last post!

Hola padres! All conversations are complete and the scholars should all have them back graded by tomorrow. Once those were handed out today, we continued with a game of clothing bingo. I think the scholars enjoyed this and it was fun for us to engage in some friendly competition.

In terms of next week, we will continue with reviewing what we have learned over the year. I have truly appreciated the way the third grade welcomed me into their fold partway through the year. The third grade is an energetic and friendly group and were so accepting as I walked in as their new Spanish teacher. I am thankful for their open and willing hearts as they went through so many changes in a short amount of time. This difficult, but realistic lesson will serve them well as they continue on through life as we know that so many times our plans don't pan out. I have so enjoyed getting to know them. I am sorry to see them go, but hopefully will touch base with them next year in the hallways and during recess. May you all have a restful and safe summer!

Sinceramente,
Sra. Hamilton

conversations, teacher appreciation week and reviews

Hola padres! Just wanted to thank you all so much for thinking of me this week! I so appreciate the notes, flowers, goodies and tokens of appreciation. I realize this is such a great undertaking with all the teachers your scholars have and I really appreciate you thinking of me. Thank you!

So this week, we have been working our way through our conversations and I am so impressed with what the scholars have been writing! They have really shown an understanding of the vocabulary and everything we have learned. I have so enjoyed listening to them work together and converse. I am also so proud of them!

This week and next the emphasis is on the concert next week, so once all the conversations are complete, we will focus on review games and activities. Thank you again for everything!

Sra. Hamilton

wrapping up conversations

Hola padres, due to the field trip on Monday and concert practices the other days, there isn't a whole lot of Spanish planned for next week. I let the scholars know today that we will start presenting their conversations the next time I see them, whenever that may be. For some it will be next week, for others it won't be until the week after. If I get a chance, I would also like to do a lesson on cinco de mayo, but we will have to see how it fits into our schedule. I am so very proud of how third grade has taken on the challenge of writing their conversations and incorporating everything they have learned. Their eagerness and enthusiasm is what I love to see.

Gracias,
Sra. Hamilton

la casa conversations

Hola padres! We have started our new unit on la casa this week and the scholars are very eager to start their conversations. We might just do a short worksheet tomorrow to start class and then jump right in. I'd like to have their casa conversations wrapped up by the end of next week or so, so we'll try to do that. Starting in May, we will do a lesson on cinco de mayo and then jump into our final review for the year. Hopefully, this will be fun way for them to end the year. Thank you for your flexibility and support this year! I have really enjoyed third grade and hope they have enjoyed Spanish as well.

Sra. Hamilton

returned work, Paraguay and our new unit

Hola padres! I have only seen one class of third grade this week so far on and will see two more classes tomorrow. We were able to start our study on Paraguay which is a fascinating country due to the connection is has to Arizona. This is the article I read to the scholars:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/kids-in-paraguay-make-music-out-of-trash/2013/02/15/c57390b2-486b-11e2-b6f0-e851e741d196_story.html

I also showed them a video that allowed them to hear the music these children play and taught them what the orchestra means to the community.

If you get a chance, I highly recommend visiting the Musical Instrument Museum in Mesa which has a display on the landfill orchestra from Paraguay. The museum itself is unique to Arizona and the one of the only of its kind. We are so lucky to have it so close by.

I was able to get both the date quizzes and familia conversations graded this week! For the familia conversations, I attached a rubric to go along with it. I didn't have the rubric while the students presented, so I added notes to the rubric that I had taken during the presentations. For the next conversations, I will have the rubric ready for when the scholars present so that I can make notes directly on it and so you will have a better idea of how they are doing and what I am expecting. 

 If your scholar received a 2 or less on their quiz, they have a practice worksheet attached that needs to be returned. Those worksheets that don't get returned will be completed during a recess. We should have at least one more quiz before the year is out. 

Next week we will begin our unit on la casa. 

Gracias, 

Sra. Hamilton 

review and testing week

Hola padres! This week has been mostly review and finishing up of reading Frida Kahlo. I so enjoy how interested the scholars are in the fascinating artist. We have had such great discussions about her life and art. I hope they are sharing some of their newfound knowledge with you.

Next week our schedule has been modified quite a bit by testing. I don't plan to start anything new until the following week. We will do our normal Spanish speaking country study on Wednesday, but other than that, most of what we do will be review. I will do my best to get the scholars' conversations and date quizzes back to them. I did let them know that if they receive a 2 or less (out of 5) on their date quizzes that attached they would find a worksheet to help them review and learn the material. I don't mean to give them added homework, but the date in Spanish is a concept we have gone over since October and if a scholar isn't understanding most of what makes up a date in Spanish, they need more review than what they are seeing in class. Thanks for your understanding.
Sra. Hamilton

conversations and Frida Kahlo

Hola padres! We have had a good week finishing our conversations about la familia and reading more about the artist, Frida Kahlo. Next week I hope to move on to a new unit of la casa. I am so impressed with the work that the third grade does with their conversations. They are creative and use a wide range of units and vocabulary that we have studied. I look forward to finishing the year with them!
All for now,
Sra. Hamilton