| Subject Areas |
|
Foreign Language
|
| |
Spanish |
| |
| Time Required |
| | All suggested times depend on the grade, maturity and attention span of the students, as well as their prior knowledge of the topics being taught.
Lesson 1: 15 to 45 minutes
Lesson 2: four sessions of 30 to 45 minutes each
Lesson 3: two to three sessions of 30 to 60 minutes each
|
| |
| Skills |
| | compare and contrast skills
listening
speaking |
| |
| Date Posted |
| | 4/11/2002 |
| |
| Feedback |
| |
Send us your thoughts about this lesson! |
| |
| Email this Lesson |
| |
Send this lesson to friends or colleagues |
| |
|
|
La Familia
Introduction
Even very young students know, and may occasionally
use, words that are Spanish in origin — rodeo, tortilla, lasso, and chihuahua,
to name a few. And many are able to count from 1 to 10 in Spanish, due in large
part to early exposure to the language provided by children's television programming.
This sense of familiarity with Spanish, combined with the excellent language acquisition
skills possessed by students in this age group, will help make this unit on Spanish
culture an exciting but comfortable experience for your class. Students will learn
about families in various Spanish cultures and gain a preliminary knowledge of
the Spanish language, learning the Spanish names for various family members.
Learning Objectives
After completing the lessons in this unit,
students will be able to: - Identify at least one country where the Spanish
language is spoken.
- Describe similarities and differences between Spanish,
Mexican, and Puerto Rican families.
- Speak the Spanish words for several
family members.
Guiding Question: Where is Spain? Where else is Spanish spoken? Where is Latin America? Where are
Central and South America? Where is the Caribbean? How are families in various
Spanish-speaking countries alike and different? What Spanish words can we learn
that look and sound almost the same as English words?
Preparing to Teach this Lesson - Review each lesson in this unit.
Select any materials from the Web you'd like to use in class, and bookmark them.
Download and print out these materials, if desired, and duplicate copies as necessary
for student viewing.
- These lessons are designed to be developmentally
appropriate to the social studies curricula for grades K-2, which recommends that
young children learn first about home, school and community — that is, their
most immediate environment. However, you are the best judge of your students'
skill level. You may decide that only one or two of the lessons fit in with your
class curriculum. For this reason, each lesson has been written as a stand-alone
activity.
- Display a world map in the classroom for use in Lesson
1. You can locate and print out world maps for distribution to students using
the Map
Machine available on the EDSITEment-reviewed Web site National
Geographic Society Xpeditions.
- As preparation for Lesson
2, review the EDSITEment resource A
Collector's Vision of Puerto Rico for background information on the traditions
and customs of Puerto Rico. Specifically, the History
section details Spanish colonial history, and The
Great Puerto Rican Family discusses Puerto Rican cultural identity.
- In Lesson 3, remember
to be sensitive to non-traditional family units. It is recommended as you begin
the lesson that you ask the students to brainstorm different family relationships.
Whenever possible, try to stick with the primary relations (mother, father, sister,
brother), and avoid using terms outside the students' perspective, such as father-in-law,
niece, grandchild, etc.
- Lesson
3 is best used by a teacher who has successfully completed two years of high
school conversational Spanish or one year of college-level conversational Spanish.
Familiarize yourself with the following vocabulary list, which includes Spanish
words for most principal family members and their English translations. The pronunciations
provided are intended to be used as a guide only. The Spanish language employs
some phonetic sounds not used in English. If you are unfamiliar with the language,
it is recommended that you consult a Spanish/English dictionary or review the
pronunciation resources available at Spanish
Pronunciation Tutorial on Learn
Spanish: A Free Online Grammar Tutorial, a link from the EDSITEment resource
Internet Public Library.
Use cognates — words similar in form and meaning, italicized below —
as a tool to help students recall new vocabulary.
Family: familia [fah-MEEL-yah]
Parents: padres [PAH-drays]
Mother: madre [MAH-dray]
Mom/Mommy: mama [mah-MAH]
Father: padre [PAH-dray]
Dad/Daddy: papa [pah-PAH]
Sister: hermana [err-MAHN-ah]
Brother: hermano [err-MAHN-oh]
Grandparents: abuelos [ah-BWAY-lohs]
Grandmother:
abuela [ah-BWAY-lah]
Grandfather: abuelo [ah-BWAY-loh]
Aunt: tia [TEE-ah]
Uncle: tio [TEE-oh]
Cousin: primo or prima [PREE-mo or PREE-mah]
Stepmother:
madrastra [mah-DRAH-strah]
Stepfather: padrastro [pah-DRAH-stroh]
Stepsister:
hermanastra [err-mahn-AH-strah]
Stepbrother: hermanastro [err-mahn-AH-stroh]
- You may wish to invite a person(s) with a Spanish-speaking background to your
classroom to share their heritage with students and/or to assist with presenting
Lesson 3. Other teachers
or students' parents or family members may be able to serve as a resource for
this activity.
Suggested Activities
Lesson 1: Where Do People Speak Spanish?
Lesson
2: Spanish Families
Lesson
3: Let's Speak Spanish!
Extending
the Lesson
Lesson 1 Where Do People Speak Spanish?
Display a large world map prominently in class. Begin the lesson by asking
students to name their town or city, their state, and their country. As students
answer these questions, point out to students where these areas are located on
the world map.
Ask students what language they speak. Have they heard
of any other languages? Do they know people who speak other languages? Explain
to students that in the U.S., people speak many different languages because they
come to this country from other places around the world. You can point out that,
while the most commonly-spoken language of the U.S. is English, it's fun to learn other languages
so that we can communicate with the people who speak these languages when they
come to the U.S. or when we visit other countries.
Now challenge students
to name other countries they have heard of. Each time a new country is named,
show students where that country is located on the world map. Ask students if
they know what language is spoken in each country — if they are unsure, tell
them.
Let students know that they will be learning about the Spanish
language and the people who speak it. While Spanish is the official language of
some 21 nations, young students will be unfamiliar with many of these. You can
point out Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico. You
can explain Puerto Rico's status as a U.S. Commonwealth, and point out that Mexico
shares the continent of North America with the U.S. and Canada. You can then indicate
the Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Students may be surprised to find that large populations of Spanish-speaking people
live so close to the U.S. — and that many are, in fact, U.S. citizens. You
can point out that, in the countries of Central and South America, Spanish is
the majority language of every nation except Belize and Brazil (please see Extending
the Lesson for more activities relating to Central and South American countries).
Teachers of second graders might introduce the vocabulary "Latino" and "Hispanic,"
used to designate people from Spanish-speaking cultural backgrounds, and "Chicano/a,"
used to designate Mexican-American people and culture.
Note: If some
students speak a second language, encourage them to tell the class what language
they speak and where their family originated. Perhaps they will even be willing
to speak some simple phrases in class.
Lesson 2 Spanish Families
In this lesson, students will compare and contrast different aspects of
the daily lives of families living in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Let students
know that Mexico and Puerto Rico have been chosen because of their close relationships
— part of and bordering — the U.S., but that they can bring in other
countries as well, especially if anyone has a background from Latin America or
the Caribbean. The Web sites listed below, all links from EDSITEment-reviewed
resources, provide student-friendly information on Spanish cultures. Using the
suggested Web sites, discuss each topic listed below, beginning with Spain, then
Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Challenge students to identify similarities and differences
among the three nations.
Daily Life
Let students know they will compare a typical day in the lives of Spanish, Mexican,
and Puerto Rican families. Read to students from the following Web sites, sharing
any images you come across with the class: As you read the narratives
and view the pictures, help students pick out details that give some clues to
what life is like in each of these three nations. Keep a list of students' answers
(you may wish to develop a chart with separate columns for life in Spain, Mexico,
and Puerto Rico). In Spain, how does Paz get to and from school? What does she
study? With whom does she live? What does she do in her spare time? After listing
some of the information students find about Spain, move on to Mexico. How do Gari,
Diana and Montsy get to school? What does Daniel study? With whom do they live?
What do they do in their spare time?
What about Puerto Rico? This is
an excellent opportunity to introduce students to the unique relationship between
the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Explain that Puerto Rico is not a state, but rather
a Commonwealth of the U.S. This means that people who live in Puerto Rico are
citizens of the U.S. — they use American money, must obey American laws,
and can travel, live, and work (but not vote in federal elections) in the U.S.
mainland without a passport or "green card." In many ways, life in Puerto Rico
is similar to life in the U.S. Ask students to use their own daily experiences
to answer questions about Puerto Rico — how do they get to school? What do
they study? With whom do they live? What do they do in their spare time? Add students'
answers to the list.
Mealtimes
Read aloud or have students read from the following resources on typical meals
in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico: Ask students to name
some of the details they heard about meals in each nation. For example, when are
meals eaten? What foods are typically consumed during each meal? With whom do
people in each nation share their meals? Add this information to the chart.
Recreation
What games, sports, and
recreational activities are popular in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico? Use the
following websites to help answer this question: What
sports do families in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico like to play and/or watch?
What other types of activities are popular? Add students' comments to the list. (If
time allows, create your own Mexican "animalitos" in class. Use the instructions
at Try
This! @ National Geographic.com.)
Holidays
Tell students that they will now learn about some of the holidays celebrated in
Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Read from the following Web sites, sharing any
photos you come across with the class: Now
discuss what you've read, adding to the student list as you go along. What are
some of the holidays recognized in each nation? Why do people celebrate these
holidays?
When you think of holiday celebrations in the U.S., what comes
to mind? Special foods? Parades? Fireworks? A day off from school? Now think about
the Spanish, Mexican, and Puerto Rican celebrations you just heard about. What
do their celebrations consist of? Do they have things in common with one another?
Do they have things in common with celebrations in the U.S.?
Review the
entire list of student comments. Ask students: - How are the lives of families
in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico similar to one another?
- How are they
different?
- Do students notice some things about life in Spain, Mexico,
and Puerto Rico that are like life in the U.S.?
- What is different about
life in Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico as compared to students' own lives?
- Have
any students visited one or more of these nations? If so, what other observations
can they contribute about life there?
- Which nation would students most
like to visit? Why?
Culminate this lesson with an art project. Have students
create a collage that illustrates the daily life, mealtimes, recreation, and/or
holidays of one of the nations studied in this lesson. Students can cut out pictures
from magazines or print out images from EDSITEment-reviewed Web sites (for example,
images of traditional foods and Hispanic art are available on the EDSITEment resources
Latin American Network
Information Center (LANIC) and Casa
de Joanna: Language Learning Resources). Students can "trade" their finished
collages with one another to guess which country is being depicted. What clues
helped them uncover the correct country?
Lesson 3 Let's Speak Spanish!
Let students know that they will now learn the Spanish words for names
of family members, including mother, father, brother, sister, and so on. Begin
the lesson by brainstorming in class the different family relationships of which
students are aware. You may want to limit your list to the names of family members
with whom students live. Write the English words on the blackboard with their
Spanish translations next to them. (An extensive list is provided here, but you
do not have to use all terms. Whenever possible, focus on cognates — words
similar in form and meaning, italicized below — as a tool to help students
recall new vocabulary.) Pronounce each Spanish word several times, allowing the
class to repeat each time. A pronunciation key is provided in Preparing
to Teach This Lesson, above.
Family: familia
Parents: padres
Mother: madre
Mom/Mommy: mama
Father: padre
Dad/Daddy: papa
Sister:
hermana
Brother: hermano
Grandparents: abuelos
Grandmother: abuela
Grandfather: abuelo
Aunt: tia
Uncle: tio
Cousin: primo or prima
Stepmother: madrastra
Stepfather: padrastro
Stepsister: hermanastra
Stepbrother: hermanastro
Once students have been introduced to the new
words and their pronunciations, play a multi-modal learning game that will allow
them to link the auditory input with a visual cue. Supply students with an array
of magazines. Have students work in pairs to find and cut out pictures of people
who seem to represent a specific family role. Make sure to include pictures of
different types of family members and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Paste the pictures onto individual pieces of construction paper or cardboard,
flash-card style. If students can write, they may print the appropriate family
member name on the back of each card in both Spanish and English, using the words
on the blackboard as a guide. (If students are not writing yet, the teacher can
print the words on the cards for them.) Students who can read can pair off and
practice with the flash cards on their own; the teacher could assist students
who cannot read.
As an alternate or additional activity, create a family
tree on the classroom bulletin board. Use pictures from magazines, as in the flash-card
activity. Create the trunk and branches of your tree with a marker or construction
paper. Then paste the pictures in their proper positions on the tree. Include
the Spanish and English words for each family member represented beneath the appropriate
picture. (If space permits, create two family trees—one in Spanish and one
in English.) Use the family tree as a learning tool for recalling new vocabulary.
Students can also create their own family trees, using drawings or actual photos
of their own family members, mounted on poster board.
Extending the Lesson - Delve into the history of Spanish
exploration. Explain that after Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, "discovered"
America on behalf of Europe, other explorers from many different European nations
came to explore and settle the New World. Spain was well represented among the
early explorers, including the likes of Coronado, Cortes, Pizarro, and Ponce de
Leon. These explorers and, later, settlers, brought their language, foods, customs,
and way of life from Spain to the United States, Mexico, and the countries in
the Caribbean Sea, Central America, and South America. Use your world map to point
out these areas. Let students know that the Hispanic culture is a strong presence
in North and South America to this day. The following EDSITEment-reviewed Web
sites provide additional information on this topic:
- The
Conquistadors offers extensive information about the Spanish explorers who
came to different parts of Latin America.
- The
City/La Ciudad focuses on the experiences of Latin American immigrants living
in the U.S.
- Repeat Lesson
2 using countries in the Caribbean Sea, Central America, and South America
for comparison. For a list of these countries and related resources, visit Countries
in Latin America and the Caribbean, on the EDSITEment-reviewed Web site Latin
American Network Information Center (LANIC). Further information may be obtained
at IPL
Culture Quest World Tour: South and Central America, available on the EDSITEment
resource Internet Public Library.
- Repeat the flash-card activity in Lesson
3 using pictures and names of objects students might find in their own homes.
The following vocabulary list includes Spanish words for several common household
items and their English translations. The pronunciations provided are intended
to be used as a guide only. The Spanish language employs some phonetic sounds
not used in English. If you are unfamiliar with the language, it is recommended
that you consult a Spanish/English dictionary or review the pronunciation resources
available at Spanish
Pronunciation Tutorial on Learn
Spanish: A Free Online Grammar Tutorial, a link from the EDSITEment resource
Internet Public Library.
Use cognates — words similar in form and meaning, italicized below —
as a tool to help students recall new vocabulary.
house: casa [KAH-sah]
window: ventana [ven-TAH-nah]
door: puerta [PWARE-tah]
En
el living (In the living room)
sofa/couch: sofa [SO-fah]
television:
television [tay-lay-vee-see-ON]
En la cocina
(In the kitchen)
kitchen sink: fregadero [frey-gah-DARE-oh]
oven:
horno [OR-noh]
En el comedor (In the dining
room)
table: mesa [MAY-sah]
chair: silla [SEE-yah]
En
el dormitorio (In the bedroom)
bed: cama [KAH-mah]
dresser: comoda
[koh-MOH-dah]
En el bano (In the bathroom)
bathtub: bañera [bahn-YARE-ah]
bathroom sink: lavabo [lah-VAH-boh]
- For more advanced classes, teach students some simple phrases to form sentences.
(Note: A student-friendly worksheet is provided for this activity; Download
the PDF. You will need to dowload Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view document.) Here are a few to get you started:
Mi nombre es ______. (My name is ______.)
(Note: This is the formal
way of introducing oneself in Spanish. Another, more colloquial expression commonly
used for stating one's name is "Yo me llamo ______," which literally means "I
call myself ______." You may choose to teach students either expression, but the
formal version has been presented here for its simplicity and similarity to English
sentence structure.)
| Tengo ______ años. | | (I
am ______ years old.) | | one: uno | six:
seis | | two: dos | seven:
siete | | three: tres | eight:
ocho | | four: cuatro | nine:
nueve | | five: cinco | ten:
diez |
Play a fill-in-the-blanks game using the incomplete
phrases below. Challenge students to come up with as many different possible endings
to each sentence. Use a Spanish/English dictionary to translate their English
suggestions into Spanish words. Keep in mind that some Spanish articles are gender-specific
— masculine (e.g., "the boy" is "el niño") and feminine (e.g., "the girl"
is "la niña"). Note: It is recommended that only teachers with a good working
knowledge of the Spanish language pursue this activity.
Aquí está ______.
(Here is ______.)
Tengo ______. (I have ______.)
Puedo ______. (I can
______.)
Aprecio ______. (I like ______.)
- American writer
Munro Leaf created quite a scandal in 1936 when he published The
Story of Ferdinand. Widely held as the first "subversive" American picture
book, this story was published at a time of major upheaval in Europe, and many
misinterpreted the story as, at best, a pro-pacifist manifesto, and at worst,
a promoter of one of the popular "isms" of the time, specifically, fascism and
communism. It was banned in war-torn Spain, burned in Nazi Germany, and labeled
both fascist and communist in the U.S. This
infamous reputation may surprise you when you read the story, still a favorite
with children. Students will learn about a classic Spanish activity — bull
fighting — and pick up a few more Spanish words (matador, banderilleros)
in this simple tale of a gentle bull named Ferdinand. (Note to the teacher: To
learn more about reactions to The Story of Ferdinand
and for the complete text, consult The 20th
Century Children's Book Treasury, Janet Schulman, Ed. [New York: Knopf,
1998].)
- Several books for students aged 4-8 are available in
bilingual English/Spanish versions. If possible, obtain one or more of these books
for reading aloud. If you are comfortable enough with speaking the language, read
each story in Spanish as well as English, then discuss the stories with the class.
- Cruz Martinez, Alejandro, David Schecter, Harriet Rohmer and Rosalma
Zubizarreta. The Woman Who Outshone the Sun: The Legend
of Lucia Zenteno/La Mujer Que Brillaba Aun Mas Que El Sol: La Leyenda de Lucia
Zenteno. Illustrated by Fernando Olivera. Children's Book Press, 1994.
- Ehlert, Lois. Un Lazo a la Luna: Una Leyenda Peruana/Moon
Rope: A Peruvian Folktale (abridged edition). Translated by Amy Prince.
Harcourt Brace, 1992.
- Hofer, Grace and Rachel Day. Oigan
Ninos, Listen Children: A Book of Nursery Rhymes, Poems, Songs and Riddles in
Spanish and in English. Illustrated by Stephen Moncus. Eakin Press, 1993.
- Lopez De Mariscal, Blanca, et. al. Los Pajaros
de la Cosecha/The Harvest Birds. Children's Book Press, 2001.
- Introduce students to Spanish music. A Spanish children's folk song, Mi
Chacra — My Farm, can be found on KIDiddles:
Mojo's Musical Mouseum, available via a link from the EDSITEment resource
Internet Public Library.
Both the Spanish and English lyrics are included.
- If sufficient
access to technology is available, allow students to visit the website Sounds
of the World's Animals: Spanish, available through a link from the EDSITEment
resource Latin American
Network Information Center (LANIC). This site offers a list of animals and
the sounds they make, written in Spanish. After reading each statement, students
try to guess the animal being described — then click the animal name for
a picture of the animal, to find out if they guessed correctly.
- Conduct a Spanish cooking class. If you're really ambitious, you could make
paella, one of Spain's most famous dishes. A recipe
for paella is available via a link from the EDSITEment-reviewed Web site Internet
Public Library. Looking for something a little easier? Try your hand at the
gazpacho or Spanish rice recipes available at IPL
Culture Quest World Tour: Recipes of Spain, available on the EDSITEment-reviewed
Internet Public Library.
Simpler still are Mexican foods, which are readily available in pre-packaged form
at your grocery store — tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and fajitas are a
few of the options. And don't forget the tortilla chips and salsa. If possible,
invite students' parents and/or other classes in your school to join your fiesta!
(Hint: Pick up a piñata at a party goods store so students can participate in
an authentic Hispanic activity!)
Selected EDSITEment Websites -
Casa de Joanna: Language Learning Resources
http://www.casadejoanna.com/mirror/index.htm
-
The City/La Ciudad
http://www.pbs.org/thecity/
-
A Collector's Vision of Puerto Rico
http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/
-
The Great Puerto Rican Family
http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/family.htm
-
Spanish Colonial History
http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/history.htm
-
The Conquistadors
http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/
-
The Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org
-
IPL Culture Quest World Tour: Europe
http://www.ipl.org/youth/cquest/europe/europe.html
-
IPL Culture Quest World Tour: North America
http://www.ipl.org/youth/cquest/northamerica/northamerica.html
-
IPL Culture Quest World Tour: South and Central America
http://www.ipl.org/youth/cquest/southamerica/southamerica.html
-
Learn Spanish: A Free Online Grammar Tutorial
http://www.studyspanish.com/tutorial.htm
-
Spanish Pronunciation Tutorial
http://www.studyspanish.com/pronunciation/index.htm
-
On the Line: Spain Virtual Journey
http://www.ontheline.org.uk/explore/journey/spain/spindex.htm
- Latin American
Network Information Center (LANIC)
http://lanic.utexas.edu/
-
Mexico Connect
http://www.mexconnect.com
-
Family Life at El Mirador
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/cmichel/cmfamilylife.html
-
Mexican Tradition: Day of the Dead
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/muertos.html
-
Mexico Hot or Not: Mexican Cooking
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/puebla/kgcomida1.html
-
NYISE: Puerto Rican History and Culture
http://www.nyise.org/caribe/
-
BoricuaKids
http://www.elboricua.com/BoricuaKids.html
-
Los Reyes
http://www.elboricua.com/BKreyes.html
-
Puerto Rican Food
http://www.elboricua.com/BoricuaKids_Food.html
-
Welcome to Puerto Rico!
http://Welcome.toPuertoRico.org/
-
National Holidays
http://Welcome.toPuertoRico.org/reference/holi.shtml
-
Puerto Rican Culture: Food and Drink
http://Welcome.toPuertoRico.org/culture/foodrink.shtml
-
Puerto Rico: Sports
http://Welcome.toPuertoRico.org/culture/sports.shtml
-
Sounds of the World's Animals: Spanish
http://www.georgetown.edu/cball/animals/spanish.html
-
National Geographic Society Xpeditions
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/
-
Map Machine
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
-
Try This! @ National Geographic.com
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/world/trythis/trycrf2.html
Standards Alignment
View your state’s standards
|
