My 3rd graders have been learning the infinitives of common verbs, and how to use them with gustar and the indirect object pronouns to talk about things that they like. We did a Gustar Bingo with singular nouns and some infinitives, and they went around the room collecting signatures of classmates who like the items on the sheet. Some were challenging (la tarea) and some were easy (jugar a Minecraft), but they loved finding out which likes and dislikes they had in common.
The 4th grade class has moved on to -er verb conjugations, as well as practice with gustar. We created our own game boards last year, and the kids use them with different flashcards or dice to practice vocabulary or conjugations.
Our 6th graders have proven that their brains are tougher than our rompecabezas (puzzles). We have been doing a variety of Vocubes and others that require them to match all of the sides on each square. Some of them are Spanish-English vocabulary, and others have subject pronouns that must match the verb conjugations. They are always up to the task.
Our 8th graders have reached the point where our focus is primarily on producing the language. Most of our class time is spent alternating between speaking and writing in Spanish. When the weather cooperates, we try to do it outside. The consistency of their writing and speaking ability is so impressive to me. I am going to miss these students so much when they graduate, not just because of their excellence academically, but because they are fun, kind, and thoughtful people.
Your kids make it so, so easy for me to love teaching. I hope that they will develop a love for Spanish, and that it won't be meaningless noise for them. Even more than that, I hope that they know how very loved they are, by their families, by their teachers and friends, and most of all, by God.
