“Las Charlas”, or Chit-Chats, allow the student to take ownership of vocabulary, content, and grammar at the end of a unit. Las Charlas helps to build student confidence in the target language while speaking about a semi-familiar topic. This Charla includes the topic of Hemingway in Cuba. Students are given two resources to explore and learn about Hemingway’s time in Cuba. Students will present a two-minute interpersonal chat with the teacher on the information they have learned.
This activity is a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
In this lesson, students will read an authentic literary text, “Las medias de los flamencos,” by Horacio Quiroga. Students will identify key vocabulary, plot events, setting, and themes of the story. In order to show comprehension of the story, students will create either a storyboard or children’s book version of the story. Any literary text or story from any language could easily be used in conjunction with this lesson.
This activity was created as a result of the World Languages COS Resource Development Summit.
The purpose of this activity is to have students expand upon their own personal definitions of beauty and aesthetics that they formulated the previous class period. Students will examine beauty through the lens of nature, fashion, poetry, people, and art, using authentic resources and cultural elements from the Spanish-speaking world. Students will also reflect upon their own views of the products and perspectives of beauty and aesthetics while reflecting upon those from people in the Spanish-speaking world.
In this intermediate low to intermediate-high French activity, students will brainstorm useful expressions for agreeing with, disagreeing with, and uncertainty about situations. Students will then practice using these expressions in conversation. All necessary resources are provided including a printable chart that offers a variety of idiomatic expressions that can be used to agree and disagree, printable statement cards and a slide show that guides the teacher and class through the activity. As students work, they will use presentational speaking skills to agree or disagree with target language statements that are provided on the statement cards.
This detailed unit is in English but covers a topic important to all upper-level Spanish courses. After reviewing the provided resources, intermediate-mid and intermediate-high students complete a target language essay in which they compare the United Farm Worker's Movement, the leadership of César Chávez, and the legacy of Dolores Huerta to the records, narratives, and perspectives associated with the civil rights and labor movements led by and for African Americans during the 1950s through the 1970s. The resources included in this unit include videos, news articles, poems, interviews, and museum exhibits.
This intermediate-mid to intermediate-high Spanish activity encourages students to participate in active discussions about environmental issues. The linked resource provides warm-up questions to encourage class discussion. For the principal activity, the teacher reads one of the provided opinion statements. (The opinion cards are created via Canva, a free account is required to edit the cards but teachers can access the original cards without an account.) After reading the printed opinion, students hold up one of three provided response cards showing whether they agree, disagree, or do not have an opinion about the statement. Then, students must provide an explanation or reason to back up their stance on the issue, simulating real-life conversations they may have in the target language.
In this intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish lesson, students focus on persuasive and formal speaking to apply for a job. Students start by examining examples of employment applications from Argentina and the United States. Students then watch a target language tutorial that teaches them how to make themselves stand out among other applicants by using a strategy known as an elevator pitch. Students then work to prepare pitches of their own and interview each other using the provided interview questions. This formal, interpersonal conversation allows upper level students to simulate conversations that would take place in the real world.
This intermediate-mid to intermediate-high Spanish activity encourages students to report on current events. The activity starts by reviewing key vocabulary words by playing a game in which students describe a word to see if their classmates can guess what they are describing. A set of cards with full-color photos are included to illustrate each current event-related vocabulary word. Then, students are given a pre-printed current event card and are asked to summarize the event for their peers. There are 4 events included but this could easily be completed by having students each explore the internet to find authentic websites of current events in order to report on the most recent events.
This intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish activity encourages students to create a storyline of their own that could be turned into a television series. A google slideshow includes warm-up and post activity questions to assist in starting and ending the activity with a classroom discussion. For the key activity, students are asked to draw specific vocabulary words and then incorporate these words into the storyline for a new television series. Each student in the group has a specific role to ensure that a creative story is developed. Once finished they can pitch their show idea to their classmates. As an extension, they can create a commercial to share with their classmates. Teachers can easily connect this to any current thematic unit by changing the words students must choose from to reflect the vocabulary they are focusing on in class.
This unique resource is a tool to assist intermediate-mid and intermediate-high Spanish students as they organize written essays. Each box of the graphic organizer features a target language question and space to write key information gathered from any type of resource (Audio or Written). Students are asked to identify the author's primary message then analyze the resource for organizational structure, functions, audience, and tone. Next students identify key people, places, and times referenced in the resource. Finally, they identify more details regarding people addressed in the resource. (This last step can be left off or adapted if the chosen article does not emphasize characteristics of specific people.)
This intermediate mid to intermediate-advanced lesson leads students through a study of both Las redondillas, an arraignment of men for what Sor Juana believed was hypocritical behavior, as well as her autobiographical Reply to Sor Philotea de la Cruz. These two documents will help students understand why Sor Juana has been called the first feminist of the New World. The lesson included in this link is in the target language, making it suitable for level 4 and 5 students. The included activities will connect Spanish courses with literary standards covered in English literature classes. Activities include analyzing the two works and the treatment of gender stereotypes that are presented. Finally, students create a timeline of Sor Juana's work and draw parallels to current events around the world.
Teachers of novice and lower intermediate learners can access an English copy of the lesson in the comment box below.
This intermediate mid to intermediate-high Spanish activity introduces students to Evo Morales, Bolivia's first elected president of indigenous decent. Students will gather information from two different resources (print and audio) before answering a series of comprehension questions to check for comprehension. Afterward, students watch an interview with Evo Morales to gain an understanding of the challenges he faced as a political leader with an indigenous background. The provided questions can be addressed in writing or classroom discussions using the target language.
This Chinese lesson revolves around the novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, an English language novel that children learning Chinese will find exciting and culturally relevant to their language studies. While the posted age maybe elementary school, this unit is especially useful for intermediate high Chinese language learners, even in high school. After reading the children's novel in Chinese (available for purchase at online retail sites), students can identify how the book illustrates the themes of courage and generosity. Following the activities (using Chinese in class rather than English) students will create their own personal narrative in the target language.
This unit plan is prepared in English but offers links throughout to French language resources making this suitable for a wide range of high school language learners. Intermediate mid to intermediate high students should use the French language resources as they are introduced to the life and works of Charles Baudelaire, a 19th-century French Symbolist poet who was an admirer of Edgar Allan Poe. As students study the poems and his style, they are challenged to compare Baudelaire's work with other poets. As they work, they will make connections to the literary terms and styles covered in their Language Arts classrooms.
This intermediate mid to intermediate-high Spanish activity challenges students to consider what commercialization is doing to historically cultural sites throughout South America. Students start by reading a short article and watching a video about Machu Picchu and UNESCO's attempt to help preserve the important cultural area. Comprehension questions are provided so that students can check their understanding of the resources. Students are then asked to work in groups to research another city or monument that is in danger of commercialization. They then write a paragraph about the resources available to help limit the negative effects of tourism at these locations.
This intermediate low to intermediate-high Spanish language activity centers around El Corte Inglés, one of the most popular department stores in Spain. This activity includes a series of target language articles for students to read as well as comprehension questions to check their understanding of the articles. Students are then given links to several commercials produced by Cortes Inglés and they are asked to identify items in the videos and discuss how the commercials have changed over time. Several extension activities are also included: One asks students to examine a timeline and describe events using the preterit and imperfect. Another introduces students to Pipol in da house - a series of 2-3 minute episodes produced by Corte Inglés featuring a college-aged cast wearing outfits from the store.
This high school-aged activity shows students how artists can use their work to inspire change for the good of individuals and their communities. In this activity, students examine two different posters designed by Puerto Rican artists to convey a positive message. After examining these pieces of art students work in groups to brainstorm a list of issues that affect their school or community. Then, they select one to focus on to share with the class. Working as a group, students create a public service announcement for a bilingual audience. They will then creatively present their PSA. To meet community standards, students can share their bilingual PSAs with the school and/or community. This activity is provided in both English and Spanish. Intermediate Mid and High students should use presentational speaking skills to complete these activities in the target language. Novice students should complete their PSAs in both Spanish and English.
This intermediate mid to intermediate-high Spanish lesson introduces students to the idea of ecoturismo, specifically focusing on Costa Rica. Students start by watching two short videos that overview the topic (in the target language) and then students respond to a series of multiple-choice comprehension questions to see how well they understood the videos. Students are then asked to work in groups as they research various eco-tours offered throughout Costa Rica and report back to their classmates.
This interactive lesson engages intermediate mid- to intermediate-high students as they explore the world of Latino music. Students study important artists within the Hispanic world and then role play by performing some of their top hits. The overall project is a re-creation of the popular TV show 'The Voice.' Students who want to show off their performance skills take on the roles of the artists that they studied. Those who do not want to perform can take on the role of judges. This unit is separated into three days of activities and a printable Spanish document is provided to guide students through each step of the activity from research to performance. As an optional extension, students can choose to perform their songs for others in the school or community.
This intermediate mid to intermediate Spanish activity allows students to gather information from an authentic resource, specifically focusing on informal commands. Students start this activity by participating in an interpersonal conversation about their grandparents. Then they use interpretive skills to gather information as a native speaker describes their grandparents and the advice that their grandparents would give. Finally, students work in groups to present a list of affirmative and negative informal commands that grandparents would give to their grandchildren.
This intermediate mid to intermediate-high Spanish activity allows students to research and portray a famous Spanish artist while participating in a traditional Spanish tertulia. Students are first asked to research an artist and create an autobiography poster in the first person. They are then asked to play the part of their person by attending a tertulia with other famous artists. A list of tertulia topics is included to ensure students hold interpersonal conversations on a variety of past, present, and future topics. A detailed, printable rubric is provided to assess both presentational speaking and writing skills.
Intermediate low to Intermediate mid-Spanish students are asked to create a digital advertisement for a product of their choice using a mix of formal commands and impersonal subjunctive expressions. To complete this presentational writing assignment, a set of slides with instructions and a project example is included. The link also provides a planning checklist for students and a grading rubric.
This unique intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish activity challenges students to reenact the popular television show "Shark Tank." Students are first introduced to the Mexican version of the show to ensure everyone understands the concept behind the presentations they are to give. Students are then split into 3 groups. One group takes on the role of the sharks while the other two are asked to pitch specific product ideas. Students are challenged to research and present specific project ideas that are capable of helping meet the needs of the local community. Not only are students verbally presenting their project, but they are also looking for ways to address world challenges that face their assigned country. Printable instructions and rubrics are provided.
This unique set of activities is geared toward intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish students working toward the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. The goal of this unit is to reinforce the theme of Science and Technology as students practice each proficiency skill. The geographical region of emphasis is Puerto Rico. This lesson includes an interactive PowerPoint that walks students through each individual activity as they click on icons within the slide. (Be sure to open the slide show in presentational view in order to take full advantage of the interactive activities.) Tasks include writing, listening, reading, speaking, and cultural explorations. Cultural topics referenced in these tasks include: food, celebrations, sports, geography, and art.
This unique set of activities is geared toward intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish students working toward the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. The goal of this unit is to reinforce the theme of Global Challenges as students practice each proficiency skill. The geographical region of emphasis is Chile. This unit includes an interactive PowerPoint that walks students through each individual activity as they click on icons within the slide. (Be sure to open the slide show in presentational view in order to take full advantage of the interactive activities.) Tasks include writing, listening, reading, speaking, and cultural explorations. Cultural topics referenced in these tasks include: food, celebrations, sports, geography, and art.
This unique set of lessons is geared toward intermediate mid to intermediate high Spanish students working toward the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. The goal of this unit is to reinforce the theme of Personal and Public Identities as students practice each proficiency skill. The geographical region of emphasis is Honduras. This unit includes an interactive PowerPoint that walks students through each individual activity as they click on icons within the slide. (Be sure to open the slide show in presentational view in order to take full advantage of the interactive activities.) Tasks include writing, listening, reading, speaking, and cultural explorations. Cultural topics referenced in these tasks include: food, celebrations, sports, geography, and art.
This advanced-level Spanish project-based learning (PBL) unit challenges students to work in groups as they examine a problem, investigate the situation, and propose a solution. The unit includes a calendar pacing out each of the 8 class days required for the PBL. At the end of each class period students are provided a self-evaluation to reflect on tasks accomplished and plan for their next steps. All necessary resources regarding the presented problem as well as investigative resources are included. (Click on the Lecturas iniciales link to access a google folder with printable resources). At the end of the lesson, students present their findings orally and in writing following the provided guidelines and rubrics. A bibliography is provided to assist students in researching the problem. This PBL specifically focuses on the controversy surrounding bullfighting in Spain.
This advanced-level Spanish project-based learning (PBL) unit challenges students to work in groups as they examine a problem, investigate the situation, and propose a solution. The unit includes a calendar pacing out each of the 8 class days required for the PBL. At the end of each class period students are provided a self-evaluation to reflect on tasks accomplished and plan for their next steps. All necessary resources regarding the presented problem as well as investigative resources are included. (Click on the Lecturas Inciales link to access a google folder with printable resources). At the end of the lesson, students present their findings orally and in writing following the provided guidelines and rubrics. A bibliography is provided to assist students in researching the problem. The problem presented in this PBL focuses on the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba.
This advanced-level Spanish project-based learning (PBL) unit challenges students to work in groups as they examine a problem, investigate the situation, and propose a solution. The unit includes a calendar pacing out each of the 8 class days required for the PBL. At the end of each class period students are provided a self-evaluation to reflect on tasks accomplished and plan for their next steps. All necessary resources regarding the presented problem as well as investigative resources are included. (Click on the Lecturas Iniciales link to access a google folder with printable resources). At the end of the lesson, students present their findings orally and in writing following the provided guidelines and rubrics. A bibliography is provided to assist students in researching the problem. The problem presented in this PBL focuses on discrimination toward street vendors in Spain.
This advanced-level Spanish project-based learning (PBL) unit challenges students to work in groups as they examine a problem, investigate the situation, and propose a solution. The unit includes a calendar pacing out each of the 8 class days required for the PBL. At the end of each class period students are provided a self-evaluation to reflect on tasks accomplished and plan for their next steps. All necessary resources regarding the presented problem as well as investigative resources are included. (Click on the Lecturas iniciales link within the resource to access a Google folder with printable resources). At the end of the lesson, students present their findings orally and in writing following the provided guidelines and rubrics. A bibliography is provided to assist students in researching the problem. This PBL specifically focuses on views toward Catalan succession in Spain.
This family and communities thematic lesson examines how technology affects families and communities while focusing on interpretative, presentational, and interpersonal skills at the intermediate, mid to intermediate-high proficiency range. Students will gather information from an authentic text and audio resource, identify main ideas, and infer the meanings of unfamiliar words. Students are guided through a series of interpersonal conversation-based tasks before presenting their findings orally or in writing.
