Grade 1 Spanish Curriculum: Fun, Affordable, and Effective Learning for Kids

Below is an easy-to-follow Grade 1 Spanish Curriculum, with additional sections to cover our approach for:

• Spanish Numbers and Math Lessons
• Spanish Curriculum: Lessons in Music
• Spanish Curriculum for Art
• Curriculum in Spanish for learning History
• Spanish Curriculum for Science
• Preschool Spanish Curriculum

Key Facts and Benefits to Teaching Spanish in 1st Grade 

The Spanish language is among the most widely spoken in the United States, with around 41 million native speakers and millions of learners. Here are some important facts about Spanish in the U.S.:

• Largest Second-Language Population: The U.S. has the second-largest population of Spanish speakers worldwide, following Mexico.
• Popular Language Choice: Over half of U.S. college students and over 70% of K-12 students choose Spanish as their foreign language.
• Growing Hispanic Population: As of July 2022, the Hispanic population represents 19.1% of the U.S. population, making Spanish an increasingly valuable language for communication.

Learning Spanish at an early age not only helps build language skills but also fosters cultural awareness and communication skills, which are essential for a globalized world.

Grade 1 Spanish Curriculum Goals

For your first-grade Spanish program, set practical and achievable goals for language basics, focusing on key topics that build foundational knowledge:

• Colors
• Numbers 1-20
• Days of the Week
• Months of the Year
• Basic Greetings and Phrases (e.g., “My name is…”, “Good morning”)
• Animals

Introduce these concepts in fun, engaging ways.

Learning Spanish in Grade 1

1. Learn Spanish Through Songs

Songs are a fantastic method for memorizing new words and phrases, especially for young learners. Kids often retain songs for years, making it a powerful tool for language learning. Here are some Spanish songs on YouTube:

• Colors:
  • The Colors in Spanish by Traposo US
• Counting:
  • Numbers Song in Spanish by Basho & Friends
• Months of the Year:
  • Learn the Months of the Year in Spanish by Mindy Marissa

2. Playing Games to learn Spanish 

Interactive games make language learning feel like play rather than work. One activity we love is BINGO: create bingo sheets with pictures of animals, colors, or numbers, and call out the words in Spanish. This reinforces vocabulary and makes learning social and fun.

3. Labeling Everyday Items in Spanish

Labeling objects around the home with their Spanish names encourages daily practice and reinforces vocabulary. For example, label the “door” as “puerta” or the “table” as “mesa.” It’s a subtle yet effective way to incorporate Spanish into daily life.

4. Spanish Websites & Apps for Extra Practice

In addition to hands-on activities, there are some excellent online resources and apps for practicing Spanish:

• Spanish Town – A resourceful website for young Spanish learners.
• Endless Spanish – An app available for Android and iPhone with interactive games that help kids learn vocabulary and basic phrases.