Más/More

WAYS WE CAN USE THE WORD(S)

REQUEST: e.g., ¿Me das más fruta? (Will you give me more fruit?)

DIRECT ACTION: e.g., Dame más, por favor. (Give me more, please.)

EXPRESS WANTS:  e.g., Quiero más. (I want more.)

REFUSAL: e.g., No quiero más. (I don’t want more.)

SHOW AFFECTION:  e.g., Quiero más abrazos. (I want more hugs.)

COMPARISON:  e.g., Me gustan más las manzanas que las naranjas. (I like apples more than oranges.)

This core word activity sheet was created by Angela Rowell. It was adapted from the School Year of Core Words worksheet for "more" by Beth Lytle.

Snack/mealtimes: During mealtime or snack time, the student can request más (more) using natural speech, signs, or a communication device. The adult can use modeling to gradually expand the utterance into “Quiero más” + noun. (I want more + noun).

Circle Time: The adult can practice the skill of counting alongside acquisition of the core word by asking how many students are in class each day. For example, if there are 8 students in class that day, the adult could ask a question such as “¿Hay 6 amigos en clase hoy?” (Are there 6 friends in class today?), to which the students could disagree and reply, “No, hay más” (No, there’s more).

Arts and Crafts Activities: When doing arts and crafts activities, students can use the core word “más” to request more supplies such as paint or other materials.

Visual Schedule: The adult can prepare a visual schedule with the label “¿Ya terminé, qué más puedo hacer?” (I’m done, what else can I do?), including various visual and textual options which the student can select and place on the schedule as they decide which activity to do next. An example of materials for this activity are available for free on the teacherspayteachers website.

a visual schedule with the label "yo puedo..."

Recess: When being pushed in a toy car or similar piece of play equipment, the student can be prompted to say, “Más rápido” (Faster), if they would like to go faster.

Guessing Game: The adult can fill a jar with items such as jellybeans or small toys such as marbles. Each student will be prompted to guess how many items are in the jar. While facilitating discussion, the adult can propose different possibilities as to how many objects are in the jar, and the students can be prompted to share their opinions using the words más (more) and menos (less).

Tickling: The adult can tickle a student who likes being tickled, then stop, and then ask “¿Más?” (More?).

“Feeding” an Animal or Monster: The adult can initiate a game of pretend-play with a stuffed animal, animal figurine, or photo of an animal or imaginary monster in the classroom, and can then prompt students to “feed” it. The adult can ask students if they should give the animal or monster more food, to which students can reply “más” if they would like the game to continue. 

The adult can facilitate this activity using Feed the Monster Clip Art available for free on the teacherspayteachers website.

Ending or Continuing a Game: When playing any game, the adult can ask the student, “¿Quieres jugar más, o quieres parar?” (Do you want to play more, or do you want to stop?).

Here are some suggested books on YouTube that can assist in teaching the core word.

Books in Spanish:

  • El dragón más pequeñito: By Susan Quinn | Children's Book Read Aloud by Vamos a La Bilbio

    • A dragon who is small, slower than others, and cannot breathe fire gradually discovers his worth. This story has many lessons about friendship and self-confidence.
  • El tesoro más grande: By Amit Garg | Children's Book Read Aloud by bookboxinc

    • The story of Pedro, a child who stumbles upon a treasure map and initiates a long journey to find it alongside several animal friends.
  • ¡No más besos!: By Beatriz Montero| Children's Book Read Aloud by Beatriz Montero

    • The tale of a little monkey named Momo who doesn’t like how his family members give him kisses. But once his little brother is born, he suddenly realizes the true meaning and value of kisses.
  • El más poderoso: By Keiko Kasza | Children's Book Read Aloud by Aprendiendo con Liang

    • This story is about a lion, a bear, and an elephant who find a crown which has the inscription “Para el más poderoso” (For the most powerful). After many twists and turns, the animals finally discover the fact that being powerful shouldn’t involve bullying or being mean to others; it should involve humility and respect for others.
  • Soy más fuerte que la ira: By Elizabeth Cole | Children's Book Read Aloud by Cuentos Asombrosos Infantiles

    • This book uses an engaging plotline and vibrant pictures to teach children how to control their anger or other emotions of frustration.
  • ¡Más te vale, mastodonte!: By Issa Watanabe | Children's Book Read Aloud by Cuentos Cuco Show

    • This is the narration of a book about a pet mastodon who behaves very rebelliously.

Bilingual Books:

  • Just One More / Solo uno más (Bilingual Edition) By Jennifer Hansen Rolli | Children's Book Read Aloud by Fun Stories and Play

    • Ruby is a girl who always wants more of everything (another minute of sleep, another push on the swing, another scoop of ice cream, etc.). This book includes text and narration in both Spanish and English.
  • No More, Por Favor By Susan Middleton Elya | Children's Book Read Aloud by Fort Bend County Libraries Youth Services

    • This bilingual book (written in a codeswitching style) tells the story of finnicky eaters who eventually open themselves up to the idea of trying new and exciting foods. This is a colorful and entertaining bilingual picture book.

Social Interactions: The adult can prompt the student to direct actions via natural speech, signs, or their communication device. Every time the student communicates “más,” the adult will do more of an action (e.g., jumping, clapping, singing).

Modeling: The adult can model how to find the verb “más” on the student’s communication device and model how to combine the core word into multi-word utterances.

a communication board with the word "mas"

Nature Walks: Adults can prompt students to search for specific plants or flowers during nature walks. When students locate these plants, they can be prompted to say, “Aquí hay más” (There’s more here).

Interacting with Animals: When students pet, touch, or feed animals at a petting zoo or therapy animals, adults can make comments such as “Creo que quiere más” (I think that he/she wants more).

Sensory Parachute Activity: A group of students and adults can hold the edges of a colorful parachute or large cloth, moving the fabric in order to create ripples and waves. Some students can run under the parachute. Students who want the fabric to be moved and rippled more quickly can use the instruction, “Más.”

What do You Like More Activity: For this activity, students respond to the question of, “¿Qué te gusta más?” (What do you like more?) when given a choice between 2 options. Students can use the sentence structure “Me gusta más ________” (I like _______ more) to respond. Materials for this activity are available for free on the teacherspayteachers website.  

 

an image of people dancing and singing

Addition and Subtraction Activity: Students can practice calculating values that are “diez más” (ten more) or “diez menos” (ten minus) using a hundreds grid. Materials for this activity are available for free on the teacherspayteachers website. The adult can simplify and adapt materials from this activity according to the student’s skill level.

an image labeled "mas" and "menos"

What I Most Love Activity: For Valentine’s Day, or any day of the year, the adult can collaborate with students to create hearts which contain the text, “Yo amo muchas cosas, pero lo que más amo es __________” (“I love many things, but what I most love is__________”). Students can fill in the blanks with words such as “mi familia” (my family). Resources for this activity are available for free on the teacherspayteachers website.

  • Dame más zanahorias | Animated Short| By Tottus Perú

    • This is the story of a little rabbit who slowly realizes the importance of eating vegetables in order to be healthy and strong.
  • La palabra más mágica by Tottus Perú| Animated Short| By Tottus Perú

    • A tale about a little mouse who learns about the importance of generosity and kindness.

What I Most Love Art Activity: To continue with the What I Most Love activity (from the Structured Activities section of this activity sheet), students can continue with the theme of “lo que más amo es _______” (what I most love is ______). This time, students can draw pictures of what they most love, e.g., their family, their favorite activities, or pets.

Science: For this activity, the adult can take the students outside and show them how baking soda reacts with vinegar (i.e., creating bubbles and foam). The students can be prompted to say “más” when they want the adult to add more baking soda to the vinegar.

 

Tarheel Reader: Students can use Tarheel Reader to write books related to the core word más. These books can then be shared with other students and read aloud.

Creating Videos: The adult can collaborate with students to record videos that model how to politely use the core word más to request more of what they want.

WORD WALL: Create a Word Wall and add más to the list.

READING and the Word Wall: Sound out the letters together. Have the students find the word on the AAC system.

WRITING and the Word Wall: Using a pencil or alternative pencil, have students try to type the word on the keyboard or adapted keyboard, or write the word together.

Choosing Words for the Classroom Word Wall with Dr Caroline Musselwhite Video. Courtesy of Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium.