Spanish

Students study Spanish language and cultures in every grade at Nashoba Brooks.

Click on a grade below to see a summary of that grade's work in Spanish. Please note: Each description lists that grade's guiding question or questions, topics covered in that area, and an overview of skills developed through this subject.

Spanish in Preschool

What is language? How do words sound different in Spanish? How can I communicate when I do not understand the language being spoken? What other sources of understanding and communication can I use beyond language?

Topics of Study:
Movement • Following directions • Alphabet • Celebrations • Cultural understandings • Songs • Colors • Stories

Skills We Teach:
Pronunciation • Ability to take risks • Using pictures or visual stimuli to communicate when language is not accessible, • Basic Spanish vocabulary • Following directions • Mimicking and repeating sounds and words • Being a respectful and kind group member • Listening to and following directions • Following songs and melodies • Linking movement, sounds, and images with words
Spanish in Kindegarten

How can I use Spanish words? How can I communicate when I do not understand the language being spoken? How can I communicate with and relate to someone who speaks Spanish?

Topics of Study:
Introductions and basic conversation elements,• Colors • Communication • Family • Animals • Emotions • Holidays • Days of the week • Movement • Commands • Body parts

Skills We Teach:
Pronunciation • Greetings and introductions • Ability to take risks • Using pictures or visual stimuli to communicate when language is not accessible • Basic Spanish vocabulary • Following directions • Mimicking and repeating sounds and words • Beginning to independently produce words in Spanish • Being a respectful and kind group member • Listening to and following directions • Following songs and melodies • Linking movement, sounds, and images with words
Spanish in Grade 1

How can I communicate and express myself in Spanish on a basic level? How can I be respectful and understanding of people who come from a different cultural background?

Topics of Study:
Introductions and basic conversation • Colors • Communication strategies • Animals • Emotions • Days of the week • Movement • Commands • Body parts • What is language? • Cultural explorations • Storytelling

Skills We Teach:
Pronunciation • Ability to take risks • Using pictures or visual stimuli to communicate when language is not accessible • Basic Spanish vocabulary • Mimicking and repeating sounds and words • Beginning to independently produce words and sentences in Spanish • Being a respectful and kind group member • Listening to and following directions • Linking movement, sounds, and images with words • Cultural responsiveness
Spanish in Grade 2

How do we use another language to communicate with others? What is Spanish immersion?

Topics of Study:
Greetings and introductions • Numbers 1-30 • Spanish poetry • Parts of the body • Manners and sharing • Classroom objects • Winter Clothing • Spring things and creatures • Pablo Picasso (shapes and colors)

Skills We Teach:
Deriving understanding from context, gestures, and images • Speaking Spanish in words and short phrases • Experiencing cultural similarities and differences • Following commands • Asking and responding to simple questions • Pronunciation through song and chants
Spanish in Grade 3

How do we, as Spanish speakers, use our communication skills to take positive risks? How can we help ourselves and others in our community learn Spanish?

Topics of Study:
Greetings and introductions • The alphabet • Numbers 1-100 • Real and mythical animals • Peru and creatures of the Amazon • Actions and simple descriptions • Giving and following commands • Euros currency

Skills We Teach:
Deriving understanding from context, gestures, and images • Taking positive risks in communication with peers • Asking and responding to questions and situations in context • Experiencing cultural similarities and differences • Expressing needs and wants • Collaboration with partners and small groups in activities • Simple conversations • Pronunciation through song and chant
Spanish in Grade 4

How can we combine what we know and what we are learning to create our own Spanish-speaking community?

Topics of Study:
Greetings and introductions • Spanish immersion communication strategies • Spanish as a phonetic language (rules for spelling and pronunciation) • Simple descriptions • Classroom objects • Basic idiomatic expressions • People • Question words • Use of action words in context • School and free time activities • Calendar • Don Quixote • Pronunciation through tongue-twisters, poetry, and song

Skills We Teach:
Asking and responding to questions • Taking positive risks in communication amongst peers • Forming complete sentences from phrases and prior knowledge • Listening, reading, writing, and presenting in Spanish • Comparing likes and dislikes • Use of technology to introduce typing with Spanish keyboard
Spanish in grade 5

How can we know how, when, and why to say what to whom in Spanish? How do communities, languages, and cultures relate to each other?

Topics of Study:
informal vs. formal greetings and introductions • Spanish immersion communication strategies • Maya and Mexico • Basic geography of Spanish-speaking world • Describing oneself and others • Question words • Action words in context • Weather, months, and seasons

Skills We Teach:
Derive deeper understanding through listening, reading, writing and speaking in Spanish • Negotiating meaning to communicate in unscripted oral communication • Explore similarities and differences between the concepts of country, community, culture, and language • Self-monitor pronunciation • Use of technology and introduction to typing accents and symbols • Formulate and express more complex ideas • Collaborate in communication, presentations, activities, and games • Develop stronger sense of self in Spanish speaking community by increasing communication skills and understanding
Spanish in Grade 6

How does the study of Spanish help me better understand and communicate with others locally and globally? How does it help me learn geography and culture of Spanish speaking countires, and the origin and structure of languages? How and why are the family and school important parts of culture?

Topics of Study:
Seasons and weather • Introductions, meeting and greeting • Describing physical characteristics and personality traits • The family and household • School and after school activities • Food and Eating Habits

Students will be able to:
Use numbers 1-100 in different contexts • Identify days of the week, and months of the year • Talk about the seasons and weather • Identify and describe people and academic classes • Identify Spanish speaking countries and capitals and tell where someone is from • Describe families and pets and talk about the home • Discuss what kids do in school and after school • Identify foods and talk about meals • Order food and drinks at a café or restaurant • Compare and contrast eating habits in some Spanish speaking countries with their own
Spanish in Grade 7

How does the study of Spanish help me better understand and communicate with others locally and globally? What is the difference between personal characteristics and emotions or conditions? What role do sports and vacations play in the Spanish speaking world, and how do they compare with our own experiences?

Topics of Study:
Food and eating habits • Sports • Emotions and characteristics • Health and Wellness • Vacations in the Spanish speaking world • Free time • Holidays in the Spanish speaking world

Students will be able to:
Compare and contrast eating habits in some Spanish speaking countries with their own • Talk about sports • Discuss likes and dislikes • Talk and write about personality, conditions and emotions using the verbs ser and estar • Identify parts of the body and talk about minor illness and health • Talk and write about summer and winter vacations • Talk and write about free time activities such as parties, movies, concerts, and museums • Discuss some Hispanic holidays and traditions, and compare with the US • Narrate actions in the past present and immediate future
Spanish in Grade 8

How does the study of Spanish help me better understand and communicate with others locally and globally? How and why is shopping an important part of culture? What language structures and cultural norms exist in the Spanish speaking market? How is the natural world an important part of Hispanic culture?

Topics of Study:
Shopping for clothing and food • The Spanish speaking market • Travel • Daily Routines •Camping and nature

Students will be able to:
Identify and describe clothing in detail • Shop for clothing and food, and bargain for a price at the market • Use the numbers 1-1000 in order to pay for something • Compare and contrast shopping in the Spanish speaking world with their own experiences • Describe daily routines using reflexive verbs • Discuss travel and vacations • Talk about packing for a trip • Talk about climate, geography and nature in Latin America • Compare and contrast cultural customs of a variety of Spanish speaking countries • Narrate detailed stories using various verb tenses (present, present progressive, preterite, imperfect, future)

Browse Curriculum

Spanish