Exploring the Americas

An unprompted conversation today between a small group of 2/3 students working on a cultural project led them to the class map to argue their points. Is South America a part of America they asked? And what about Mexico? And if so, are we all Americans? As I watch the situation unfold, I know that students are interested, engaged and that they "get it". They look to me for a final decision on the subject, but not until they've worked it over the best they can. These observations are one way learning is assessed every day during Spanish class.

La Paz

4/5 students spent time this week thinking about la paz (peace) around the world. Students composed poems about peace in Spanish and cut out peace dance circles. Not quite sure why they were all wearing them on their heads, but it seemed like a great idea at the time! We also made Papel Picado (cut paper) poinsettias to conclude our discussion of holiday traditions in Mexico. Clean up was fun that day!!

 

7/8 Fieldtrip

7/8's had an exciting field trip to Capital Rep to see the play, Man of La Mancha! We had a great time and the play was wonderful: singing, dancing, instruments, comedy and drama!

Night of the Radishes

Holidays are celebrated in so many ways! In Oaxaca, radish farmers carved their crops to make them more interesting for prospective buyers. Soon these carvings became popular for holiday centerpieces and the carving event an annual fiesta! Middle School students tried their skills out and carved their own scenes! Below are some pictures from our radish fest!

K/1 Alphabet!

Today K/1's brought home their alphabet books. At first glance, they seem like traditional worksheets. And they are! Yet the beauty of Parker is that for our kids they are not just worksheets, they are reminders of the interactive activities we have done in class to learn each letter and sound. Bee puppets, owl crafts, Cat and Mouse role playing of stories, songs and more! It is so much fun to see the kids be so proud of a simple colored page - not just because they colored it, but for all the steps they accomplished along the way! Look for the "alfabeto" song coming to assembly soon!

2/3's Reporter for the Day

2/3's are enjoying taking turns playing the role of reporting the daily news. As each takes a turn, they get to head to the front of the class with a Mr. Microphone and report the date, weather and other interesting information in Spanish. What a great job they are all doing putting the language together in a meaningful way!

November Feast

Teresa joined the middle school again this month with a sampling of tasty "pinchos". Similar to tapas these small snacks were delicious and fun to make. Students enjoyed putting the "pinchos" together and visiting with each other while they ate. The "tortilla" made of eggs, onions and potatoes sliced and placed on baguette with a roasted red pepper decoration was a favorite along with slices of manchego cheese. Yum! Gracias Teresa!