This year for the first time ever I am teaching a novel in the first quarter of Spanish 1. El capibara con botas by Mira Canion is the ultimate first reader since it contains just 55 new vocabulary words and has a new teacher’s guide. You can find all posts I have for the novel using the label Capibara and here are all posts about novels. Here is what we did before starting the novel, as well as for chapters 1-4.
Before starting the novel
You can see much more in-depth my plan before starting the novel in this post.
Plus my review in this post.
Below are the highlights with links.
Vocabulary preparation (high-frequency verbs)
- Super 7 Unit with special person interviews using Super 7 Present Tense Spanish BUNDLE
- Somos Units 1-5 (completed unit 5 this year & others in exploratory previous years)
- El capibara especial story – Miss Maestra
Culture and content preparation
- Ecuador Reading
- Capibara & Ecuador stations
- Animals of South America Introduction (from Kristen Duncan)
Chapter by Chapter Ideas
Below is what we did moving through the novel. Please remember this is my first time teaching this book, so I have been learning as I go.
Chapter 1
Kindergarten Day
Since we started the novel during Homecoming week, I hyped up pajama day into Kindergarten style reading of the novel. Students brought in blankets and pillows and made a big nest while I read to them. We discussed projected questions as we went.
We played Quizlet Live as an entertaining time-filler at the end of a class.
I keep links to already created kahoots, quizlet live & quizizz to use for instances like this.
I keep links to already created kahoots, quizlet live & quizizz to use for instances like this.
Students created their own capibara using this template. They wrote out in Spanish an introduction of their capibara. Students then shared these with multiple partners and we compared them to the main character Carlos all in Spanish. I usually do not do many craftitivties, but this was perfect for homecoming week and provided a lot of repetitions of “es” “es de” and “tiene.” We also compared the parents of the fictional capibara and the one in the book.
Chapter 2
Teacher Read
Since it is the first novel they have ever read, I read to the students, while they followed along in their own copy. I stopped as we went discussing questions that were projected.
Readers Theater
We had actors with props portray the entertaining conversation and farts in chapter 2.
This class had never used this site and loved how you can move at your own pace.
A written summary of Ch1-2
At the end of a class, I gave students a few minutes to just retell as much as they could about the book. Most did a great job as baby parrots regurgitating the story.
Reading Assessment Ch1-2
The next day, we did a simple reading assessment matching characters and descriptions and answering a few true-false statements. From the data on this assessment, as well as feedback on the back of our quiz that we were moving way too slowly for most students, so I switched it up with more options for differentiation the next day. (This is way it is so important to ask for feedback!)
Chapter 3
Reading Club Reading
After feedback, I decided to do chapter 3 in more of a differentiated reading club with options. If students did well on their assessment and felt confident as readers, they could read the chapter alone and complete activities in the slide show of activities posted on Google Classroom. This included comprehension questions, fill-in-the-blank vocabulary practice, and open-ended chapter retell.
Those who wanted to be read to, discuss, and complete activities together, sat with me. This was a GAME CHANGER for my most challenging classes. Some of the students had been acting out since they were Bored and we were moving too slowly. They flourished when given more autonomy and control. It was a great reminder for me to make sure I am reaching the high flyers, as well as those who need more support.
Scrambled Sentences
In another idea from Kristen Duncan, students worked with pairs on a whiteboard to unscramble projected words into sentences. (Ex. es / Ecuador / de / Carlos – Carlos es de Ecuador). We discussed and corrected them together.
As an extension, I wrote the same sentences plus more on colored paper, each word, and punctuation on a separate piece. Students worked with a partner to manipulate these cards into a full sentence. Once they finished a sentence and checked it, they would return their set and get a new one. This was very helpful for the little words like la, del, un, etc. It was a tricky way to sneak in adjective agreement and word order as well. Most students said it was very helpful since my perfectionists have been complaining about not being able to put together sentences like they would like to.
Chapter 4
Differentiated Reading Based on Class
I have one small section that I will probably always read to. There are a few students who could read alone, but as a collective, they always chose to read with me and complete activities together. In the other section, I gave the option to read with me or read alone. Once done reading I had a few activity options in the slide show on Classroom, which they could choose from.
Order of events
As a simple reading practice, I had sentence strips of ten main events of the novel. Students worked in pairs to order the events and then checked using their books.
Listening Assessment Ch.1-4
Students listened to sentences from the novel and matched them with pictures from the book.
More resources for teaching the novel
My El capibara con botas Pinterest Board for more ideas for cultural expansion.
Hopefully, I will be sharing as we continue the novel. Use the label Capibara to find all posts related to the novel or novels for all posts related to the topic.
Next post – Teaching Capibara Chapters 5-9
Have you taught El capibara con botas? Please share any additional ideas in the comments!
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Updated resources & blog posts for teaching the novel
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Thanks for the ideas! How much time did you spend preteaching vocab? How long are you planning on spending on the novel? Did all your students have Spanish in middle school? I ask just because sometimes I run into situations where I have some students who have had Spanish and some who have not. I love the ideas on differentiating and giving them choices!!! Great post!
Allison, how long did you spend on the novel? (I just ordered and received a class set for my 8th grade exploratory class. They meet every other day for a semester, so I'm debating as to whether or not I can have this semester's class read it before Christmas break.)
I think it took a month total!
I was inspired by your posts and am reading El Capibara with my students. Do you happen to have copies of your activities for sale? Putting the events in the story in order, fill in the blank vocab activities, etc. Thanks! I saw some things, but I would love to access others as well. Also, I have looked into deforestation and was wondering if you had an explanation for this as I will soon be teaching Chapter 5. Gracias!
where is the book