Exploring New Science Vocabulary (Bilingual)

Subject
Teaching Strategies
School or Organization
Topic

TOPIC: Bodies of Water

GRADE: 1st

EDUCATION STANDARDS:

TEKs:

§112.12. Science, Grade 1

(B) Knowledge and Skills:

  • (7) Earth and space. The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water that can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems. The student is expected to: (B) identify and describe a variety of natural sources of water, including streams, lakes, and oceans;

MATERIALS:

  • A popsicle stick for each student with an orange or green dot (or other two colors you choose)
  • Music, if desired
Hook/Engage

1. INTRODUCE NEW VOCABULARY

Gather students in front of the board or chart paper that has the following science vocabulary written in Spanish, along with the sentence stems:

un arroyo

un rio

un tempano de hielo

un estanque

un lago

un oceano

 

Que es una fuente de agua?

___________ es una fuente de agua.

 

As a whole group, practice saying the vocabulary words and filling in the sentence stems out loud as a call and response, then reading together. Have individual students practice asking the question and others filling in the sentence stem with a vocabulary word to answer the question.

Transition: Now we are going to get up on our feet and keep practicing these new science words in Spanish. Give each student a popsicle stick. 

Explore

2. PEOPLE TO PEOPLE

Note: as with all adaptations of DBI strategies, we recommend playing the strategy in its original form at least once with students before moving through the following adaptation for content.

Define the space in the classroom that you will be using, and have students walk quietly through the space, holding their popsicle stick safely. As they walk, play music or sing a familiar classroom song. When the music stops, everyone will need to find a partner that has the opposite color dot. If you have an orange dot, find a partner with a green dot. If you have a green dot, find a partner with an orange dot. Find a partner in five, four, three, two, one!  Have students with the orange dot ask their partner the question from the chart, “Que es una fuente de agua?” The partner with the green dot will choose a vocabulary word and say the completed sentence outloud back to their partner. Give students a few moments to do this, and walk through the room to listen and observe the pairs move through the question and answer.

When the music starts again, you will wave goodbye to your partners and walk through the space. Start the music again, and after a few moments, stop it to signal students to find a new partner. Move through the same sequence with the question and answers, this time with the green dots asking the questions. Repeat the whole sequence a third time, and then invite students back to the carpet and have a seat.

Reflection

3. REFLECTING ON THE LESSON

Describe

  • What was it like to ask your partner this question?

Analyze 

  • Did you like asking the question or answering the question better? Why?

Relate

  • How do you feel about this new vocabulary now?