Our Spanish curriculum is focused on developing appreciation, global awareness, and communication skills, so that students have meaningful interactions in the target language. Throughout their lower school experience, students focus on learning about themselves and community to gain a greater understanding of the world around them. The simulation of real life scenarios and the inclusion of current topics allow students to use functional vocabulary to communicate ideas effectively. Through engaging lessons and age appropriate, authentic resources, students maximize their oral proficiency, acquire cultural knowledge, and learn to express and respect other perspectives.
The kindergarten Spanish curriculum instills an appreciation and enthusiasm for the study of language, cultures, self, and community. Students begin by asking themselves how to make sense of the world around them. Students learn about who they are and expand to how they connect with people and what makes community. As they learn about Customs and Etiquette, Time and Calendar, Family and Friends, and People and Places in our community, students develop an understanding of themselves and their role in the larger community.
First graders continue to focus on the community around them. They broaden their knowledge about similarities and differences of schools all over the world. Students expand their vocabulary and deepen their understanding of the school community through cultural classroom objects, weather, seasons, healthy habits, their bodies, feelings, and emotions. The students learn how to make good choices that help them take care of their own bodies. They learn that strong bodies and minds develop strong communities.
In second grade, the learning spiral continues. The students focus on themselves by developing the ability to communicate purposefully and creatively through greeting others and introducing themselves. They also evaluate why they make the decisions they make. The students continue focusing on community by understanding what it takes to build a strong community and in turn building a community for others.
In third grade, students continue growing in their sense of self and interpersonal communication through learning to communicate their wants and needs. They also evaluate how they spend their time and what contributes to those choices. The students continue to grow as community members by evaluating what it means to be a servant leader and analyzing the role models in their lives. They will continue developing their sense of community by designing a town of their own.
Fourth grade students develop conversations about personal preferences using the five senses as they focus on expressing ideas in multiple ways. Grammatical skills enhance sentence complexity through verb conjugation, use of comparatives, interrogatives, and the application of a more extensive vocabulary. A variety of collaborative projects highlight the expression of sensorial preferences and the study of cultural aspects from Spanish speaking countries sealing once more the connection between self and community.
By mastering the conjugation of irregular verbs and the use of possessive adjectives, fifth graders develop the skill of conversing in more spontaneous ways, as well as, commonly used proper forms of communication. Through real life stories and collaborative projects, students promote awareness and appreciation for diversity, culture, and sustainable efforts, so they create strong language connections with the world around them.