The winners of the Spanish club scavenger hunt!

Equipo uno Ganó.

Equipo dos estaba en segunda.

 

 

 

And about that wood....well, next time I need to refrigerate it because it did not last very long.  The taste was terrible!  Not that I really liked it the first time, but even my hispanic friend tasted it and said that it was bad!

I cut it up in small pieces for the kids to try.  About 80% of them tried it and two students liked it.  I was very disappointed that I did not know that I needed to refrigerate this wood.  I would say 'next time' it will be different....but I do not even know if there will be a Spanish club to have a scavenger hunt next year....and if we do....what are the chances that this vender will be selling this wood again?  It is going to take a lot of time for my heart to recover from this heart-breaking experience.

Making hair accessories

Went to a craft store in hopes to find Captain America stickers.  Did not find the stickers but my quest was not a total loss....instead...it was a start of a very scary new endeavor.  I will have to limit my future time at craft stores because this new thrill is amazingly super easy!

Things you need:
1.  Stickers
2.  Felt or crochet pieces
3.  Hot glue gun or super glue
4.  Hair pieces like clips or bobby pins

First I hot glued a piece of felt to the back of the sticker.

Then I hot glued a crochet flower to the sticker.

Next I glued a piece of felt to the hair clip and cut the edges off.  Then glue the sticker on the hair piece.

Here are a few more I did.

 What they look like in my hair.  I prefer the clips to the bobby pins.

 Next, I made the bobby pin hair accessories.

Here I started like the clip hair accessories.  Added felt and the crochet flowers to the back.

Putting the felt and the crochet flowers behind the stickers.  Then I glued the bobby pins on.

With the paper flowers I didn't need to add the felt.

Glued the bobby pins right on.

I was having so much fun I decided to try it with the brads.

I cut the brads off and glued the felt on the back.

Made sure the butterflies were facing the right way.

Hot glued the bobby pins on the back.

Made a few more for mi hermanita y mi sobrina.

Spanish Club's first off campus event...Scavenger Hunt

I do not claim that I am fluent in Spanish.  By all means, I am still learning and have accepted the fact that I will be learning this language for many years to come.  But I love to come up with new teaching strategies for my students.  And what better way to encourage learning a language than with spending money, hanging out with friends, and a little competition.

Our club went to a Bazaar in Dallas and there were two groups of students.  They each got $15 to spend on the items.  I gave them, some-what vague, clues in Spanish.  And they were suppose to use their Spanish to purchase their items.  The team with the best items and the most items won.

Here are some of the clues....I am sure there are grammatical errors.  If you choose to read them, please error on the side of grace.

1.  Se usa para escribir or dibujar.  Puede ser muchos colores.

2.  Se usa para beber agua, refesco, limonada o más liquidos.

3.  Soy del papel.  Soy dado a la familia y amigos a través de la oficina de correos.  Tengo la foto o las palabras o ambos.

4.  Se usa para lavarse las maños.  La usas para limpiar tu cuerpo.

5.  Soy una planta y puedo ser muchos colores.  Le das a una persona cuando tú estás enamorado o para un evento especial.

6.  Se usa para limpiar la boca después de Ud. come.

7.  Soy dulce, pequeño y redondo.

8.  Se lleva en los dedos, los dedos de pies, la muñeca, las orejas, o el cuello.

9.  Soy un juego para los niños.

10.  Se usa para cocinar.  Soy líquido o sólido.

And here is some of the items they bought.

Soy dulce, pequeño y redondo

Soy del papel.

Can you find which of these items match the clues above?

While I was waiting for them to purchase their items, I stopped at a booth where the vender was cutting up some wood.  The people were purchasing one piece that he would cut off.  I was intrigued so I tried to use my Spanish to understand what the wood was used for.

A picture and the name of the plant.

The vender gave me a piece to sample and said it was like sugar water.  He mentioned only people from Mexico chew on this wood for the sugary liquid inside.  Well, that sold me and I asked if I could buy two pieces (much to his surprise).  I told him 'What a wonderful opportunity for my students!"  His helper, himself, and the Hispanics around me were all speechless.  Some of them hadn't even tried this stuff!  (Maybe for a good reason...mom says it is not good for your teeth)

A picture of the piece of wood.

 
Anyway, he gave me the two pieces for free!  Score!  Practicing my Spanish, experiencing a unique food item, at no cost, and my students will have this rare opportunity......this is sooooooooo a Señorita L. thing!  I can't wait to see my students on Tuesday!  Pictures soon to follow!

They did not want to eat lunch at this place so we were done 45 minutes early.  We played a little game until their parents showed up and I drove off in complete contentment.

Serpientes y Escaleras

Next outing will be a restaurant for dinner....so, the four videos and numerous websites I researched (to help my students 'not' order lunch at the Bazaar) will not go to waste.

Color coding verb conjugation in Spanish 1

The best teaching advice I received while learning to teach Spanish was the concept of color coding verb conjugation.  It as been invaluable to the success of my students and the starting point to the endless amount of teaching strategy ideas waiting to be discovered.

Each student made a set to study for their midterm exam.

'Vosotros' form was not on the midterm.  So we wrote the infinitive on the purple paint card.

Remember, I work at a school where learning a language is very difficult for many of my students.  Letters get mixed up, words look the same, definitions are confusing, they hear different sounds, or have difficulty expressing what meanings are in their heads.  So, imagine the frustrations these students have when testing states that they have above average IQ's!  They know they are smart but yet the difficulty with language is sometimes enough to wear a student down. 

Last week in Spanish I we took a quiz over newly taught information over the -er and -ir verb endings.  Notice how this student uses the colors to underline the subject in the sentence to match the verb endings.  Happiness to my eyes and a comfort to my heart.

Reflexive pronouns

Once again I decided to use the paint cards for a teaching moment.  The problem with these paint cards was, I had to go out and buy black sharpies for my students to use, so it wasn't as cost effective as I would like.  But when the students have these cards out, it is a kinesthetic activity that makes my heart sing and puts smiles on the kids faces.  Once again, success is priceless.

 You can have the kids write on their tables with dry erase markers different verbs.  You could have them write the verbs with colors that match the cards.  Or just have them write the endings in the colors that match the cards.  Notice there are stem changing verbs as well.  You could have students underline the stem changing part or write that part in a different color.

I had the students write the English translation on the front bottom corner.  You could have them write it on the back or not at all.

Next, is auditory.  I said the English translation and they pick of the right card.  This is a good first step since the English is written on the card.  Afterwards, I would say the conjugated verb and they would have to pick out the pronoun that would match.

 For storage they could put them in a pencil bag, ziploc bag, paper clip, or three holded punch with a ring.

Then we did 'Mi rutina' for each student.  I made sure they all

1.  me cepillo los dientes y
2.  me pongo me desordorante.

Reflexive verbs....

I have two weeks left of the semester and I have been looking forward to this lesson all year!  When I first learned I was going to be teaching reflexive verbs I tried to think how our kids would have learned these actions growing up.  When do kids pretend to be someone else...doing daily/routine actions?  BARBIES!!!! (For girls) The guys weren't too excited....or secretly...were they?  There was some seriously good hair washing on the Barbies that day!

Cepillarse (los dientes)

Bañarse

Despertarse

Afeitarse

Lavarse (el pelo)

Pintarse

Ponerse (el desodorante)

Ducharse

Acostarse

Cortarse

Arreglarse (el pelo)

First period was hilarious when it came time for 'quitarse' and 'vestirse'.....the guys looked at me in disbelief when I wanted them to undress and dress the barbies!  I love those teaching moments!  And if they sold barbie size G.I. Joe figures, at the dollar store, I would have bought those for the guys.

New Years Eve and a new camera.....I think I'm going to like this one

Sabrina non too happy about posing for the new camera.

A little downtown shopping...  10% on Tuesdays!

Tried to get a table at an Italian restaurant......wait too long.

Found a table at a wine bistro....best ravioli mom has ever had!

And we are off to Peacock Lane.....

 So, I read in the paper that there is a neighborhood in Portland where they have been putting lights on their houses since 1940.  New Years Eve was the last night they were going to be displayed for 2013.....I knew I had to go and drink in all the colors to end the old year...and give me inspiration for the new....Peacock Lane did not disappoint!

Our family decided to call it an early night since we had to be up at 4 AM in order for me and another family to catch our flights.  A rainy/cloudy Northwestern morning...but after the plane took off we zipped through the clouds and I was able to get pictures of four mountains/volcanoes!!!!

Mt. Hood

Hood, Helens, Jefferson, and Rainer....I think; could be Adams