OAK SPANISH CLASS NEWSLETTER

Dear parents and guardians,

While we are writing to you with an academic update for the midpoint of April, we also want to acknowledge the changes on the horizon for many students and families after the well-deserved rest of April vacation. Many students will be in the school building five days a week for the first time since March, 2020, some students will be at Oak for the first time ever, some students will have new teachers, those that remain in remote learning will have new teammates, and perhaps some new teachers, as well. We look forward to helping our students adjust to these changes and finish this “interesting” school year well.

Students in grade 7 have finished their work with classes, classroom, and location of objects and people. When we pick up after April vacation, students will study breakfast, lunch and dinner vocabulary and learn to use the verbs comer, beber, and compartir (to eat, to drink, and to share). They will also discuss the frequency with which they eat or drink favorite foods and beverages. Discussions around food are always rich in cultural comparisons: topics in this unit include open-air Latin American markets, the Spanish festival of La Tomatina, El chocolate, and El mate (the national drink of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay).

Eighth graders are wrapping up a unit based on community, sports and leisure activities, discussing what they are going to do, and inviting others to do activities with them. After the April break, 8th graders will study family vocabulary and will talk about family parties and celebrations. An important cultural topic that they will learn about before the end of the year is “La quinceañera”, a coming-of-age celebration in parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
 
As always, we appreciate your support encouraging your child to practice and to use the language. Please reach out to us with concerns or questions during the transition.
 
Atentamente,