I Love Saturdays y domingos
A RIF GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY COORDINATORS
Themes: Family, Cultures, Celebrations
Grade Level: K to 2nd grade
Book Brief: A young girl spends her weekends
with both her grandma and grandpa
and her abuelita y abuelito.
Author:
Alma Flor Ada
Illustrator:
Elivia Savadier
TIME TO READ!
Before reading: Ask the children if they have ever spent time with a grandparent.
Make a group list of some of the things that they did together.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
MAKE A PIÑATA! (AGES 5-12)
Materials: scissors, glue, paper bag, newspaper, tissue
paper, string, candy
1. Add balled-up paper and candy to bag until
nearly full.
GO FLY A KITE
(AGES 7-12)
2. Cut tissue paper into strips long enough to go
around the bag. Cut slits halfway up each strip so
tissue looks fringed.
The Big Wind Kite
Company has simple
directions for making
a kite out of an 8.5" x 11"
sheet of paper.
3. Glue first strip of tissue to bottom of bag. Overlap
second strip and glue. Add strips until bag is
covered. Glue long strips of tissue to bottom for
decoration.
Go to www.bigwindkites.com/20kids
to access directions.
4. Tie string around top of bag to keep it closed.
5. Punch two holes in the top of bag. Tie string
through holes. Hang piñata.
5. Blindfold kids and let them take turns hitting the
piñata—be careful!
LANGUAGE FUN (AGES 5-12)
How many languages do your kids know? Put them
into teams or small groups and have the teams come
up with words in other languages. List the words on
a chart or board.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
My Name Is María Isabel (1996), Daniel’s Pet (2003),
Pío Peep (2006), Extra, Extra (2007).
TECHNOLOGY LINK FOR KIDS
www.rif.org/kids
I Love Saturdays y domingos
A RIF GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Themes: Family, Cultures, Celebrations
Grade Level: K to 2nd grade
Book Brief: A young girl spends her weekends
with both her grandma and grandpa
and her abuelita y abuelito.
Author:
Alma Flor Ada
Illustrator:
Elivia Savadier
Content Connections:
Math, Art, Language
TIME TO READ!
BEFORE WE READ,
LET’S LOOK AT...
The Cover: Ask students
who they think the
people standing behind
the little girl are. Why is the title in two different
languages? Which languages are they? What does
the title mean?
The Pictures: How do the pictures in the story show
the differences between the little girl’s grandparents?
What do they like to do? What do they have in
common with each other?
Prior Knowledge: Ask students about their visits to
grandparents’ or other relatives’ homes. What kind
of experiences have they had? Have they ever heard
someone speak a different language? Do any of them
speak another language? Do any of them have family
members from more than one culture, like the girl in
the story?
Vocabulary: aquarium, seashore, domingo, abuelita,
abuelito
Purpose for Reading: Students can practice making
connections: “As we read today, I want you to think
about how this story reminds you of your own family.”
WHILE WE READ
MONITORING COMPREHENSION
N How is the author giving clues to help us figure
out the Spanish words? How about the English
words?
N What can you tell about each set of grandparents?
N Do you think the little girl likes going to both
grandparents’ houses the same? Why or why not?
N Where do you think she learned to speak Spanish?
Where did she learn to
speak English?
N How did the
grandparents
know what to
get her for her
birthday?
LET’S THINK ABOUT
Our Purpose: Revisit our purpose: “How did this story remind you of your own family?”
Extending Our Thinking: Ask these open-ended questions: “Why did the little girl spend weekends with
her grandparents?” “How were the grandparents different from each other?” “What did they have in common?”
“Do you think the little girl likes one set of grandparents better? Why or why not?”
NOTE TO EDUCATORS
N Extension Activities for Educators also available.
N Vocabulary Scaffolding Sheet also available.
I Love Saturdays y domingos
A RIF GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
Themes: Family, Cultures, Celebrations
Grade Level: K to 2nd grade
Book Brief: A young girl spends her weekends
with both her grandma and grandpa
and her abuelita y abuelito.
Author:
Alma Flor Ada
Illustrator:
Elivia Savadier
TIME TO READ!
Before reading, make
connections: Talk about a
time when your child visited
a grandparent or other
relative. What did they do together?
While reading, use clues from the story: How does
the author help you figure out what the Spanish
words mean? How about the English words?
After reading, ask questions:
N Why does the little girl like Saturdays y domingos?
N Why is part of the title in Spanish?
N Which story about the grandparents’ childhoods
was your favorite?
N What did the little girl get for her birthday?
N What do the gifts tell you about her grandparents?
RELATED ACTIVITIES
MAKE A PIÑATA! (AGES 5-12)
AGUAS FRESCAS
Materials: scissors, glue, paper bag, newspaper, tissue
paper, string, candy
Fresh fruit waters are a favorite
drink in Mexico and parts of
Latin America.
1. Add balled-up paper and candy to bag until
nearly full.
2. Cut tissue paper into strips long enough to go
around the bag. Cut slits halfway up each strip so
tissue looks fringed.
3. Glue first strip of tissue to bottom of bag. Overlap
second strip and glue. Add strips until bag is
covered. Glue long strips of tissue to bottom for
decoration.
4. Tie string around top of bag to keep it closed.
Punch two holes in the top of bag. Tie string
through holes. Hang piñata.
5. Blindfold kids and let them take turns hitting the
piñata—be careful!
Ingredients: watermelon (no
seeds), ice cubes, a little sugar
Purée peeled fruit in
blender. If you wish, add a
little sugar to taste. Pour
in a jug half filled with ice.
Add water. Enjoy!
OUT AND ABOUT
If your grandparents don’t live nearby,
visit someone in your neighborhood around the
same age. Ask them about their family growing up.
The stories may surprise you!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
My Name Is María Isabel (1996), Daniel’s Pet (2003),
Pío Peep (2006), Extra, Extra (2007).
I Love Saturdays y domingos
A RIF VOCABULARY SCAFFOLD
spongy:
soft and
squishy like
a sponge
aquarium:
a glass or plastic
tank where fish
live, or a big
building where
they keep fish
nibbling:
taking little
bites of, eating
deliver:
to give to
someone
bouquet:
a bunch
of flowers
papaya:
a kind of fruit
pier:
a wooden
walkway that
sticks out into
the water
soar:
to fly
surprise:
something
you are not
expecting
VCR:
something
you watch
movies on
at home
I Love Saturdays y domingos
RIF EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EDUCATORS
MATH (PRE-K—K)
Fold a sheet of paper into 8 sections. Write both
the English and Spanish words for the numbers
1-8. Students place stickers or draw pictures
in each box to show the value of the number.
(To make the activity more challenging, place
the words in random order on the page.)
WRITING
Think of a time you visited a grandparent or
other relative. Draw a picture and/or write a
story about what you did.
Ask a grandparent or other relative to tell you
about their childhood adventures.
Choose One:
N Draw and label a picture to illustrate your
grandparent’s story.
N Write a story using your grandparent as the
main character.
MATH (1ST—2ND GRADE)
Give a pair of students two dice. Have them roll
the dice, add the dots together and respond
with the answer in both English and Spanish.
VOCABULARY
MATH AND ART (K—2ND GRADE)
Make kites. The Big Wind Kite Company has
simple directions for making a kite out of an
8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.
Go to www.bigwindkites.com/20kids
to access the directions.
Make your own English/Spanish dictionary. Use
words from the story as starters.