Spanish

Bienvenidos

Welcome! I'm Heather Norberg (Belinsky) and I teach Spanish to Kindergarteners-5th graders at South River and Tenniswood Elementary. I've been teaching in the district since August 2000 and I'm very excited to be your child's teacher this year. I use songs, games, TPR and skits to teach reading, writing, speaking and listening in Spanish. Your child will have Spanish once per week for 40-50 minutes. 

In May 2000, I graduated with a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in Psychology, Spanish and Education. Before becoming a teacher, I spent a summer taking classes at Universidad de Alcala de Henares in Spain and also participated in a MSU/OSU graduate program in the Dominican Republic. I earned my Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Saginaw Valley University in May 2006. In 2011, I completed Central Michigan University's Master in Counseling program.

I consider myself a lifelong learner; I am always trying to learn something that will help me become better at what I do. In my spare time, I like to read, travel, be outdoors, camp and spend time with my daughter.

Contact Heather Norberg (Belinsky)

External LinkLiteracy Center - Practice for colors, numbers, and shapes

External LinkWhy should my child learn a language?

This year your Kindergartener will experience Spanish once a week for 50 minutes. I am very excited to be your child’s teacher. Through games, songs and stories, the children will be learning basic Spanish such as colors and numbers in addition to topics that relate to the general curriculum. They will also begin to develop an awareness of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries through stories, songs and projects. At this stage of their development, the focus is on oral and listening skills in Spanish. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time. Below, you will find an outline of the topics your child will learn about this year in Spanish. Please feel free to contact us via e-mail.

Kindergarten Curricular Topics Include:

This year your first grader will experience Spanish once a week for 40-50 minutes. I am very excited to be your child’s teacher. Through games, songs and stories, the children will be learning basic Spanish such as colors and numbers in addition to topics that relate to the general curriculum. They will also begin to develop an awareness of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries through stories, songs and projects. At this stage of their development, the focus is on oral and listening skills in Spanish. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time.

Below, you will find an outline of the topics your child will learn about this year in Spanish.  Please feel free to contact us via e-mail.

First Grade Curricular Topics Include:

This year your second grader will experience Spanish once a week for 50 minutes. The primary program consists of lots of games, songs, and role-playing. It is meant to be a fun and open learning environment. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time.

By the end of this year your student should be able to:

  • Know and use the words for PDF Documentweather and PDF Documentseasons
  • Use and understand calendar vocabulary (months/days/dates)
  • Recognize holidays and birthdays
  • Tell time on the hour and half hour
  •  Know the parts of the house
  • Know the places and people of their school
  • Begin to do addition and subtraction
  • Recognize common foods
  • Begin to recognize/identify numbers 1-100

This year your third grader will experience Spanish once a week for 50 minutes. The elementary program consists of lots of games, songs, and role-playing. It is meant to be a fun and open learning environment. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time.

By the end of this year your student should be able to:

  • Beginning multiplication/division
  • Know and use animal vocabulary
  • Tell time (half hour intervals)
  • Discuss favorite PDF Documentsports and tell when they are played (a review of PDF Documentweather and seasons)
  • Learn about, compare and contrast Spanish and Mexican holidays
  • Numbers 1 – 1,000,000
  • Recognize foods grown in Michigan

This year your fourth grader will experience Spanish once a week for 50 minutes. The elementary program consists of lots of games, songs, and role-playing. It is meant to be a fun and open learning environment. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time.

By the end of this year your student should be able to:

  • Use food vocabulary
    • foods found in a market
  • Know how to shop in a market setting (including how to barter)
  • Learn about the southwest U.S. region
    • Weather, schools, homes
    • Influence of Spanish language on English language/Region
  • Know names of family members
  • Know how to express feelings
  • Describe or name clothing in Spanish
  • Describe someone using physical descriptions

This year your fifth grader will experience Spanish once a week for 50 minutes. The elementary program consists of lots of games, songs, and role-playing. It is meant to be a fun and open learning environment. Research shows that students who study languages early in their schooling tend to be more fluent over time.

By the end of this year your student should be able to:

  • Recognize, name and find the Spanish speaking countries on a map/globe.
  • Recognize, use and know the value of currency used in Spanish speaking countries.
  • Know appropriate manners and vocabulary for dining in restaurants.
  • Know and use the names of different places and people (careers) in the PDF Documentcommunity.
  • Be familiar with and use the vocabulary for the types of transportation used within our community and in other countries.
  • Recognize some hobbies/sports in Spanish