Home Curriculum Spanish
The Spanish program is built with an emphasis on oral language within a cultural context. We study vocabulary and language patterns and practice them through conversation and real-life experiences. In keeping with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), student skill acquisition includes speaking, listening, reading, writing, culture and developing cross linguistic connections.
Introduction to Spanish
Kindergarteners are introduced to Spanish through songs, stories, games, and movement. As they learn vocabulary for numbers, colors, animals, and body parts, students build language skills by singing along to favorites like Los Pollitos, Un Elefante, and ¡Salta Conejo! while developing confidence speaking and listening in Spanish.
Oso Pardo, Oso Pardo
Drawing inspiration from Oso Pardo, Oso Pardo, ¿Qué Ves Ahí? (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?), students each add their own twist to the story. Each student designs a page featuring an animal and color of their choice, contributing to a collaborative big class book.
Mi Pelo
Second graders create self-portrait collages for their “Mi Pelo” project. They then write about their hair in Spanish using adjectives and some of the poetic tools they’ve been learning, like similes. Students share their work with classmates, practicing spoken Spanish and building confidence presenting in front of an audience.
Mi Peluche
Third graders bring in a stuffed animal from home to “interview” as a character. In collaboration with Art, they paint portraits of their stuffies and write in Spanish about where they are, what they look like, who they live with, and what they are doing.
Partner Interviews
Fourth graders work in pairs to interview each other in Spanish and create short videos. Students ask and answer questions about where they live, who they live with, their family, favorite foods and colors, age, and hobbies.
Identity + Design
Fifth graders explore the work of Ecuadorian artist Camilo Andrade, known for using recycled and scrap materials in his artwork. Inspired by his style, students create their own original designs reflecting their personal identities. Throughout the unit, they expand their Spanish vocabulary to describe art, sharpen their bilingual dictionary skills, and craft blurbs in Spanish to capture the meaning behind their designs.
Sabores de México
From Oaxaca to Yucatán, every region of Mexico has its own flavor. Sixth graders dive into a different Mexican state, researching its history, culture, and signature dishes. They write and deliver short presentations in Spanish, then bring it all to life by cooking a dish from their region to share at a class food party.
Dream School
In “La escuela de mis sueños,” student architects design and build their dream school. They consider architectural style, location, accessibility, community needs, and environmental sustainability. Using building materials they create a physical model, and draft sample classes and a school schedule. Presentations in class give students a chance to practice fluency skills and share their creativity.
Piñata Project
Eighth graders explore the cultural history of the piñata while building Spanish vocabulary, then design and create their own. To celebrate graduation, they break them open together as a class.
In Lower School, class is conducted in authentic and engaging ways similar to how children learn their first language in their home: through social interactions, playing games, singing, listening to and reading children’s literature, and by engaging in hands-on projects through the study of various Spanish speaking cultures. The Alba Y Gael curriculum (aligned with ACTFL World-Readiness Standards) is used in the classroom
In Middle School, Spanish class meets three times a week. The curriculum is rooted in equity and justice learning, with a focus on news, events, and culture from Spanish speaking countries. A typical lesson may find students viewing short news clips in Spanish, and writing responses to those which are then used as catalysts for group discussion. Because we have a wide range of students at various levels of Spanish language proficiency, from native speakers, to children coming from immersion pre-schools and grade-schools, to first time speakers, our Spanish program is thoughtfully differentiated.