Updated! Stuck at home? Sick kids? Extended school break or long weekend? Are your kids bouncing off the walls but can’t go outside? Need an independent learning activity that is adaptable to virtually any age group? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this Spanish Days of the Week Book (Libro de animales y días de la semana) is for you!
Hidden Learning
Through a fun activity, students are introduced to:
- Spanish Animal Vocabulary / Vocabulario de animales
- Spanish Days of the Week / Días de la semana
- Singular Versus Plural
Internet Integration
Did you know there are live animal and “creature cams” provided by zoos, aquariums, rescue organizations, and other groups all over the world? This printable book is designed to pair with live cameras for an interactive internet adventure.
Live “Creature Cams”*
The order and types of animals in this activity are based on a selection from the San Diego Zoo’s Live Animal Cams. The original file reflected the animal cameras available in 2020, but we just updated it on April 16, 2021. (We miss you, butterfly cam!) However, the pages could easily be used with other live cameras. There are even extra pages for kids and teens to draw and write-in their personal favorites.
Consider visiting some of the other live “creature cams” around the world or comparing and contrasting cameras. For example, Edinburgh Zoo is five hours ahead of the San Diego Zoo.
Zoos and Animal Parks
- Most aligned cam: San Diego Zoo (here)
- Edinburgh Zoo (here)
- National Zoo (here)
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (here)
Marine and Ocean Life
Other Live Cameras
*Disclaimer: Professor Pepper / this website is in no way affiliated with any of the aforementioned organizations, zoos, aquariums, or other groups. The links provided here are for convenience and lead to third-party websites. Although all appropriate diligence has been exercised in selecting safe, educationally appropriate links, Professor Pepper LLC is not responsible for the content or safety of third-party websites.
Adapting to Different Ages and Abilities
Preschoolers
For cutting practice, young learners can cut out the pages to create their own Spanish Days of the Week book(s). To practice fine-motor skills, the clipart is colorable.
For the singular versus plural sections (and page), young students might enjoy singing the sounds song (e.g., “La be dice be, la be dice be . . . “) and writing or attempting to write the first letter of each animal’s name in Spanish. For example, a preschooler might write, “M” for “mariposa.”
An alternate activity is to ask students to practice writing the numerals “1” and “2” with a plus sign for “2” (i.e., “2+”). This will help them practice fine motor skills for straight and curved figures and also to develop a concept of groups, which will be reinforced when they see animal cameras with one animal versus groups of animals.
Since very young learners may be most comfortable writing or attempting to write familiar shapes or letters for each day, they can pick their favorites. Letters “X,” “S,” and “O” are popular, as are zeros and check marks.
Slightly older children may enjoy writing the number of animals they see or “sí” or “no” in the boxes.
Young Elementary
For young elementary students, all the above recommendations apply. However, a great idea is to consider asking more advanced students to write simple constructions, such as: “Hay cinco elefantes” or “No hay elefantes.”
Students who do not yet know Spanish numbers can write numerals or may find the small, printable vocabulary cards at the beginning of the Find and Circle Spanish Numbers pack a great place to start.
Elementary and Beyond
The sky is the limit! Students can perform tasks such as those above, or they can expand their learning by writing longer sentences. For example, on Monday, a student might write, “Hoy, hay dos mariposas.” Then, on Tuesday, the student might write, “Ayer, vi dos mariposas” on the back of the page.
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