Target Language: Spanish
Suggested Grade Level: lower primary
Goal(s):
singing authentic children’s song from Spain
using TPR movements, puppets, pictures, and props to convey meaning
Learning Objective(s):
creation of songbook “En la casa de mi abuela”
Materials/Resources:
Spanish activity/reading & writing folders for each child for storage of materials between classes
“En la casa de mi abuela” song found on Colección: Cantos para jugar 1 by Francisco Aquino – EXCELLENT!; sung by him with children. (Also in MP3 download by Victor Hugo Santos)
En la casa de mi abuela
hay un árbol de limón.
Hay un árbol de cereza
y una cueva de ratón.
A las ocho de la noche,
mi abuelita duerme ya.
Los ratones muy contentos
salen todos a bailar.
En la casa de mi abuela booklet
(Each set of masters make two booklets. Staple on lefthand side with two staples.)
crayons or colored pencils
pencils
See my Art Projects page for classroom management suggestions to make this activity go smoothly.
Procedure for Teaching:
Review song with class with TPR movements, pictures, puppets, and props.
En la casa de mi abuela (Students make house shape with all fingers touching and thumbs pointing down at right angles to the floor.)
hay un árbol de limón, (Students lift both arms and bend and look upward to the right and make a sour face.)
otro árbol de cereza (Students turn lifted arms and bend and look upward to the right and make a sweet face.)
y una cueva de ratón. (Students make a cave with all fingers and thumbs touching, making a circle.)
A las ocho de la noche (Students look at classroom clock and hold up four fingers in each hand.)
mi abuelita duerme ya. (Students put head down to rest on two hands held flat together.)
Los ratones muy contentos (Students make mouse faces by twitching noses and smiling.)
salen todos a bailar. (Students make mouse faces and dance around.)
Note: To teach gist of song along with TPR movements, I have made pictures to support the text and used cute, inexpensive plush mice or mouse puppets that the children love to use, also.
Children help distributed song booklets.
Student will complete missing details on each page.
1 – details of home2 – lemons on tree3 – cherries on tree
4 – mice in hole; wallpaper5- correct time6 – grandmother sleeping
7 – more happy mice8 –more dancing mice
Students sing song as they turn pages of songbook.
Assessment: Teacher circulates to have individuals sing or read lyrics in song booklet. Children may also perform individually or in pairs in front of class.
Optional Extension for High-Achievers: On last page of booklet, draw and write (with teacher’s help) what would happen after the grandmother discovers all the dancing mice in her house.
Home & School Connection: Students interact with a family member by (1) singing song without songbook, (2) singing song while turning correct pages of the songbook, (3) reading lyrics from songbook, and/or (4) using TPR movements to convey meaning.
NOTE: A third grade class performed the song at the Connecticut COLT Rhyme Celebration and acted out the song with headbands. See photo below.
