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
"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
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)
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)
"Use the Clue"” - Worksheet (27)
Day 14
Clothing - Teach Cards
"Clothing Song" - Song (50)
"Remember These" - Worksheet (30)
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.*
"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)
Funny Face - Activity (64)
Day 18
Face - Review Cards
!Simón dice! - Activity (64)
"Face Riddles" - Worksheet (33)
Day 19
Face - Review Cards
Spanish Bee - Activity (64)
"A Blank Face" - Worksheet (34)
Day 20
Family - Teach Cards
"Family Song" - Song (50)
"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)
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.