Spanish Counting Story - Gatos, gatos - Había una vez - Unit 4

This is the fourth story in the "Había una vez - Year 1" curriculum. It directly follows Chocolate. If you are not following this curriculum, you can teach "Gatos, gatos" as a stand-alone story.

IMPORTANT: Do not purchase this story if you have already purchased Había una vez - Year 1 - Set 1 since "Gatos, gatos" is included in that bundle.

I created this story for students in an elementary FLES program. It will work best with students from preschool through second grade.

In this story, there is a boy named Pedro. Pedro's grandmother has eight cats. His grandmother says, "Cats, cats, I have lots of cats!" She gives one cat away. Now she has seven cats. She gives another cat away. Now she has six cats. At the end of the story, the grandmother only has one cat. . . or does she?

This bundle includes:

• Gatos, gatos - picture story

• Teacher's guide

• Story cards

• Printable student version

• Vocabulary handout

• Game cards

• Posters

• 10 counting cards for practicing colors and numbers

• 2 worksheets with a full answer key (for older students)

• 1 tracing worksheet (for younger students)

• Review worksheets for students following the "Había una vez" curriculum.

• Classroom library story - Los gatos

Complete list of units in the "Había una vez - Year 1" Curriculum:

• Unit 1: La familia

• Unit 2: La familia de galletas

• Unit 3: Chocolate

• Unit 4: Gatos, gatos

• Unit 5: Los tres osos

• Unit 6: Los monstruos

• Unit 7: Diego está enfermo

• Unit 8: Pobre Enzo

• Unit 9: Cinco ratoncitos

• Unit 10: La Caperucita Roja

• Thanksgiving Mini-Unit: El pavo de muchos colores

• Unit 11: El pirata y el mono

• Unit 12: Elefante va a la escuela

• Unit 13: El zorro

• Unit 14: El muñeco de nieve

• Unit 15: Los tres chivos

• Unit 16: Está lloviendo

• Unit 17: La abuela y la serpiente

I teach this story with TPRS®, a method developed by Blaine Ray. This story provides input that is comprehensible, engaging, and carefully structured to include lots of repetition. I have been using TPRS® in my classes since 2007 and have found it to be a highly successful method for learning languages. I have used TPRS® with preschool through adult classes and have found that learners of all ages are captivated by stories.

When I am reading the story to the whole class, I project it on a Promethean Board from my computer (many PDF viewing programs have the option to view PDF files as full page or as a slideshow). I also print out several copies, laminate them, and keep them as part of our classroom library. If students finish their work early, they can go to the library and check out a book. I also incorporate regular reading time in our class periods so all students can review the stories we have already learned.

NOTE: This story is sold in PDF format. I have received some requests to put these stories in PowerPoint format. However, many of the artists who create educational clipart specify that the clipart must be locked down in a PDF file, as this secures the file images. Some PDF viewing programs have the option to "view as slideshow", which looks very similar to a PowerPoint presentation. Other programs have the option to view as full screen or full page. This is how I use the PDF files in my class.

This story uses the following vocabulary:

- hola

- me llamo

- se llama

- ésta es

- la abuela

- el amigo

- la amiga

- bebés

- tiene

- dice

- le da _____ a

- está

- grita

- tengo

- contento(a)

- mi

- un

- una

- muchos

- ya

- no

- sólo

- uno

- dos

- tres

- cuatro

- cinco

- seis

- siete

- ocho

- rojo

- azul

- verde

- amarillo

- anaranjado

- rosado

- morado

- gris

- ¡Ay, no!