Sample Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan One: Guatemala
(This lesson plan is to be developed in a 70 minute class. However, it can be changed according to teachers needs)
Students will be able to:
-Practice their listening comprehension skills.
-Build on their reading skills.
-Develop understanding of other countries and cultures.
-Broaden their vocabulary.
-Understand the importance of history and tradition.
-Read and gather information on a text written in Spanish in order to express the ideas in their own words.
Students have previously read the story
"Quetzal nunca muere" ("Quetzal never dies")
for homework.
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Resources / Materials:
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-Computer.
-Smart Board.
-Copies of
"Quetzal Nunca Muere" ("Quetzal Never Dies")
in: Barlow, Genevieve.
Stories from Latin America / Historias de Latinoamérica.
Side by Side Bilingual Books.
-Map of Guatemala.
-Handout (questions.)
-Iniciation:
Handout (questionnaire): The teacher gives the questionnaire (in Spanish) to the students with questions like:
¿Qué sabes de Guatemala?: Escribid 5 o más cosas que sepáis de Guatemala, si no se os ocurre nada, contestad a las siguientes preguntas;
-Localización geográfica: ¿Dónde está?
-¿Tiene mar? ¿Cómo se llama?
-¿Cuáles son los colores de su bandera?
-¿Qué idiomas hablan en Guatemala?
-¿Cuál es su principal etnia?
-¿Qué te sugiere el nombre de Rigoberta Menchú?
(What do you know about Guatemala? Write 5 or more things that you know about the country. If you cannot think of anything, answer to the following questions:
-Geographical localization. Where is it?
-Is it in the shore? What is the name of the ocean / sea?
-What are the country's flag colors?
-What languages do they speak in Guatemala?
-What is the countries main ethnic group?
-What can you tell me about Rigoberta Menchú?)
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-Development:
1. The teacher samples a Power Point presentation on Guatemala.
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2. Questions the students may have.
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3. Students consider and comment the main cultural aspects they have learned.
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4. Handout with 10-15 questions on the presentation. Correct it with them.
5. The students read
"Quetzal nunca muere" ("Quetzal never dies")
out loud.
6. The students identify and underline the vocabulary terms they do not understand or know. I always like to have them ask other students, if they do not know, I give them the answer and then I ask them to form a sentence with the word.
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Closure: The teacher asks different students what is the most valued fact learned about Guatemala.
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Assessment(s) / checking for understanding:
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Homework:
1. Highlight all the preterit tenses you find in page 35, write: INDEF. for
pretérito indefinido
and IMP. for
pretérito imperfecto
, and explain why the author uses one or the other.
2. Write a 20-25 line long paragraph explaining the story in your own words.
Lesson Plan Two: "
Justicia, Tierra y Libertad"
("Justice, Land and Freedom")
(To be developed in a 60 minute lesson)
Students will be able to:
-Practice their listening comprehension skills, filling in the blanks.
-Identify the importance of words and meaning of music as a way of expressing culture and demands.
-Build on their reading skills.
-Broaden their vocabulary.
-Identify some of the problems Native Peoples of Mexico still have today.
None
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Resources / Materials:
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-Computer, speakers.
-Maná's
Revolución de Amor
(song:
"Justicia, Tierra y Libertad.")
-Handouts:
1. Grammar exercises: review formal and informal commands and gerunds.
2. Maná: information about the band (15-20 lines in Spanish)
3.
"Justicia, Tierra y Libertad
" lyrics (with blank spaces previously erased in order to make the students to carefully listen to the song.)
-Initiation:
1. Ask the students about the gerund of infinitives: (e.g.: gerund of
estudiar)
(I usually use this "
pass the bull
" activity in my classes in order to start. I use a toy (a bull) and throw it to the students so they have to answer as they get it. It is a good way to review: they see it as a game and you really get their attention!)
2. Commands, same thing: (e.g.: imperative, second person formal of
comer.)
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-Development:
1. Read the fragment about the Mexican band Maná: different students will read it out loud.
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2. Brief discussion on Mexican culture, ethnic reality and internal politics.
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3. Students will listen to the song:
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-the first time they will listen to the entire song.
-the teacher asks if they understand it. If it is too difficult for them, the teacher will break it in smaller portions (a couple of stanzas, for example).
-repeat the song a couple of times so the students will be able to fill in the blanks.
(For lower classes or difficult songs, what I do sometimes is to post a "word bank" on the board- this particular class the unit is designed for, will not need it)
4. Different students will read out loud one stanza, giving the answers to the blanks.
5. Discussion on the meaning of the song: focusing on the different connotations of justice, land and freedom in the Mexican context and realities.
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6. Listen to the song for the last time.
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Write in a piece of paper:
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¿Te ha gustado la canción? ¿Por qué?
(Did you like the song? Why?)
-¿Qué es lo que más / menos te ha gustado?
(What did you like the most/ the less?)
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Assessment(s) / checking for understanding:
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Homework: Handout with exercises: commands and gerunds (construction:
estar + gerundio
(to be + gerund))
Lesson Plan Three: Cuba and Cuban Contemporary Artists
(To be developed in two 70 minute classes)
Students will be able to:
-Identify the various ethnic groups in Cuba today.
-Recognize that is almost impossible to avoid politics in Cuba.
-Analyze, critique social and political events, music or artistic performances in today's Cuba.
-Practice their listening comprehension skills.
-Identify the importance of any manifestation of art as an expression of cultural and even political identity.
-Apply skills of critical analysis to oral communication.
-Sequence items presented visually.
-Discuss information presented visually.
None
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Resources / Materials:
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-
Querido Pabl
o.
Pablo Milan
é
s. (1985).
-Ry Cooder's
Buena Vista Social Club
(1999).
-DVD player and television.
-Computer and speakers.
-
Great Day in Havana.
Dir. Laurie Ann Schang and Casey Stoll. Cinemateca. 2001.
-Handouts:
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1. Brief history of Cuba:
-Spanish colonization and rule.
-United States occupation.
-Search of stability.
-The Revolution.
-Castro's Cuba.
2. Assessment handout on the different historical, cultural and social aspects learned during the lesson.
3. Reflective questions on the movie.
First day
-Initiation:
1. The students will hear Pablo Milanes'
Amo esta Isla
as they step in the classroom and get ready for the class to start.
2.
"Pass the bull"
questions:
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¿Qué tipo de música es?
(What kind of music is this?)
-
¿Sabes de qué país es?
(Do you know what country could this song be from?)
-¿De qué trata la canción?
(What is the song about?)
¿Qué instrumentos musicales oyes?
(What musical instruments can you hear?)
-Development:
1. Brainstorm activity: students will work in pairs and will write down everything they know about Cuba.
2. Students and teachers will go over the list together and will discuss it.
3. Teacher introduces the students to the history of Cuba (in Spanish and English). In this process, the teacher will ask the students questions which will enable students to connect information and think critically.
4. The teacher gives students the handout on the history of Cuba, asking them to go over it quickly and ask any question which may rise.
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-Closure (first day):
Students will write a 5-10 line reflection on the importance of political stability and democracy in Cuba.
-Homework:
Students will be asked to carefully go over the handout on the history of Cuba and answer to the assessment handout.
Second Day:
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-Initiation:
1.
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The students will listen to the song
El Cuarto de Tula
by Buena Vista Social Club as they step in the classroom and get ready for the class to start.
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2.
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Teacher and students will go over the homework.
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-Development:
1.
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The students are shown the movie
Great Day in Havana
, breaking it in different sections and stopping after some of the artists, so students and teacher will discuss different cultural aspects, and will answer to the questions the teacher will provide them;
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a.
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Asela Diaz (sculptor).
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b.
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Narciso Medina (choreographer).
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c.
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Tania Bruguera (performance artist).
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d.
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Eloy Machado ("El Ambia") (poet) and Eloy Ruiz (writer and filmmaker).
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e.
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Carlos Alfonso and Ele Valdés (musicians).
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f.
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Carlos Varela (song writer and singer).
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g.
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Israel del Monte (painter and graphic artist).
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-Closure (second day):
The teacher will give students a crossroad puzzle with important concepts such as:
balseros
,
plantaciones
…
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Assessment(s) / checking for understanding:
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Homework:
Students are asked to make a poster / collage on those aspects of Cuba that they want. A detailed rubric will be provided.