Dia De Los Padres

 

I know we only have a couple of days left of school but I wanted to do something special for my students and their fathers. I found this poem about following your dads footprints....I'm sure you've all seen the one where you put your students hand print next to the poem we all have given to our moms....

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always leaving my fingerprints

On furniture and walls.

well this one is perfect for giving dads a footprint. I know....your thinking about stinky feet!...but I think if you do it first thing in the morning you might not have such a smelly problem.  I bought these large stamp pads and am going to have my students stamp their footprint in the empty spot next to the poem and  I have a supply of wipes to give the students to remove the ink afterward.... I think this will make a great fathers day gift.

"Walk a little slower Daddy,"
said a child so small,
"I'm following in your footsteps
and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up,

You're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true,
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."

Well I went ahead and translated the poem  into Spanish, and I for one am willing to take the risk of a smelly class!
If you would like a copy of the Spanish poem, it is available at my TPT.

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spanish-Fathers-Day-Poem

I hope you and your students have fun with this cute project and that your students dads cherish this forever.

Asking Questions

Asking Questions

My students have been learning about asking questions before, during and after reading. Something good readers always do. My students are great at coming up with questions while reading a selection but they were struggling with coming up with questions before the reading and after.
So I created these cards that students can use at a reading center. After a while you find that the students internalize these cards and are able to come up with the questions on their own.
While this strategy is something you can observe while working with a small group I found I wanted some form of documentation for those students working independently. I also created a form that can be filled out and turned in at the end of the week. But I found that the cards were the best thing ever.
As you know there are plenty of forms of this type out there in English but I found none in Spanish. So I created one for use in my classroom. You can purchase this packet at my TPT store for use in your Spanish Dual Language class. I hope you find this helpful.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spanish-Questioning-Cards

Speaking in Tongues Linky Party!

Hola!
   Candis at I Teach Dual Language has an interesting Linky Party going on and I am honored to be part of it. Actually this will be my first Linky Party so wish me luck on getting it right.


I am a self contained 50/50 dual language teacher. You can take a peak at my classroom schedule in a previous post but in reality it goes a little something like this...

7:45-8:15- Morning Welcome
   Good morning song (both languages), The Number Rock (English) Cancion de las Silabas (Spanish) and then it's followed by a morning message which alternates in language everyday.

8:15 - 8:45-Shared Reading (Poems)
   Three days Spanish/Two days English and then the following week alternates. This is a time I also use to introduce new vocabulary using a cognitive content dictionary.

8:45 - 9:30- Spanish Guided Reading
    I try to see two groups a day. When we have a paraprofessional in the classroom we get to see up to four groups a day.

9:50-10:10-Read Aloud
  Mini Lesson w/Note taking if it's a new Focus Skill, or my students will do a double entry journal demonstrating the new skill. This also alternates by day.

                  
10:10 - 11:00-Writers Workshop
   I focus on one language a month. We may start with small moments in Spanish but by next month the students are writing them in English.

11:00 - 11:45 Lunch

11:50-12:30-English Guided Reading
   Again I try to see two groups in English.

12:30-1:15-Math
  Whole group math lesson, guided work and then independent work.These lessons are also done three days Spanish and two days English. We also do a lot of math journals where students have to write about the math strategy they used to solve the word problem.

1:15-2:00-Science or Social Studies
   This year my grade partners and I decided to teach Social Studies the first semester and Science the second, but on a weekly basis we alternate the language. This would involve a read aloud and journal writing. If my read aloud in the morning was in English I try to make this one Spanish. And if this month the students are writing in Spanish I try to have them write in English in their Science or Social Studies journals.

2:09- Dismissal

Are you willing to share how you teach in your Dual Language classroom? Link up with Candis @ I Teach Dual Language for a chance to win a DVD of Speaking in Tongues (a documentary on Dual Language Education)!

Most Fascinating Blog of 2012

Wow! My blog was nominated and voting begins today. Please click on the link below and vote for my blog if it has inspired you in some way.

Einstein Pattern

Okay,  I finally learned how to scan, upload and combine 5 files into one. So for all of you who have been asking me for the science guy pattern......here it is.

Available for free on my TPT.

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Einstein-Pattern

Have fun creating many mad scientist opportunities, and if there is anything else I can help with please feel free to email me and I'll get right on it.