World Languages

Week of February 18th

This week in our classes!

Spanish Language and Culture (Mr. Fontalvo, Ms. Gonzalez)

Last week, our students learned how to describe people, focusing on personality traits and physical appearance. They did a great job using new vocabulary in fun activities!

Next week, we’ll continue practicing and have two formative assessments:

• Reading: Understanding descriptive language.

• Speaking: Describing people using learned vocabulary.

Spanish I (Mr. Donaldson, Ms. Cuffee)

Shifting attention to the preterite tense (which is used to describe completed actions in the past) and describing the future using the verb IR, students will receive four new SpanishDict.com homework assignments on the preterite: regular preterite AR verbs (3HW11.PrAR), regular preterite ER/IR verbs (3HW12.ErIr), preterite spelling changing verbs (3HW13.PrSp), and the informal future tense (3HW14.InFu). Each day begins with a review of preterite endings and their usage. Students will read an article in the preterite tense and practice identifying preterite conjugations in context, culminating in a closer look at -car, -gar, and -zar spelling changes in the preterite.

Spanish II (Ms. Wooten, Ms. Henderson)

This week in Spanish 2, we did a listening summative, testing students' ability to use the new vocabulary from the first 2 chapters of the book "Los Baker Van a Perú" as well as their knowledge of the main characters, setting, and plot of these first 2 chapters. Students had to show that they could understand the vocabulary in context as well as use it to describe a new context, as well as identify which character would have said certain phrases and support their answers with an explanation in Spanish. We also reflected on the 2nd advisory and celebrated our accomplishments. In the third advisory, we will be focusing on our speaking and listening skills, so expect more homework assignments that require students to record speaking, as well as more opportunities for speaking Spanish (for longer sustained periods) in class. Students will be reading the book "Los Baker Van a Perú" and also learning about the culture of Perú. Next week, students will be working on new vocabulary and reading the third chapter of the book, which deals with a game show. Students will have opportunities to participate in various games and describe in Spanish what they have to do, what the judge does, how to win, whether they are games of skill and luck, etc. Students will also get to invent their own game show and describe it to peers in Spanish, and decide which of their peers' games they would be best at, find easiest, most fun, etc. The goal of all class activities it to maintain Spanish while using the new vocabulary, but also having fun and finding engaging subject matter to discuss together in the target language. Please continue to check canvas and see your teachers in tutoring when absent!

Spanish Humanities, grade 6 (Ms. Balestra)

Students took a Summative last week to show their understanding of the book, Cajas de Carton.

This week we are focusing on the use of the accent mark in Spanish.

There will be a Formative on Friday to demonstrate mastery of this concept.

We will begin our unit on Heroes and Monsters.

Please check our Canvas page for assignments!

Spanish Humanities, grade 7 (Ms. Henderson)

I am excited to share that our 7th Grade Spanish Humanities class has begun a new unit centered around the book Los siete hábitos de los adolescentes altamente efectivos. Throughout this unit, students will engage in weekly journal entries to reflect on their behaviors, habits, and interactions with others.

This past week, we explored the paradigms we hold about ourselves and others, discussing how these perspectives influence our judgments and actions. We are also sharpening our grammar skills by focusing on the present tense, with special attention to reflexive verbs.

Looking ahead, next week we will delve into the second habit from the book, Comenzar con un fin en mente ("Begin with the End in Mind"). As part of this lesson, students will create vision boards to articulate their aspirations and dreams for the future.

Me emociona compartir que nuestra clase de Humanidades en Español de 7º grado ha comenzado una nueva unidad basada en el libro Los siete hábitos de los adolescentes altamente efectivos. Durante esta unidad, los estudiantes escribirán entradas semanales en un diario para reflexionar sobre sus comportamientos, hábitos e interacciones con los demás.

Esta semana, hemos explorado los paradigmas que tenemos sobre nosotros mismos y los demás, analizando cómo estas perspectivas influyen en nuestros juicios y acciones. También estamos perfeccionando nuestras habilidades gramaticales, centrándonos en el tiempo presente, con especial atención a los verbos reflexivos.

La próxima semana, nos enfocaremos en el segundo hábito del libro, Comenzar con un fin en mente. Como parte de esta lección, los estudiantes crearán tableros de visión para expresar sus aspiraciones y sueños para el futuro.

Spanish Humanities, grade 8 (Ms. Wooten)

In 8th grade humanities, students ended the 2nd advisory reading the vignette "No Speak English." We analyzed various statistics about 1st generation, 2nd generation, and third generation Latino immigrants: their language proficiency in speaking/ writing Spanish, their preferences for listening to music in Spanish v English, and their language use at home. Students illustrated the perspective of a character from this vignette and were able to make personal connections to the text as well as express their opinions about how they may want to use different languages in their future families and their opinions about how important it is that future generations of Latinos maintain the use of Spanish. We also ended the week with shout outs and reflections from the advisory. As we begin the 3rd advisory next week, students will read the next few vignettes of Casa en Mango Street, beginning analyzing the various women that Esperanza has for role models in her community and reflecting on influential women that they know in their own lives, in the Spanish-speaking world, and in society in general. As we finish the book in the 3rd advisory, students will have the opportunity to choose the own creative project to reflect on the book before we move onto our next unit.

French Language and Culture (Ms. Bullock, Mr. Almanza)

Next week students will be showing off all they have learned with their first verb conjugation être! Go ahead and ask them what that means. We will also start learning vocabulary to talk about family. Please take a moment to check Aspen with your child. With all of our absences, many students have missing work that may be affecting their grade. It's better to get caught up now than racing to finish everything in a couple of weeks. Also, language is learned by reviewing a little every day. Encouraging five minutes of nightly review will help your student succeed!

French I (Ms. Balestra, Mr. Osei)

Last week we continued to work with reflexive verbs, and took a look at when a verb is reflexive and when it is not.

This week: Formative on Tuesday. Students will need to know the different reflexive actions and how to conjugate the verbs correctly. We will also introduce more vocabulary with the verb JOUER. We will end the week with more work on making negative sentences.

French II (Dr. Mbayu)

This week we started Unit 3: Le weekend, les loisirs, et les spectacles. We will complete a reading performance activity (criterion B): le metro et vive le jazz.

Next week we will delve into weekend activities in the city and the countryside from a comparative perspective.

Chinese (Ms. Liang)

Last week, our sixth graders began Lesson 6: Countries, diving into the rich cultures and unique aspects of different nations. Through engaging lessons and discussions, students are expanding their global awareness and curiosity about the world. One of the highlights of the week was our field trip, where students had the opportunity to make dumplings! This hands-on experience not only connected to our cultural studies but also allowed students to engage in a fun, interactive learning experience while enjoying delicious food. Looking ahead, we will have a formative assessment next Friday to review key concepts from our lessons. This will help ensure students have a strong understanding of the material covered so far.

Grade 7

Last week, our seventh graders began Lesson 7: Making a Phone Call, where they are learning essential communication skills for real-world conversations. Through engaging activities and practice, students are building confidence in making phone calls in a structured and culturally appropriate way. A special highlight of the week was our field trip, where students had a fantastic time making dumplings! This hands-on experience allowed them to explore cultural traditions while working together to create and enjoy delicious food. Looking ahead, we will have a formative assessment next Friday to review the key concepts from our lessons. This will help students reinforce their learning and ensure they are on track.

Grade 8

Last week, our eighth graders continued their journey through Lesson 7: International Trip, where they learned about essential travel preparations, including packing, applying for a visa, and obtaining a passport. These real-world skills are helping students understand the important steps involved in international travel. As they deepen their knowledge, students are engaging in hands-on activities that make the learning experience both practical and enjoyable. Their enthusiasm for exploring the world has been inspiring! Looking ahead, we will have a formative assessment next Friday to review the key concepts covered in this lesson. This will help students reinforce their understanding and ensure they are prepared for future lessons.