Selena Reading Passage & Comp Questions

Introduce your children or students to the famous singer, Selena Quintanilla Pérez, with this printable one-page reading passage and comprehension questions.

And if you're looking for more information and ideas to use with your students, check on my post, Resources for Celebrating Selena Day.

Who was Selena?

Selena Quintanilla Pérez was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and fashion designer. 

She was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. Selena came from a family of musicians and she began performing with her family's band, Selena y Los Dinos, when she was only 8 years old. As she grew up, she became the lead vocalist of the group and helped to popularize Tejano music, a genre that blends traditional Mexican folk music with country and rock music.

In the early 1990s, Selena began to achieve mainstream success with the release of her album "Entre a Mi Mundo" and her collaboration with fashion designer, Martin Gomez, on a clothing line. She continued to release successful albums, including "Dreaming of You," which was released after she died.

Sadly, when she was only 23 years old, Selena was shot and killed by her former fan club president, Yolanda Saldívar. Her death was widely mourned, and she remains an icon of Latin music and fashion. 

If you haven't seen it, Selena's life and career were later the subject of a biopic film, "Selena" (1997), starring Jennifer Lopez in the title role.

What is Selena Day?

Back in 1995, while fans all over the US, Mexico, and throughout Latin America were still grieving the death of their beloved star, George W. Bush (who was at the time the governor of Texas) declared that April 16th, Selena’s birthday, would be an official Texas holiday.

One of Selena's greatest achievements was breaking barriers in the music industry. As a Latina woman, she faced many challenges, but she never gave up on her dreams. She showed that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

In honor of Selena's legacy, many people celebrate her life and music every year on April 16th. This day is known as Selena Day, and it's a time to remember her and all the joy she brought to the world.

Selena One-Page Reading Passage

This year, in honor of the rock star, I've put together a one-page reading passage that shares Selena's life story.

Geared for children in 4th grade and up, this file also comes with reading comprehension questions. The 8-question quiz also comes with a separate answer key.

AND it is available in English and Spanish (as always)!

You can find it here.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Resources for Celebrating Selena Day
  
  
• Queen of Tejano Music: Selena (Book Review)
  
  
• Celia Cruz Lesson Plans, Coloring Pages, Crafts, Activities and More
  
  
• Tito Puente Lesson Plans, Coloring Pages, Crafts, Activities and More

Bilingual Book Club Packet

There's a new packet in my shop today!

Last week, I shared a post on How to Start a Book Club for 8 to 12-Year-Olds. As soon as I hit publish, I knew I needed to add another resource to make book clubbing more fun. 

Bilingual Book Club Activity Pages

So... voilá! Here's a bilingual packet of book club printables. They are designed to make running a book club easy and enjoyable for kids. 

It comes with pages for: 

• writing down discussion questions, 
• reviewing books, 
• a member roster, and 
• tickets for choosing a different meeting leader each time you get together.

Other Summer Reading Printables

You can also pair it with my bilingual reading passport, depending on the book theme or the format of your book club. It says Día de los Niños on it because that's the occasion for which I made it. But EVERY DAY is Día de los Niños, remember? And the passport itself doesn't have any specific holiday mentioned. It's pretty versatile and can be used at any time of year for any reading activity.

Read more about how to use the bilingual reading passport.

You might also like the free bilingual reading logs that you can download in my TpT shop. This packet contains three different designs so you can track by:

1. # of minutes read,
2. # of pages read,
3. OR # of books read.

ALL of the logs are available in full color or black-and-white, and they are available in English and Spanish. You choose which one works best for your students.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• 40 Ways to Keep Your Child Excited About Reading
  
  
• Prepping for Summer with MommyMaestra
  
  
• The Mega List of Spanish Comics for Kids
  
  
• Encouraging Reluctant Readers With Films

Juan Diego & Our Lady of Guadalupe Reading Passage

 

Can Stock Photo - Shakzu

December 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When I was growing up, her image was everywhere in my 'Buelita's house: on candles, jewelry, little cards that she carried in her purse, and other places. 

If you don't know the story behind the Virgin of Guadalupe, read on!

The Legend of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe

Legend has it that on December 12th, 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) appeared and spoke to Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican whose birth name was Cuauhtlatoatzin. It was one of four instances in which she appeared to him.

Not much is known about Juan Diego’s early life, other than his indigenous heritage and the fact that he and his wife had no children. They both were some of the first converts to Catholicism shortly after the arrival of 12 Franciscan missionaries in Mexico in 1524.

The story goes that on December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to mass when he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. She was bathed in a heavenly light and told him to tell the bishop to build a shrine for her there on Tepeyac Hill, just outside Mexico City... and she spoke to him in his native tongue - Náhuatl - not in Spanish.

Of course, the bishop didn’t believe Juan Diego but said he would think about it. Diego saw Mary again later that day and suggested she send someone else. But at her urging, he agreed to make her request again in the morning. This time, the bishop asked for proof of the vision. Diego immediately sought out The Virgin on Tepeyac and she told him to return the following day. 

However, the next day, Diego’s uncle fell ill and he stayed home to take care of him (Diego’s wife had died two years before). But his uncle’s condition became so bad overnight that on December 12th, Diego went out in search of a priest to administer the last rites. While doing so, Mary once again appeared to him, though he avoided going up Tepeyac Hill for fear of seeing her.  She told Diego that his uncle would be fine and then directed Diego, who was wearing a heavy tilma (cloak) to stay warm, to fill it with roses and take them to the bishop as proof. Despite it being winter, he found the flowers blooming on the rocky hill and filled his tilma. But when he took them to the bishop, not only did fresh Castilian roses spill from his tilma, but a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe shone from the inside of his cloak. The bishop was convinced and immediately ordered a shrine to be built.

Juan Diego was allowed to live in a small hut near the Basilica and spent the rest of his life serving the poor and needy in Mary’s name.

To this day, the tilma hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It has survived 500 years and shows no sign of cracking or fading. And careful testing has shown, “the image was made using no underdrawing, no sizing, no protective over-varnish and no brush strokes.”

The Printable Mini-Lesson

For a few years now, I've been wanting to offer a reading passage on the legend of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe. I finally uploaded it to my TpT shop this morning. 

If you'd like to use this mini lesson with your own students or children, you can find it here in my TpT store. This one-page reading passage shares this legend based in Mexico. The informational text is written for students in 4th - 8th grade, and it includes an 8-question comprehension quiz plus answer key.

And, as always, it is available in both English and Spanish.

Enjoy!

Nacho Aprende, Lee y Colorea

The following is a sponsored post with Nacho Books. All thoughts and opinions are the writer's own.

This review is one of a series of educational books in Spanish available from the new Nacho Books website that shops these popular books across the United States. Find additional reviews in this series here. 

A Spanish Workbook for PreK - 1st

Nacho Aprende, Lee y Colorea is a fun 192-page practice book for young children from Nacho Books. At first glance it is a coloring book with an image to color on each page that is identified in Spanish and English. A wonderful way to introduce vocabulary in both languages or for English dominant speakers to learn the Spanish vocabulary. It would also work for Spanish dominant speakers who are younger and working on vocabulary development, hand strength and writing skills. 

The images themselves are cartoons of the items or roles connected to the words themselves. However, those looking for culturally sensitive materials should know that it does have a Eurocentric aesthetic. For example, the image for "Indio" has a boy, that does not have indigenous features, with a headband and three feathers... 

A great feature in this book is that the vowel tracing on the first few pages quickly progresses to full sentences to copy by the end of the book. Each phrase or sentence is written in both print and cursive, which is a nice touch. My son and I compared the two and identified similarities and differences in print and cursive so he could see that cursive doesn’t have to be intimidating.

There is an emphasis on syllable recognition. Syllables are highlighted in the main Spanish vocabulary word on each page, in the phrases, and children are given opportunities to fill in the correct syllable for lists of incomplete words several times throughout the book. The visual cues and repetition take it beyond a simple vocabulary coloring book. There are also word searches throughout to reinforce the vocabulary through play. My son was very excited about the word searches...

This book is a great practice workbook for young learners to build vocabulary, writing skills, motor skills and creative expression.

Click over the Nacho Books to order this and other titles to support your child’s emerging reading and writing in Spanish. 

-----

Monika Aldarondo is a former arts educator, and current photographer and creative shape-shifter with Puerto Rican roots. She posts about her bilingual home/un-schooling journey on Instagram @librolovinmama. Her photography and creative projects can be found at laancla.com.

Famous Couples in History & TpT Sale

 

Time for an update on printable education materials!

Famous Couples in History: A Growing Set

With Valentine's Day coming up I was inspired to start a set of reading passages that features famous couples in history. Each couple comes with a one-page reading passage and a comprehension question quiz. Answer keys are included.

This set currently features five couples:

• Cleopatra & Marc Antony
  
• Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera
• Coretta Scott & Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Queen Isabella I & King Ferdinand II
• Jacqueline Bouvier & John F. Kennedy

This is a growing set and more couples will be added in the coming months. 

All of the pages are available in English and Spanish. 

Find it here in my TpT store.

The TpT Sale

The TpT sale starts TOMORROW! 

Take advantage of these sales when TpT has them. Go through your wish lists and stock up for the coming month or two. Think ahead to what your teaching subjects will be. Off the top of my head, I think of 

• 100 Days of School
• Women's History Month
• Read Across America Day
• St. Patrick's Day
• Earth Day
• National Poetry Month
• and Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros

Holiday Gifting: Nacho Books

 

The following is a sponsored post in collaboration with Nacho Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. 

I hope you all had a lovely holiday last week. It was very different for us. I celebrated at home with just my husband and kids. We missed getting together with extended family, but their safety means more to us this year. 

Today, I'm kicking off another week of holiday gift recommendations! And I'm starting with one of my favorite resources for families who are homeschooling bilingually or in Spanish.

Nacho Books

I've shared these amazing books before on MommyMaestra, so I'm sure you've probably seen them. For families raising bilingual children and who are looking for resources to help their kids learn to read in Spanish, check out NACHO workbooks. They are entirely in Spanish and are recommended for those students who are familiar with Spanish or parents who speak Spanish and want to teach their students/children. The method has been used for more than 60 years and has helped millions of people learn how to read and write in Spanish. Nacho Books offers those books and its variations in Math, Reading Comprehension, Drawing, and more! (Seriously, did you know that they had books in subjects other than reading?!? I didn't!)

These books are great for students PK-2nd grade.

Get a discount!

Nacho Books are offering a discount code for Spanish teachers and/or homeschool moms that subscribe to their website. The discount code is: SPANISHTEACHER  

It'll give you 25% off of your entire order.

Upcoming Giveaway

Also, be sure to check back here for a holiday giveaway in December with Mommy Maestra that includes titles that are not shown in their website yet! SO exciting! I can't wait to share them with you!

Martín y Pepe - Spanish Beginning Reader Books

 

Friends, I'm excited about today's giveaway! (I know, I'm excited about ALL of them!) But this one is special to me because this series of books is loved by my 3yo. 

Last year, I shared these books with you in a sponsored post. Not only did I fall in love with the simple storylines and the beautiful illustrations, but so did my youngest. 

THEN, when I was hosting the Migrant Children's Book Drive last year, Dana Ryan - the author of this series - reached out to me and donated 40 copies (10 of each book). Y'all, I just really love this series and both the author and the illustrator. 

Rosa C. Lopez is the artist. She's brilliant. I actually had her create some art for me for a current project I'm working on and it was remarkable the choices she gave me. I had such a hard time narrowing it down and had to ask my own children to help me choose. And they had a hard time, too. Rosa is THAT good. 

Here's a time-lapse video of her working on the most recent book released in this series. Watch her brilliance in action... 

The Giveaway

Dana has SO kindly offered to give away one complete set of these beginning readers to one MommyMaestra reader! 

To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter below. 

Good luck, friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nacho Books

One of the things that I see coming up a LOT these days from parents raising bilingual children is a request for materials that teach children how to read in Spanish. Especially from parents who had children in immersion PreK and are now homeschooling them for Kindergarten.

A few years ago, I reviewed the Nacho (lectura) books from Susaeta. They have been SO POPULAR! So many parents have said that these were the books they used to learn to read. 

But the biggest hangup was that they are published in Latin America. Fortunately, there is one place here in the States where you can order them: Cultural Bytes. 

The Giveaway

But I'm very happy to announce that our friends at Cultural Bytes are offering a set of these awesome books for one lucky family.

This set includes (all shown above):
1- Nacho Lectura Inicial De Lectura (estados unidos)
1- Leo y Escribo 1
1- El Gran Nacho

To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway: 6-Month Subscriptions to FLANGOO

Do you guys know about Flangoo? It is the digital Spanish eReader service from Teacher's Discovery. All the books have full-chapter audio, comprehension questions, and other neat features (like QR codes). It's like Netflix for Spanish readers.

There are currently 18 readers available, but I know that they are working on adding a lot more, so it will be expanding its content significantly. Currently, their library of readers include Mira Canion, Jennifer Degenhardt, Blaine Ray, and more.

I reviewed some of the titles from their enhanced readers last September. Go take a look if you'd like to see the features and images of the inside pages.

One subscription is good for the teacher plus up to 150 students! So teachers, this is a really good giveaway for YOU!

If you want to try it out first, they are offering a free week trial. Go see all the high-quality readers they have!

The Giveaway

Teacher's Discovery has generously offered a pair of 6-month subscriptions to FLANGOO!

To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Las Adelitas for Kids & Young Adults

Las Adelitas for Kids

Are you looking for information on las Adelitas to share with your children or students? If so, MommyMaestra has you covered with several resources for different ages.

4th through 8th Grades:

Today is the last day of Women's History Month, so I created this one-page reading passage with a brief history of las Adelitas.

Mexico's soldaderas played a crucial role in the Mexican Revolution. They were the military women who cared for or fought alongside their male family members and sweethearts. Some were camp followers who helped feed, clothe, or care for the sick. Others fought valiantly in their respective militias. And they could be found in each of the groups, or armies, battling for control

But their story has been largely ignored by history. We've had to rely on family histories and even corridos to learn about them. But word-of-mouth is powerful and the image of Adelita has persisted and spread. It's even featured in a children's picture book by the popular children's author and illustrator, Tomie dePaola. Titled “Adelita,” it is the Mexican version of the Cinderella story and tells the tale of a young woman fighting for her future.


My one-page reading passage (shown at the top of this post) comes with an 8-question reading comprehension quiz and answer key. As with all of my one pages, the file includes both the English and Spanish versions.

High School & College:

• Here is an excellent article on Medium about the Revolution and the Adelita's role in it. The article is packed with great information and has beautiful photos. How the Women “Adelitas” Helped Win the Mexican Revolution of 1910: Women played an essential role in Mexico’s cultural shift towards economic and racial equality during the early 20th century. 


• For a more in-depth study, check out this article (thesis?) in the McNair Scholars Journal from Grand Valley State University:: From Soldadera to Adelita: The Depiction of Women in the Mexican Revolution.



Enjoy!

Famous Afro-Latinos Reading Passages

Great news! So many of you have been asking me over the years for a Spanish version of my popular Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos. You'll be delighted to know that I have FINALLY gotten it done.

In addition, I've added a page of reading comprehension questions for each reading passage. If you purchased the English packet before today, you can simply redownload the file from your TpT account.

To be clear, this file is now available in three formats to best suit your needs: English, Spanish, and a COMBO pack with both. Click on the links below to download them from TpT.

• English Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos
• Spanish Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos
• Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos COMBO PACK

Spanish-Language Magazines for Kids

As time goes on, the number of Spanish magazines for children fluctuates. Some of my favorites have been discontinued😭, while new ones have emerged😃. I really am sad that Iguana magazine is no longer in production. If you're looking for a gift to give your children that will last the whole year long, here are a few Spanish-language or bilingual magazines currently on the market.

The following links are affiliate links.

High Five Bilingüe™ Magazine

Created for kids ages 2 - 6 years old, this 36-page magazine has 14 pages of stories, puzzles and activities entirely in Spanish, the same ones in English, and a few bilingual pages.

Muy Interesante Junior Mexico (Update: No longer available.)

Kindle version only. I'm going to take a guess here that the magazine is geared for kids up to 12 or 14 years old. According to Amazon, this magazine is created for kids who want to learn something different about the world every day in a fun way. It includes excellent information about science, technology, nature, history, art, space exploration, the human body, traditions and customs, and much more. The information is presented in a simple and entertaining format. It supports literacy habits and critical thinking in children.  

Scholastic Spanish Classroom Magazines

These magazines are not geared toward specific grade levels, so much as language proficiency. You pick the level you are interested in and subscribe!

Other Posts You May Find Helpful...

• Ask en español & Alternatives
• Resources for Parents of Children Learning to Read in Spanish
• Reading in Spanish Program: Nacho Books
• El Gran Nacho: A Spanish Literacy Workbook
• First Readers in Spanish

Quick, No-Prep Day of the Dead Printables for Kids

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is only a few days away! Are you looking for quick, no-prep printables to introduce the holiday to your kids or students and to keep them busy? MommyMaestra has you COVERED!

Take a look at just some of the fabulous printables I have available (ALL of them in English AND Spanish!). The links below are to my TpT store, but you can also find them in my MommyMaestra shop. (Psst! If you buy directly from my shop, use the discount code DOD18 to get 25% off all Day of the Dead printables!)

Día de los Muertos Reading Passage

This is a one-page history on the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos. From where it is celebrated to the significance of the items closely associated with the holiday, this informational text is written for students in 4th - 8th grade. Includes an 8-question comprehension quiz plus answer key. 

Día de los Muertos Pre-K Activity Pack

Introduce your young students to the Día de los Muertos holiday with this fun activity pack! Available in English and Spanish with answer keys.

This pack includes:

- Number recognition (1-10)

- Find the difference

- Bigger vs. smaller

- Montessori nomenclature cards (English & Spanish)

- Book List of Day of the Dead Picture Books (Bilingual)

- Maze

- Tracing sheet

- Shadow match

- Vocabulary

- Writing sheets

Día de los Muertos Booklets

Celebrate and educate with this set of Day of the Dead booklets! This packet features three different styles of books: a flip book, an accordion book, and a booklet. Just choose the one that best suits your needs. 

All three are available... 

• in black-and-white or full color, 

• with descriptive text or blank to allow students to write inside, 

• and in English or Spanish.

Great for ESL, dual immersion, or Spanish learners. 

Write Your Own Calavera Poems

Teach your students about Calavera Poetry by having them create their own calavera poems! This activity includes a brief description of calavera poems, directions and graphic organizer for writing your own poem, sample calavera poems, and various Día de los Muertos writing pages. The directions and sample poems are in English only. The writing pages may be used in any language.

Día de los Muertos Ofrenda Labels

Is your class setting up an ofrenda this year? These labels help to explain to observers the various elements in the display. They may be used as framed posters or pinned to a display board.

In this packet, you’ll also find a set of small free-standing labels for each student to fill one out and place it next to the framed photograph(s) of their deceased loved one(s). These labels have space for the student to write the name, relationship, and likes/hobbies of the person being remembered.

Día de los Muertos Minibook

This minibook is an introduction to the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This book includes coloring pages of items most closely associated with the holiday, as well as brief descriptions in English and Spanish that are easy for young children to understand.

This file contains THREE books: 

• a bilingual book (English & Spanish)

• an English only (for ESL)

• a Spanish only (for Spanish learners)

Día de los Muertos Bilingual Puzzle Cards

For younger students, this set of bilingual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)-themed puzzle cards is a simple way to introduce new vocabulary. 

The 7 cards feature items associated with Day of the Dead...in English and Spanish.

Just print, cut, shuffle, and have your students piece them back together. This activity it good for language learners and preschoolers. You can laminate them for added durability.

Día de los Muertos Ten Frames

Incorporate a little culture and have fun with math! This set of ten frames comes with Day of the Dead images, such as pan de muerto, papel picado, cempasuchitl, and more. Includes blank frames for additional ten frame activities. 

Día de los Muertos Triptychs

Teach your students about Day of the Dead - Día de los Muertos - with my triptychs.

For younger students: these triptych coloring pages can be used as stand-alone triptychs or as templates for aluminum crafts. This kit comes with three printable triptych designs.

For older students: the triptychs include an informational passage that talks about the tradition and some of the elements associated with it.

Day of the Dead - Día de los Muertos - Activity BUNDLE

Save! When you purchase this activity bundle for Día de los Muertos. Best suited for elementary students, first-year Spanish students, ESL, and bilingual or immersion students. 

This packet includes five of my Day of the Dead activities.

New Spanish-Language Magazine: Mira el Mundo Junior

I occasionally get messages asking me for Spanish-language magazines for kids. Sadly, most have been discontinued over the years. But I was delighted to see one of my favorite TpT authors - Mundo de Pepita - launch two digital non-fiction magazines for elementary through middle school students.

Mira el Mundo and Mira el Mundo Junior are super fun magazines giving tidbits of information about animals and ecosystems in Latin America. The first is geared for upper elementary and middle school students, while the second is for younger learners in Pre-K - 1st grade.

You can find past issues of Mira el Mundo in their TpT shop, but Mira el Mundo Junior is new. While the monthly themes are the same for both, the magazines include activities and materials geared for students of different ages.

For instance, each issue of Mira el Mundo Junior contains:

• Information pages about the issue's topic, highlighting location, diet, and description
• Mini Poster of the animal featured
• 10 Word Wall Cards (can also be used as flashcards)
• Activity Pages to practice facts & vocabulary
• Whole Group Activity and/or Game
• Lesson ideas and list of links for additional resources online  

Mira el Mundo contains:

• Information pages about the issue's topic (two for all students and one geared for heritage speakers with additional vocabulary)
• Fact pages for students to fill out (practices reading and writing skills)
• Orthography page (especially geared for heritage speakers, but can also be used for all kiddos)
• Mini Poster illustrating science vocabulary related to each issue's topic
• Activity Page (for fun!)
• Activity suggestions and list of links for additional resources online

I absolutely love the layout! The combination of photographs and Julie's original illustration are so engaging for both young learners and adults alike. 

Julie and Matt, the co-creators of Mundo de Pepita, say this about their newest digital release:

Mira el Mundo Junior provides a non-fiction magazine for young learners of Spanish, featuring a variety of animals and habitats in the Spanish-speaking world. Utilizing high frequency vocabulary in the context of motivating topics, our magazine allows teachers and parents to integrate language and content together in a comprehensible approach, a winning combination for language acquisition! In addition, each issue includes cultural activities, word wall cards, whole class games, Youtube links, and more. 

I think what is unique (and most desired!) is that these magazines are not simply an English version translating to Spanish, frequently without any connection to the Spanish-speaking world. Instead, Julie says that she "strives really hard to make both of these magazines from the perspective of Spanish and the Spanish-speaking world, which feels more authentic to me for learners and teachers alike."

A 10-month subscription is now available for both magazines via TpT. It begins in August for the school year. Upcoming issues highlight the Andean flamingo (shown above), jaguars, monarch butterflies, and the Pantanal in Paraguay.

As a former zookeeper, you know I love this magazine! And after seeing the first issue, I would highly recommend it for classrooms, including homeschoolers.

One-Page Reading Passage on Los San Patricios

St. Patrick's Day is quickly approaching so I thought that now would be a good time to remind you about a little-known group of men in history called Los San Patricios.

Have you heard of them? To the U.S., they were considered traitors, but to Mexico, they were heroes. If you are looking for a unique angle to the annual holiday, consider teaching your kids about this historical group. If you have older children/students, this would be a great time to teach them about Los San Patricios.

I have a one-page reading passage plus 8-questions quiz available in my shop. It's best suited for students in 4th grade and higher. And the good news is that it is now available in both English and Spanish versions!

To download it instantly, just visit my TpT store or my MommyMaestra shop.

Reading in Spanish Program: Nacho Books

I OFTEN receive messages from homeschooling parents who are looking for a Spanish reading curriculum for their kids. If this sounds like you, read on!

I'm happy to remind you of another fantastic resource on our recommended Spanish Reading program list! You might remember me mentioning Nacho Lectura last year. Well, they recently sent me copies of some of their new books. And by new, I mean that they have now released a United States edition with reading passages dedicated to American symbols such as our flag, coat of arms, and even our national anthem lyrics in Spanish!

I can't stress enough how engaging these materials are. In fact, when I posted about it last year on the MommyMaestra Facebook page, many of you instantly recognized the book (with fondness!) from your own childhood. They are simple and colorful, and they make learning to read and spell fun for kids. I love how they focus on letter combinations, letter sounds, and syllables. And in the back of the book are short reading passages. Take a look...

I also love their Spanish dictionary! Not only does it give the definition of thousands of words in Spanish, but it also has sections dedicated to:

• the parts of speech (i.e., nouns, verbs, etc.)
• synonyms
• capital letters
• spelling
• the universe
• anatomy
• the senses
• animals
• plants
• inventions
• and musical instruments

And these books are just the tip of the iceburg...

These resources are a bilingual homeschooler's treasure trove! The dictionary alone is totally worth buying online, and the writing workbook is excellent for beginning writers.

To learn more, visit Cultural Bytes.

Disclosure: I received copies of these books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Spanish Mini Books by Lectura para niños {GIVEAWAY}

Today's giveaway comes from one of my favorite Spanish immersion resources, Lectura para niños. If you've followed MommyMaestra for a while, then you may remember many of the free downloads that they've shared on the site. Their focus is on creating educational printables for students in PreK through 2nd grade, mostly materials for learning to read in Spanish, like this set of mini books.

They are aligned with the same letter of the week and site words as the Maravillas Reading series. You can read more about this series on the McGraw Hill website, or order books directly from Amazon using this search...


Leah, the owner, says...

"I created these little books to work on during small groups. Students will reinforce the beginning sounds, syllables & automaticity with their sight words taught throughout the week. They will also practice segmenting words into syllables as well as blend syllables to form words.

To use them, print enough books for one group. Then laminate and bind them together.

One teacher or assistant will go through this book with the students at the pacing of the students in your group. My more advanced group will be able to get through more pages than the others. I will also be using this during my intervention time with my students who need extra time.

My small group reading happens for 45 minutes. My students are required to switch between myself and two assistants. We rotate groups every 15 minutes. One of my assistants will work on this with my kiddos.

My materials are in no way associated with or endorsed by McGraw Hill - Maravillas reading series. I have created these small books to complement the program and our small reading groups.

How to play the board games:

1. Practice reading around the board, tracking and following the letters and words. We do this a lot before we start playing the game. These game boards really help students with tracking and staying together. The colors help, as well. If the student loses their place, the colors help when I say, "We are on the word yo. The color is red," etc.

2. Roll the die (In the beginning, I use a die that only has 1, 2, & 3 on the die because there aren't that many spaces. We roll the die, move that many spaces. The student needs to say the letter or word or they have to return to their prior space. The first person to make it to the end of the board wins.

The Giveaway

Lectura para niños has graciously offered a free set of these mini books to 3 MommyMaestra readers!

To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway