Viajemos en barco /
Let’s Travel by Ship
Books to Share
- Abi y su nueva amiga by Jane Simmons.
- El barco de Camila by Allen Morgan.
- Ronda Redonda by Alan Rogers.
- Una isla bajo el sol by Stella Blacksone.
- El viaje de Jenny by Sheila White Samton
Bulletin Board
Ships On The Sea
Create a sea scene by covering the bulletin board with blue paper and drawing waves on it. Decorate the bulletin board with ship die-cuts or copy the patterns provided (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) at the end of this chapter.
Nametags
The Ship
Use the pattern provided to create ship nametags.
Displays
Display books about ships, boats, and other transportation from the sea. You may also purchase inexpensive boat bath toys from a dollar store or other discount outlet.
Refreshments
Boat Sandwiches
Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or cream cheese sandwiches. Cut out the center of the sandwich with a cookie cutter in the shape of a ship. Serve these on a bed of goldfish crackers. Be sure to ask about allergies to peanuts before bringing peanut butter into the program room.
Fingerplays
Diez barquitos
(By Paola Ferate-Soto. Sung to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.” Begin with your hands in fists and one by one extend your fingers up as you recite the song.)
Uno, dos, tres barquitos
cuatro, cinco, seis barquitos
siete, ocho, nueve barquitos
diez barquitos ya se van.
Ten Little Sailboats
(English translation by Paola Ferate-Soto.)
One little, two little, three little sailboats
Four little, five little, six little sailboats
Seven little, eight little, nine little sailboats
Ten little sailboats, see them go.
Songs
Al pasar la barca
(Traditional.. Sheet music can be found at Amario de Artes, www2.redenlaces.cl/webeducativos/armario/c05020205f.html.)
Al pasar la barca me dijo el barquero:
“las niñas bonitas no pagan dinero”
Al volver la barca me volvió a decir:
“las niñas bonitas no pagan aquí.”
“Yo no soy bonita ni lo quiero ser.
Yo pago dinero como otra mujer.”
When The Boat Was Leaving
(Translated by Paola Ferate-Soto.)
When the boat was leaving
The boatman told me
“Pretty girls don’t have to pay.”
When the boat came back
He told me again:
“Pretty girls, don’t pay here.”
“I am not beautiful, nor do I want to be.”
“I pay my fare, like any other woman does.”
El barquito chiquitito
(Traditional. This is a song that never ends. To make it more fun, start slow and/or loud and each time you repeat it, sing it faster and/or softer. A similar version of the song by José Luis Orozco is “El barquito” on Lírica infantil con José-Luis Orozco: Latin American Children’s Folklore V. 2.)
Había una vez un barquito chiquitito,
había una vez un barquito chiquitito,
había una vez un barquito chiquitito,
que no podía, que no podía, no podía navegar.
Pasaron una, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete semanas,
pasaron una, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete semanas,
pasaron una, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete semanas,
y el barquito que no podía, que no podía, que no podía navegar.
Y si esta historia no te parece larga,
y si esta historia no te parece larga,
y si esta historia no te parece larga,
la volveremos, la volveremos, la volveremos a empezar.
Había una vez un barquito chiquitito…
The Little Tiny Boat
(English translation by Paola Ferate-Soto.)
Once there was a little tiny boat,
Once there was a little tiny boat,
Once there was a little tiny boat,
That could not, could not, could not sail.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven weeks went by,
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven weeks went by,
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven weeks went by,
And this tiny boat could not, could not, could not sail.
And if this story does not seem very long,
And if this story does not seem very long,
And if this story does not seem very long,
We’ll start it once again.
Once there was a little tiny boat …
Rhymes and Poetry
Velerito Blanco
(By Paola Ferate-Soto. You may sing this to the tune of “Caballito Blanco” on Lírica infantil vol. 1 by José-Luis Orozco.)
Velerito blanco, sácame de aquí
llévame a ese puerto, donde yo nací
Tengo, tengo, tengo…
¡Tú no tienes nada!
Tengo tres redes,
sobre el mar oleado.
Una me trae peces,
la segunda casi nada
la tercera me trae conchas,
con perlas plateadas.
Little White Sailboat
(English translation by Paola Ferate-Soto.)
Little white sailboat, take me away from here
Take me to the port, where I was born.
I have, I have, I have…
No, you don’t have anything!
Yes, I have three nets,
Over the wavy sea.
One brings me fish,
Second one almost nothing,
But the third one brings me shells
Filled with silver pearls.
Audio Recordings
- “La Bamba” on Universe of Song by María Del Rey.
- “El barquito” on Lírica infantil con Jose-Luis Orozco, Volumen 2 by José-Luis Orozco.
- “Guantanamera” on Lírica infantil Vol. 1 by José-Luis Orozco.
- “Row, Row, Row Your Boat / Rema el Barco” on Universe of Song by María Del Rey.
- “Somos el barco” on Peter, Paul and Mommy Too by Peter, Paul and Mary
Stories to Tell
The Owl and the Pussycat
Copy the patterns from the book and recite this poem by Edward Lear found in The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.
Sayings (Dichos y refranes)
“Dichos y refranes” are an important part of everyday conversation in Latin America and Spain. You may choose to share these as part of the introduction to your program or as an ending to your program. These might have a special meaning to the parents of the children and may serve as a bridge for the children to find out more about the theme that you have presented.
“Dónde manda capitán, no manda marinero” (Where the captain gives orders, the sailor does not.)
Riddles (Adivinanzas)
Si sube, nos vamos,
si baja, nos quedamos.
Answer: (El ancla)
If it goes up we leave,
If it goes down we stay
Answer: (The anchor)
Tengo raíz: no soy planta;
y velas pero no alumbro.
Answer: (El barco de vela y su ancla)
I have a root but I am not a plant,
And I have candles, but I don’t give out light.
Answer: (The sailboat and its anchor.)
(Note: This riddle only makes sense in Spanish since the word for “sails” in Spanish also means “candle.”)
Crafts
Simple Origami Boat
Materials
- Squares of origami paper
- Crayons or markers (optional)
- Sequins, buttons, stickers, or other decorative materials (optional)
Directions
Follow the directions found at Origami with Rachel Katz, www.geocities.com/rachel_katz/stories/pilgrims.htm to create simple origami boats. Instructions for a more elaborate boat are available at Wild Over Waterways, www.wow4water.net/fun_things/origami%20boat%20fun%20thing.pdf. After folding their boats, let the children decorate them with markers, crayons, and other items.
Boat Mop
Materials
- Plastic drinking straws
- Thin fabric or heavy tissue paper in a variety of colors
- Pipe cleaner
- Colored tape
- Scissors
Directions
In advance, cut the fabric or tissue paper into about 20 to 25 strips approximately 7 to 8 inches long, and cut the pipe cleaners in half. Give the children a handful of tissue or fabric strips, a straw, and half of a pipe cleaner. Let the children bundle the strips together, wrap the pipe cleaner around the bundle and twist it, and tape the pipe cleaner to the end of a straw. They may then “swab the decks!”
Games and Activities
Se va la barca
(Traditional. The children form a circle and kneel with their knees apart and feet together behind them. They hold hands and slowly sway from side to side, simulating the movement of waves in the sea. They breathe in and out deeply and loudly, making the sound of waves. They sing “Se va, se va la barca” while moving from one side to the other. Listen to a short segment of this song, enough to give you the tune, at Smithsonian Global Sound, www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/trackdetail.aspx?itemid=19748.)
Se va, se va la barca
se va con el pescador,
y en esa barca que cruza el mar
se va, se va mi amor.
Me levanto de mañana
y voy a la orilla del mar
a preguntarle a las olas
que si lo han visto pasar.
La olas me responden
que sí lo han visto pasar
con un ramito de flores
y echando flores al mar.
Si el cielo fuera tinta
y el suelo fuera papel,
le escribiría una carta
a mi querido Manuel
The Boat is Leaving
(English translation by Paola Ferate-Soto.)
The boat is leaving, leaving,
It’s leaving with the fisherman,
And in that boat that crosses the sea,
My love, my love leaves too.
I wake up in the morning
And go to the end of the beach
To question the waves of the sea
If they have seen him go by.
The waves give me for an answer
That yes, they’ve seen him go by,
With a bouquet of flowers
throwing flowers to the sea.
If the sky were made of ink
And the ground were made of paper
I would write a letter
To my beloved Manuel.
For older children, teach them the more complex dance, “Mi barco velero.” Words, sheet music, and illustrated dance instructions are available at Amario de Arte, www2.redenlaces.cl/webeducativos/armario/c05020203f.html. Click on the tab “Letra de la canción” for the instructions and a diagram of the steps.
Guest Speakers
Invite someone who owns a boat to explain what they need to do to prepare for a trip and to talk about difficulties they might encounter while sailing.
If you live by a body of water, contact the community college or a sailing school to find a windsurfing instructor. Invite the instructor to bring a windsurfing board and show the children a few of the moves that must be performed to keep the board afloat.
Professional Resources
The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.
Lírica infantil vol. 1 by José-Luis Orozco.
Lírica infantil con José-Luis Orozco: Latin American Children’s Folklore v. 2 by José-Luis Orozco.
Armario de Arte
www2.redenlaces.cl/webeducativos/armario/c050202f.html
Geared to first and second grade teachers from Chile, the site is filled with art, theater and musical activities. In the “Musical Drawer” they have lyrics, sheet music, and MP3 files for some songs.
Origami with Rachel Katz
www.geocities.com/rachel_katz/stories/pilgrims.htm
This web site shows how to make a very simple origami boat while following the story of how the Pilgrims came to North America.
Smithsonian Global Sound: Se va, se va la barca
www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/trackdetail.aspx?itemid=19748
This is one of several recordings from the CD Vamos a cantar: Let Us Sing: A Collection of Children’s Songs in Spanish by Various Artists.
Wild Over Waterways
www.wow4water.net
This British web site provides teacher resources, games, and activities related to rivers and other waterways.
