Elementary

Elementary Spanish Level 5

.5 Credits

9-10 weeks

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Coursework

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Elementary Spanish is an exploratory introduction to the Spanish culture and
language. Students will learn the target language in a story-based framework, providing a fun and positive experience within the learning. Each lesson is taught through an engaging, authentic story that gives students an opportunity to see and hear the language in context. Students will learn foundational skills in listening and speaking in the early levels, and will add Spanish literacy skills beginning in Level 2. The courses provide audio and visual stimuli for all learning types and ample opportunities to hear, speak, read, write, and record the language. This suite also provides strategically-based reviews of past learning. Each course is built on connections to an authentic culture of a specific Spanish-speaking region through the arts, celebrations, and traditions of the culture, leading students on the path to becoming global citizens. Courses provide a natural progression of learning through the following language acquisition stages:

Preproduction
Early Production
Speech emergence
Intermediate fluency

Please view the Elementary Parents Guide for Grades 3-5 with guidance on helping your student transition to online learning and thrive at VLACS.

Competencies

Greetings, Adjectives and Spanish Vocabulary for Airplane Travel and Family

I can interpret greetings and farewells in Spanish. I can describe the culture of Costa Rica in Spanish. I can interpret words associated with travel at the airport in Spanish. I can identify the parts of the inside of an airplane in Spanish. I can identify extended family members in Spanish. I can interpret adjectives pertaining to physical appearance in Spanish.

News Reports, Citizenship and Spanish Vocabulary for National Disasters and the Jungle

I can identify aspects of a news report in Spanish. I can identify types of natural disasters in Spanish I can describe the colonization of Central America in Spanish. I can describe the Guatemalan tradition of la Semana Santa in Spanish. I can identify nature and animals of the tropical jungle in Spanish. I can interpret actions taken by good citizens in Spanish.

Possession, Pronouns and Spanish Vocabulary for the House, Eating and Emotions

I can identify parts of the house in Spanish. I can interpret chores around the house in Spanish. I can interpret subject pronouns nosotros and nosotras in Spanish. I can interpret words associated with food and drinks in Spanish. I can interpret the preposition de in Spanish. I can interpret feelings and emotions in Spanish.

Question Words, the Verb Gustar, Contractions and Spanish Vocabulary for Personality Traits, Cinema, Fun Activities, and School Subjects

I can identify words associated with personality traits in Spanish. I can interpret question words in Spanish. I can identify words associated with the movies in Spanish. I can interpret the correct form of the verb gustar when identifying preferences of school subjects in Spanish. I can interpret places to go for fun in Spanish. I can interpret the contractions al and del in Spanish.

Major Topics and Concepts

Module One

Location, countries, and culture of Central America
Location and culture of Costa Rica
Greetings, introductions, and goodbyes
Verbs conocer and encontrarse
Using gestures to greet people
Formal and informal greetings
Different places people live
Solo, sola and juntos
Airport phrases and vocabulary
Differences between English and Spanish sentence structure
Adjectives and articles agreeing in gender and number
Asking and answering questions about processes at an airport
Reading and answering questions about a flight itinerary
Natural landforms
Different parts of the inside of an airplane
Por qué and porque
Asking and answering questions using por qué and porque
Flying on an airplane and safety procedures
Reading and answering questions about an airplane safety manual
Greetings and introductions
Vocabulary related to family members
Using adjectives to describe physical appearance
Possessive adjectives
Este and esta
Asking and answering questions about physical appearance
Reading and responding to a short story about appearances

Module Two

Steps to getting on a plane
Important places in San Jose
Culture of Costa Rica
Parts of the house
Accentuation rules
The preposition de
Belongings
Reading, understanding, and writing advertisements
Culture of Costa Rica
Places in the community
Activities around the house
Nosotros and nosotras
Conjugating verbs with nosotros and nosotras
Reading and acting out a drama
Writing sentences
Words and expressions related to food and drinks
Culture of Costa Rica
Restaurant words and expressions
Demonstrative pronouns
Possessive pronouns
Belongings
Read a menu and place an order
Body parts
Culture of Costa Rica
Express and talk about feelings and emotions
Identify past tense expressions
Aquí and allá
Read and write an email

Module Three

Greetings
Introductions
Simple questions
Words to describe people
Correct form of the verb ‘gustar’
Words that describe personality traits
Aspects of my personality
Someone’s personality
Words that describe people’s personalities
Vocabulary related to the movies
Movie ticket prices
Culture of Costa Rica
Snacks offered in Costa Rican theaters
Movie poster and its content
Familiar words, phrases, expressions and sentences
School subjects
Inverted question and exclamation marks
School related vocabulary
Class schedule and its content
My feelings and other people’s feelings
Vocabulary related to amusement parks
Contractions al and del
Vocabulary related to amusement parks
Adverbs ‘rápidamente’ and ‘lentamente’

Module Four

Common weather terms
Different aspects of a news report
Read a news report
Current events in Central America
Recognize that extreme weather conditions sometimes lead to natural disasters
Types of natural disasters
Identify what colonization is
Recognize who colonized central America and how long they did
Compare Spain coming to central America and Christopher Columbus coming to the Americas
Identify where traditions come from
Superlatives for most and least
Recognize the Guatemalan tradition of the festival of la Semana Santa
False cognates
Common weather terms
Aspects of a news report
News report
Locate Central America on a world map
Label the countries of Central America
Animals of the tropical jungle
Recognize what jungle animals eat
Actions taken by good citizens in the home
Actions taken by good citizens in the community
Actions taken by good citizens around the world
Use Es __ que with adjectives

Course Materials

All levels of Spanish require independent reading skills. We recommend students begin Spanish sometime during grades 2 or 3, depending on their reading level. Those who are not yet reading independently can take the course, provided an adult is available to read material to the student.

To achieve success, students are expected to submit work in each course weekly. Students can learn at their own pace; however, “any pace” still means that students must make progress in the course every week. To measure learning, students complete self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, projects, discussion-based assessments, and discussions. Students and families are expected to maintain regular contact with teachers because, when teachers, students, and parents work together, students are successful.

Required Materials – Please view the list of materials before registering.