ESPANoL GRADE 4 by Senora Carr, October 1996



ESPAÑOL GRADE 4

Jeanine Carr, April 2, 2003

I - COURSE DESCRIPTION

GOALS: the student will

• Name and designate objects in the Spanish language

• Practice initial sounds

• Classify words

• Use the alphabet

• Practice vowels and consonants

• Make lists

• Utilize a reference list

• Utilize words indicating location

• Describe physical traits

• Infer differences

• Predict consequences

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Grade 4 Spanish meets for a 20’ period, including passing time, three times a week. Designed on the premise of the Whole Language Learning, the course is based on the idea that children learn vocabulary and initial sounds more effectively when enjoying themselves and are completely involved in the learning process. Vocabulary is introduced in alphabetical order form with thematic cultural activities included in alphabetical sections such as B- Banderas, F- Fiestas, I- Indígenas, 0- Orquesta latinoamericana, S-Selva tropical, etc. Content learning takes place in Social Studies of the Americas as well as in Math, Sciences and the Arts. Español is the vehicle of instruction for all types of classroom activities. The course seeks to immerse the student in a Spanish impregnated auditory environment.

ACTIVITIES: Extensive Total Physical Response is used to familiarize the students with many of the thematic units in context: Units on fruits, vegetables etc. lead to the food pyramid unit. Animals Science, Geography, parts of body, prepositions, clothing and etc. Music and songs form an integral part of Latin American culture and are introduced in two forms: traditional regional music and original compositions to reinforce the vocabulary. Every unit has a poem, a painting and/ or a song extension to further develop and or reinforce the vocabulary. Props (fruit baskets, vegetable baskets, extensive Beanie Babies Animal Collection, Beanie Babies Wardrobe Collection/ Beanie Babies Holiday Collection/ Beanie Babies nationality collection/games, aerobic dancing to practice the parts of the human body, felt scenes (farm/ocean/rain forest) audiocassettes, videotapes are some of the realia used to experience the language. Students are stimulated to be the creative authors of their consumable textbook. They are motivated and inspired to be the contributing artists to their own “diccionario español”.

ASSESSMENT: This course is not academic. However repetitive exposure to the material, class response and individual response are constantly assessed to adjust the flow of new additional material. Each student is encouraged to assimilate as much second language as he can.

TEXT:

ANIMALITO ALFABETO -Un Diccionario de Actividades, Wiley, Berger and Torres- Quiñones, Addison Wesley Publishing Company, 1996.

¡Anímate!: Focus on Ciencias y matemáticas, Introductory Spanish, Audrey L. Heining Boynton / Sonia S. Torres- Quiñones

Más Música,

II – COOPERATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT

The curriculum at grades 1-3 is traditional. At grade 4 a totally integrated program is implemented whereby Spanish is often used as a tool for learning.

III - ONE SPECIAL ACTIVITY REPRESENTATIVE OF STUDENT LEARNING IN SPANISH

The making of a booklet in each class. It is a collection of four Spanish scientific essays per student, about a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian or sea creature (fish or mammal) Each essay contains 10 full sentences according to the prescribed rubrique as follows:

• Identification

• Group (vertebrate/invertebrate)

• Category: mammal (domestic/wild/exotic), bird, reptile, amphibian, fish

• Characteristics of that category: skin, fur color and design, scale, legs, claws, whiskers, trunk, tail, mouth

• Reproduction: viviparous/oviparous

• Element: earth/air/water

• Habitat: Farm /New Jersey Woods, Rain Forest/ North African Desert/ South West Desert/ African Plains/ Jungle/ Ocean/North American Plains/ Polar Regions/ Australia/ etc.

• Mobility: verbs representing the way the animals can move in their elements.

The students are most enthusiastic about the Beanie Baby animal of their choice in each category. They are able to write many meaningful sentences using subject, verb and information, describing with physical adjective (tall/short/small/etc. / colors)

They reinforce their knowledge of Animal Science and Geography

WEAKNESS ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

A 20-minute period represents a tour de force to complete an activity. The best of the short time is accomplished involving student participation as much as possible.

The assessment appears to be weak as it is informal, because it follows the natural language acquisition.

I believe that the many interactive activities expose the students in many ways to a variety of learning situations. Hispanic Art, Literature and Songs provide ample stimulation for each level of readiness or learning styles.

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