MisCositas BLOG

Niko's PICKS: El loro pelon by Hilda Perera

2011-11-14T20:11:00.001-05:00

Guest blogger Niko read this book and says:

"Este libro se trata de dos loros que no les gusta vivir en una jaula. Los dos loros se encuentran, pero no estan felices y se quitan sus plumas. Es muy triste, pero es un libro interesante. Es bueno para ninos en kinder, primer grado, y segundo grado."

A good book to use for talking to kids about animal rights, humane treatment of pets, and Puerto Rico.

Picturebook: Fiesta Fememina by Mary-Joan Gerson

2011-08-04T14:07:00.000-04:00

Fiesta Fememina by Mary-Joan Gerson, illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Several years ago, I read a copy of this wonderful book in English and enjoyed the variety of stories and legends. I recently had the opportunity to read the Spanish version and loved it even more! With delightful and whimsical illustrations and stories from all over the Mexico, it is an excellent addition to a thematic unit on folktales, Mexico or the role of women in Latin America. The language is poetic and lyrical - thus probably best suited for intermediate and advanced students of Spanish. But, if you're creative, you could use this excellent book as a resource and re-write the stories into simplified language for elementary and FLES students. Stories include: Rosha y el Sol, La diosa hambrienta, La leyenda de Tangu Yuh, Por que la Luna es libre, Verde Ave, Blancaflor, La Virgen de Guadalupe and Malintizin de la Montana.

Issuu book: Zapato busca dueño (wordless picturebook)

2011-06-22T16:56:00.000-04:00

Zapato busca dueño is a wordless picturebook by Alejandra Viacava. A bear tries to return a lost shoe to different animals and people, but no one claims it. This would be a fun story to have students narrate in any language!

Open publication - Free publishing - More literatura

Issuu book: Pueblo de agua

2011-06-20T20:29:00.000-04:00

This wonderful book from UNICEF is a compilation of stories, folktales and other writings from Warao children of Venezuela. The short stories are illustrated by the children and presented in Spanish and Warao. A fantastic collection for intermediate and advanced students of Spanish.

Open publication - Free publishing

Issuu book: Le chapeau magique de Monsieur Max

2011-06-06T17:48:00.000-04:00

Le chapeau magique de Monsieur Max by Patrick Vasco Gromy is ADORABLE and it has a fun surprise ending. It tells the story of a man who has an odd hat with the power to make it rain whenever he forgets to wear it. Mr. Max solves the problem in a very novel way! Super silly and cute for young students of French!

Open publication - Free publishing - More chidren book

Issuu book: Mishi, un gato juguetón

2011-06-01T19:18:00.000-04:00

Mishi, un gato juguetón, by Santiago Parreno, is a short book about a small cat who loves to play with different creatures. Cute illustrations and simple language make this a good book for FLES and immersion Spanish students.

Issuu book: Animales de colores - Amazonia

2011-05-24T18:13:00.001-04:00

Animales de colores - Amazonia, by Santiago Parreño, is a beautifully illustrated book about the animals of the Amazon rainforest. Through the story we meet a blue morpho butterfly, a toucan, an armadillo, a manatee, a pink river dolphin, a capibara, a coati, spider monkeys, parrots, sloths and more! Simple language and delightful illustrations make this the perfect addition to a thematic unit on the South American rainforest!!

Issuu book: Mi madre es rara

2011-05-05T16:57:00.000-04:00

Mi madre es rara, by Rachna Gilmore, is a sweet story told from a young girl's perspective about how "strange" her mother can be at times. This is a great story to share with students for Mother's Day!

Open publication - Free publishing - More mama

Issuu book: Bim Bam Bum

2011-05-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Bim Bam Bum is an adorable series of children's magazines from Ecuador. It is part of the newspaper El Tiempo. Find more issues of this fun periodical on El Tiempo Cuenca's Issue page. So CUTE!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More nulti

Issuu book: Rik, el niño sin imaginación

2011-05-01T19:42:00.001-04:00

Rik, el niño sin imaginación, is a funny story about a kid who seems to have no imagination, until he loses his mother at the mall and panics. The story is sweet and the illustrations - a mix of photos and drawings - are clever (Rik is a thumb!) A fun story for beginning to intermediate students of Spanish.

Issuu book: El elefante azul

2011-04-26T08:06:00.000-04:00

El elefante azul, by Juan Rentero, is a short book with three characters and a simple plot. But while it lacks in complexity, the text is very easy to read, and so it's very useful in teaching beginners, FLES and immersion students. It would be good for a unit about friendship or animals.

Issuu book: La genial historia del niño reciclable

2011-04-24T20:47:00.000-04:00

La genial historia del niño reciclable by Irene Jurado Sobreviela, is a short, easy-to-read story about a little boy made of paper, who has a hard time keeping himself from getting wet! A great story to read for Earth Day!

Issuu book: El marciano accidentado

2011-04-23T15:29:00.001-04:00

El marciano accidentado, by Zorely Rubio and Pablo Sacristan, is a short story about a martian who lands on earth, and the friends who come to help him with his problems. The message is a nice one (about cooperation and friendship) and the illustrations are fun. The text is a bit advanced for beginners - probably better suited for interemediate learners. Fun!

Issuu book: Di Zi Gui Learning | 弟子規教學讀本_初級一

2011-04-14T17:29:00.000-04:00

弟子規教學讀本_初級一 - a series of Chinese language books based on the teachings of Confucius for kids. Also available are level 2 and level 3.

Issuu book: Camina

2011-04-11T15:14:00.000-04:00

Camina, based on story by Ana María Martín, illustrations by Moraíma Ruiz Alba - this beautifully illustrated story is about a girl who encounters many problems in life - and then finds that she can deal with the challenges better when she's not alone. GREAT for intermediate and even advanced high school students.

Issuu book: Marquitos, el niño que salta

2011-04-08T14:41:00.002-04:00

Marquitos, el niño que salta, by Tomas Bubis with illustrations by Martin Dasnoy, Marquitos is a young boy who loves to jump. When the neighbors start complaining, Marquitos' parents forbid him from jumping and the boy becomes very sad. It's not until his parents try jumping themselves that the whole family learn to love it! A cute story with a good message - great for any kid who has ever felt misunderstood!

Issuu book: Storie di Internet

2011-04-07T17:09:00.000-04:00

Stories from the internet is a collection of cartoons that offers readers the "...opportunity to reflect on their own experience of the internet, to discuss this and to extend their knowledge further. Our common goal is to strengthen the population’s security and confidence in using information and communication technologies (ICT)." The collection was created by the government of Switzerland and is available in several editions/languages (of course!):
French: Petites histoires d'internet
German: Geschichten aus dem Internet

Issuu book: Sailing with Daddy

2011-04-05T13:28:00.001-04:00

Sailing with Daddy, by Streisel, is an adorable wordless picturebook that can be used with any language. Have students narrate the story in the target language and even provide an alternative ending. Fun!

Issuu book: Oliver y sus audiofonos

2011-04-04T20:55:00.000-04:00

This sweet book tells the story of Oliver and his hearing issues. The language in the story is simple enough for intermediate students of Spanish, and the sensitive treatment of the topic will appeal to students and teachers alike. Cute!

Issuu book: Monstruario

2011-04-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

For some reason, there are a lot of books available on Issuu that involve monsters! I'm not complaining, mind you. I love monsters! And this book is full of really weird and interesting ones! Fun for intermediate and advanced student of Spanish. COOL!

Issuu book: United in Diversity

2011-04-02T07:24:00.000-04:00

This booklet from the European Union is a really fun collection of activities and information in 11 languages (including English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese). I love the individual pages for each European country with maps, currency and bits of language. FUN!!

Open publication - Free publishing

Issuu book: Había una vez un punto

2011-03-31T15:28:00.001-04:00

This clever book takes a fresh look at punctuation! Good for intermediate/advanced students of Spanish. FUN!

Issuu book: Juanito y el lobo

2011-03-30T14:01:00.000-04:00

This simple version of "The Boy who Cried Wolf" in Spanish is a nice addition to a unit on folk/fairy tales. The illustrations are very interesting - they are collages using photographs to add texture to each image. Check it out!

Issuu book: Animalario verde & negro

2011-03-29T19:52:00.001-04:00

I really like the quirkiness of this book! Short rhyming phrases describe humorous scenes of animals doing silly things. Great for beginners or intermediate learners of Spanish.

Open publication - Free publishing - More children book

Issuu book: Matías

2011-03-28T18:21:00.000-04:00

This short book tells the story of a little boy named Matías who has a vivid imagination. Simple text and captivating illustrations make this a wonderful book to share on a SmartBoard. Good for beginning and intermediate students of Spanish.

Issuu book: Et tu riras

2011-03-27T20:17:00.000-04:00

A sweet story about aging, intergenerational connections, and the passage of time. A good book for intermediate and advanced students of French.

Issuu book: La guerra de los Números

2011-03-26T21:21:00.000-04:00

This clever book would be great for intermediate or advanced students of Spanish. It would make an excellent addition to a thematic unit about war, peace and conflict.

Issuu book: Paz es...

2011-03-25T17:11:00.002-04:00

This is a translation of The Peace Book by Todd Parr. Simple text accompanied by whimsical and colorful illustrations. Great for a unit on peace and human rights.

Open publication - Free publishing - More paz

Issuu book: Despistados

2011-03-24T18:13:00.002-04:00

The language in this book is nice and simple, and would make a good review of imperfect description in the past. I love the illustrations and the sweet story about two young children who become friends. Lovely!!!

Issuu book: Agustina y el misterio de la nieve

2011-03-23T15:43:00.000-04:00

I love the cool illustrations in this virtual picturebook from Andorra! Join Agustina as she goes on a fun ski trip. CUTE!

Issuu book: Pitoquito: Revista dominical

2011-03-22T21:19:00.001-04:00

This is a whole series of children's magazines from Maracaibo, Venezuela. They are nice readings for intermediate and advanced students of Spanish with lots of good non-fiction articles. For the whole collection of 36 archived issues, visit the Pitoquito Issue page here.

Issuu book: Ciao amici

2011-03-20T09:49:00.002-04:00

From EMI Publishing comes this fun text/workbook for beginning learners of Italian. The entire book (all 145 pages of it!) is available on Issuu for viewing or download. What a great resource for our Italian teachers! Bravo!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More spiga

Issuu book: C'est l'histoire… d'un lapin

2011-03-18T20:44:00.000-04:00

This book was "written" by a 3 year-old French girl (she told the story to her Dad, who then illustrated it!) There are 10 other picturebooks like this one in my Issuu library - check them out. They're all adorable!

Issuu book: El Diablo Burlón

2011-03-17T19:57:00.000-04:00

This adorable book is a gem! I love the playful text, the rhyme, and especially the illustrations! Good for intermediate students of Spanish.

Issuu book: Un Halloween diferente

2011-03-15T20:22:00.000-04:00

I couldn't wait until next October to share this one! This cute tale gives us an alternative origin to the traditions of Halloween (hint: it has to do with the monsters missing certain letters and only being able to make scary noises like grrrr!) A very cute story with adorable illustrations.

Issuu book: Primavera

2011-03-14T15:15:00.001-04:00

This book is written in lyrical verse and would make a great addition to a unit/lesson about springtime, seasons, nature, etc. I love the illustrations!

Issuu book: Lagartija Lola se quedó sin cola

2011-03-13T18:26:00.001-04:00

This story by Juan Darien is told in fun rhyme - the language might be a bit advanced for beginners, but the illustrations are adorable and help support the story details well. SO CUTE! Great for a unit on animals, biomes, nature, etc.

Issuu book: Tierra Imaginada. Tratado de las criaturas del suelo y del subsuelo

2011-03-12T20:49:00.003-05:00

OK, I'd like to try something new on my blog... I have been browsing around one of my favorite sites, Issuu. It is a site where publishers and authors can upload their own books, catalogs, magazines, etc. I have two books uploaded on the site: Mi Abuela Ya No Esta and Lisa, Love and the Language Lesson. WELL... there are hundreds of excellent picturebooks in many languages uploaded on the site - an incredible resource for teachers! I will share the best ones I find here in my blog. So, to start things off, try this title: Tierra Imaginada. Tratado de las criaturas del suelo y del subsuelo. It is VERY cool. Enjoy!

Niko's PICKS: El juego de la lotería

2011-02-06T21:12:00.002-05:00

El juego de la loteria/Playing Lotería, by René Colato Laínez, Illustrations by Jill Arena

This fun bilingual book tells the story of a young boy who is sent to spend some time with his Grandma in Mexico. The boy is worries because he doesn't speak Spanish well and his abuela doesn't speak English, but through the game of lotería, both learn from each other and about each other. The text is provided in English and Spanish and the illustrations are vibrant and colorful. Students will relate to the young boy's struggles with learning the language - especially in pronouncing the "r" sound! Overall, a lovely book that would make a good addition to a unit on Mexico, family relationships or games of Latin America.

Niko's PICKS: Gathering the Sun

2011-02-04T14:02:00.001-05:00

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English, by Alma Flor Ada, English translation by Rosa Zubizarreta, and illustrations by Simón Silva

This is a delightful collection of short poems that "...celebrate honor and pride, family and friends, history and heritage, and... the bounty of the harvest." The beautiful illustrations depict the reality of farmworkers in fields and orchards throughout the country. The poems center around Checkpoint A/beginner themes, such as: árboles, duraznos, lechuga, and pájaro and zanahoria. They also include poems about cultural people and places like César Chávez, México and Yucatán. The simple text appears side-by-side in Spanish and English. Great for thematic units on Mexico, immigration, food, the farm, or professions and jobs.

Niko's PICKS: 31 usos para mamá

2011-01-25T14:59:00.000-05:00

31 usos para mamá, by Harriet Ziefert, Illustrations by Rebecca Douoghty

This short picturebook is PERFECT for beginning, FLES and immersion classes. On each page we see a separate illustration and a numbered "use" for moms in a single word or phrase. For example, some of the cutest uses are: taxista (Mom driving with her child in the back seat), doctora (Mom putting a bandage on a crying child's knee), batidora (Mom mixing batter for chocolate chip cookies). There are also more complicated and compound terms like recogepelotas, abrelatas, and paseamascotas. Kids will love the illustrations and easily recognize the many jobs that moms do. An excellent book for a unit on family... have students add their own "uses" to the list!

Niko's PICKS: Riqui, Riqui, Riqui, Ran

2011-01-24T20:06:00.000-05:00

Riqui, Riqui, Riqui, Ran: Canciones Para Jugar y Bailar (Collección Clave De Sol), by David Marquez

This wonderful collection of 32 popular songs from Venezuela and around the Spanish-speaking world is a great addition to any Spanish classroom. It comes with a CD for students to listen to and contains beautiful illustrations and lyrics. This is another book from the excellent Venezuelan publisher, Ediciones Ekare.

Niko's PICKS: Tortillitas para Mamá

2011-01-23T19:56:00.001-05:00

Tortillitas para Mamá and Other Nursery Rhymes, by Margot C. Griego, Betsy L. Bucks, Sharon S. Gilbert, and Laurel H. Kimbal, Illustrations by Barbara Cooney

This great collection of nursery rhymes from Latin America in Spanish and English. The text is simple and it includes instructions for finger play and movements to go with some of the rhymes. As is often the case with oral tradition rhymes that have been around for a long time, some of the rhymes include lines that will seem inappropriate or outdated (i.e., "... if I get my dress dirty, Mother will beat me.") If using the book with middle or high school students, this would be a perfect opportunity to talk about the meaning of the rhymes in a social/generational context. When using the rhymes with elementary-aged students, it might be best to avoid the more controversial ones. Still, an excellent addition to your classroom library!

Niko's PICKS: Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!

2011-01-22T22:03:00.000-05:00

Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings, by Pat Mora, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

This fun volume of poems in Spanish and English includes tributes to 14 different foods that are native to the Americas. Foods include: blueberries, chili, papaya, vanilla, pumpkin and prickly pear. There is also good information and facts about the background of each food. The lyrical language of the poems is simple enough to use with beginners and FLES/immersion students. This is a great resource for a thematic unit about food, the Americas and Columbus, or poetry. The beautiful illustrations can also be used for pair work descriptions. Have students write their own tributes to their favorite foods! Niko dice: "Me encanta este libro!

Niko's PICKS: Yo sé que el río me ama

2011-01-21T19:06:00.000-05:00

Yo sé que el río me ama/I Know the River Loves Me, by Maya Christina Gonzalez

This beautifully illustrated book is great to use for a thematic unit on water rights, the environment, or nature. It would be a great to accompany La mujer que brillaba más que el sol (which we reviewed here). The text is presented in English and Spanish. The language is simple and can be used with beginners and FLES students (though some more poetic or expressive words might need to be pre-taught). This is another book from Children's Book Press - check them out. They are a non-profit business that consistently publishes interesting books with diverse characters, and environmental and social themes.

Lori's PICKS: Dreaming in Hindi

2011-01-20T19:46:00.000-05:00

Dreaming in Hindi: Coming Awake in Another Language, by Katherine Russell Rich
Today I will make a recommendation for adults/teachers! The author of this book started studying Hindi in New York and then decided to move to Udaipur, India for one year to study the language intensively. The book is part travel memoir, part synthesis of second language aquisition research! As the author goes through many different phases in aquiring greater and greater proficiency in her new language, she wrestles with what is happening to her - the silent period, the peaks and valleys of vocabulary acquisition, cultural learning, and the ups and downs of her emotions as well. What a wonderful book for anyone interesting in teaching or learning languages!

Niko's PICKS: Dos libros sobre Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-01-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

Un Libro Ilustrado Sobre Martin Luther King, Hijo, by David A. Alder, illustrations by Robert Casilla

Feliz Cumpleanos, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, illustrations by J. Brian Pinkney

Both books about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. are aimed at students grades 1-3 (native speakers of Spanish), though they would work well with beginning or intermediate students of Spanish as a second language. I love the illustrations by Brian Pinkney in the Feliz Cumpleanos book, though both sets of illustrations are nice and offer many different scenes that students could use to describe in pairs or in small groups. An excellent set of books for teaching about this important man!

Niko's PICKS: El mundo de los deportes

2011-01-11T14:41:00.000-05:00

"El mundo de los deportes" SERIES: Deportes de invierno, Deportes de verano, by Isidro Sánchez and Carme Peris

These two fun books are perfect for elementary and level 1 Spanish (Deportes de Primavera and Deportes de Otoño don't seem to exist - anyone know why?) The illustrations are fun and very kid-friendly, and can be used as the basis for description activities and a seasons unit. Most of the text is simple, though some vocabulary might need tweaking and/or pre-teaching for beginning proficiency students. For example: "Siguiendo las instrucciones de monitor, no es difícil aprender a coger los bastones y a situar bien los esquíes." A lovely series published by Barron's.

Niko's PICKS: El bosque de mi abecedario

2011-01-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

El bosque de mi abecedario, by Pedro Villar, Illustrations by Miguel Calatayud
Filled with fanciful poems and delightful illustrations, this book would be a nice addition to a unit on poetry and imagery. Despite the reference to the alphabet, the text is a bit too advanced for FLES or elementary-aged students - it is better suited for an intermediate or advanced student.

Last spring I was fortunate enough to attend a wonderful talk presented by the illustrator, Mr. Miguel Calatayud, at the Instituto Cervantes in New York. After the fascinating talk, he was kind enough to sign our books. So great!

Niko's PICKS: Celebra la Navidad y el Dia de los Reyes Magos

2011-01-05T14:11:00.000-05:00

Celebra la Navidad y el Dia de los Reyes Magos, by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy

If you are planning a Three Kings Day celebration with your students, Santillana has the book for you! In the fiction portion of the book, Carlitos writes a letter to the Three Kings and asks for many gifts. Then he writes another letter asking for a present for his brother instead, since his brother helped him to ride a bike. In the non-fiction section, we learn how el Día de los Tres Reyes Magos is celebrated in different countries around the world. There is an excellent online resource guide available for free download. This book comes from a series entitled Cuentos para celebrar that covers many different holidays.

Niko's PICKS: Quinito, día y noche

2011-01-04T14:33:00.002-05:00

Quinito, día y noche/Quinito, Day and Night
by Ina Cumpiano, Illustrations by José Ramírez

This lovely bilingual Spanish/English picturebook comes from another one of my all-time favorite publishers, the nonprofit Children's Book Press. The story follows young Quinito, his younger sister Clara and his older brother Juan through their daily activities. Throughout the day they encounter opposites like temprano/tarde, bajo/alto, triste/feliz and arriba/abajo. The text is very simple, yet playful and nicely contextualized and it provides excellent vocabulary practice for beginning students - perfect for FLES, immersion, and Checkpoint A/level 1 students of Spanish. Just don't forget to cover up the English text on each page! ¡Fantástico!

Niko's PICKS: Frida

2011-01-03T15:23:00.001-05:00

Frida, by Jonah Winter, Illustrations by Jeanette Winter

A great companion book to yesterday's review of Diego, comes Frida - another book written by the mother-son team of Jeanette Winter and Jonah Winter. This is the story of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and all her many trials and tribulations. Through Winter's colorful and whimsical art and eloquent text, we learn about Frida's tragic childhood, her struggles and her triumphs in art, and more! The story really highlights Frida's tenacity and strength in the face of adversity - a nice lesson to share with students. The text in Spanish can be challenging, though - this book would best be used with intermediate or advanced students.

Niko's PICKS: Diego

2011-01-02T17:35:00.001-05:00

Diego, by Jonah Winter, with illustrations by Jeanette Winter

As I have mentioned before in this blog, I love Jeanette Winter's images so much that I will buy practically any book that she illustrates. Diego just happens to be one that I can also use for teaching! Son Jonah wrote a simple text (the text is bilingual Spanish and English) that describes Diego's early life and career as a painter and muralist. Though simple language, the Spanish text might be best suited for intermediate/advanced students. Each beautiful illustration is chock full of iconography and surrounded in a folk art style colorful border. The book would make an excellent addition to a thematic unit about Mexican art - especially when coupled with Frida - also by Jonah and Jeanetter Winter (to be reviewed tomorrow - stay tuned!)

Niko's PICKS: Hombre de color

2011-01-01T19:36:00.000-05:00

Hombre de color, by Jerome Ruiller

This short book is an excellent way to talk to children about race and identity. In the story, the main character - a young black boy - talks about being called "a person of color," but then describes how white people "change color":

"Yo, hombre de color, cuando nací era negro. Crecí siendo negro. Si tomo el sol o tengo miedo, o enfermo, sigo siendo negro. Mientras que tú hombre blanco, naciste sonrosado, si tomas el sol enrojeces y si tienes frío te vuelves azul. ¿Y tú me llamas a mí hombre de color?"

Great for learning color words in Spanish - and also available in French.

Niko's PICKS: Isla and Abuela

2010-12-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

Isla and Abuela, by Arthur Dorros

Both of these books were originally written in English, but the translated versions are a good addition to a thematic unit about New York City (Abuela), Puerto Rico (Isla), fantasy, or family. The stories revolve around the relationship between a young girl and her young-at-heart grandmother. Dorros illustrated the stories using mixed-media collage - and each illustration can be used as the center of a lesson or for practicing adjectives, since they are detailed and complex enough for long descriptions. A lovely addition to a FLES or immersion library, and appropriate for middle - and even high school students of Spanish.

Niko's PICKS: Harry, el perrito sucio

2010-12-30T09:46:00.000-05:00

Harry, el perrito sucio, by Gene Zion

In keeping with my "trade books in translation" series, here's one from our guest commentator, Nikolas:

Niko dice: "El libro se trata de un perrito blanco con manchas negras que no le gusta banarse. Un dia, se escapa de la casa porque es su dia de banarse. Y cuando vuelve a la casa, esta tan sucio, que ya es un perro negro con manchas blancas! Su familia no lo reconoce y el trata de hacer todos los trucos que le ensenaron para si lo reconocen. Recomiendo este libro para ninos de kinder hasta el segundo grado."

Lori says: "The language in this book is perfect for second semester beginning students or 2nd year students. It could also work with immersion classes. It's got a cute message, and kids are likely to have read it in English. An oldie but goodie!"

Niko's PICKS: Los colores de Elmer

2010-12-29T22:13:00.001-05:00

Los colores de Elmer, by David McKee

Another excellent trade book worth having in translation - Elmer is a happy-go-lucky elephant who learns to be happy with his colorful body. The stories explore issues of diversity, identity and acceptance. The illustrations are colorful and fun, and the text is nice and simple - a good book for FLES and immersion classes, since chances are that young children will have read the story in English at home or in class. The books come in many different bilingual versions, among them Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Other titles in the series include: Elmer's Special Day, Elmer's New Friend, Elmer's Weather, and Elmer and Wilbur.

Niko's PICKS: La oruga muy hambrienta; La chenille qui fait des trous

2010-12-28T11:25:00.000-05:00

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

This is another one of those translated trade books that you just can't do without in the FLES, immersion or beginning language classroom. The book is available in many languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and many more). Through the simple text, students learn about the life cycle of a catepillar/butterfly, while also learning good food and days of the week vocabulary words. Another must-have addition to your library!

Niko's PICKS: El Cuento de Ferdinando

2010-12-27T09:38:00.000-05:00

El Cuento de Ferdinando by Munro Leaf

I don't normally love trade books in translation, but there are a few that are worth mentioning... The first one is the story of Ferdinand the bull. This is the perfect compliment to a thematic unit about the bullfight, animal rights, or just simply one about Spain. Ferdinand is a peaceful bull who prefers to sit and smell the flowers while his friends are fighting. Ferdinand is mistakenly chosen to travel to Madrid to fight in the bullring, but he is distracted by the roses the beautiful ladies throw into the ring and he just sits... and smells the roses! The illustrations are black-and-white, but are very expressive and comical. This book could be used in elementary-aged classes - and all the way up to high school. Older students will love the opportunity to debate the bullfight using Ferdinand as a talking point. Olé!

Niko's PICKS: Chamario: Libro De Rimas Para Niños

2010-12-26T22:27:00.000-05:00

Chamario: Libro De Rimas Para Niños, by Eduardo Polo and Eugenio Montejo

This wonderful tiny book is a collection of short poems and rhymes that play with words and language. For example:

(from El Hipopótamo)
El hipopó tamo-tamo
y el elefán fan-fan
dentro de un mismo pantano
bailando juntos están...

Whimsical illustrations make this book a real treasure!

Niko's PICKS: Margarita

2010-12-25T15:03:00.000-05:00

Margarita, by Ruben Dario

This picturebook version of a poem by Nicaraguan poet Ruben Dario is a lovely addition to a poetry unit, or one about explorations, dreams, or heroes. Students can read the story and view the video version (see below). The story includes some religious references, a king and magical events. A perfect story for a Christmas morning!

Niko's PICKS: Emilie et le petit sapin

2010-12-24T22:22:00.000-05:00

Emilie et le petit sapin, by Domitille de Pressense

Emilie sets out to find the perfect Christmas tree and she likes the smallest one the best (very much a la Charlie Brown!) When she goes to cut it down, she feels bad about separating the small tree from its mother and father, so she decides that rather than taking it home to decorate, she will leave it growing in the forest and decorates it there! Lovely simple illustrations and simple text - perfect for a holiday or environmental thematic unit. Joyeux Noël et bonne année, mes amis!

Niko's PICKS: Vuelo del Quetzal

2010-12-23T13:14:00.001-05:00

Vuelo del Quetzal, by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy

Part of the Santillana series Puertas al sol, this book is an excellent resource for a thematic unit about the environment, biomes, and animals. Each few pages include very simple language (excellent for FLES, immersion and beginners!) and ample illustrations centered around the following headings: Tierra de contrastes, Le cubren plantas diversas, En sus cielos, En sus playas y mares, En sus selvas, En las ciénagas y ríos, Y desde el desierto hasta las ventanas, ¡Un mundo lleno de sorpresas!, En respuesta a la naturaleza asombrosa, Ayer, para celebrar la belleza de su alrededor, Hoy continúan creando belleza, Y todo esto es Hispanoamérica.

Niko's PICKS: Discover the World Series (P is for Piñata)

2010-12-22T14:53:00.007-05:00

The "Discover the World" series of books offers a good resource for FLES teachers. The books highlight important elements from each culture in simple language combined with expressive illustrations. Each letter in the alphabet includes a different topic with its own picture. In the P is for Piñata book, for example, the topics include: A is for adobe, C is for cacao, D is for Diego Rivera, and R is for Rain God. While these books are written in English, they are very easy to re-write in the target language and provide an excellent opportunity for students to talk about the scenes, important people, practices and products of each culture. Here are some of the titles in this series:

C is for Ciao: An Italy Alphabet by Elissa Grodin, Mario Cuomo, and Marco Ventura
D is for Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet by Carol Crane and Zong Zhou Wang
E is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet by Helen Wilber and Yan Nascimbene
K is for Kabuki: A Japan Alphabet by Gloria Whelan, Jennifer Nolan, and Oki Han
P is for Piñata: A Mexico Alphabet by Tony Johnston and John Parra
T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet by Varsha Bajaj and Robert Crawford

Niko's PICKS: La verdadera historia de los tres cerdos and Los tres cerdos: Nacho, Tito y Miguel

2010-12-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

La verdadera historia de los tres cerditos/The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciszka and Lane Smith

Los Tres Cerdos/The Three Pigs: Nacho, Tito y Miguel, by Bobbi Salinas

These two fun bilingual books each offers a different version of the traditional "Three Little Pigs" story. The Jon Sciszka book includes the perspective of the wolf in the story, while the Bobbi Salinas version is a non-violent take on the story set in the Southwest. Each story offers a new perspective on the traditional tale and would add nicely to a folktale/fairytale unit in which students compare and contrast the stories, the characters, the settings, etc. The language in both books is somewhat advanced and would need to be edited/re-written for FLES or beginning students. Still, they are both worth a bit of work and would fit well into an elementary and/or immersion curriculum.

Niko's PICKS: Pelé, El rey del fútbol

2010-12-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

Pelé, El rey del fútbol/Pelé, King of Soccer, by Monica Brown

With expressive illustrations by Rudy Gutiérrez, this book is a really good resource for thematic units about sports, heros, or even about careers and future goals. The bilingual Spanish/English text tells the story of Brazilian soccer legend, Pelé. We learn about his life growing up in the impoverished region of Tres Coraçoes in Brazil, and about Pelé's promise to win the World Cup one day. The Spanish text is somewhat challenging for beginning proficiency students, but the story could be easily re-written to tell Pelé's story in simpler language. This book will be a hit with both boy and girl students - especially those who are soccer and/or World Cup fans!

Niko's PICKS: Cuadros de Familia and En mi familia

2010-12-19T12:42:00.002-05:00

Cuadros de familia/Family Pictures and En mi familia/In My Family
by Carmen Lomas Garza

Both of these exceptional books are a must-have for any Checkpoint A/Beginning level Spanish teachers. Through simple bilingual Spanish/English text, the author/artist gives the reader a loving glimpse of her family, her childhood home, celebrations, holidays and traditions. It is perfect for teaching house and home, daily routines, and so much more - and what is most exciting is that these books offer an authentic cultural context for all that level 1 vocabulary! Compare/contrast activities with Venn Diagrams, T-charts and other graphic organizers are a good way of tapping into that Comparisons and Cultures standards through the images and text of the book. The paintings are all beautiful, colorful and filled with great detail so students can really dive into the scenes and have interesting interpersonal conversations with a partner or small group. MIL GRACIAS, Sra. Lomas Garza! It's almost as if you wrote these books just for us!

Niko's PICKS: Nina Bonita

2010-12-17T20:56:00.000-05:00

Niña Bonita, by Ana María Machado

This book is one of my all-time favorites, published by one of my all-time favorite publishing houses: Ediciones Ekaré from Venezuela. The story tells of a white rabbit who dreams of being as beautiful and black as his friend, la niña bonita. He tries everything to be as dark as his friend - including drinking tons of black coffee! In the end, he meets a beautiful black rabbit and they end up having little bunny babies of every color - white, black and grey. The story is a wonderful way of talking about issues of identity, race and body image with students. The illustrations are lovely and include street scenes of Caracas and other cultural elements. The language of the text of the story is appropriate for more advanced students, but the story is well worth a re-write in simpler prose for use with younger students. A MUST READ for all Spanish teachers!

Niko's PICKS: Accidente celeste

2010-12-16T11:29:00.001-05:00

Accidente celeste/Sky Blue Accident, by Jorge Luján

This beautiful poem - written in Spanish and English - tells the magical story of a little boy who crashes into the sky, breaks some pieces off, and then shares them with other children. The events are simple, and the text on each page is minimal, so this book can be used with FLES and elementary classes, as well as with intermediate or advanced students as an introduction to a poetry unit or as a means of inpiring creative writing. It also has great potential for connecting to literature like that of Gabriel García Márquez and magic realism. The illustrations are lovely - a mix of gouache and pastel - and very child-friendly.

Niko's PICKS: La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol

2010-11-15T18:34:00.002-05:00

La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol
by Alejando Cruz Martinez and Fernando Olivera

Niko dice: "Hay una señora que se llama Lucia Zenteno. Ella es una señora que adora la naturaleza. Este libro bilingüe es bueno porque si no entiende el español, está escrito también en inglés. Recomiendo este libro para niños de primer y segundo grado."

Lori says: "This book is an excellent resource for teachers doing a unit on the environment - especially issues of water rights. Other topics like kindness and the acceptance of differences are addressed in the story as well. Some of the vocabulary is quite advanced and the story might need to be re-written for lower proficiency students, but the illustrations are beautiful and can be used as the basis for telling the story without using the actual Spanish text."

Niko's PICKS: La hora de los Juegos Olimpicos

2010-11-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

La hora de los Juegos Olimpicos, by Mary Pope Osborne

Niko dice: "Este libro es bueno porque es otro cuento de la serie "La Casa del Arbol." Jack y Annie van a la casa del arbol y se transportan a la Grecia antigua para ver los primeros Juegos Olimpicos. Yo recomiendo este libro para estudiantes del cuarto y quinto grado."

Lori says: "This is one of the Magic Tree House (La Casa del Arbol) series, meant for kids aged 4-8 in English. The Spanish translation could be used with intermediate students of Spanish in late elementary or middle school. This particular story deals with Jack and Annie's adventures in ancient Greece learning about the Olympic Games. It's full of adventure and fun information!"

Niko's PICKS: Buenas noches, Luna

2010-11-07T18:15:00.000-05:00

Buenas noches, Luna, by Margaret Wise Brown

Niko dice: "Me gustaron los gatitos. Yo recomiendo este libro para los estudiantes de kinder y primer grado porque es muy facil."

Lori says: "A nice easy book with good repetition, though no cultural component. Good for FLES/beginners, especially since students will most likely have read the book in English already. An extension activitiy might involve students in adding lines to the story based on their own bedroom, i.e.: Buenas noches, computadora. Buenas noches, peluches."

Niko's PICKS: Skeletonn Hiccups

2010-10-29T21:04:00.002-04:00

Skeleton Hiccups, by Margery Cuyler

Niko dice: "Este libro no tiene tantas palabras, pero todavia es muy chistoso. Cuando el esqueleto come el azúcar, el azúcar pasa por el medio de sus huesos. Cuando el esqueleto toma agua, la misma cosa pasa. ¡Qué cómico! Este libro es bueno para los niños pequeños porque no tiene muchas palabras."

Lori says: "Another book in English... and not about the Day of the Dead at all... So why review this one? Because kids will LOVE IT! The text is very simple and it would be very easy to re-write in simple Spanish. The skeleton in the story moves and acts like a Day of the Dead calaca, and his actions are very funny. The humor is slapstick, and kids will love each illustration. Good for practicing verbs/actions in the past tense. FUN!"

Niko's PICKS: El círculo mágico

2010-10-28T20:23:00.000-04:00

El círculo mágico, by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Giselle Potter

Niko dice: "Me gustan los imagenes, y sobre todo, las mariposas. Pero el cuento no tenía mucha información del Día de los Muertos. Por eso, no me gustó tanto. Yo recomiendo este libro a niños del segundo al tercer grado."

Lori says: "First of all, it's difficult to find a copy of this book in Spanish. I found one on Half.com, but it's quite costly. It might almost be better to get a copy in English anyway, since the text of the Spanish is version - while beautiful and poetic - is way too challenging for FLES, beginners, or even intermediate students of Spanish. Still, the story is tender and heartwarming, and Giselle Potter's illustrations are lovely. I also like the added context of the monarch butterfly migration in the story, thus making the plot a good connection to a cultural lesson on the Day of the Dead along with a science/biomes lesson on monarch migration, possibly linked to a class project with the Journey North symbolic butterfly migration."

Niko's PICKS: Felipa y el Día de los Muertos

2010-10-27T19:11:00.002-04:00

Felipa y el Día de los Muertos, by Birte Muller

Niko dice: "Mi madre pensó que la historia tenía lugar en el Perú, pero no es cierto. La autora estudió en Bolivia, y por eso escribió este libro acerca de la celebración del Día de los Muertos en los Andes. Me gusta más el cuento que las ilustraciones. Yo recomiendo este libro para niños del kinder, primer grado, y segundo grado."

Lori says: "The Spanish text of this book is too detailed and complex for FLES or beginning students. Teachers might re-write the story in simpler language, or just choose several images and write captions for them in simple Spanish. The real benefit of this book is that it's the only one I have found about the Day of the Dead that is not set in Mexico. With this Andean version, teachers could use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two countries' celebrations. Unlike Niko, I love the images!"

Niko's PICKS: El Festival de la Calaveras

2010-10-26T16:23:00.001-04:00

The Festival of Bones/El Festival de las Calaveras, by Luis San Vicente

Niko dice: "Mi parte favorita del libro es el dibujo del esqueleto que le falta una pata! A mi me gustan los poemas y las ilustraciones. Quiero hacer pan de muertos con mi mamá porque en el libro hay una receta. Este libro me da ganas de ir a México el dos de noviembre para ver la celebración del Día de los Muertos! Yo recomiendo este libro para las clases de kinder a segundo grado."

Lori says: "This book is bilingual Spanish/English and written in simple verse. Each short poem can be used as a stand-alone poem in a lesson, especially when accompanied by the illustrations - which are fabulous, by the way! They are done in scratch-board style with some color and are very comical. This book is tiny (measuring 7.5" square) and if being used in a whole-class lesson, it would be best to project the image and text on an opaque projector. A very whimsical and fun Day of the Dead book!"

Niko's PICKS: Day of the Dead

2010-10-25T19:30:00.001-04:00

Day of the Dead, by Tony Johnston and Jeanette Winter

Niko dice: "Este libro es un cuento del Día de los Muertos. Me gustan los niños curiosos y traviesos. Los niños quieren comer la comida que la familia - la mamá, el papá, los tíos y las tías - está preparando para la celebración. El libro me da ganas de comer calaveras de azúcar y empanadas!"

Lori says: "OK, so this book is in English, but as I mentioned a few days ago, I can't resist Jeanette Winter's illustrations! The text can be easily re-written in simple Spanish and - combined with the images - the book can serve as the basis of a nice Dia de los Muertos thematic unit. The book is tiny, though (measuring just 6.5 x 6 inches), and if you plan to use it with a whole class, it would be better to use an opaque projector for the images. The book is DELISH!"

Niko's PICKS: Pablo recuerda

2010-10-24T11:35:00.001-04:00

Pablo recuerda... la fiesta del Día de los Muertos, by George Ancona

Niko dice: "Me gustan las fotografías, especialmente las calaveras de azúcar! Yo quiero probar el pan de muertos. Mi mamá tiene los juguetes del Día de los Muertos que están en el libro. ¡Son divertidos!"

Lori says: "I love this book! It provides readers with the details and background information about the Day of the Dead holiday, while also providing a personal touch and story by viewing the celebration through the eyes of Pablo and his family. Great photos plus a good list of specific vocabulary is provided (e.g., cempasuchil, alfeniques, etc.) The story text can be challenging for beginners; the story would need to be simplified for FLES, but can be used "as is" with intermediate or advanced students."

Niko's PICKS: Calavera Abecedario

2010-10-23T08:44:00.001-04:00

This week, we will be reviewing all Day of the Dead books! Stay tuned for more...!!!

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book by Jeanette Winter

Niko dice: "Este libro es bueno para niños jovenes porque pueden aprender palabras nuevas. Yo aprendí la palabra organillero! Me gustan mucho las ilustraciones. El libro tiene inglés y español."

Lori says: "First of all, anything that Jeanette Winter does is a-ok in my book! I adore her playful, folk artsy illustrations (check out Diego and Josefina for example). This book is in English at the start, and then continues with illustrations and Spanish words for each of the letters of the alphabet (e.g., B = BRUJA plus a delightful image of a calavera witch). It's great for teaching profession words, although some are odd/very specific like sombrerero, huevera or limonera. Have students create a calavera of their own based on Winter's images. VERY fun!

Niko's PICKS: Perdido y encontrado

2010-10-21T20:04:00.001-04:00

Perdido y encontrado, por Oliver Jeffers

Niko dice: "A mi me gusta este libro porque es la historia de dos amigos - un ser humano y un pingüino (¡y mi animal favorito es el pingüino!) En el cuento, el pingüino va a la casa del ser humano (no sabemos su nombre). El ser humano pensaba que el pingüino estaba perdido. Pero no estaba perdido, sino se sentía solo. Al final del cuento, los dos amigos se reunen y estan contentos viviendo juntos."

Lori says: "I love the illustrations in this book - they are colorful and inviting. The story of two friends trying to find happiness is sweet and can fit nicely into a unit on animals or friendship. Good for intermediate students (or FLES with some scaffolding for the vocabulary.)"

Niko's PICKS: Willy y Hugo

2010-10-20T20:48:00.001-04:00

To keep with our primate theme: Willy y Hugo, by Anthony Browne

Niko dice: "Este libro tiene un gorila llamado Hugo y un chimpancé que se llama Willy. El libro es muy chistoso - sobre todo, los dibujos. Willy está triste porque se siente muy sólo. Willy hace un nuevo amigo y al fin, se pone contento."

Lori says: "Willy y Hugo is good for teaching about bullying, friendship, differences and acceptance. The text is nice and simple, with several words that might be highlighted for word study (e.g., "horripilante"). Great illustrations that will make students giggle!"

Niko's PICKS: La Escapada de Marvin el mono

2010-10-19T22:01:00.001-04:00

Niko dice: "A mi me gusta este libro porque en cada dibujo necesita encontrar un conejito, un gato, y un avestruz. Marvin es chistoso porque se escapó cuando el vigilante no estaba mirando y era la hora de comer. Marvin salió de la jaula y tuvo muchas aventuras. Y al fin del libro, el hipopótamo también se escapa!"

Lori says: "This book is good for immersion or FLES. There is some complicated vocabulary for younger/beginning kids, but the illustrations help scaffold the meaning well. The illustrations are delightful - and having to find the hidden animals is an extra treat. This might fit nicely into a thematic unit on the zoo, jungle animals, or leisure time activities. FUN!"

Niko's PICKS: ABeCedarios and Opuestos

2010-10-17T11:35:00.000-04:00

ABeCedarios y Opuestos, por Cynthia Weill

Hay dos libros: uno de abecedarios, y el otro tiene opuestos. Mi favorito de los dos es el abecedario porque para la letra "X," la autora no tenía un animal para esta letra, y deja que el lector decida el nombre. Que divertido! A mi me gustan estos libros porque todos los imagenes fotos de animales tallados en madera. Los libros son fáciles de leer porque tienen inglés y español.

NEW THREAD: Niko's Picks!

2010-10-16T16:22:00.000-04:00

I have been remiss in my blogging duties! I have been posting a new link on my MisCositas FB page almost daily (!), but my poor blog has been suffering for it. So I am enlisting Sir Nikolas (of "Niko's World" and "Niko's Adventures" fame) to help out... We will be posting reviews of books in Spanish - sometimes in text, sometimes audio, sometimes with a video... Here's our first review - ENJOY!

FRIDA por Jonah Winter

A mi me gusta este libro porque es de una artista muy interesante que se llama Frida Kahlo. Ella era una artista mexicana que nació en una casa azul en Coyoacán, México. Ella tenía cinco hermanas, y con ella eran seis hijas. Sin embargo, ella se sentía muy sola. Ella tenía una amiga imaginaria que también llamaba Frida. Ella estudió ciencias en el colegio, pero ella se aburrió (como me pasa a mi a veces en la escuela!) Un día, ella tuvo un accidente horrible. Un tranvía se chocó contra un autobús y Frida necesitaba quedarse en la cama por mucho tiempo. En el hospital, Frida dibujó mucho. Yo recomiendo este libro porque Frida es un personaje muy interesante - muchas veces ella se dibuja con un bigote grande!

Questions about this book or review? Contact Niko!

Death by PowerPoint

2010-05-10T14:52:00.001-04:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Death by PowerPoint

View more presentations from www.kapterev.com.

Skyping: Assigned Roles

2010-04-12T22:12:00.001-04:00

Skyping: Assigned Roles
Originally uploaded by langwitches

From Langwitches, this is a great image/tool to help teachers assign very specific roles during a Skype phonecall.

New videos on MisCositasTV

2009-12-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

I LOVE making videos! Check out our latest creation: "Los lugares de mi vecindario": http://www.youtube.com/MisCositasTV

This video was made with a simple Canon digital camera and MovieMaker software. SO easy to make! SO satisfying! And SO useful for teaching languages!

MovieMaker and PhotoStory

2008-12-16T11:44:00.000-05:00

It's incredible what you can produce using MovieMaker and PhotoStory! With these two programs - both of them free and available for PC users - anyone can become a movie producer, filmmaker, director, actor, and sound engineer!

How to get these programs: MovieMaker is probably already on your PC. Look in your Start menu, click on "all programs" and then look for "Windows Movie Maker." It's most likely been on your computer forever, but you probably never noticed it (at least that's what happened to me!). The other program, PhotoStory, is available for free download (click here).

I use MovieMaker to edit videos that I record using either my Canon PowerShot SD800 (an excellent digital camera that also has digital video capabilities) or my Flip camera (I also recommend this - it's VERY easy to use and also lightweight and inexpensive!). I use PhotoStory mainly with still photos (digital or scanned in from "old school" prints!).

Click here for a full selection of videos I have created for use in teaching Spanish, French, English, Italian, German - and even one in Indonesian!

Quiet on the set... ¿listos? y... ¡acción!

Ning, and Twitter, and Flickr... oh my!

2008-11-27T13:40:00.001-05:00

I have been exploring three new sites: Ning, Twitter, and Flickr. I include them all together in this blog post for several reasons... First of all, they all allow users to share information with other like-minded people. They all have potential uses for education (though I'm still working out what those could be!). And finally, they are all social networking sites that seem fun and easy to use. I'll start with Flickr first, since at this time, it's the site I know best.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, last month we were visited at our school by Will Richardson last month. He urged us to become familiar with web 2.0 sites for our own personal uses - and THEN we should explore the sites for educational purposes - only after we fully understand them ourselves. Well... I agree! I got into Flickr due to my current collecting obsession: vintage Pyrex (!) I am crazy for Pyrex bowls from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and this mania brought me to a website for other Pyrex entusiasts like myself: PyrexLove. From that site, I was drawn to the Flickr site, where folks post photos of their latest Pyrex acquisitions. I now find myself checking Flickr on a regular basis for my own interests - and miraculously, ideas for teaching languages are starting to come... I could see sharing photos from the target culture and asking students to add comments and mark their favorites.

I am less familiar with Ning and Twitter, but have signed on for accounts on both. With Ning - a service that allows you to start an easy social network, I could start a simple website and have students sign on and share information (in the target language, of course). I plan to start a Ning for our upcoming participation in the North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad (NACLO). Twitter is a site that allows you to update your friends and family about your daily activities. It is what they call "micro-blogging." I am still exploring the use of this one for teaching world languages.

Does anyone have some creative ways to use these new web 2.0 sites for teaching languages?

Blogging in the language classroom

2008-11-20T13:39:00.001-05:00

Little by little, teachers -- and their students -- are getting into blogs in our ESL and World Language Department! It's amazing what students are able to write in the target language, and they report having tons of fun while doing it. Check out some of our language blogs:

Palabras Pintadas - Spanish 5AP blog by Ms. DeSimone

Italiano Tre - Italian blog by Mr. Vittorino

El Blog de la Srta. K - Spanish 4 students by Ms. Kirschner

Cuna de Lobos - Spanish 3 students also love novelas!

Español 2 blogs by Ms. Reiss - period 2, period 3, and period 4

Italian blogs by Mr. Vittorino - Italiano Tre and Italiano Quattro

ESLebration - Middle School ESL classes

...and so much more to come!!!

Will Richardson and Web 2.0

2008-11-10T13:23:00.000-05:00

On November 4, a day that will long be hailed as historic in the United States, another sort of history-making event was happening at my school. We were fortunate enough at Herricks UFSD to be visited by Will Richardson, author of the book: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. During his talk, Mr. Richardson inspired us to think about ways in which web technologies can transform what we are already doing in our classrooms. He shared many sites and tools that will prove useful in our daily teaching. Among these "gems" are:

Will's article "Footprints in the Digital Age" from Educational Leadership.
The "21st Century Frameworks" (what students should be learning in the 21st century)
A blog by a young girl doing extraordinary things! twentyfivedays.wordpress.com
Thinking about how to "get your big red dots"? Try: http://www.clustrmaps.com/
Will's blogs: willrichardson.wikispaces.com; weblogg-ed.com
A place to chat with other educators around the world: http://www.classroom20.com/
Follow Will on Twitter: willrich45
An amazing video that shows how project-based learning connected to technology can achieve amazing results - after watching this 10 minute video, you might want to think about ways in which a world language component would make the project THAT MUCH BETTER!:

Creating and Using a Voki Avatar

2008-06-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

I feel as if every day something else pops up on the web that is fun, interesting and really useful for teaching languages. Today I messed around with Voki (http:www.voki.com). You can create an avatar (a computer version/representation of yourself) and use that image to say whatever you want - in whatever language you like! It is super easy - and terribly fun! You can make the avatar look like you (check out my attempt on the left) OR you can be a flower, a sumo wrestler, Hillary Clinton - whatever suits your fancy! There are loads of background to choose from as well. I love the Eiffel Tower and can picture my French teacher colleagues creating their own avatar and reporting some information "live from France"! I can envision students creating their own presentations using an avatar and their own voice - talk about lowering the affective filter... kids who are normally shy about presenting something in class could easily practice using their avatar. VERY cool! Check it out...

Skyping with Caracas

2008-05-28T12:20:00.001-04:00

Anyone who has ever tried Skype is undoubtedly amazed. I first used Skype when I was travelling in Venezuela. I used it to make a personal call home - first to my home phone, and then to my husband's cell phone. The quality of sound was great and it was incredibly cheap (the 20 minute call cost less than a dollar, if I remember correctly). Since then I have wanted to "Skype" another classroom. This month, we finally did!

I established a "sister school" connection between our 7th grade middle school students and a 6th grade class of native Spanish speaking students in Caracas. We set up accounts on Skype (which is free) and set up a time to "meet." We connected a web cam, fired up the SmartBoard and placed the call. At first, we had trouble connecting, getting the web cam to work, etc. After a bit of a struggle, we were ready to start videoconferencing.

The students on both continents LOVED the activity. It was amazing to see the Venezuelan students crowding around their web cam as ours craned their necks to get in frame so that they could appear on camera as well. Students on both sides asked and answered the typical "checkpoint A" (level 1) questions: ¿Cómo te llamas?, ¿Cuántos años tienes?, ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre? and so on. I was thrilled with all the language that they actually got to use during the 20 minute call!

To see our students in action during the Skype call, check out the video on our department homepage (scroll down to the bottom and click on the "Skyping in the Classroom Video."

Question: Are there any sites out there where people can simply connect "in the moment" to another classroom that is ready to Skype? One of our biggest challenges in this project was getting the time difference coordinated (believe it or not!) It would be great just to be able to connect at any time during the day and find another classroom ready to chat.

Who else has Skyped recently? I'd love to hear your experiences...

VoiceThread - talking about photos online!

2008-05-22T16:08:00.000-04:00

I really like VoiceThread. This site enables users to upload photos and then make comments (orally or in text format) about the photo. A teacher might upload a photo and have her/his students upload their comments about it. I think it has a lot of potential for teaching world languages and ESL. I am still in the process of finding the educational version and signing on as a teacher... Here's a really neat use of VoiceThread - imagine this with a class in Spanish!

http://voicethread.com/#q.b48359.i253548

Does anyone else use VoiceThread in teaching languages?

Using Web 2.0 technologies for teaching languages

2008-05-21T10:09:00.000-04:00

I am obsessed! It is all so exciting. I am interested in the types of projects and activities that people have developed using web 2.0 technologies (i.e., blogs, wikis, podcasts) in teaching world languages and ESL. What are people finding particularly useful?

I especially LOVE wikis. They are so incredibly useful for collaborating on writing, peer editing, etc. What are YOU doing?