Hola todos,
I'm working on re-designing my blog. Check back soon for more news!
gracias!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Saturday, April 2, 2011
¡Feliz primavera!
Hola todos,
¡Feliz primavera! Happy Spring! Espero que disfruten de esta temporada tan bonita! I hope you enjoy this beautiful time of the year!
We have been having lots of fun in our learning. We've finished our winter activities -- new vocabulary, reading snow stories, and graphing our preference for mitones o guantes -- just to name a few. Now spring is upone us. Here's what we've been up to in marzo and where we're headed in abril. Now that April is here, we have been begun the sprint to year's end. It always goes soooo fast!
All classes: Basic words and phrases, numbers, spring/weather, movement and music
Multiage K-1; K-2: Transporte/transportation. New vocabulary: carro (car), coche (car, Spain), barco (boat), barco de vela (sailboat), tren (tren), motocicleta/moto (motorcycle), bicicleta/bici (bicycle/bike), helicóptero (helicopter), nave espacial (space shuttle), avión (airplane), camión (truck), autobús (bus).
Activities: Acting out the motion for the word (like charades), matching game, matamoscas (fly swatter touch to identify words), clapping out and identifying syllables, tallying which form of transporte we use to get to school, copying the words, and drawing our own transporte which included flying cars, rockets, and skateboards. Next up: Spring, action words, and theme-related work.
Grades 2/3: Transporte. Activities: Similar to K-1, K-2, with extensions in reading, writing, and speaking. Students made their own word sheet, drawing the transporte and writing the word to go with it as well as a sentence about their transporte favorito. We also played Siete Arriba (Heads up, Seven up) with the vocab words. We have been working on how to say when our birthdays are (day first, then month) and are starting on our addresses. Next up: Community; action words; telling time.
Multiage 4/5: Question words, frases útiles, and Spanish speaking countries
We continue to explore Spanish speaking countries around the globe and a few of their neighbors in the Americas. Students are becoming very attached to "their"countries. Among the information that is basic geography, languages, population, flag, major products, currency (money), etc.
We have finished our research and have begun our writing -- taking what we found out in English and putting into Spanish. This will be the basis for a final written and oral presentation. We look forward to sharing the final product.
Spring Sing is just around the corner. As part of our paises unit we have been learning some cool songs by top Spanish speaking artists (and related to my favorite sport.) Maybe you've been hearing them around home? We can't wait to share them at the Sing.
We have also been taking some time to focus on question words: Who (¿Quién?), What (¿Qué), When (¿Cuándo?) Where (¿Dónde), Why (¿Por qué?), because (porque), How (¿Cómo?). How many (¿Cuántos?), How much (¿Cuánto), How much does it cost (¿Cuánto cuesta), Which (¿Cuál?), and Hay -- pronounced "I"-- (there is/there are). In addition to being important basic words, they will provide a foundation for storytelling based on our Spankish speaking country unit.
And of course, we're studying those useful and essential phrases one must know when traveling to a Spanish speaking country.
DISTRICT NEWS & IMPORTANT DATES
World Language Advisory Committee: Monday, April 11, 2011. 7:30 -9:00 pm. Whittier Community Room. With special pre-meeting screening (6:30-7:30) of the award winning documentary Speaking in Tongues: Four children, four languages, one city, one world.
Ethnic Festival: Saturday, May 7, 2011. Julian Middle School. Students from Whittier's WISE Baila will perform.
¡Gracias por todo! Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sra. Deaton
¡Feliz primavera! Happy Spring! Espero que disfruten de esta temporada tan bonita! I hope you enjoy this beautiful time of the year!
We have been having lots of fun in our learning. We've finished our winter activities -- new vocabulary, reading snow stories, and graphing our preference for mitones o guantes -- just to name a few. Now spring is upone us. Here's what we've been up to in marzo and where we're headed in abril. Now that April is here, we have been begun the sprint to year's end. It always goes soooo fast!
All classes: Basic words and phrases, numbers, spring/weather, movement and music
Multiage K-1; K-2: Transporte/transportation. New vocabulary: carro (car), coche (car, Spain), barco (boat), barco de vela (sailboat), tren (tren), motocicleta/moto (motorcycle), bicicleta/bici (bicycle/bike), helicóptero (helicopter), nave espacial (space shuttle), avión (airplane), camión (truck), autobús (bus).
Activities: Acting out the motion for the word (like charades), matching game, matamoscas (fly swatter touch to identify words), clapping out and identifying syllables, tallying which form of transporte we use to get to school, copying the words, and drawing our own transporte which included flying cars, rockets, and skateboards. Next up: Spring, action words, and theme-related work.
Grades 2/3: Transporte. Activities: Similar to K-1, K-2, with extensions in reading, writing, and speaking. Students made their own word sheet, drawing the transporte and writing the word to go with it as well as a sentence about their transporte favorito. We also played Siete Arriba (Heads up, Seven up) with the vocab words. We have been working on how to say when our birthdays are (day first, then month) and are starting on our addresses. Next up: Community; action words; telling time.
Multiage 4/5: Question words, frases útiles, and Spanish speaking countries
We continue to explore Spanish speaking countries around the globe and a few of their neighbors in the Americas. Students are becoming very attached to "their"countries. Among the information that is basic geography, languages, population, flag, major products, currency (money), etc.
We have finished our research and have begun our writing -- taking what we found out in English and putting into Spanish. This will be the basis for a final written and oral presentation. We look forward to sharing the final product.
Spring Sing is just around the corner. As part of our paises unit we have been learning some cool songs by top Spanish speaking artists (and related to my favorite sport.) Maybe you've been hearing them around home? We can't wait to share them at the Sing.
We have also been taking some time to focus on question words: Who (¿Quién?), What (¿Qué), When (¿Cuándo?) Where (¿Dónde), Why (¿Por qué?), because (porque), How (¿Cómo?). How many (¿Cuántos?), How much (¿Cuánto), How much does it cost (¿Cuánto cuesta), Which (¿Cuál?), and Hay -- pronounced "I"-- (there is/there are). In addition to being important basic words, they will provide a foundation for storytelling based on our Spankish speaking country unit.
And of course, we're studying those useful and essential phrases one must know when traveling to a Spanish speaking country.
DISTRICT NEWS & IMPORTANT DATES
World Language Advisory Committee: Monday, April 11, 2011. 7:30 -9:00 pm. Whittier Community Room. With special pre-meeting screening (6:30-7:30) of the award winning documentary Speaking in Tongues: Four children, four languages, one city, one world.
Ethnic Festival: Saturday, May 7, 2011. Julian Middle School. Students from Whittier's WISE Baila will perform.
¡Gracias por todo! Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sra. Deaton
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
¡Feliz invierno! Happy Winter!
Queridas familias/ Dear Families,
Just a short note to apologize for being so behind in my posting, including promised photos of our earlier work on esqueletos y planetas. Please check back next week (early February) and find out more about what we're doing and where we're headed. Also check out those photos of our planetas and esqueletos -- the drawings are priceless and worth the wait!
I also want to send a special thanks to the Whittier PTO for its incredible generosity in the form of a teacher grant to purchase Spanish books and other learning materials for our students. I am deeply appreciative of all your support of the program. Gifts such as these speak volumes and really help expand our language learning.
Family conferences are just around the corner. As always, the Spanish room (317) is open. Please stop by for a visit, to check out what we're up to, practice YOUR Spanish, or borrow a book.
A Taste of our Learning: We've been up to lots of exciting things since the dawn of the New Year: studying winter -- the season, clothing, animals, and more; getting ready for One Hundred Day (Día Cien); reinforcing our knowledge of days of the week and months (it's much easier to do them sequentially if you start at the beginning!; and in multiage 4/5 map skill work and embarking on our social studies unit about Spanish speaking countries. Lots more to come!
Finally, today's Wednesday Journal highlighted the Elementary World Language (FLES) program. I have included a link to the on-line version of that article in the section "Fun Links."
Thank you again for all you do to enrich your child's language learning experience through "field trips" to Pilsen and other Chicago area locations and to Spanish speaking countries. The stories, the postcards, and the enthusiasm show how much your efforts enhance their learning beyond what we do in the classroom.
mil gracias y hasta pronto,
Señora Deaton
Just a short note to apologize for being so behind in my posting, including promised photos of our earlier work on esqueletos y planetas. Please check back next week (early February) and find out more about what we're doing and where we're headed. Also check out those photos of our planetas and esqueletos -- the drawings are priceless and worth the wait!
I also want to send a special thanks to the Whittier PTO for its incredible generosity in the form of a teacher grant to purchase Spanish books and other learning materials for our students. I am deeply appreciative of all your support of the program. Gifts such as these speak volumes and really help expand our language learning.
Family conferences are just around the corner. As always, the Spanish room (317) is open. Please stop by for a visit, to check out what we're up to, practice YOUR Spanish, or borrow a book.
A Taste of our Learning: We've been up to lots of exciting things since the dawn of the New Year: studying winter -- the season, clothing, animals, and more; getting ready for One Hundred Day (Día Cien); reinforcing our knowledge of days of the week and months (it's much easier to do them sequentially if you start at the beginning!; and in multiage 4/5 map skill work and embarking on our social studies unit about Spanish speaking countries. Lots more to come!
Finally, today's Wednesday Journal highlighted the Elementary World Language (FLES) program. I have included a link to the on-line version of that article in the section "Fun Links."
Thank you again for all you do to enrich your child's language learning experience through "field trips" to Pilsen and other Chicago area locations and to Spanish speaking countries. The stories, the postcards, and the enthusiasm show how much your efforts enhance their learning beyond what we do in the classroom.
mil gracias y hasta pronto,
Señora Deaton
Monday, November 8, 2010
¡Huesos! Bones! 4th & 5th grade quiz coming
Hola todos,
More later but just a quick update. We've been doing a lot with esqueletos (skeletons) in 4th and 5th grade, piggy-backing on the English science unit and also studying a bit about El Día de los muertos. The week of November 15 (Thursday and Friday depending on when class meets), we will have a quiz on some of the huesos (bones) en español. Students have received a study sheet. We've done several activities in class to help them review. The quiz will consist of a drawing of the esqueleto with blanks to fill in for the huesos we have been studying. They will be given a word bank to help with recall and spelling.
Here's the list of the 13 bones they need to know:
cráneo, clavícula, escápula, mandíbula, esternón, costilla, carpo, metacarpo, falanges (1), rótula, tarso, metatarso, falanges (2). If you want to help them study, ask them to share their study sheet with you and have them act out where the bones are. Then cover the words on the sheet and see if they can identify the bones by name.
Check back next week for más Noticias. As always, don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Gracias, Sra. Deaton
More later but just a quick update. We've been doing a lot with esqueletos (skeletons) in 4th and 5th grade, piggy-backing on the English science unit and also studying a bit about El Día de los muertos. The week of November 15 (Thursday and Friday depending on when class meets), we will have a quiz on some of the huesos (bones) en español. Students have received a study sheet. We've done several activities in class to help them review. The quiz will consist of a drawing of the esqueleto with blanks to fill in for the huesos we have been studying. They will be given a word bank to help with recall and spelling.
Here's the list of the 13 bones they need to know:
cráneo, clavícula, escápula, mandíbula, esternón, costilla, carpo, metacarpo, falanges (1), rótula, tarso, metatarso, falanges (2). If you want to help them study, ask them to share their study sheet with you and have them act out where the bones are. Then cover the words on the sheet and see if they can identify the bones by name.
Check back next week for más Noticias. As always, don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Gracias, Sra. Deaton
Monday, September 27, 2010
¡Es octubre! It's October!
Hola todos,
De verdad ha llegado el otoño con los días más cortos y fresquitos. Las hojas de todo color bailan en el viento. Los pájaros y las ardillas aprovechan del buen tiempo para buscar comida. Las calabazas y las otras plantas cambian de color verde al anaranjado. Y los niños esperan con mucha anticipación el comienzo de la estación de fiestas de octubre, noviembre y diciembre. En México, las familias están preparándose para el Día de los Muertos cuando recuerdan en forma muy especial sus seres queridos que han fallecido. Vayan al Museo Nacional de Arte Méxicano para experimentar como realmente se celebra. Espero que ustedes disfruten de esta temporada tan rica en tradiciones y diversión.
Fall has truly arrived, with its shorter and cooler days. The leaves of all color dance in the wind. Birds and squirrels take advantage of the good weather to look for food. The pumpkins and other plants change from green to orange. And children wait anxiously for the beginning of the fall festival season of October, November, and December. In Mexico, families prepare for El Día de Muertos, a time to remember in a special way their loved ones who have died. Check out the exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art for a real feeling of how it is celebrated. I hope that you all enjoy this time so rich in tradition and fun.
Hispanic Heritage: Many of our classes were treated to an "in-school field trip" last Thursday. Ms. Lynn Allen, director of the D97 MultiCultural Resource Center (MCRC), sometimes called the "Coolest Room in District 97," came to teach us about Hispanic Heritage Month and to share artifacts from around the Spanish speaking world. She encouraged students to try on, try out, and touch much of what she brought: clothing, musical instruments, photographs, dolls, Día de muertos artifacts, artesanry, books, and more. We learned a lot and had great fun. We are in the process of making Spanish cards to say "gracias" to Sra. Allen for such a wonderful "trip."
WISE and Latin Dance: Latin culture and Spanish learning continue at Whittier even after the school day ends thanks to the PTO and the WISE program. This session we are very excited to offer ¡Baila! -- dance with a Latin American twist. Peruvian dancer/instructor Jessica Loyaga meets with students Mondays after school to teach dances from around Latin America, mostly in Spanish, throwing in a bit of English only when needed. I help get the class started and then Maestra Jessica and the chicas take over. They are working very hard, mastering the movements and steps. I look forward to seeing their performance at the end of the session. We are hopeful to offer this again next session and get even more students bailando. We also hope to have Maestra Jessica and su esposo Maestro Rubén come and perform for some of our classes. Watch for information about joining "Baila" in the next WISE registration.
More PTO Thanks:
¡Gracias Whittier PTO por los libros! Whittier PTO, thanks for the books!
Thanks to the generosity of the PTO back to school gift, I was able to purchase some new books for our Spanish room library. They focus primarily on social studies and science topics. We've already started using them and they are a big hit! I still have a bit more of that back to school gift funds left for something special. I'll keep you posted on how I use it. Remember that my library is always open. -- come visit and borrow a book.
Here's the list of the latest additions:
¡Agua, agua, y más agua!
De la A a la Z por Veracruz
De la A a la Z por México
De la A a la Z por Puebla
Explora América del Sur
Conoce a los Estados Unidos
The Day of the Day/ El Día de los muertos
Family Conferences:
I enjoyed having so many families visit the Spanish room during conferences. It's always a delight to talk with you and share our learning.
A Taste of Our Learning in septiembre y octubre:
In the younger grades, we have learned a new song: "Ojos, boca, dientes y naríz." It includes lots of fun movement. We can't wait to share it with you in our winter sing!
Other morsels:
MAP K-1: numbers 0-10, colors, numbers, shapes, days of the week, Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes
MAP K-2: numbers 0-10 & 10-100, Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes. With plants we talked all about the parts of plants and trees. Some of our new words are raíz, tronco, ramo, hojas, flor, fruta, semilla, brote, planta. See how many you can figure out. Wait till you see our art work!
Grades 2, 3: numbers 0-10, 10-100 by tens; Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes. We've spent lots of time on the sistema solar talking about planets in order from the Sun, whether the Sun is a planet or a star, which planets are bigger/ smaller, which have rings or moons, which are hot/cold, and more -- ALL IN ESPAÑOL! Wait till you see our art work!
4/5 Multiage: Hispanic Heritage, Spanish alphabet, sound/letter correspondence, reading and writing, math operations (subtraction, division), numbers beyond 100, cardinal directions
As always, don't forget to check out the links for more enrichment ideas and resources. Check back after conferences for some photos of our Hispanic Heritage visit with Sra. Allen and our drawings of plantas y planetas.
Watch for más noticias! Gracias por todo, Sra. Deaton
De verdad ha llegado el otoño con los días más cortos y fresquitos. Las hojas de todo color bailan en el viento. Los pájaros y las ardillas aprovechan del buen tiempo para buscar comida. Las calabazas y las otras plantas cambian de color verde al anaranjado. Y los niños esperan con mucha anticipación el comienzo de la estación de fiestas de octubre, noviembre y diciembre. En México, las familias están preparándose para el Día de los Muertos cuando recuerdan en forma muy especial sus seres queridos que han fallecido. Vayan al Museo Nacional de Arte Méxicano para experimentar como realmente se celebra. Espero que ustedes disfruten de esta temporada tan rica en tradiciones y diversión.
Fall has truly arrived, with its shorter and cooler days. The leaves of all color dance in the wind. Birds and squirrels take advantage of the good weather to look for food. The pumpkins and other plants change from green to orange. And children wait anxiously for the beginning of the fall festival season of October, November, and December. In Mexico, families prepare for El Día de Muertos, a time to remember in a special way their loved ones who have died. Check out the exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art for a real feeling of how it is celebrated. I hope that you all enjoy this time so rich in tradition and fun.
Hispanic Heritage: Many of our classes were treated to an "in-school field trip" last Thursday. Ms. Lynn Allen, director of the D97 MultiCultural Resource Center (MCRC), sometimes called the "Coolest Room in District 97," came to teach us about Hispanic Heritage Month and to share artifacts from around the Spanish speaking world. She encouraged students to try on, try out, and touch much of what she brought: clothing, musical instruments, photographs, dolls, Día de muertos artifacts, artesanry, books, and more. We learned a lot and had great fun. We are in the process of making Spanish cards to say "gracias" to Sra. Allen for such a wonderful "trip."
WISE and Latin Dance: Latin culture and Spanish learning continue at Whittier even after the school day ends thanks to the PTO and the WISE program. This session we are very excited to offer ¡Baila! -- dance with a Latin American twist. Peruvian dancer/instructor Jessica Loyaga meets with students Mondays after school to teach dances from around Latin America, mostly in Spanish, throwing in a bit of English only when needed. I help get the class started and then Maestra Jessica and the chicas take over. They are working very hard, mastering the movements and steps. I look forward to seeing their performance at the end of the session. We are hopeful to offer this again next session and get even more students bailando. We also hope to have Maestra Jessica and su esposo Maestro Rubén come and perform for some of our classes. Watch for information about joining "Baila" in the next WISE registration.
More PTO Thanks:
¡Gracias Whittier PTO por los libros! Whittier PTO, thanks for the books!
Thanks to the generosity of the PTO back to school gift, I was able to purchase some new books for our Spanish room library. They focus primarily on social studies and science topics. We've already started using them and they are a big hit! I still have a bit more of that back to school gift funds left for something special. I'll keep you posted on how I use it. Remember that my library is always open. -- come visit and borrow a book.
Here's the list of the latest additions:
¡Agua, agua, y más agua!
De la A a la Z por Veracruz
De la A a la Z por México
De la A a la Z por Puebla
Explora América del Sur
Conoce a los Estados Unidos
The Day of the Day/ El Día de los muertos
Family Conferences:
I enjoyed having so many families visit the Spanish room during conferences. It's always a delight to talk with you and share our learning.
A Taste of Our Learning in septiembre y octubre:
In the younger grades, we have learned a new song: "Ojos, boca, dientes y naríz." It includes lots of fun movement. We can't wait to share it with you in our winter sing!
Other morsels:
MAP K-1: numbers 0-10, colors, numbers, shapes, days of the week, Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes
MAP K-2: numbers 0-10 & 10-100, Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes. With plants we talked all about the parts of plants and trees. Some of our new words are raíz, tronco, ramo, hojas, flor, fruta, semilla, brote, planta. See how many you can figure out. Wait till you see our art work!
Grades 2, 3: numbers 0-10, 10-100 by tens; Hispanic Heritage, seasonal themes. We've spent lots of time on the sistema solar talking about planets in order from the Sun, whether the Sun is a planet or a star, which planets are bigger/ smaller, which have rings or moons, which are hot/cold, and more -- ALL IN ESPAÑOL! Wait till you see our art work!
4/5 Multiage: Hispanic Heritage, Spanish alphabet, sound/letter correspondence, reading and writing, math operations (subtraction, division), numbers beyond 100, cardinal directions
As always, don't forget to check out the links for more enrichment ideas and resources. Check back after conferences for some photos of our Hispanic Heritage visit with Sra. Allen and our drawings of plantas y planetas.
Watch for más noticias! Gracias por todo, Sra. Deaton
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hispanic Heritage Scavenger Hunt Assignment Grades 4/5
Hola todos,
Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing! There are lots of exciting things going on around town including special exhibits at area museums, some of which were listed in my previous post.
As part of our learning, 4th and 5th graders have been assigned this Hispanic Heritage Scavenger Hunt. It is due the week of September 27. The more "pieces" they find, the more points they earn!
Just in case their personal copy gets misplaced and so that you can have easy access it to for yourself, I am including it here. Hope you and they have fun exploring a bit of Hispanic culture.
Check back soon for more about our learning and enrichment opportunities.
Gracias y hasta pronto, Sra. D.
Hispanic Heritage (Herencia Hispana) Scavenger Hunt
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated every year from September 15th to October 15th. It is a time to recognize the many contributions of latinos to our lives in the United States. Challenge yourself to see how many of these items you can find and questions you can answer. To help keep track, put a check next to each number you find. Then write that number on your picture/paper etc. Keep “answers” in envelope or folder until the due date. Be sure to put your name on it!
Due Week of September 27. ¡Buena suerte (good luck) y diviértense (have fun)!
1. Two or three sentences about why Hispanic Heritage month starts on September 15
2. A signature from a Spanish-speaking person (not me!). Indicate where he/she is from.
3. A news article about a country where Spanish is the official language. Tell on which continent the country is found. Extra 5 points if article is NOT off the Internet.
4. The name of the country that won this year’s Copa Mundial/World Cup in fútbol and a picture of its flag. Extra points for names of some of its players.
5. A picture of a Spanish-speaking actor, actress, singer, musician, politician, or athlete.
6. The name of a country (besides US & Mexico) that has Spanish as one of its major languages. 2 extra points if you include a map that shows the country.
7. A picture of a dance or a musical instrument that originally came from a Spanish speaking country.
8. A picture of a fruit or vegetable that is eaten in the US but originally came from Latin America Added point if you write the name of the fruit or vegetable en español.
9. Two words used in English that come originally from Spanish. Include a drawing of the word. (YOURS!! Not from book or internet) Extra point for each additional word and drawing.
10. Two US state names that come from the Spanish language and their meanings.
11. A picture of Sonya Sotomayor. Include a note about who she is, what languages she speaks, what her family heritage is, and why she is important.
12. An advertisement, label, or packaging in Spanish. Not off the Internet
14. The name, picture, and country of origin of the newest White Sox player.
15.The name of the country that celebrates its 200th anniversary of independence (1810-2010) and the 100th (1910-2010) anniversary of its revolution.
Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing! There are lots of exciting things going on around town including special exhibits at area museums, some of which were listed in my previous post.
As part of our learning, 4th and 5th graders have been assigned this Hispanic Heritage Scavenger Hunt. It is due the week of September 27. The more "pieces" they find, the more points they earn!
Just in case their personal copy gets misplaced and so that you can have easy access it to for yourself, I am including it here. Hope you and they have fun exploring a bit of Hispanic culture.
Check back soon for more about our learning and enrichment opportunities.
Gracias y hasta pronto, Sra. D.
Hispanic Heritage (Herencia Hispana) Scavenger Hunt
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated every year from September 15th to October 15th. It is a time to recognize the many contributions of latinos to our lives in the United States. Challenge yourself to see how many of these items you can find and questions you can answer. To help keep track, put a check next to each number you find. Then write that number on your picture/paper etc. Keep “answers” in envelope or folder until the due date. Be sure to put your name on it!
Due Week of September 27. ¡Buena suerte (good luck) y diviértense (have fun)!
1. Two or three sentences about why Hispanic Heritage month starts on September 15
2. A signature from a Spanish-speaking person (not me!). Indicate where he/she is from.
3. A news article about a country where Spanish is the official language. Tell on which continent the country is found. Extra 5 points if article is NOT off the Internet.
4. The name of the country that won this year’s Copa Mundial/World Cup in fútbol and a picture of its flag. Extra points for names of some of its players.
5. A picture of a Spanish-speaking actor, actress, singer, musician, politician, or athlete.
6. The name of a country (besides US & Mexico) that has Spanish as one of its major languages. 2 extra points if you include a map that shows the country.
7. A picture of a dance or a musical instrument that originally came from a Spanish speaking country.
8. A picture of a fruit or vegetable that is eaten in the US but originally came from Latin America Added point if you write the name of the fruit or vegetable en español.
9. Two words used in English that come originally from Spanish. Include a drawing of the word. (YOURS!! Not from book or internet) Extra point for each additional word and drawing.
10. Two US state names that come from the Spanish language and their meanings.
11. A picture of Sonya Sotomayor. Include a note about who she is, what languages she speaks, what her family heritage is, and why she is important.
12. An advertisement, label, or packaging in Spanish. Not off the Internet
14. The name, picture, and country of origin of the newest White Sox player.
15.The name of the country that celebrates its 200th anniversary of independence (1810-2010) and the 100th (1910-2010) anniversary of its revolution.
Monday, September 13, 2010
¡Viva México! Happy 200th birthday!
Hola todos,
Chicago is gearing up for the celebration of Mexico's bicentennial of its independence from Spain. Parades took place around the area last weekend. Check out the Chicago Tribune website for some great photos.
If you want to get in on the celebration, there's still time.
Mexico and Central America celebrate their independence on 16 September. Traditionally, the Mexican festivities start the evening before with the President taking the stage in Mexico City to re-create the "Grito" (like our Declaration of Independence.)
In Chicago, Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavillion will be the site of the event.
Here's the blurb from the Chicago Tribune announcing the event:
"From 6:30 to 9:00 an artistic program will be held featuring mariachi music, a children's choir from Morelia, classical music, dance groups from Jalisco and Guanajuato, the Sones de México, a Chicago-based folkloric music group. The civic ceremony will take place from 9:00-9:30 and feature local elected officials, and the traditional "grito" or cry, for independence. Mexican actor César Costa will be the primary master of ceremonies. Cost: Free. For more information: mexico2010inchicago.com"
¡Viva, México!
Chicago is gearing up for the celebration of Mexico's bicentennial of its independence from Spain. Parades took place around the area last weekend. Check out the Chicago Tribune website for some great photos.
If you want to get in on the celebration, there's still time.
Mexico and Central America celebrate their independence on 16 September. Traditionally, the Mexican festivities start the evening before with the President taking the stage in Mexico City to re-create the "Grito" (like our Declaration of Independence.)
In Chicago, Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavillion will be the site of the event.
Here's the blurb from the Chicago Tribune announcing the event:
"From 6:30 to 9:00 an artistic program will be held featuring mariachi music, a children's choir from Morelia, classical music, dance groups from Jalisco and Guanajuato, the Sones de México, a Chicago-based folkloric music group. The civic ceremony will take place from 9:00-9:30 and feature local elected officials, and the traditional "grito" or cry, for independence. Mexican actor César Costa will be the primary master of ceremonies. Cost: Free. For more information: mexico2010inchicago.com"
¡Viva, México!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Parade on Saturday! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva Centroamérica!
Hola todos,
Just a quick note to let you know that next week marks a very important date in Mexican and Central American history. On September 16 (celebration starts on the evening of the 15th), Mexico and Central America celebrate the bicentennial -- 200th anniversary-- of their independence from Spain. We will learn more about this and about Mexico in general in class in the coming weeks.
Want to help celebrate? The downtown Mexican Independence Day parade steps off from Balbo and Columbus Drive at 11:00 this coming Saturday (tomorrow!!), September 11, 2010.
There will also be parades in the Mexican neighborhoods of Pilsen (Saturday) and Little Village (Sunday.) Check out the local papers or internet for more details. Be sure to wear your verde, blanco y rojo.
¡Viva México! ¡Viva América Central!
Keep watching this space for more excitement -- about our learning, activities around town, and enrichment opportunities.
hasta pronto y gracias por todo,
Señora Deaton
Just a quick note to let you know that next week marks a very important date in Mexican and Central American history. On September 16 (celebration starts on the evening of the 15th), Mexico and Central America celebrate the bicentennial -- 200th anniversary-- of their independence from Spain. We will learn more about this and about Mexico in general in class in the coming weeks.
Want to help celebrate? The downtown Mexican Independence Day parade steps off from Balbo and Columbus Drive at 11:00 this coming Saturday (tomorrow!!), September 11, 2010.
There will also be parades in the Mexican neighborhoods of Pilsen (Saturday) and Little Village (Sunday.) Check out the local papers or internet for more details. Be sure to wear your verde, blanco y rojo.
¡Viva México! ¡Viva América Central!
Keep watching this space for more excitement -- about our learning, activities around town, and enrichment opportunities.
hasta pronto y gracias por todo,
Señora Deaton
Monday, August 23, 2010
¡Feliz año nuevo! Happy New Year!
Hola todos,
Happy New Year! New school year, that is! Hope you had a great summer.
Just a quick note to say how excited I am to be back with the students and to have their batteries re-charged for another year of learning. I am very much looking forward to getting their Spanish channels humming and taking them even further this year. Can't wait to hear about all your summer fun.
Remember to check back soon for more info about our learning as well as for ideas for enrichment and family fun in the Chicago metro area.
Hasta pronto y gracias por todo, Sra. Deaton
Happy New Year! New school year, that is! Hope you had a great summer.
Just a quick note to say how excited I am to be back with the students and to have their batteries re-charged for another year of learning. I am very much looking forward to getting their Spanish channels humming and taking them even further this year. Can't wait to hear about all your summer fun.
Remember to check back soon for more info about our learning as well as for ideas for enrichment and family fun in the Chicago metro area.
Hasta pronto y gracias por todo, Sra. Deaton
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
¡Feliz verano!
Hola todos,
Hope you are having a great summer! I spent much of the early part of it watching the soccer Copa Mundial/World Cup on Spanish TV! I got introduced to soccer the year I lived in Mexico and it was the site of the World Cup. I've been a fan ever since. There were lots of great teams and this year Spain won! ¡Viva España! ¡Viva la Furia Roja! It was sooooo exciting to watch and a great way to practice my Spanish skills and learn new vocabulary. I almost didn't know what to do once the Copa had finished. Since then I have been doing lots of reading (mostly novels - 3 set in Japan, 1 set in China, and 1 set in Barcelona), studying Japanese, and spending time with family and friends.
Be sure to keep your Spanish channel humming by listening to music, doing easy reading, and using on-line tools, such as Mango languages through the Oak Park Public Library. Spanish- speaking culture is all around us in metropolitan Chicago, so jump in! Visit the Pilsen community for the National Museum of Mexican Art, lunch at a local restaurant, and a trip to the panadería. Visit a Mexican grocery store in Berwyn, Maywood, or Melrose Park. Participate in some of the festivals around town -- Peruvian Independence Day celebrations happen this week. Eat Cuban, Ecuadorian, or Mexican food right in our own neighborhood.
Still lots of summer left! Can't wait to hear what you've all been up to. And don't forget, if you travel to be sure to send me a post card!
Hasta pronto, Sra. D
Hope you are having a great summer! I spent much of the early part of it watching the soccer Copa Mundial/World Cup on Spanish TV! I got introduced to soccer the year I lived in Mexico and it was the site of the World Cup. I've been a fan ever since. There were lots of great teams and this year Spain won! ¡Viva España! ¡Viva la Furia Roja! It was sooooo exciting to watch and a great way to practice my Spanish skills and learn new vocabulary. I almost didn't know what to do once the Copa had finished. Since then I have been doing lots of reading (mostly novels - 3 set in Japan, 1 set in China, and 1 set in Barcelona), studying Japanese, and spending time with family and friends.
Be sure to keep your Spanish channel humming by listening to music, doing easy reading, and using on-line tools, such as Mango languages through the Oak Park Public Library. Spanish- speaking culture is all around us in metropolitan Chicago, so jump in! Visit the Pilsen community for the National Museum of Mexican Art, lunch at a local restaurant, and a trip to the panadería. Visit a Mexican grocery store in Berwyn, Maywood, or Melrose Park. Participate in some of the festivals around town -- Peruvian Independence Day celebrations happen this week. Eat Cuban, Ecuadorian, or Mexican food right in our own neighborhood.
Still lots of summer left! Can't wait to hear what you've all been up to. And don't forget, if you travel to be sure to send me a post card!
Hasta pronto, Sra. D
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Summer Language Fun with School Daze
Jump into language fun this summer with D97 School Daze.
Spanish, French, and German through storytelling, food, games, art, and more!
Sign up now! Check out the School Daze Brochure on-line for more info.
Spanish, French, and German through storytelling, food, games, art, and more!
Sign up now! Check out the School Daze Brochure on-line for more info.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Saturday May 1, 2010: Whittier Presents at Ethnic Fest & World Languages Day
Dear Families,
Please join students of Oak Park School District 97 in celebrating World Languages Day 2010, our 7th annual showcase of student language learning activities. This year World Languages Day will take place jointly with the 30th annual District 97 Ethnic Festival at Whittier School on Saturday, May 1, 2010.
The Ethnic Fest parade steps off at 10 and all families are invited to join in with the Whittier group. Just look for the Whittier banner or familiar faces along the parade staging area. After the parade, the day is filled with dance, music, food, hands-on activities and more.
Whittier students in grades K, 1, & 2 will join together to sing “Somos como las flores” and “Plátanos y manzanas.” Students in Grade 3 will sing “La vuelta” and “De colores.” Students in Grades 4/5 will present an original dance, and perhaps poetry readings, and puppet shows.
When students are not presenting, you and they are encouraged to participate in other activities around the festival. It is a very exciting time!
Time & Place: Whittier will present in the small tent from about 2:30-3:30 pm. Each Whittier group will have approximately 10 -15 minutes total time. We will start with the younger students and end with the “olders.” Students should meet Sra. Deaton at the tent about 5-10 minutes before their group is set to perform. Here’s the order (times are approximate):
2:30: Grades K-2: Somos como las flores; Plátanos y manzanas
2:45: Grade 3: De colores; La vuelta
3:00: Grade 4/5: Puppet show or poetry readings (**depending on students – may not take place and dance would be earlier)
3:15: Grade 4/5: Original Dance to “America Baila”
Clothing: With the exception of the 4/5 “America Baila” dancers, students may wear whatever they like. I would ask that you/they remember that they are proudly representing Whittier School and that clothing be neat and appropriate. (Yes, if they are coming from T-ball/softball/baseball/soccer, they can stay in uniform.)
4th/5th grade “America Baila” dancers will chose their own performance outfits, most likely bright T-shirts and jeans.
The year is fast coming to an end -- the younger students started their alphabet countdown yesterday! Check back here for more news about our May learning and events and during the summer for enrichment ideas and fun family activities.
I look forward to seeing you at the festival. Gracias for all you do to support your child's language learning.
Hasta pronto y gracias por todo,
Sra. Deaton
Please join students of Oak Park School District 97 in celebrating World Languages Day 2010, our 7th annual showcase of student language learning activities. This year World Languages Day will take place jointly with the 30th annual District 97 Ethnic Festival at Whittier School on Saturday, May 1, 2010.
The Ethnic Fest parade steps off at 10 and all families are invited to join in with the Whittier group. Just look for the Whittier banner or familiar faces along the parade staging area. After the parade, the day is filled with dance, music, food, hands-on activities and more.
Whittier students in grades K, 1, & 2 will join together to sing “Somos como las flores” and “Plátanos y manzanas.” Students in Grade 3 will sing “La vuelta” and “De colores.” Students in Grades 4/5 will present an original dance, and perhaps poetry readings, and puppet shows.
When students are not presenting, you and they are encouraged to participate in other activities around the festival. It is a very exciting time!
Time & Place: Whittier will present in the small tent from about 2:30-3:30 pm. Each Whittier group will have approximately 10 -15 minutes total time. We will start with the younger students and end with the “olders.” Students should meet Sra. Deaton at the tent about 5-10 minutes before their group is set to perform. Here’s the order (times are approximate):
2:30: Grades K-2: Somos como las flores; Plátanos y manzanas
2:45: Grade 3: De colores; La vuelta
3:00: Grade 4/5: Puppet show or poetry readings (**depending on students – may not take place and dance would be earlier)
3:15: Grade 4/5: Original Dance to “America Baila”
Clothing: With the exception of the 4/5 “America Baila” dancers, students may wear whatever they like. I would ask that you/they remember that they are proudly representing Whittier School and that clothing be neat and appropriate. (Yes, if they are coming from T-ball/softball/baseball/soccer, they can stay in uniform.)
4th/5th grade “America Baila” dancers will chose their own performance outfits, most likely bright T-shirts and jeans.
The year is fast coming to an end -- the younger students started their alphabet countdown yesterday! Check back here for more news about our May learning and events and during the summer for enrichment ideas and fun family activities.
I look forward to seeing you at the festival. Gracias for all you do to support your child's language learning.
Hasta pronto y gracias por todo,
Sra. Deaton
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
¡Feliz Día de San Patricio! ¡Feliz Primavera!
Hola todos,
¡Cómo vuela el tiempo! Por fin, la primavera toca la puerta. Los días son más largos y los pájaros canta a fuerzas. Los brotes de las plantas muestran sus cabecitas y el sol nos calienta más y más. Los niños felices de correr y jugar, tiran sus chaquetas por todos lados. ¡Así es la primavera!
How time flies! Finally spring is knocking at the door. The days are longer and the birds singing away. The sprouts of plants are showing their heads and the sun warms us more and more. The children happily run and play, tossing their jackets everywhere. Such is spring!
Thanks to all who helped with the Spanish games at the Whittier Fun Fair! It's so awesome that the students are exposed to additional Spanish speakers and I think the families enjoy connecting. The students really enjoy the games and come back to school Monday talking all about them! I look forward to continuing to build our network of Whittier Spanish speakers!
I apologize for not writing more frequently to keep you up on our work. We have been very busy from the start of the new year till now. In the younger grades, we worked on winter words and winter clothing for most of January. In grades 4 & 5, we wrote and performed conversational puppet shows. In February, we celebrated One Hundred Day by creating a list of 100 words (or more!) en español. We continue to build our vocabulary, understanding of the culture, and use of the language through multiple activities, music and movement, and games. In getting ready for ISATs we practiced our math facts en español. What fun!
On March 9, we welcomed special visitors from Nakano Nishi High School in Nagano, Japan. They spent the morning at Whittier, moving from class to class and working in small groups to teach our students a bit about their country, a few words, and doing an origami project with them. Ask your child what he/she did and learned. The trip to Whittier has become an annual tradition when the Japanese students who are with students at OPRF High School for two weeks come for their visit. On both sides, we gain much from sharing our time together.
Last week was especially eventful when I lost my voice from Wednesday to Friday. We had class as usual but I planned activities that the students could lead without my using my voice much. Interesting being a language teacher with no voice!! Sure brings out your creativity as a teacher! The students were very empathetic, checking on me daily to see if I had re-gained my voice. And what a great job they did with the learning! ¡Bravo!
Here's a taste of our learning in March:
K, K-1: Greetings, calendar, numbers, Spring themes
K-2: Greetings, calendar, numbers, Spring themes, Getting reading for Spring Sing
Some of our new vocabulary: flores (flowers), lluvia (rain), sol (sun), luna, (moon),tierra (earth), brisa (breeze), primavera (spring)
2, 2/3: Greetings, numbers, cardinal directions, Getting ready for Spring Sing
Some of our new vocabulary: norte (north), sur (south), este (east), oeste (west), nordeste (northeast), sudeste (southeast), nordoeste (northwest), sudoeste (southwest)
3: Greetings, numbers, cardinal directions, Getting ready for Spring Sing, Spanish alphabet with special emphasis on vowels
Spanish is such a phonetic language that if one masters the vowels, s/he's got 70+ per cent of the pronunciation!
4/5: Vocabulary building: nouns, questions, and other key words
Some of our new vocabulary: nada (nothing), algo (something), nadie (no one, nobody), alguien (someone, somebody), ¿Quíen? (Who?), ¿Qué? (What?), ¿Cuándo? (When?), ¿Dónde? (Where?), ¿Cómo? (How?), ¿Por qué? (Why?), ¿Cuántos? (How many?), ¿Cuánto? (How much?)
Looking ahead a bit:
K-2: Spring themes continued; food
2, 2/3, 3: Telling time; food
4/5: Review of time; work on adjectives and poetry; writing about ourselves
Thanks for all you do to support your child's language learning and exposure to Spanish-speaking and other cultures. The more language, the better! I look forward to hearing all about your experiences and travels -- near and far.
As always do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. Check back soon for more details on what we're up to!
Gracias por todo y hasta pronto,
Sra. Deaton
¡Cómo vuela el tiempo! Por fin, la primavera toca la puerta. Los días son más largos y los pájaros canta a fuerzas. Los brotes de las plantas muestran sus cabecitas y el sol nos calienta más y más. Los niños felices de correr y jugar, tiran sus chaquetas por todos lados. ¡Así es la primavera!
How time flies! Finally spring is knocking at the door. The days are longer and the birds singing away. The sprouts of plants are showing their heads and the sun warms us more and more. The children happily run and play, tossing their jackets everywhere. Such is spring!
Thanks to all who helped with the Spanish games at the Whittier Fun Fair! It's so awesome that the students are exposed to additional Spanish speakers and I think the families enjoy connecting. The students really enjoy the games and come back to school Monday talking all about them! I look forward to continuing to build our network of Whittier Spanish speakers!
I apologize for not writing more frequently to keep you up on our work. We have been very busy from the start of the new year till now. In the younger grades, we worked on winter words and winter clothing for most of January. In grades 4 & 5, we wrote and performed conversational puppet shows. In February, we celebrated One Hundred Day by creating a list of 100 words (or more!) en español. We continue to build our vocabulary, understanding of the culture, and use of the language through multiple activities, music and movement, and games. In getting ready for ISATs we practiced our math facts en español. What fun!
On March 9, we welcomed special visitors from Nakano Nishi High School in Nagano, Japan. They spent the morning at Whittier, moving from class to class and working in small groups to teach our students a bit about their country, a few words, and doing an origami project with them. Ask your child what he/she did and learned. The trip to Whittier has become an annual tradition when the Japanese students who are with students at OPRF High School for two weeks come for their visit. On both sides, we gain much from sharing our time together.
Last week was especially eventful when I lost my voice from Wednesday to Friday. We had class as usual but I planned activities that the students could lead without my using my voice much. Interesting being a language teacher with no voice!! Sure brings out your creativity as a teacher! The students were very empathetic, checking on me daily to see if I had re-gained my voice. And what a great job they did with the learning! ¡Bravo!
Here's a taste of our learning in March:
K, K-1: Greetings, calendar, numbers, Spring themes
K-2: Greetings, calendar, numbers, Spring themes, Getting reading for Spring Sing
Some of our new vocabulary: flores (flowers), lluvia (rain), sol (sun), luna, (moon),tierra (earth), brisa (breeze), primavera (spring)
2, 2/3: Greetings, numbers, cardinal directions, Getting ready for Spring Sing
Some of our new vocabulary: norte (north), sur (south), este (east), oeste (west), nordeste (northeast), sudeste (southeast), nordoeste (northwest), sudoeste (southwest)
3: Greetings, numbers, cardinal directions, Getting ready for Spring Sing, Spanish alphabet with special emphasis on vowels
Spanish is such a phonetic language that if one masters the vowels, s/he's got 70+ per cent of the pronunciation!
4/5: Vocabulary building: nouns, questions, and other key words
Some of our new vocabulary: nada (nothing), algo (something), nadie (no one, nobody), alguien (someone, somebody), ¿Quíen? (Who?), ¿Qué? (What?), ¿Cuándo? (When?), ¿Dónde? (Where?), ¿Cómo? (How?), ¿Por qué? (Why?), ¿Cuántos? (How many?), ¿Cuánto? (How much?)
Looking ahead a bit:
K-2: Spring themes continued; food
2, 2/3, 3: Telling time; food
4/5: Review of time; work on adjectives and poetry; writing about ourselves
Thanks for all you do to support your child's language learning and exposure to Spanish-speaking and other cultures. The more language, the better! I look forward to hearing all about your experiences and travels -- near and far.
As always do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. Check back soon for more details on what we're up to!
Gracias por todo y hasta pronto,
Sra. Deaton
Friday, December 11, 2009
Verb Quiz 4th/5th grades
Hola todos,
We have been working on verbs for many weeks and now it's time for the quiz to show what we've learned. In class we've reviewed the material and talked about the format for the exam. We've also made study sheets so that students can work on their own outside of class as needed.
Ms. Darley's and Ms. McDaniel's classes will have their quiz on Monday, December 14.
Mr. Lukehart's, Ms. Klemchuk's, Ms. Wennerberg's, and Ms. McGurn's classes will have their quiz on Wed., Dec. 16.
Here's the list of the verbs we've been studying with their English meanings.
abrir -to open
cerrar - to close
bailar - to dance
cantar - to sing
comer - to eat
beber -to drink
brincar - to jump or to hop
saltar - to jump or to hop
hablar - to talk, to speak
escuchar - to listen
gritar - to yell, to shout
mirar - to look at
ver - to see
caminar - to walk
correr - to run
escribir - to write
dibujar - to draw
pintar - to paint
reir(se) - to laugh
llorar - to cry
estudiar - to study
leer - to read
levantarse - to get up, to stand up
sentarse - to sit down
nadar - to swim
cocinar - to cook
jugar - to play (games)
tocar - to touch; to play (instruments)
We've been working so hard and having fun along the way, so I know they'll do a great job, especially with a little review on their own.
You can help them by having them say the verb and acting it out in a game of charades and seeing if you can guess the English meaning. Or if you like to draw, try Pictionary. If you're a Spanish speaker, or even studied it once upon a time, see what other ways you might help them review.
And as far as testing in general, help them relax. This quiz is a QUIZ meant as an opportunity for them to show what they know! They know what it will look like, they know the scope of the material, and they've had time to practice. Now it's time to come in and shine!!!!
gracias por todo, hasta pronto, Sra. Deaton
We have been working on verbs for many weeks and now it's time for the quiz to show what we've learned. In class we've reviewed the material and talked about the format for the exam. We've also made study sheets so that students can work on their own outside of class as needed.
Ms. Darley's and Ms. McDaniel's classes will have their quiz on Monday, December 14.
Mr. Lukehart's, Ms. Klemchuk's, Ms. Wennerberg's, and Ms. McGurn's classes will have their quiz on Wed., Dec. 16.
Here's the list of the verbs we've been studying with their English meanings.
abrir -to open
cerrar - to close
bailar - to dance
cantar - to sing
comer - to eat
beber -to drink
brincar - to jump or to hop
saltar - to jump or to hop
hablar - to talk, to speak
escuchar - to listen
gritar - to yell, to shout
mirar - to look at
ver - to see
caminar - to walk
correr - to run
escribir - to write
dibujar - to draw
pintar - to paint
reir(se) - to laugh
llorar - to cry
estudiar - to study
leer - to read
levantarse - to get up, to stand up
sentarse - to sit down
nadar - to swim
cocinar - to cook
jugar - to play (games)
tocar - to touch; to play (instruments)
We've been working so hard and having fun along the way, so I know they'll do a great job, especially with a little review on their own.
You can help them by having them say the verb and acting it out in a game of charades and seeing if you can guess the English meaning. Or if you like to draw, try Pictionary. If you're a Spanish speaker, or even studied it once upon a time, see what other ways you might help them review.
And as far as testing in general, help them relax. This quiz is a QUIZ meant as an opportunity for them to show what they know! They know what it will look like, they know the scope of the material, and they've had time to practice. Now it's time to come in and shine!!!!
gracias por todo, hasta pronto, Sra. Deaton
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Supt. Collins reads Spanish books at Whittier!
Hola todos,
Click here to see photos of Dr. Collins' visit to Whittier.
http://www.op97.org/curriculum/worldlang/whitterstory/index.html
hasta pronto, Sra. Deaton
Click here to see photos of Dr. Collins' visit to Whittier.
http://www.op97.org/curriculum/worldlang/whitterstory/index.html
hasta pronto, Sra. Deaton
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Noticias de octubre
Estimadas familias/Dear families:
Ha llegado el otoño con los días más cortos y un clima indecisivo. Un día es muy bonito, calientito con cielo azul y un sol brillante, árboles de muchos colores, pájaros y ardillas alistándose para el invierno, y niños jugando -- sus chaquetas y suéteres tirados por todas partes. El próximo día es oscuro, hojas caen del cielo, y un viento frío ruge. Espero que gozen de los días fresquitos antes de que llegue el invierno.
Fall has arrived with its shorter days and indecisive climate. One day is lovely, warm with sunshine and blue sky, trees of many colors, birds and squirrels getting ready for winter, and children playing -- their jackets and sweaters strewn everywhere. The next is dark, leaves fall all around, and a fierce wind roars. I hope you are enjoying the cool days before winter arrives.
Special guest:
We have been having so much fun in our language learning. Last week we had a very special guest. Our district superintendent, Dr. Collins, came to Whittier to read to our K-1 students in Spanish in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. She read one book in both languages, Dulces Sueños, by Pat Mora and another in Spanish only, Spot va a la escuela (Spot Goes to School). The students were very attentive and enjoyed learning the new vocabulary that came with those stories. They made beautiful class thank you cards to send to her. Watch for photos on the Whittier and D97 websites. It turns out that Dr. Collins loves to read in Spanish, especially to her little granddaughter. We hope Dr. Collins will come back again.
Enrichment ideas:
Don't forget to take advantage of all the opportunities the Chicago area offers for cultural and language enrichment. The National Museum of Mexican Art, located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, has a wonderful permanent exhibit on Mexicanidad and offers multiple temporary exhibits that are definitely worth the trip. At this time of year, it features the Día de Muertos, a celebration in which Mexicans remember family and friends who have passed away. The museum store itself is like a trip to a mercado in Mexico.
If you want to work on your own language skills, log on to the Oak Park Public Library research page, find Mango languages and start your multilingual adventure from home -- all you need is your library card. Great for helping get those language channels that have been dormant since high school or college working again -- and for starting another language! If you're in the market for something more, Rosetta Stone offers great language learning.
Don't forget all the other exciting things around the Chicago area. My favorite Mexican restaurant, Oak Park's own New Rebozo, was just featured on WTTW's show, Check Please! ¡Delicioso! ¡Dios mío! Check it out at www.wttw.com/checkplease.
Summer camps are already starting to fill up, so it's not too early to think about it. If you'd like your student to have an immersion experience and would consider a summer camp (1 week, 2 weeks, or a month), check out Concordia Language Villages, offering 15 languages!!
¡Leer! Read! ¡Leer! Read! ¡Leer! Read!
A great way to promote language learning (yours or your child's) is to read en español. If you studied Spanish at any time, dust off those brain cells and read to/with your child. If you are a native speaker, all the more!! And encourage your child to try, too! Start with easy board books, progress to simple or familiar stories, and more. Our school and local libraries have many books as do area book stores. If you need more guidance or suggestions, let me know.
Check out the Fun Links section for more info and ideas!
Here's a taste of our learning in octubre:
K, MAP K-1: We continue our work with body parts and just added two new songs to our repetoire: Tengo comezón (I'm itchy!) and Mi cuerpo hace música. In addition to calendar, numbers, shapes, and colors, we've started on a new theme, food!! Yum! ¡Delicioso! This week we've been getting acquainted with fruits (and of course, learning a song to go with them!!) We'll also be learning some seasonal words along the way.
MAP K-2: We are finishing our animales theme and are drawing our animal favorito. We continue with basic expressions, calendar etc. We have begun with a bit of seasonal vocabulary and will soon turn to food and expressing our likes and dislikes.
2, 2/3, 3: We have finished our work on places in the community and have begun our food unit. In addition to learning basic vocabulary for food names, we will categorize things (like "fruta", "no fruta"), will learn about different meals (desayuno, almuerzo, cena), make our own menus, and practice ordering and buying foods.
4/5: We are hard at work on our verb unit. One of the most important concepts we are trying to master is that verbos = palabras de acción (verbs = action words). Among our activities are drawing and acting out verbs. Now we are making collages about ourselves and the things we like to do. Once we finish our collages, we will make oral presentations to our class. We still have a ways to go before we finish our verb unit and will do lots of work in class to learn the words -- playing games, doing puzzles, and more. In early November, we will have a quiz.
Words! ¡Palabras! Words! ¡Palabras! Words!
Some of our fruta vocabulary: la manzana (the apple), la pera (the pear), la fresa (the strawberry), el limón (the lemon), la naranja (the orange), el plátano (the banana), las uvas (the grapes), el melón (the melon.) We also learned el teléfono (the telephone -- Why? What can you do with a banana!!!) and "Sí, me gusta." "No, no me gusta." (Yes, I like. No, I do not like.)
Algunos verbos importantes: If you had Spanish in high school or college, hopefully some of these will sound familiar! If you want to practice at home, say the verb and see if your student can act it out (or vice versa -- act it out and see if your student can say the verbo en español.) We've had fun doing this in class. [pronunciation tips: j in Spanish sounds like h in English; h is silent, and we pronounce all vowels - a =ah. e =ay, i=ee, o=o (so), u =oo (moo)]
caminar (to walk), correr (to run), saltar (to jump, to hop), brincar (to hop, to jump), hablar (to talk), escuchar (to listen to), mirar (to look at), gritar (to yell), jugar (to play), tocar (to touch, to play an instrument), abrir (to open), cerrar (to close), escribir (to write), dibujar (to draw), pintar (to paint), leer (to read), nadar (to swim), reir (to laugh), llorar (to cry), beber (to drink), comer (to eat), dormir (to sleep), levantarse (to get up, to stand up), sentarse (to sit down), cantar (to sing), bailar (t0 dance).
Conferencias/Conferences:
I enjoyed meeting and talking with so many of you at conferences. Fue un placer conocer a tantas personas en la ocasión de las conferencias. Keep those language channels humming! ¡Mantengan los "canales españoles" corriendo! Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time. Favor de comunicarse conmigo por cualquier cosa.
¡Hasta pronto y gracias por todo! Sra. D.
Ha llegado el otoño con los días más cortos y un clima indecisivo. Un día es muy bonito, calientito con cielo azul y un sol brillante, árboles de muchos colores, pájaros y ardillas alistándose para el invierno, y niños jugando -- sus chaquetas y suéteres tirados por todas partes. El próximo día es oscuro, hojas caen del cielo, y un viento frío ruge. Espero que gozen de los días fresquitos antes de que llegue el invierno.
Fall has arrived with its shorter days and indecisive climate. One day is lovely, warm with sunshine and blue sky, trees of many colors, birds and squirrels getting ready for winter, and children playing -- their jackets and sweaters strewn everywhere. The next is dark, leaves fall all around, and a fierce wind roars. I hope you are enjoying the cool days before winter arrives.
Special guest:
We have been having so much fun in our language learning. Last week we had a very special guest. Our district superintendent, Dr. Collins, came to Whittier to read to our K-1 students in Spanish in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. She read one book in both languages, Dulces Sueños, by Pat Mora and another in Spanish only, Spot va a la escuela (Spot Goes to School). The students were very attentive and enjoyed learning the new vocabulary that came with those stories. They made beautiful class thank you cards to send to her. Watch for photos on the Whittier and D97 websites. It turns out that Dr. Collins loves to read in Spanish, especially to her little granddaughter. We hope Dr. Collins will come back again.
Enrichment ideas:
Don't forget to take advantage of all the opportunities the Chicago area offers for cultural and language enrichment. The National Museum of Mexican Art, located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, has a wonderful permanent exhibit on Mexicanidad and offers multiple temporary exhibits that are definitely worth the trip. At this time of year, it features the Día de Muertos, a celebration in which Mexicans remember family and friends who have passed away. The museum store itself is like a trip to a mercado in Mexico.
If you want to work on your own language skills, log on to the Oak Park Public Library research page, find Mango languages and start your multilingual adventure from home -- all you need is your library card. Great for helping get those language channels that have been dormant since high school or college working again -- and for starting another language! If you're in the market for something more, Rosetta Stone offers great language learning.
Don't forget all the other exciting things around the Chicago area. My favorite Mexican restaurant, Oak Park's own New Rebozo, was just featured on WTTW's show, Check Please! ¡Delicioso! ¡Dios mío! Check it out at www.wttw.com/checkplease.
Summer camps are already starting to fill up, so it's not too early to think about it. If you'd like your student to have an immersion experience and would consider a summer camp (1 week, 2 weeks, or a month), check out Concordia Language Villages, offering 15 languages!!
¡Leer! Read! ¡Leer! Read! ¡Leer! Read!
A great way to promote language learning (yours or your child's) is to read en español. If you studied Spanish at any time, dust off those brain cells and read to/with your child. If you are a native speaker, all the more!! And encourage your child to try, too! Start with easy board books, progress to simple or familiar stories, and more. Our school and local libraries have many books as do area book stores. If you need more guidance or suggestions, let me know.
Check out the Fun Links section for more info and ideas!
Here's a taste of our learning in octubre:
K, MAP K-1: We continue our work with body parts and just added two new songs to our repetoire: Tengo comezón (I'm itchy!) and Mi cuerpo hace música. In addition to calendar, numbers, shapes, and colors, we've started on a new theme, food!! Yum! ¡Delicioso! This week we've been getting acquainted with fruits (and of course, learning a song to go with them!!) We'll also be learning some seasonal words along the way.
MAP K-2: We are finishing our animales theme and are drawing our animal favorito. We continue with basic expressions, calendar etc. We have begun with a bit of seasonal vocabulary and will soon turn to food and expressing our likes and dislikes.
2, 2/3, 3: We have finished our work on places in the community and have begun our food unit. In addition to learning basic vocabulary for food names, we will categorize things (like "fruta", "no fruta"), will learn about different meals (desayuno, almuerzo, cena), make our own menus, and practice ordering and buying foods.
4/5: We are hard at work on our verb unit. One of the most important concepts we are trying to master is that verbos = palabras de acción (verbs = action words). Among our activities are drawing and acting out verbs. Now we are making collages about ourselves and the things we like to do. Once we finish our collages, we will make oral presentations to our class. We still have a ways to go before we finish our verb unit and will do lots of work in class to learn the words -- playing games, doing puzzles, and more. In early November, we will have a quiz.
Words! ¡Palabras! Words! ¡Palabras! Words!
Some of our fruta vocabulary: la manzana (the apple), la pera (the pear), la fresa (the strawberry), el limón (the lemon), la naranja (the orange), el plátano (the banana), las uvas (the grapes), el melón (the melon.) We also learned el teléfono (the telephone -- Why? What can you do with a banana!!!) and "Sí, me gusta." "No, no me gusta." (Yes, I like. No, I do not like.)
Algunos verbos importantes: If you had Spanish in high school or college, hopefully some of these will sound familiar! If you want to practice at home, say the verb and see if your student can act it out (or vice versa -- act it out and see if your student can say the verbo en español.) We've had fun doing this in class. [pronunciation tips: j in Spanish sounds like h in English; h is silent, and we pronounce all vowels - a =ah. e =ay, i=ee, o=o (so), u =oo (moo)]
caminar (to walk), correr (to run), saltar (to jump, to hop), brincar (to hop, to jump), hablar (to talk), escuchar (to listen to), mirar (to look at), gritar (to yell), jugar (to play), tocar (to touch, to play an instrument), abrir (to open), cerrar (to close), escribir (to write), dibujar (to draw), pintar (to paint), leer (to read), nadar (to swim), reir (to laugh), llorar (to cry), beber (to drink), comer (to eat), dormir (to sleep), levantarse (to get up, to stand up), sentarse (to sit down), cantar (to sing), bailar (t0 dance).
Conferencias/Conferences:
I enjoyed meeting and talking with so many of you at conferences. Fue un placer conocer a tantas personas en la ocasión de las conferencias. Keep those language channels humming! ¡Mantengan los "canales españoles" corriendo! Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time. Favor de comunicarse conmigo por cualquier cosa.
¡Hasta pronto y gracias por todo! Sra. D.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Bienvenidos al año escolar 2009-2010
Hola todos,
¡Bienvenidos al año escolar 2009 -2010! Welcome to the 2009- 2010 school year. I am so excited to be back with the students again, seeing how much they remembered, getting their Spanish channels humming, and meeting so many new faces -- many who come with Spanish at home or from preschool and day care experiences. I look forward to seeing what they know and helping everyone grow even more.
Please check back soon for more details about our learning and to get ideas for activities and resources. There's much to do in the metropolitan Chicago area! Coming up are the ¡Viva Chicago! music fest downtown Chicago, Fiesta para todos at Brookfield Zoo, and great exhibits (including El día de los muertos) at the National Museum of Mexican Art.
Watch for más Noticias.
Gracias por todo y hasta pronto,
Sra. Deaton
¡Bienvenidos al año escolar 2009 -2010! Welcome to the 2009- 2010 school year. I am so excited to be back with the students again, seeing how much they remembered, getting their Spanish channels humming, and meeting so many new faces -- many who come with Spanish at home or from preschool and day care experiences. I look forward to seeing what they know and helping everyone grow even more.
Please check back soon for more details about our learning and to get ideas for activities and resources. There's much to do in the metropolitan Chicago area! Coming up are the ¡Viva Chicago! music fest downtown Chicago, Fiesta para todos at Brookfield Zoo, and great exhibits (including El día de los muertos) at the National Museum of Mexican Art.
Watch for más Noticias.
Gracias por todo y hasta pronto,
Sra. Deaton
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
¡Es julio!
Hola todos,
Es julio y espero que se estén disfrutando de todo lo que ofrece el verano. It's July and I hope that you enjoying everything that summer offers. Be sure to check out my earlier posts and links for festivals and other ideas, including the "fruitful learning" of Mango languages.
World Music is all about town -- and much of it with a Latin flavor. This Thursday, July 9, at Millennium Park there's an Afro-French-Brazilian twist. And this weekend the Old Town School of Folk Music sponsors the Roots and Folk festival with lots of Latin artists. There's also a Peruvian picnic in Schiller Woods sponsored by the Peruvian Cultural Center -- sure to be music and food there!
Check out the links for more info.
Have fun! ¡Diviértense!
hasta pronto, Sra. D.
Es julio y espero que se estén disfrutando de todo lo que ofrece el verano. It's July and I hope that you enjoying everything that summer offers. Be sure to check out my earlier posts and links for festivals and other ideas, including the "fruitful learning" of Mango languages.
World Music is all about town -- and much of it with a Latin flavor. This Thursday, July 9, at Millennium Park there's an Afro-French-Brazilian twist. And this weekend the Old Town School of Folk Music sponsors the Roots and Folk festival with lots of Latin artists. There's also a Peruvian picnic in Schiller Woods sponsored by the Peruvian Cultural Center -- sure to be music and food there!
Check out the links for more info.
Have fun! ¡Diviértense!
hasta pronto, Sra. D.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Festivals, fútbol, and "fruitful" learning!
Hola todos,
Another festival --El Festival Orgullo Mexicano -- Mexican Pride Festival -- takes place this week Thursday (jueves) June 25 to Sunday (domingo) at Toyota Park (home of the Chicago Fire Soccer team). Thursday through Sunday: "Carnaval" each day; Friday/viernes: dance, 7 pm, & movie in the park, 8:30 pm; Saturday/sábado: Chicago Fire vs. Tigres UANL (Mexico), 7 pm; Sunday/domingo: Lucha Libre Mexicana, 4 pm. Toyota Park is located in Bridgeview, right down Harlem to 79th. For more information: chicago-fire.com
¡Viva el fútbol! If you are a soccer fan, the Inaugural Mayor's Cup will be played at Toyota Park on Sunday, July 5, 6pm. Sure to bring out lots of Chicago soccer fans -- it's Mexico (Rayados de Monterrrey) vs. Poland (Cracovia Krakow)! Check out chicago-fire.com for more details, including ticket info. I just went to my first game in Toyota Park on Saturday -- the Chicago Fire vs. San Luis. McBride scored the lone (and winning) Chicago goal on an assist from Cuahtémoc Blanco. A real treat! Great fun and lots of Spanish practice!
"Fruitful learning:" If you haven't tried Mango Languages avaliable through the Oak Park Public Library site (see my link section), you definitely should, especially if you are thinking of taking a trip to Spanish-speaking country any time in the future! It makes for fruitful learning! I am working on my Italian and Japanese and am at about Lesson 7. Each language has 100 lessons! So far, I am learning to introduce myself, order in restaurants, say good morning, evening, good-bye, and ask and answer basic questions. At the start of each lesson, there is review of the prior lesson.
Even if it might not be the most exciting or useful conversation for kids because it tends to focus on social situations that involve adults, like asking for the bill in restaurants, it's good because it introduces and reinforces basic vocabulary (some of which they already know) and offers a chance to see written Spanish as well as hear the oral. Maybe the youngsters will even be the ones introducing themselves or doing the restaurant ordering!
As I said in my last note, everyone in the family can work with a language of his/her choice at his/her own level. It's a great free resource -- we are so lucky that our library supports language learning. The way to help keep it available is to use it -- and encourage others to do so.
Hope you are having a verano fantástico! Don't forget to check out the other festivals happening around town this summer.
hasta pronto, Sra. D
Another festival --El Festival Orgullo Mexicano -- Mexican Pride Festival -- takes place this week Thursday (jueves) June 25 to Sunday (domingo) at Toyota Park (home of the Chicago Fire Soccer team). Thursday through Sunday: "Carnaval" each day; Friday/viernes: dance, 7 pm, & movie in the park, 8:30 pm; Saturday/sábado: Chicago Fire vs. Tigres UANL (Mexico), 7 pm; Sunday/domingo: Lucha Libre Mexicana, 4 pm. Toyota Park is located in Bridgeview, right down Harlem to 79th. For more information: chicago-fire.com
¡Viva el fútbol! If you are a soccer fan, the Inaugural Mayor's Cup will be played at Toyota Park on Sunday, July 5, 6pm. Sure to bring out lots of Chicago soccer fans -- it's Mexico (Rayados de Monterrrey) vs. Poland (Cracovia Krakow)! Check out chicago-fire.com for more details, including ticket info. I just went to my first game in Toyota Park on Saturday -- the Chicago Fire vs. San Luis. McBride scored the lone (and winning) Chicago goal on an assist from Cuahtémoc Blanco. A real treat! Great fun and lots of Spanish practice!
"Fruitful learning:" If you haven't tried Mango Languages avaliable through the Oak Park Public Library site (see my link section), you definitely should, especially if you are thinking of taking a trip to Spanish-speaking country any time in the future! It makes for fruitful learning! I am working on my Italian and Japanese and am at about Lesson 7. Each language has 100 lessons! So far, I am learning to introduce myself, order in restaurants, say good morning, evening, good-bye, and ask and answer basic questions. At the start of each lesson, there is review of the prior lesson.
Even if it might not be the most exciting or useful conversation for kids because it tends to focus on social situations that involve adults, like asking for the bill in restaurants, it's good because it introduces and reinforces basic vocabulary (some of which they already know) and offers a chance to see written Spanish as well as hear the oral. Maybe the youngsters will even be the ones introducing themselves or doing the restaurant ordering!
As I said in my last note, everyone in the family can work with a language of his/her choice at his/her own level. It's a great free resource -- we are so lucky that our library supports language learning. The way to help keep it available is to use it -- and encourage others to do so.
Hope you are having a verano fantástico! Don't forget to check out the other festivals happening around town this summer.
hasta pronto, Sra. D
Friday, June 12, 2009
¡Celebrar el verano! Celebrate summer!
¡Hola! Ya llegó el verano. Por fin, hoy hace calorcito y brilla el sol. Espero que se estén disfrutando del tiempo con la familia y los amigos. Aquí comparto unas ideas para gozar del verano en Chicago. Hay tantas cosas que hacer para celebrar nuestra diversidad.
Summer has arrived! Finally, today it's feeling warmer and the sun is shining. I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends. Here are some ideas for enjoying summer in Chicago. There are so many things to do to celebrate our diversity.
Celebrations abound in Chicago, especially in summer. Just browsing Metromix's list of festivals comes up with scores -- 18 pages of listings! There are festivals for a multitude of ethnic groups -- Japanese, Greek, Thai, Celtic, Scottish, Swedish, Irish-American, Chinese, Korean, Armenian, Croatian, Mexican, Puerto-Rican, African-American, Caribbean, French, Peruvian, Ukranian, Italian, and more. Be sure to check out the "Fun Links" for Metromix for all the details and many more ideas for Chicago fun. Below is a sampling of some "Spanish-flavored" festivals.
Stretch your brain and your world: You can also work on building your family's language skills over the summer. Brain research shows that it helps our brains grow in ways different from any other learning. Plus our world just keeps getting smaller.
First, keep speaking, reading, singing your heritage languages. Many students' families speak a language other than English! Some that I know of are Spanish, Greek, Polish, Serbian, Russian, German, Norwegian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, .... It's important for your children to be surrounded by these languages. They are proud of their heritage, love to know words in different languages, and love to make comparisons between them and our Spanish learning.
Second, the Oak Park Public Library offers an on-line language learning service called "Mango Languages." All you need is your library card number and your pin (usually the last 4 numbers of your phone number.) Each person in the family can choose a different language and work at his or her own speed. Go to the main oppl page and then click on the "research" section. Mango Languages will be one of your choices.
Nine languages are offered including Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and 3 separate English programs (for speakers of Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, or Polish). I tried Spanish, Italian, and Japanese last night. Because of Spanish, my Italian lessons go much quicker and more easily than my Japanese, but I'm even making progress there. Check out "Fun Links" for the Oak Park Public Library and have fun!
Festivals
For a Spanish-language flavor, here's just a taste:
Fiesta Back of the Yards: June 12, 5-10 pm, June 13, 10am -10 pm, Mexican music, food, ...
Chicago Summer Dance Festival: Begins June 12 runs for 11 weeks, Grant Park, 1 hour dance lesson, 2 hrs live music & dance of all kinds and many cultures; A few "Latin dance" dates: June 18, tango; June 19, salsa & cha, cha, cha; other dates for more salsa, rumba, mambo
Fiestas Puertorriqueñas: June 16, 4-10:30 pm, June 17, 4-10:30 pm; Puerto Rican food, salsa, merengue
Peace Festival: June 19, 20
Puerto Rican Day Parade: June 20, 12:00 noon, steps off from Columbus & Balbo, up Columbus to Monroe
African-Caribbean International Festival of Life: July 3, 4
12th Annual Chicago Folk and Roots Festival: July 11, 12
Fiesta del Sol: (Pilsen), July 30, 31
Peruvian picnics: July 12, Aug 16 (check out Peruvian Cultural Center link for more details)
Chicago Carifete: Caribbean festival, August 15, 16
¡Viva Chicago! Latin Music Festival: August 29, 20
Mexican Independence Day Parade: Sept. 13
Sin más por el momento, ¡Feliz verano! Happy summer!
Sra. D
Summer has arrived! Finally, today it's feeling warmer and the sun is shining. I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends. Here are some ideas for enjoying summer in Chicago. There are so many things to do to celebrate our diversity.
Celebrations abound in Chicago, especially in summer. Just browsing Metromix's list of festivals comes up with scores -- 18 pages of listings! There are festivals for a multitude of ethnic groups -- Japanese, Greek, Thai, Celtic, Scottish, Swedish, Irish-American, Chinese, Korean, Armenian, Croatian, Mexican, Puerto-Rican, African-American, Caribbean, French, Peruvian, Ukranian, Italian, and more. Be sure to check out the "Fun Links" for Metromix for all the details and many more ideas for Chicago fun. Below is a sampling of some "Spanish-flavored" festivals.
Stretch your brain and your world: You can also work on building your family's language skills over the summer. Brain research shows that it helps our brains grow in ways different from any other learning. Plus our world just keeps getting smaller.
First, keep speaking, reading, singing your heritage languages. Many students' families speak a language other than English! Some that I know of are Spanish, Greek, Polish, Serbian, Russian, German, Norwegian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, .... It's important for your children to be surrounded by these languages. They are proud of their heritage, love to know words in different languages, and love to make comparisons between them and our Spanish learning.
Second, the Oak Park Public Library offers an on-line language learning service called "Mango Languages." All you need is your library card number and your pin (usually the last 4 numbers of your phone number.) Each person in the family can choose a different language and work at his or her own speed. Go to the main oppl page and then click on the "research" section. Mango Languages will be one of your choices.
Nine languages are offered including Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and 3 separate English programs (for speakers of Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, or Polish). I tried Spanish, Italian, and Japanese last night. Because of Spanish, my Italian lessons go much quicker and more easily than my Japanese, but I'm even making progress there. Check out "Fun Links" for the Oak Park Public Library and have fun!
Festivals
For a Spanish-language flavor, here's just a taste:
Fiesta Back of the Yards: June 12, 5-10 pm, June 13, 10am -10 pm, Mexican music, food, ...
Chicago Summer Dance Festival: Begins June 12 runs for 11 weeks, Grant Park, 1 hour dance lesson, 2 hrs live music & dance of all kinds and many cultures; A few "Latin dance" dates: June 18, tango; June 19, salsa & cha, cha, cha; other dates for more salsa, rumba, mambo
Fiestas Puertorriqueñas: June 16, 4-10:30 pm, June 17, 4-10:30 pm; Puerto Rican food, salsa, merengue
Peace Festival: June 19, 20
Puerto Rican Day Parade: June 20, 12:00 noon, steps off from Columbus & Balbo, up Columbus to Monroe
African-Caribbean International Festival of Life: July 3, 4
12th Annual Chicago Folk and Roots Festival: July 11, 12
Fiesta del Sol: (Pilsen), July 30, 31
Peruvian picnics: July 12, Aug 16 (check out Peruvian Cultural Center link for more details)
Chicago Carifete: Caribbean festival, August 15, 16
¡Viva Chicago! Latin Music Festival: August 29, 20
Mexican Independence Day Parade: Sept. 13
Sin más por el momento, ¡Feliz verano! Happy summer!
Sra. D
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