4-8 de marzo

¡Hola familias!

Spring weather is starting to tempt us, and I, for one, can't wait! It was SO nice to see the sun on Friday, and the kids are starting to lose all of their layers when playing outside. As they say, it feels like spring is just around the corner! (At least, I hope so!) 

Despite our snow day on Tuesday, we had a busy and exciting week. I also enjoyed seeing lots of you yesterday at Family Fun Night! Here are some updates for you on what we've been up to!

Our Week

Bible: We learned about el Rey Salomón and how he asked God for sabiduría (wisdom) instead of other, material things (which he also received!). We made coronas de sabiduría (wisdom crowns) and tried to re-create el templo that Solomon built. The kids enjoyed using blocks and other items to construct the different parts of the temple.

Reading: This week we practiced the sound ñ (which in English is like a "nyuh" sound). We compared words with ñ at the beginning and middle as well as words containing the regular n. We also practiced sounding out, writing, and reading new vocabulary words with this letter!

Writing: To continue our theme of instructivos (how-to writing), we wrote this week about how to make banana splits. We also wrote about our daily routines, using the Spanish reflexive pronoun "me". "Me" is used with certain verbs when the action refers to something you do to yourself, like me peino (I brush my hair), me baño (I take a bath), or me levanto (I get up). This may sound complicated--and it is, when teaching the explicit grammar to a non-native speaker. But the amazing part of immersion is that the kids will learn which one "sounds better" and be able to use that form correctly! 

We also enjoyed having a special guest (my husband Miguel) come in and talk about how to make tortillas! We got to make balls out of maseca (ground corn meal used in Mexico and other countries) and press them with the tortillera. It was a fun cultural experience, and the kids REALLY enjoyed eating their homemade quesadillas! Sign up here if you want to be our next invito especial--we'd love to have you!

Math: This week in matemáticas we practiced larger addition problems (totaling 10 or less), drew pictures for number stories, explored 3-dimensional shapes like the cubo, cilíndro, and cono, and played with pattern blocks, shapes, and play-doh.

Immersion Tip of the Week

I subscribe to some different Spanish/bilingual teacher blogs, and through one of these I just found a cool app called MamaLingua. It's kind of like a Spanish dictionary, but it's filled with vocabulary and phrases that parents use every day with their kids (e.g. "Are you finished?" "Can you help me?" "Where is your belly button?"). Words and phrases are organized into categories, and you can also play audio for each item. Check it out and see what words and phrases you can learn and practice with your child at home! I bet you'll be impressed with your child's ability to understand the phrases. ;) (fyi: the app can only be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet, not a computer.)

Reading Tip of the Week

Your child took home a baseball "calendar" with the March Reading Challenge. Read 15 minutes a day for at least 20 days, fill in the form, and send it to the address provided to receive your FREE Whitecaps tickets! Sweet deal!

Upcoming Dates to Remember

*Wednesday, March 13th: Our class will do a combined, bilingual chapel service with our 3rd grade buddies. Everyone will participate, whether in speaking, acting, or singing. Come join us at 10:35 in the small gym!

*Thursday, March 21st: Do you know anyone still weighing their options for their child's education next year? Do you know anyone especially interested in or curious about Spanish Immersion? Current Spanish Immersion families and new families are invited and encouraged to get to know more about Spanish Immersion at Rose Park and how this program can impact your child's educational journey. We will talk about our partner organization Add-a-lingua, our Christ-centered approach and high academic rigor, as well as what to expect in years to come. Don't forget to bring a friend! We'd love to meet them! Event is from 6:30-7:30pm. Childcare is provided!

*Monday, March 25th and Wednesday, March 27th: Parent/teacher conferences. Make sure you have signed up for a spot! Let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to meeting with you!

*March 29th-April 5th: Spring Break!

Enjoy some photos from this week below! ¡Hasta luego!