Learning about the planets in Spanish, kids draw on information they already know. They learn the basic facts of the solar system in the early grades. When children learn this information again in Spanish, they understand and absorb key vocabulary. There are many Spanish language materials about the planets to use with school age children. Like English materials, the older activities include Pluto as one of the planets and the newer ones do not.
Learning about the Planets in Spanish
Websites About the Planets in Spanish
This site introduces children to the planets in Spanish. The scroll box has basic information in simple sentences.
This site Pregúntale a un astrónomo – para niños (Ask an Astronomer -for kids) is set up as a series of questions. The information is presented in a format that raises kids’ curiosity and encourages them to think about the solar system.
This blog in Spanish is dedicated to teaching children about the universe.
Printable Activities about the Planets in Spanish
This has information about each planet. Each page gives facts about a planet including its size, number of moons, temperature and a few lines of information.
This astronomy workbook has activities on the planets in Spanish.
The section Actividades para la aula, from the site Te astronomía, has a script for a play, printable coloring pages, and printable instructions and templates for other activities. Several of these are printable versions of the online games. Te astronomía is part of a larger website Mirando las estrellas that has activities about the planets in Spanish at three different levels.
Spanish Games about the Planets
Te astronomía, has a variety of online games about the planets in Spanish. In the main menu choose Actividades online.
In this game you identify the planets. When you click on the planet the game names, you get a line or two of information in Spanish.
Song about the Planets in Spanish
This song teaches the names of the planets in Spanish. The words appear on the screen, so it is easy to sing along.
Spanish Videos about the Planets
Listening for key vocabulary is a very important language learning skill. These videos are at normal speed for native speakers, so Spanish language learners will not catch every word. They will be able to hear important words though, especially if they watch the video more than once. Be sure to watch the video all the way through once before listening for a specific word.
This video from Discovery Kids is called Doki descubre porque se hace de noche (Doki discovers why night falls).
Try listening for these key words:
la noche – night
el sol – the sun
la Tierra – the Earth
iluminada – illuminated, lit up
oscuro – dark
el lado – side
girar – spin
el día – day
This video is called Doki descubre los planetas (Doki discovers the planets). It mentions the planets in Spanish and some of their distinctive features. Listen for the names of the planets in Spanish and these phrases:
más ceracano al sol – closet to the sun
el planeta más grande – the biggest planet
un planeta rojo – a red planet
tener un anillo – to have a ring
Spanish Picture Books about the Planets
These picture books in Spanish introduce children to the solar system.
This book comes with a multimedia CD-ROM with activities. It is appropriate for intermediate Spanish language learners.
Photo Credit: Bluedharma via Compfight cc
Jim
Sep 29, 2014
Congratulations – I know putting together so many helpful resources takes time.
Over at http://www.speekee.com we dedicate a whole video episode to Planets, including a scene with a group of Spanish kids lining up in the order of the planets, asking and answering questions; questions like “¿Eres grande?”, “¿Eres verde?”, “¿Eres Saturno?” etc