Classroom Spot Light--1st Grade Birthday Party

Thursday, August 24 was Maestra Arensault's birthday, so on Friday, August 25 the class ended the day with a bit of surprise party for Maestra. Everyone enjoyed some yummy snacks, Maestra opened some gifts, and of course there was the singing of "Feliz Cumpleanos."

(Hover over the picture, to see arrows appear that will allow you to click through a short slide show of images from the party.)

While any classroom party is fun, the really amazing thing about a birthday party in an immersion classroom, is that it is a very rich educational experience as well . There was so much new vocabulary to hear and learn as Maestra opened her gifts. For example, many of the 1st grade students knew that "calcetines" is the word "socks," but Maestra shared that calcetines is actually used to refer to socks for men, while socks for women, like the cozy ones she was given, can also be called "medias." And when she asked the class what color the socks were, they answered, "azul." But she then took the opportunity to share that the socks could also be described as "celeste," or a beautiful light blue. There was also vocabulary to hear and learn related to the snacks, including an opportunity to try the "salsa de manzana" (applesauce) that had been homemade and given as a gift.

In addition to vocabulary, students practiced conversational phrases as they expressed like, dislike, thanks, and made requests for what they wanted. And the day before the party, they had practiced their Spanish writing as they created cards for Maestra. With a few minutes left at the end of the day, students also enjoyed learning and reciting some finger plays and singing some songs with Maestra. It was definitely a fun and meaningful way to end the first week back at school!

We look forward to gathering as a community for more celebrations throughout the year for birthdays, holidays, and to celebrate students' successes. In fact, you may want to mark your calendar now for an event we are putting together for Thursday, Oct. 12. We are planning an evening event in which students from all 3 of our Spanish immersion classes will be able to

share with you what they have learned about 3 different Spanish countries during Hispanic Heritage Month.