Espantapájaros means scarecrow, said Sophia.
Calabaza means pumpkin, added Alexandra.
Sophia and Alexandra, students in the District’s kindergarten biliteracy program, excitedly shared their new English vocabulary words with each other last week. The students are currently learning different words associated with autumn (or otoño), in honor of the season.
Now in its second year, District 58’s biliteracy program includes 36 students in grades K-2 whose primary language is Spanish. The program provides instruction in Spanish and English and is split into two classrooms: a kindergarten class and a combined first-second grade class.
Last week, teacher Maria Ibarra Lorence led the students outside to build their own espantapájaros. As they tied, stuffed and built the scarecrow, they practiced speaking in both Spanish and English.
“The students have really expanded their Spanish and English vocabularies these past couple of months,” Ibarra Lorence said. “They are learning so much! I’m very proud of their hard work.”