In this post: Get a glimpse into one of our level 2 Spanish units as we explore the exotic birds that call Latin America home.
With the number of resources available today, there’s never been a better time to get your kids to learn a second language. The best part is that all the teaching can take place right at home!
Consider our programs at Llamitas Spanish which are all rooted in thematic learning for the early years. We recently launched Level 2 which includes a deep dive unit on the topic of birds- including a fascinating folktale about the Mayan legend of the hummingbird!
Related post: Spanish Lessons about the Maya civilization
We’ll talk more about the structure of our level 2 curriculum later but for now, let’s get into the topic for today – los pájaros (birds)!
Table of Contents
Bird Names in Spanish
Previously, we introduced some birds in level 1 with the garden, jungle and farm units. You may remember pato, gallo, gallina and others.
Now with level 2, you can deep dive into more exotic birds from Latin America along with others that are more widely known too.
| Spanish | English |
| cóndor | condor |
| ñandú | rhea |
| colibrí | hummingbird |
| cisne | swan |
| pelícano | pelican |
| pavo real | peacock |
| flamenco | flamingo |
| águila | eagle |
| paloma | dove/pigeon |
| guacamayo | macaw |
| pingüino | penguin |
| tucán | toucan |
| capuchino | capuchin |
| carpintero | woodpecker |
| águila arpía | harpy eagle |
| albatros | albatross |
| quetzal | quetzal |
Related post: Dual Language Homeschool Education
Spanish Unit Study about Birds
Like all our units in level 2, this one will include a number of hands-on activities with cross-curricula elements like phonics, math, literacy, geography, cultural studies, history and more!
Specifically, in this unit on birds, students will learn about measurements, locked syllables, adjectives and adjectival agreement as well as addition and subtraction (in Spanish) with numbers 1-20.
They will also learn about migratory birds, birds across the world, the anatomy of a bird, birds of prey and, in the latter half of the unit they will learn about the Mayan culture!
We’re sure your kids will also be excited to learn more about musician, singer and songwriter Daria Musica, a native Peruvian, who talks about a beautiful instrumental song called ‘El condor pasa’ and traditional musical instruments from that country and region.
Spanish Books about Birds
- Sobre los pájaros: Una guía para niños by Cathryn Sill
The perfect companion to this bird study unit. This book has simple, short sentences on each page and beautiful illustrations. Learn basic vocabulary about the features of birds and verbs to describe their movements.
- La vida secreta de las aves by David Lindo
An amazing book that combines gorgeous illustrations and photos to help young students discover how amazing birds are, their role in the planet and how we can help them. It includes different activities to enrich their learning about this topic.
- El libro de los pájaros by Nathalie Tordjman
A wonderful book that will keep your attention from start to finish with all the details it offers about these amazing winged animals. You will find information about over 150 birds, QR codes, challenges, games and much more! An excellent resource for beginners up to advanced level readers.
- Coco la cotorra puertorriqueña by Frances Díaz Evans
In a bird sanctuary named ‘Iguaca’, in a tropical forest known as ‘El Yunque’, a captive parrot looks to be released. She feels so happy but once freed, will she be accepted for the wild flock of birds?
- Pop la paloma poeta by Félix Blanco Calvo
Pop, a wonderful carrier pigeon is more than ready to help two adorable elders, Gino and Dina overcome a situation they are experiencing. Would Pop be able to help them out? This is a great book suitable for all ages where the topic of ‘loneliness’ is managed in an appropriate way.
- Las aventuras del Sr. Macaw by Leticia Ordaz
One of the most magical experiences for children is flying a kite. In this authentic, bilingual story, meet Mr Macaw the kite that takes off on an adventure around the village.
- El gallo que no se callaba by Carmen Agra Deedy
La Paz is a happy, but noisy village. A little peace and quiet would make it just right. So the villagers elect the bossy Don Pepe as their mayor. Before long, singing of any kind is outlawed. Even the teakettle is afraid to whistle! But there is one noisy rooster who doesn’t give two mangoes about this mayor’s silly rules. Instead, he does what roosters were born to do.
Related post: Supporting Biliteracy Through Elementary Spanish Stories
Spanish Songs about Birds
We always include songs in our curriculum with bilingual lyrics so get ready to sing along while learning.
The calming melody of this song is like a lullaby. Will the beautiful songs of this bird wake the sleeping baby? Listen to find out.
The cuckoo sings while the owl responds. Enjoy to this upbeat and high-energy song that captures the exchange between the two.
This woodpecker disrupts 3 pears on a tree but soon finds a clever way to restore harmony and continue doing what he loves.
Dance, sing and fly with these colorful birds as you practice your pronunciation and expand your vocabulary in Spanish.
Enjoy this classic style of folklore music called gaita which incorporates the distinct sounds of the woodpecker.
Spanish Homeschool Curriculum
With adequate guidance, your kids can continue to enjoy the benefits of bilingualism as they grow and advance by using our level 2 curriculum. It expands their learning by using a thematic, structured open-and-go approach with culturally rich and academic units.
Students will build on the foundations in level 1 by developing reading fluency in Spanish and the common core for grade levels 1-3.
Related post: Here’s Why Thematic Spanish Lessons for Kids Actually Work
As for the structure of level 2, here’s how it differs from level 1:
- It includes 6 units that are more in-depth with 12 lessons in each unit (level 1 has 12 units with 6 lessons per unit).
- Lessons 1-4 are always focused on thematic vocabulary, phonics and math while lessons 5-8 are always based on the folktale for that unit and literacy/grammar through storytelling.
- Lessons 9-12 focus on a humanities element (geography, culture, history by further expanding the thematic vocabulary).
This program is perfect for intermediate or bilingual families. For beginners – they must start with level 1! Go take our NEW quiz to help you discern which level to start with and visit our curriculum shop to explore our Level 2 “Primaria Baja” today.
Kimberly is a freelance writer from Trinidad and Tobago who was always fascinated by language and holds a B.A in Spanish with a minor in Linguistics. She considers herself to be a multipotentialite due to her many interests and a few of her favorite things include coffee, pasta and scented candles.