Organizing Centers in our DL Classrooms

So today I wanted to share how we set up our learning centers in our Kindergarten Dual Language classrooms! Sometimes people feel that there is not enough time to get in centers, but this is where students get to work in small groups tackling different skills we have been working on during previous weeks as well as add new skills we are learning. This is also where students get their guided reading time with the teacher - which is extremely important!

I teach in 50/50 two-way dual language classroom, so we have two groups of students and we each always start with the same group but switch groups after lunch.

My partner and I currently follow a two-day schedule that we created in order to make sure we were getting in all the subjects in both languages as well as our learning centers, but in a way where we weren't repeating material to either group of kids. This is the schedule we follow:

The area that is highlighted - Learning Centers - are the times where we have our small group centers happening and where we get in our guided reading centers. Both my partner and I have a Center Rotation Chart where we have cards with our student names/groups and the 4 centers to they are getting to in one day. So here is an example of how the rotations would work for my homeroom ("los perritos") and my partner's homeroom group ("los leones"):

MY homeroom ("los perritos"):
Monday: Morning centers in Spanish with me
Tuesday: Afternoon centers in English with my partner
Thursday: Morning centers in Spanish with me
Friday: Afternoon centers in English with my partner

My PARTNER'S homeroom ("los leones"):
Monday: Morning centers in English with me=y partner
Tuesday: Afternoon centers in Spanish with me
Thursday: Morning centers in English with my partner
Friday: Afternoon centers in Spanish with me

In one week, it takes our students 4 days to complete all 7 Spanish centers (guided reading counts twice) and all 7 English centers (guided reading counts twice).

This is my Center Rotation Chart. As you can see, the children would find their name on the colored card and read across for their 4 centers for one day. Each center is about 20 minutes long. As you can also see, the MAESTRA center is doubled because that center has to be in every rotation, so students Monday-Thursday have a guided reading group (2 in Spanish with me and 2 in English with my partner).

Since I teach 2 groups of 18 students, I have two sets of grouping cards. After the day is finished, I switch the cards (move up or down) and then I bring the other set of cards to the front. Basically, I'm organizing all my 36 kids centers on one chart, I just have the group that has centers with me that day on the front and I make sure when the day ends I switch the cards in the correct way so that the other group is up front and cards are ready for the next day.

So depending on the week, my centers may change but they always include:

1. Maestra (guided reading)

2. Trabajo con palabras (word work)

3. Escritura (writing)

4. Computadoras (computers)

And then they may also include:

• Mesa Estrella (Star Table)-- a thematic-related art project/craft that we usually use later to write about
• Fluidez (fluency)--fluency games and activities the kids are familiar with
• Matematicas (math)--a review math center with concepts we have worked on previously to reinforce
• Tabletas (iPads)--learning games (alfabeto o silabas games)

Learning centers are such a staple of our instructional time because not only are students are working on activities that reinforce fundamental skills we have been working on, but students also get the opportunity to work in small groups and negotiate meaning with each other. I also make sure that there are answer keys or ways for students to check their answer (when I deem necessary and appropriate) so that each center is differentiated and at the student's level. Another example is in Word Work, is after students complete the activity, my higher-level groups might then go on to use the words from the sorting activity to build their own original sentences, while my non-native groups might just be writing the words on the dry erase board. I make sure to explain the varying things they can do when they are done with the activity so they feel they can choose and succeed independently at the activity.

How do you run your centers? Leave a comment or question!

Sight Word Games

An important part of reading foundational skills to to build students' fluency with sight words/high frequency words (palabras de uso frecuente!). This year, I am trying various different methods to get students more involved with the sight words - especially by playing weekly games to practice, practice and practice those sight words! I am also finding that by introducing the words early on students are already building their practice with reading Spanish syllables/practicing how to recognize and read Spanish letters/words with their correct sounds! I introduced these games first in my small guided reading group so that I could explain how to play. Now that they have played these three games, I can place the same type of games (but with different sight words) at their independent centers throughout the year!

 Here students spin the Spinner and then read the sight word out loud and then find it and color it!

Here students throw the dice, find the word that by that dice, read it out loud and then trace it! If they roll the number 6, they skip their turn!

 

Here students throw the dice, read the word out loud and then write it on a dry erase surface! There is also the option of using the worksheet that comes with the game, where students need to find the word and color it in!

You can find these sight word games in my "Sight Word Bundle in Spanish": https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sight-Word-Bundle-in-Spanish-2804366
 

States of Matter Mini-Unit

So we recently finished our states of matter mini-unit and had a really great time learning about solids, liquids and gases! Luckily, the three words (solids, liquids and gases) are cognates with Spanish (solidos, liquidos and gases) and therefore, the vocabulary for this mini-unit was much more accessible and easier to grasp for the students! Other words in this mini-unit are also cognates in English/Spanish (atoms--atomos, molecules--moleculas), which was great to capitalize on and utilize as a way of showing great similarities in the two langauges! I loved being able to utilize such a great strategy with my dual language kinders - that of cognate words! When words are similar in both languages, it eases children into being more confident in orally speaking the words and in engaging with the material - especially the children who are not dominant in the target language (in this case, Spanish!).

The states of matter mini-unit was also really fun because it incorporated non-fiction informational reading, science demonstrations, bubble maps, vocabulary, art project for each state of matter and a culminating mini-research project! The mini-unit was broken up into 5 days:

Day 1: Introduction to matter/word splash, what is matter? SQA chart (KWL in Spanish)
Day 2: Solids
Day 3: Liquids
Day 4: Gases
Day 5: Review of matter; culminating project/presentation

For each state of matter, I read a book in Spanish, we did a bubble map whole group and then the students did an art project to visually show the way the molecules are spread in each of the three states of matter. For solids, the art craft was in the shape of an ice cube and as you can see above, the students used Bingo Dotters to dot molecules very closely together. For liquids, the art craft was in the shape of a raindrop and as you can see from above, the students used Bingo Dotters to dot molecules a bit more spread apart. For gases, the art craft was a cloud and as you can see from above, the students used Bingo Dotters to dot the molecules very spread apart.

For the culminating project students were put into groups and each group had to choose a state of matter from a bag. Then, the groups went around the room and brainstormed how they would describe that state of matter. Then, after they brainstormed, they came back together and then I gave each group their sheet of paper and one pencil and they went again around the room to work collaboratively on their project. The idea is that each group would describe their state of matter (without stating it in the description) and then illustrate various examples of that state of matter in the box above. I had all the states of matter books out on a table while the students were working and they were encouraged to use that to help them formulate their descriptions as well as to use our bubble maps to help them! In that way, the project become a mini-research project as well to synthesize the information they had learned! After they wrote their description in pencil, I checked their work and then gave each group a sharpie to trace their description. Finally, each group came up to the front of the room and presented their poster by just reading the description and not showing the picture. Their peers had to guess what state of matter they were describing! This culminating project was able to all around assess how well the students had understood the mini-unit! Below are the posters each group created:

On one of our classroom pocket charts, I put up the three labels "Solidos, Liquidos (and) Gases" and then a plethora of pictures in the little orange basket. I encouraged the students to go to this area and pick up a card and categorize it under the correct state of matter! This quick pocket chart activity acts as a review for our states of matter unit and a great visual! The activity is not highly language-dependent; it's 3 vocabulary words and the rest are pictures so it's great for enticing all learners, even those who still lack a bit of confidence in the target language!

If you're interested in checking out this mini-unit and implementing it in your own classroom, check it out in my tpt store:

States of Matter Unit

El Mono Silabo... A Classroom Favorite!

Sometimes it feels like it's hard to find quality materials in Spanish to engage children or introduce topics to children, but when you find something quality, you can immediately see it 'click' with them. I have found several videos that we try to watch weekly to reinforce certain concepts. For example, when we do Calendar, we sing our "Meses del año" and "Dias de la semana" video/song, which the children really enjoy. We also have an alphabet video/song, that although it goes a bit fast, has been the one I have found the kids enjoy the most!

Once I began working on syllables with the children, I introduced "El Mono Silabo," our friendly monkey friend who will be helping us learn about syllables and how to read in Spanish. These videos are found on YouTube and I am seeing so much progress and engagement from the students when it's time to learn about our new syllables of the week. We watch the videos and I will stop occasionally throughout to ask students to read the words or sentences that they show in the video!

I introduced the syllables "ba, be, bi, bo, bu" this week before winter break, and plan on showing it again the week we are back in school in January, to refresh their minds, with their favorite little monkey (and his crazy friend!).

Here is the link to the YouTube channel where all the videos are found: El Mono Silabo

Here is a short video of my kids singing the S syllables while watching the video and a picture :)

Learning to Read & Write... in Spanish!

As I began the school year I reflected upon the ways in which I learned to read in Spanish as a young child. One of the many amazing things about the Spanish language is that it is a phonetic language and it is actually pretty easy to read! When I was younger I learned to read Spanish by learning about the syllables (ma, me, mi, mo, mu, pa, pe, pi, po, pu, and so on). Therefore, when imagining how to go about teaching Kindergarten children (of varying levels) how to start reading/recognizing words/sounds in Spanish, I came up with this plan:

1. Teach children the vowels (las vocales) and reinforce them throughout the year. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Begin teaching the more prominent syllable combinations and continuously move to other syllable combinations.

• Ma, me, mi, mo, mu
• pa, pe, pi, po, pu
• la, le, li, lo, lu
• sa, se, si, so, su
• ta, te, ti, to, tu
• na, ne, ni, no, nu
• ra, re, ri, ro, ru
• lla, lle, lli, llo, llu
• ba, be, bi, bo, bu
• ca, ce, ci, co, cu
• cha, che, chi, cho, chu
• da, de, di, do, du
• fa, fe, fi, fo, fu
• ha, he, hi, ho, hu
• ja, je, ji, jo, ju
• ka, ke, ki, ko, ku
• ña, ñe, ñi, ño, ñu
• que, qui
• rra, rre, rri, rro, rru
• va, ve, vi, vo, vu
• wa, we, wi, wo, wu
• xa, xe, xi, xo, xu
• ya, ye, yi, yo, yu
• za, ze, zi, zo, zu

3. As we learn our syllables, I also teach sight words in Spanish (palabras de uso frecuente) that can allow children to recognize/build short sentences. 

• "Yo veo un pajaro" (sight words: yo, veo, un + a "pa" syllable word we learned)

Our Kindergarteners also have a poetry book that we put poems/chants in weekly (in English with the English side teacher and/or in Spanish with me), and so I started creating sentences with repetition that aligned with our sight words and our syllables for the week. Here is the one I created for our "pa, pe, pi, po, pu" syllables:

The children put their poem in the notebook and accompanying pictures that match each part (pajaro, pelota, piña, pozo, puma/leche, lupa, lata, limon, loro). Since these sentences include sight words and syllable words, students can read these on their own and feel proud of what they know in Spanish! We also began our Sight Word folders this week, with 10 Spanish sight words:

Children take their folders home and practice the sight words. When they are ready to be tested, they bring the folder back, I test them, and if they know all of them, I will give them the next list and put it in their folders!

In addition, during our Center Rotations, I include at least one sight word practice center and for the Word Work center I include syllable work, which can include building/reading sentences from our poems/chants.

"Tira, Di, Traza/Escribe" (Roll, Say, Trace/Write) sight words

"Pescando" nuestras palabras de uso frecuente como pescaban los peregrinos/indigenas ("Fishing" for our sight words just like the pilgrims/Native Americans fished for their food)

Furthermore, in Kindergarten we have literacy workshops (Talleres de Alfabetizacion) where students get to choose their own learning! They have to pick something to do that will help them become better readers and writers. These are some of the activities my kids frequently choose:

• iPad learning games 
  
• Spanish alphabet puzzle
  
• QR code reader (with a binder I prepped filled with QR codes of Spanish books being read on a video)
   
• Reading Rods (from Learning Resources) where students build words using the Alfa-Libritos
   
• Building words/practicing syllables using magnet letters/cooking sheet 
  
• Using stamps for letters & words (and using picture stamps & labeling the pictures)
  
• Drawing pictures & labeling them 
  
• Reading to/with friends
  
• Reading in our classroom library
  
• Writing on the dry erase board
  

• Playing teacher (reading/writing on boards) 
  

I am so proud of all the progress my students have made and love seeing them so engaged in different activities! I strongly believe that children needs these opportunities in the classroom to not only progress academically, but also build their social skills!