Section 1: Present Progressive

Everything is ok!

Section 2: conocer/conocer a

1. "I know Mrs. Bird."
Translation: "Conozco (a/la) Señora Bird." I wasn't sure if I needed the personal a here in this case, or many times I hear "la" before names; e.g. "la Señora Bird." So I am not quite sure on that sentence.

Answer: Conozco a la señora Bird

You use "al" (a contraction of a + el) when you are taking about a masculine noun and "a la" when you are talking about a feminine noun. Example: Conozco al señor Burns. Example 2: Conozco a la señora Hillary.

2. "She is familiar with Provo."
Translation: "Ella conoce Provo." I am assuming there is no "con" for "with" because conocer sort of puts those together, if I am correct. I am not sure if I need anything different, such as "el" or "la" between "conozco" and "Provo."

Answer: Ella conoce Provo

yes, in that case you don't need to use a article, for example, you can say  "ella conoce Chicago" "el conoce Washington", "ella conoce Utah"

Section 3: Preterite
Answer: Celebré la Hanukkah en diciembre.

I think that "Hanukkah" is a feminine noun, for that reason you can say "Celebré la Hanukkah en diciembre". Another example: "Celebré la Navidad en diciembre". The definite article always has to match the gender and number of its noun. If the noun is feminine and singular (salsa), then its article also has to be feminine and singular (la salsa).

Answer: Invité a Antonio Banderas a mi cumpleaños.

Section 4: Direct Object Pronouns
1. "Did you decorate the house? Yes, I decorated it."

Answer: "¿Decoras la casa?  = Do you decorate the house?

Correct answer: "¿Decoraste la casa? Sí, la decoré." = Did you decorate the house? Yes, I decorated it."

2. "Do you eat bread? Yes, I eat it."
Answer: ¿Comes pan? Sí, lo como."

Section 5: pensar/pensar que

Answer: "Pienso que el fútbol es divertido."

we use the article "el" Before languages, illnesses, sports, sciences, and other fields of knowledge
Examples: El inglés es fácil.  Lucha contra la injustica. Me interesa el fútbol. Así es la biología

2. "I am planning to visit my uncle for Christmas."
Answer: "Estoy pensando (a) visitar (a) mi tío para/por (la) Navidad." This was the most confusing of all of them. I think you need an "a" to connect the two verbs at the beginning, and the personal a for "mi tío," and I am not sure whether to use "por vs para." Also, I wasn't sure whether to use "la Navidad" or just simply "Navidad."

Answer: "Estoy planeando visitar a mi tío para la navidad" 

Homework Help

Section 2: conocer/conocer a
1. "I know Mrs. Bird."
Translation: "Conozco (a/la) Señora Bird. Conozco a la señora Bird" I wasn't sure if I needed the personal a here in this case, or many times I hear "la" before names; e.g. "la Señora Bird." So I am not quite sure on that sentence.

2. "She is familiar with Provo."
Translation: "Ella conoce Provo." I am assuming there is no "con" for "with" because conocer sort of puts those together, if I am correct. I am not sure if I need anything different, such as "el" or "la" between "conozco" and "Provo." No, its ok. Another example where you should include "la" or "el" would be something like: "She knows the address" - "Ella conoce la dirección"

Section 3: Preterite
1. "I celebrated Hanukkah in December."
Answer: "Celebré (la/el) Hanukkah en diciembre." Not sure about the article or not. It's ok
2. "I invited Antonio Banderas to my birthday."
Answer: "Invité a Antonio Banderas a mi cumpleaños." I am not sure whether to use the personal a or not in this case either. I am assuming I should use it. ? yes, you must use "a"

Section 4: Direct Object Pronouns
1. "Did you decorate the house? Yes, I decorated it."
Answer: "¿Decoras la casa? Sí, la decoré."
2. "Do you eat bread? Yes, I eat it."
Answer: ¿Comes pan? Sí, lo como."

Section 5: pensar/pensar que
1. "I think soccer is fun."
Answer: "Pienso que el fútbol es divertido." Not sure whether to include "el" or not. yes, include it.
2. "I am planning to visit my uncle for Christmas."
Answer: "Estoy pensando (a) visitar a mi tío para/por (la) Navidad." This was the most confusing of all of them. I think you need an "a" to connect the two verbs at the beginning, and the personal a for "mi tío," and I am not sure whether to use "por vs para." Also, I wasn't sure whether to use "la Navidad" or just simply "Navidad."

Thats because you have several ways to say that. "Estoy pensando visitar a mi tío para navidad" or "Estoy pensando visitar a mi tío para la navidad" or "Estoy pensando visitar a mi tío en navidad" are all correct.

Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks!