Curriculum

Dear Parents/Guardians,

In order to inform you about our program, we wanted to share with you what we are teaching and expecting from your children. At the beginning levels of language, we are expecting students to be able to become more comfortable following directions and responding to simple statements with one word or one phrase responses. In first grade, students can begin to chunk words together. At times, students can chunk sets of words to form basic sentences. Students are expected to communicate in class by showing us that they are following along and responding with learned words and phrases. Students are not memorizing lists of words, but rather they are memorizing and acquiring how to appropriately act and respond in a second language!

In 1st GRADE, students will continue to build vocabulary on topics that they learned last years as well as some new topics:

  • Greetings and introductions - The classroom and school
  • Colors, numbers and shapes - Likes and dislikes -- activities
  • Community helpers - Describing people
  • Places around town - Modes of transportation
  • Animals and insects - Maps and the world

When learning a second language, we want students to show that they CAN DO certain things in the language. The following are some things that we expect our students to be able to do in 1st GRADE.

Unit 1 -- Becoming part of a (school) community

  • I can say my name and ask for someone’s name
    • Me llamo ____ ¿y tú?
  • I can describe the classroom and objects with colors, shapes and sizes
    • El lápiz es pequeño.
  • I can tell what I have, what I see, and what I like in my school.
    • Yo veo la cafetería. Me gusta leer. Yo tengo libros.

Unit 2 -- What I like to do!

  • I can name an activity/sport.
    • béisbol, básquetbol, fútbol, fútbol americano, natación, tenis, esquiar
  • I can name clothes necessary for the activity.
    • Yo necesito la camiseta.
  • I can tell how I feel when I participate in an activity.
    • Estoy feliz, estoy emocionado, estoy cansado.

Unit 3 -- It’s not all about me!

  • I can identify and describe community helpers.
    • El bombero tiene uniforme rojo.
    • El policía tiene pelo negro / ojos marrones.
  • I can say what community helpers are doing
    • La enfermera corre.
    • El policía ayuda.

Unit 4 -- The Farm-- La Granja

  • I can identify animals and products from the farm.
    • Vaca, cerdo, pollito, gallina, gallo, pato, caballo, cabra, oveja, pájaros, perro, gato y burro.
    • Huevos, leche, maíz, brócoli, papas, tomate, lana, naranja, manzana
  • I can describe animals -- size, color, shape, parts of the body and what they do.
  • La vaca es blanca y negra
  • El caballo es rápido
  • El pato tiene pico
  • El perro juega

Other

  • I can answer questions.

I can ask ¿Y, tú? to continue a conversation.