La Arana Pequenita- The Itsy Bitsy Spider

In the next few weeks of Spanish class we will be learning the Itsy Bitsy Spider in Spanish.

Although many English Speakers know this song, it is also widely known across Latin America, too.

There are various versions with slightly different wording. I enjoy teaching this song because it offers an opportunity to learn some common words (spider, sun, rain, climbed) and also a chance to learn the opposites big/little.

It also addresses the diminutive (fancy grammar word for "making things little) in Spanish. In Spanish you can add "ito" or "ita" to the end of many words to turn it into little bitty.

Example:

Pequena= Small
Pequenita= Little Bitty

Hermano= Brother
Hermanito= Little Brother

We are singing the Jose Luis Orozco version of La Arana Pequenita, which is really cute and very colorful. However, here is a different version that I found on Youtube. It is simple but also cute and uses some of our vocabulary. Show the video to your child as a visual aid to what we do in class!

Words:

La Arana Pequenita       The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Tejio Su Telarana          Sewed his web
Vino La Lluvia               Along came the rain
Y Se La Llevo               And carried him away
Salio El Sol                    Out came the sun
Y Todo Se Seco            And dried everything up
Y La Arana Pequenita   And the itsy bitsy spider
Subio, Subio, y Subio    Climbed, Climbed and climbed.

Cancion- Cinco Calabazas (Song- Five Pumpkins)

Cinco calabazas on a sunny day
Along comes ________ and carries one away. (take one away each time)

Now how many pumpkins are there? (child answers in Spanish). If you know and would like to use more Spanish, you can ask this question in Spanish: "Ahora, cuantas calabazas hay?

Cuatro calabazas on a sunny day.
Along comes _______ and carries one away.........

Tres- 3
Dos- 2
Una- 1 (feminine since calabaza is feminine)
Ninguna- none

Continue until there are no pumpkins left.

In the blank, you can insert any person or word. Sometimes I use each child's name in the class and let them carry a pumpkin away when I call their name and answer how many are left. You could use your name, your child's name or any other word you think of!

Feliz Octubre! Happy October! Spanish Class Update.

Estimados Padres (Dear Parents),

It is hard to believe that October is already here!

See below for some of the things I have planned for Spanish classes for the month of October!

Songs:

We will be learning "La Arana Pequenita" in Spanish (The Itsy Bitsy Spider). Our version is sung by Jose Luis Orozco and he does a traditional version with a little bit of a twist!

We will also sing a counting song called "Cinco Calabazas" (Five Pumpkins).

Opposites:

Our monthly opposites will be "big" and "little." In addition to our opposites train that we do on the way to class, we will be using Spanish to compare things that are big or little as well as using those words in "The Itsy Bitsy Spider."

Colors:

Our monthly colors will be "black" and "orange."

Counting:

We will be counting pumpkins and spiders. How far they count varies from child to child. Some children who took Spanish already can count further than others, so in addition to our group counting/singing I work with each child to get them a little further than they can already count.

Art:

We will be making "Itsy Bitsy Spider Puppets" to go along with the song. We will also be making a play-dough spider as well as doing an orange and black sorting craft. We will also finish our "All About Me" project that we started in September.

Conversation:

We will focus on answering the question "Como Te Llamas" which means "What is your name?"

Vocabulary:

Below are some of the focus words that your child will be hearing this month in Spanish. See your weekly parent e-mail to know which days we use these words, as it can vary from class to class. By the end of the month, your child should know at least a few of these words and some children may know all of them!

Grande- Big (gron-day)
Pequeno- Little (pay-kane-yoe)
Arana- Spider (ah-ran-ya)
LLuvia- Rain (you-vee-ah)
El Sol- Sun (el sole)
La Calabaza- Pumpkin (la ca-la-ba-sah)
Las Hojas- Leaves (oh-has)
Negro- Black (neh-groe)
Anaranjado- Orange (ah-na-ran-ha-doe)
Como te llamas- What's your name? (koe-moe-tay-ya-mas)
Me llamo- My name is (may-ya-moe)
Mira- Look! (mee-rah)
Octubre- October (ock-too-bray)

As always, feel free to contact me at bestamigosnc@gmail.com or by phone at 231-3514 anytime!

Senora Mellor
Best Amigos Spanish