6th grade: Sixth graders are doing a remarkable job in learning the Spanish alphabet! And I LOVE the enthusiasm of each and every student! The Spanish alphabet contains new sounds, and even 4 new letters: ch, ll, ñ, and rr ! Students have been performing wonderfully in the pronunciation of each letter, and are able to recognize letters by ear when I announce them! We have been solidifying our knowledge of the Spanish alphabet by completing activities such as "palabras misteriosas" (mystery words), "later, zeta!" (a game in which students go around the room saying the Spanish alphabet in order), and even "Letter BINGO" to practice sound recognition! Amazing job, chicos! Next week, we will begin introductory conversations! 

7th grade: These seventh graders are experts! Students are doing an amazing job working with the Spanish verb "ser", which means "to be." With the knowledge of "ser", students can complete sentences in relation to states of being (I am, she is, we are, etc.) which is a vital part of speaking the Spanish language! In juxtaposition with this verb, students are learning descriptive vocabulary, or words they can use to describe themselves or other people. Students have completed "Poemas Personales" or "Personal Poems" using both the verb "ser" and descriptive vocabulary to describe themselves! Later this week, seventh graders will learn the verb "gustar" and will be able to talk about their likes and dislikes! Great job, seventh graders!

8th grade: Eighth graders are doing fantastically this week! I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every "¿Quién soy?" (Who am I?) project, and I loved to see the creativity packed into these pieces! We have a very talented bunch! This week, eighth graders are beginning the "family" unit. Students have familiarized themselves with family-related vocabulary, and are acing their usages of the possessive adjectives "mi" and "mis." Later this week, eighth graders will be able to use the verb "tener", which means "to have." With this word under their belts, students will be able to talk about having siblings, having a certain amount of people in their family, and more! Amazing job, eighth grade!

Please remember that all PowerPoints, homework, and additional materials will be posted on Google Classroom! This way, we can access material from home as well. I have shared the Google Classroom Codes with students nearly every day, and students should be signed up at this point in time. As a reminder, here are the codes corresponding with each class:
6-204: kqxy686
6-207: 6hwasrj
7-202: 8ruowe
7-205: 92v3hgo
8-201: gk1ywa9
8-203: oh4gdw
 

Welcome to Spanish class! My name is Ms. McCoy and I am very excited to begin this school year at St. Rose of Lima! Especially in this day and age, the knowledge of the Spanish language is immensely beneficial and I'm so thrilled to be able to help the students of St. Rose acquire this important skill! 

¿Por qué aprendemos español?
Why do we learn Spanish?

I've compiled a list of "My 5 Whys!" 

1. Communication! There are 2.8 million Spanish speakers in New York State alone! When we learn Spanish, we can more easily learn about and communite with these Spanish speakers!
2. Job Opportunities! Bilingual speakers are more competitive in the workplace. When we learn Spanish, we are able to create lots of opportunities for ourselves! 
3. Brain Benefits! Multi-tasking, memory, and improvement in first language. When we learn Spanish, we improve all of these brain functions!
4. Culture! When we learn Spanish, we learn about the customs and pratices of countless other countries...and we can learn more about our own culture in the process!
5. Open new doors! Travel, adventure, learning, friendship, opportunity, and        even more! When we learn Spanish, we open up a whole new perspective on life that is waiting to be explored! 

I am excited to begin this Spanish speaking journey with you! Remember - all homework and assignments will be posted on the Middle School Homework Page.

Saludos cordiales,
Señorita McCoy