Los más pequeños is a fantastic book for Spanish world language or bilingual classrooms! Colombian singer and writer, Nathalia Palis takes us on an beautiful journey to discover the world’s tiniest animals and the valuable lessons they offer.
The book has colorful illustrations that are perfect for simple picture talks. For instance, when reading the first pages, you might ask your students, “¿Qué otros insectos pequeños conocen?” (What other small insects do you know?). This invites them to share their ideas in Spanish or learn new insect names in Spanish. You can engage your students by asking about the colors they see in the illustrations and incorporating TPR (Total Physical Response) to make the lesson more interactive. For example, ask whether the insect walks or flies, and let students mimic the movements of the insects. You can also play with the language by using diminutives and augmentatives. For example, “una abejita” and “una abejota.”
Additionally, the book is a great tool for practicing vocabulary related to nature. After reading about different creatures, have students create a chart listing the animals they learned, along with their Spanish names. This can turn into a collaborative group activity. You can also invite your students to create new creatures by combining some of the insects from the book. For example, combining the words oruga and araña to come up with a new animal, “oruña.” You can also have a sing-along in your classes with this beautiful song!
And there’s still more exciting news! Visit Nathalia’s page to participate in the fantastic giveaway! You have the chance to win a copy of the book this week, along with a special Zoom visit with Nathalia for for your Spanish classes.
This is a wonderful opportunity for your students to engage with the author, ask questions, and gain insights into the story behind the book. The giveaway ends on October 7th, 2024, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time. Head over to Nathalia’s page now to enter!
Simone is an African American girl who is curious about life. In the book, Simone Visita el Museo, she gets to plan an outing with her mom to an exciting place, but before going out she and her brother need to do some chores around the house. Her brother and dad stay home doing more chores while Simone and her mom get on a bus to go to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. After visiting the museum, Simone and her mom explore Washington DC., have lunch together, and meet up with her dad and brother which makes Simone’s adventure complete.
Simone Visita el Museowas originally written in English by Dr. Kelsi Bracmort, and it has been beautifully translated into Spanish. Although the level of this book is a little high for my elementary Spanish learners (I teach in a FLES program), the illustrations are a great starter to talk about routines and activities around the city. It’s also a valuable book for my heritage language speakers who can easily enjoy reading this book by themselves.
Simone Visita el Museo honors the diversity in many of the classrooms in the United States. This book definitely deserves a special and noticeable place in your school or classroom library. I strongly suggest getting the English version for the students who wish to read it in their L1!
Simone Visita el Museo will be released on September 24th, 2019. Pre-order your copy on Amazon! Meanwhile, enjoy the English version which is also available on Amazon.
I couldn’t have gotten this book at a better time! With the monarch butterfly migration heading south, this book is the perfect way to introduce it. Señorita Mariposa was written by Mister G, Latin GRAMMY award-winning children’s musician who currently lives in Massachusetts. Señorita Mariposa is a short but engaging bilingual picture book. The story is catchy and truly represents the journey of the super generation of monarch butterflies. In this book, Señorita Mariposa is traveling south in search of a warmer place. While making the journey south, Señorita Mariposa brings joy to many lives. While reading the book, the reader can easily put him or herself in Señorita Mariposa’s shoes (very small shoes!) and feel what she goes through while she embarks on her journey.
The book’s illustrations are appealing, and many readers will be able to see themselves represented in them. In the book, Señorita Mariposa travels through different landscapes to show and prove how strong a little butterfly can be. Señorita Mariposa is a beautiful tribute to the monarch butterfly.
After reading the book with your students, I would suggest you and your classes join the Symbolic Butterfly Migrationhosted annually by the organization Journey North. What a great way to send many paper butterflies to accompany Señorita on her journey.
Señorita Mariposa was just released, and it’s now available on Amazon. It would definitely make a great addition to your school or classroom library!
I love finding opportunities to bring the sounds of traditional and authentic music to my Spanish classes. Music is also a way to show students the diversity of the different Latino cultures. The Hummingbird Sings invites you as a teacher to take your students on a trip around Latin America through music. This music CD includes 19 songs that were recorded by the fabulous Grupo Cántaro.
If you are looking to bring authentic resources to your Spanish class, this musical collection is a “must have” for Spanish teachers. Not only is the music beautiful, but the book itself is a work of art. You can use the illustrations to introduce the songs and also to talk about the different vocabulary and phrases in each song. These pictures will give your students a chance to talk about colors and animals – as well as to locate the countries where the songs come from on a map.
I am lucky enough to already have a copy of this book thanks to The Secret Mountain Publishing company, who asked me to review it. I am passionate about spreading the love for authentic music in the Spanish classroom, and one lucky teacher will get to add this music collection to her/his realia.
As a Spanish teacher, I feel that teaching geography is a responsibility of mine. Due to the ages that I teach, I find it hard because many of the maps that show Latin America are either in English or are not simple enough for the eyes of my second and third grade students.
I felt a relief when I received this puzzle. The picture is a piece of art and is simple enough for my students to put together. I have used this puzzle as a center for early finishers and they absolutely love it. I often use a corner in my classroom for students from different classes to work on the puzzle collectively, adding pieces when they have time.
This puzzle has become a collaborative project in my room, serving as a thread to connect all of my students throughout the week. And the best is when I hear them reading the names of the countries in Spanish or making comments such as “I didn’t know Colombia is next to Ecuador.” Children always come to my classroom asking for el rompecabezas. It’s an activity that engages them easily and allows them to work in groups. They have made it a challenge and can’t wait to finish and see the final result. This will take your students on virtual trips to different places in Latin America.
This puzzle has worked great for my students and I am sure it will work for your students too. This puzzle was created by a Spanish teacher who knows the importance of including geography in foreign language curriculum. To learn more about this great teaching tool please visit their Amazon store or like the their page on Facebook. I would love one of our readers to have one these awesome puzzles!
And, with students who know where the Equator is, here’s to hoping I never get asked if it’s “winter” in Colombia with students who know not to assume that all of South America is south of the Equator!
Giveaway Time!
One lucky teacher will get to win this puzzle for her/his class! Just enter below to participate. Winner will be announced on November 1st, 2014. United States only!
I have been a fan of Rockalingua since it started. This small company is run by Cesar Chinchilla, a talented elementary Spanish teacher based in California.
I have firsthand experience using the songs in my classes, and they truly engage my students. I was pleased to learn that Rockalingua released a DVD that includes 13 fun songs. This DVD has colorful and live animations that students love. The songs are well paced and allow space for repetition in class. Some of the tracks even include a karaoke version!
I have used this DVD as a warm up in my classes or as a way to support my units. This DVD has become my students’ favorite, and many of them ask for it every class.
Rockalingua has a great collection of songs and videos in their online store. You can purchase the songs and videos as you develop your lessons or get everything with a yearly membership.
Giveaway Time!
I am lucky enough to own my very own Rockalingua DVD. I would love one of my readers to own a copy too! To participate, enter below. Winners will be announced on Monday, September 29th, 2014. World wide participants are welcome! ¡Buena suerte!
