching Family - Worksheet (33)

Day 25

Food and Drink - Teach (34)

"Food Song" - Song (51)

My Meal - Worksheet (35)

Little Pim: Eating and Drinking DVD (Episodes 1-4) - Little Pim Co.

Day 26

Food Poster - Review (90)

Food Practice - Activity (60)

Food Meanings - Worksheet (36)

Day 27

Food Poster - Review (90)

Mixed-Up Food - Worksheet (37)

Day 28

Clothing - Teach (38)

"Clothing Song" - Song (50)

My First Book of Spanish Words - Katy R. Kudela - Find the named clothing item. (8-9)

Clothing Match-Ups - Worksheet (39)

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Kids, Vamos a Jugar DVD - Whistlefritz

Day 29

Clothing Poster - Review (91-92)

Who's Wearing...?/What Color...? - Activity (61), or use McGraw-Hill's Spanish Picture Dictionary (34-35).

How Are You? - Worksheet (40)

Day 30

Clothing Poster - Review (91-92)

Find the Clothing - Activity (61), modified for home-school environment.

Clothes to Color - Worksheet (41)

Day 31

Places to Go - Teach (42)

"Community Song" - Song (51)

Picture This! - Worksheet (43)

Day 32

Community Poster - Review (93-94)

Book Scavenger Hunt - Activity (62), modified for home-school environment.

My Neighborhood - Worksheet (44)

Day 33

Community Poster - Review (93-94)

Guess What? - Activity (62)

Places, Please - Worksheet (45)

Day 34

Dot-to-Dot - Worksheet (46)

Read Books of Choice

My Name is Celia - Monica Brown

My Name is Gabito - Monica Brown

My Name is Gabriela - Monica Brown

Cuckoo: A Mexican Folktale - Lois Ehlert

Elena's Serenade - Campbell Geeslin

Off We Go to Mexico - Laurie Krebs

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin - Duncan Tonatiuh

Diego - Jonah Winter

Frida - Jonah Winter

Day 35

Watch Video of Choice

Families of Mexico DVD - Master Communications Inc.

More Families of Mexico DVD - Master Communications Inc.

One Wee World Celebrate Mexico DVD - One Wee World LLC

Spanish for Kids: Learn Spanish for Beginners Level 1, Volume 1 DVD - Language Tree

The Three Caballeros DVD - Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Travel With Kids: Mexico DVD - Equator Creative Media/Travel With Kids