World Languages and SRHS support the Tijuana Dump School

Once again, the World Languages Department along with the SRHS ASB provided Christmas gifts for the students at the Tijuana Dump School.  This school, which serves impoverished children whose parents make a living collecting and selling items found in Tijuana's municipal dump, was established in the 1980's through the efforts of David Lynch, a former New York Special Education teacher.  This year, SRHS achieved a new record by playing Santa Claus to over 160 Mexican students.  Mr. McVeigh, who organized this year's drive, called it a great success as his classroom quickly filled up waist-high with bags of gifts.  ¡Feliz Navidad!

World Languages supports the Culinary Arts program

World Langauges Department teachers:  Mr. Lawhead, Mr. Blackwelder, Mrs. Trott, Mr. McVeigh, Ms. Burke, Mrs. Redelings and Dr. Jacobson attended the Christmas dinner offered by Ms. Coelho's Culinary Arts class. Gourmet offerings included salmon remoulade, chicken on quinoa and vegetables and a bread pudding for dessert. 

Using TPR/S, students teach and learn vocabulary

Señor Lawhead's Spanish 5-6 classes had a lot of fun using TPR/S methodology to teach each other the current vocabulary and grammar through original mini-cuentos. All classes did a great job of being teachers as well as students, using only Spanish throughout most of the block period. 

Working on district benchmarks

Students in Ms. Ranzolin's class nave been busy wrapping up their work before winter break. Students in 5-6 worked on their semester one benchmark, which they will present when they return to class. Working in in partners, they will be presenting a skit in which they talk about a robbery that took place. This will demonstrate their ability to use the past tense. Spanish 1-2 students worked on their benchmark in which they will be describing someone they know. They will be able to demonstrate their understanding of adjectives and verbs used to describe. Students in Spanish 3-4 learned new vocabulary about daily routines, saw a video about Argentina, and played vocabulary games.

Spanish 3-4 students study Argentina

Señora Trott's Spanish 3-4 classes are working in pairs on a cultural project about
Argentina. Students can select one of the following 5 topics:
1. Redesign the Argentina National Soccer Team jersey. Include why it symbolizes Argentina.
2. Discuss one of the 17 FIFA soccer rules, Argentina in the World Cup, famous players.
3. Research traditional dishes of Argentina, make one of them at home. Photograph each step.
4. Research music and dance of Argentina. Teach the class a dance step. (Tango etc.)
5. Research the geography and climate, discuss outdoor activities in three different regions.

Students will present their projects to the class on January 4 & 5, 2012

¡ Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo !

¡Viva Boriquén! (Puerto Rico)

Señor Lawhead was happy to share his experiences and video of his Thanksgiving trip to Puerto Rico. Highlights were snorkeling on Vieques Island and visiting El Yunque Rain Forest (picture). He came back with many pictures and the sounds of the coqui ringing in his ears! 

Little Havana's Calle Ocho (8th Street)

While on a return visit to one of his most favorite cities in the world (Miami, Florida), Profe Bañuelos stopped by Little Havana's Calle Ocho to film a cultural video highlighting some details of the Cuban-American culture in Miami/South Florida. Due to the high percentage of Latinos in the area, Profe enjoyed speaking in Spanish about 90% of his time there.

¡Pan Tostado!

Dr. Jacobson engaged her students in a study of the present tense and prepositions through responses reflecting the beautiful scenes portrayed in famous paintings by artists including Picazzo, Rivera and Orozco.

On Friday, students reviewed the present tense and the use of 'hay que' (one has to) through a guided writing activity related to an explanation of how to make toast. The activity culminated in a 'Fiesta de pan tostado' (Toast Party).

French students create T-shirts and "go shopping"

Madame Leidhoff's first-year French students presented themselves and created 'T-SHIRTS'. Artistically they made representations about things they do, and a bit about their families and their personality traits. Student enjoyed sharing.

Students of second year French created 'STORES" went "SHOPPING" at la charcuterie, la boucherie, l'epicerie etc. Language includes salutations in entering a store in France, counting in Euros, conversion of quantities to metric and packaging etc. These students will be cooking a French dish as a culinary project for their families over the break and report back upon return.

¿Qué hiciste ayer?

Señora Trott's classes have finished their unit on Costa Rica and Chile. Now on to Argentina!  Students get to select one of five choices for a cultural presentation to their classmates. Topics include: Soccer in Argentina, Outdoor activities and climate of Argentina, Popular dishes and recipes of Argentina and Music and Dance of Argentina. Students are also expanding their knowledge and use of the preterite tense and greet each other with ¿Qué hiciste ayer? as they enter class. (What did you do yesterday?)

Spanish 5-6 students create own TPR/S mini-cuentos

Señor Lawhead's Spanish 5-6 classes are preparing for their second oral exam by creating their own mini-stories complete with hand/body motions to teach each other.  For more information on TPR/S, check this link.

 

Busy, but fun week!

Students in all of M. Ranzolin's classes learned new vocabulary this week, and completed their vocabulary quiz on Friday. Also, they all participated in class activities designed to practice their new vocabulary. Students in 1-2 drew a classroom and labeled the vocabulary. They also wrote about what their classes are like. Students in 3-4 wrote a skit and shared it with the class. Students in 5-6 created an advertisement incorporating what they have been learning. It was a busy, but fun week!

Dr. Jacobson's classes continued their study of the present tense, adjectives, telling time and numbers 1-100 through listening activities, sharing responses to a practice test with one another and the development of a graphic organizer exemplifying students' knowledge of present tense verb conjugations. Students are beginning to plan and write drafts for their first benchmark presentation, describing a special person in their life

Deaf President Now Movement (1988)

Mrs. Redelings' ASL 1 students watched and discussed the video footage and commentary from the Deaf President Now movement of 1988. The movement, also known as the Gallaudet Revolution, is considered by many as the most pivotal event in recent Deaf history. The board of Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts university founded specifically for d/Deaf people, had elected a hearing president who knew no sign language and nothing of d/Deaf community. In reaction, Deaf people united; supported by not only university staff, but communities and organizations around the nation, the week-long student-led protest culminated in the election of the very first Deaf president in its 124-year history.

This, that, these and those

Profe Bañuelos' Spanish 3-4 class this week is learning the different ways to say demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, and those) and demonstrative pronouns (this one, that one, these ones, and those ones). The students in the photo participated in using Profe's stylish hats to properly use what they learned.