Punto a punto

I love to take regular old activities and use them in my class. So many things can be easily modified for the FL classroom. Dot to dots are a great example. Easy to find (look in the kids section at most bookstores, ask a fellow gen ed teacher, go online on google images and do a search) they come in a variety of levels, from the simple 1-10 to the more difficult, and on loads of themes, from animals to outer space to just about anything! Here are two ways I use them:
*The very simple- for practicing counting, I give my kinders a simple 1-10 or 1-20 dot to dot. As a group, we connect the dots- kids are not allowed to connect the next dot until we have all said the next number. Usually I will say "What's the next number?", they will respond, then I direct them to making the connecting line and so on to the end. Then I will ask what the picture is. Obviously I choose a dot to dot that makes something they know how to say in Spanish. They can then color the picture.
*A trickier technique- I choose a dot to dot but white-out the numbers. (Make sure you have an original to look at when doing this). I rewrite the numbers, but put them out of order. Then, prepare a set of number cards, putting them in the order in which they will appear to correctly finish the dot to dot. These will be used during the lesson for those kiddos who are having a brain block on a particular number. During the lesson, inform the class that they will need to listen to you very carefully to be able to connect the dots correctly. If they simply go in numerical order, they will mess it up. Then start by having them put their pencil on the first number and telling which number to connect it to. They draw the line, then you give the next connecting number and so on until the end. Since this requires your students to know the numbers out of order, I often hold up the number cards I prepared to help them along, especially with higher or more difficult ones. Remember, even if you are showing them the answer, they are still using their listening skills as they listen to you and they are not translating as they go if you show them the cards. At the end, ask what the picture is and let them color. In a twenty minute class, there is usually only a few minutes left for them to color so often they take it home to color there.

Have fun!