Spanish for Native Speakers  I - Character and Story Description 
María Teresa Chávez
Introduction
Standards
Objectives
Activities
Assessment 
Results
Resources
¿Dónde estás corazón?  
Introduction
This lesson will focus on story and character development through the comparison of the opera "La Bohème" and the Mexican film, "Tizoc".  Students will be able to describe the characters, settings, conflicts, major events, and solutions in the target language using story maps and triangles.  In addition, students will describe their interpretation  of the music and its' influence on the plots.  By comparing these two dramas, the  students will communicate in Spanish, gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures, connect with the arts, develop insights into the nature of language and culture and participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world.
Subject:Spanish for Native Speakers I
Topic:Story and Character Development Desription
Grade Level:9-11
Student Lesson name and URL:
Standards Addressed
Nine-Eleventh Grades
Foreign Language: Spanish for Native Speakers 1
Story and Character Development Description

(1) 1. Students will engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. As the basis for understanding this concept, students know:
          a) The parts of speech in Spanish.
          b) The emotive adjective vocabulary in Spanish.
           c) How to identify  characters, settings, conflicts, major events,                and  solutions in the target language.

d) .Orally share their reactions to a prompt in Spanish.
 

(3) 1. Students will reinforce and further their knowldedge of other disciplines through the foreign language. As the basis for understanding this concept, students know:

a) Read original poems in Spanish for mood.
b) Listen to songs in Spanish and Italian to describe feelings.
c) Use a URL for a Spanish site to broaden the learning experience through music.
 

(4) 2. Students will demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparison of the cultures studied and their own . As the basis for understanding this concept, students know:

a)Common gestures in American culture.
b) Some gestures in Mexican culture.
c) Other gestures in other cultures.
 
 
 

Instructional Objectives
 

Students will describe the main characters, events, and music in Spanish while expanding their vocabulary and improving their writing, reading and listening skills.  Students will use their own experiences to relate to the music and express their opinions while being exposed to opera.

Student Activities
Students will read annotated versions of "Tizoc" & "La Bohème", view the films, develop and write  story maps and triangles of the dramas.  In addition, they will listen to  and critique some musical pieces of "La Bohème", "Tizoc", and contemporary music in Spanish and Italian. 
Introductory Activity
Students will listen to the song , "¿Dónde estás corazón?" by Shakira while following the lyrics on the overhead. 

http://www.audiogalaxy.com/pages/band_listing.php3?bandname=shakira

Afterwards they will divide into groups of six  and share their responses to the following statements/questions;
     1)Describe the rhythm of this song?  How does this song make you feel and why?(3 sentences in Spanish)
     2)List  five different places where the singer has sought out her beloved:
Are these typical places to look for people?  Why do you think she says that she's looking for him there?
     3)Name another song, movie, novel, or story that reminds you of this song  and explain how they are similar.(3 sentences in Spanish)
     4)What would  you honestly do if you "lost" your beloved?(3 sentences in Spanish)
     5)What sincere advice would you give your best friend if she/he were rejected and dumped by her/his "honey"? (3 sentences in Spanish)
     6)Where do you think that the singer will recuperate her beloved and why?(3 sentences in Spanish)

 HOMEWORK: Students will read an interview and listen to a sample of the song, "A puro dolor" by Son By Four. They will click on the following site: http//musica.ciudadfutura.com/articulos/index.cfm?page=son
Then, they will answer the following:
1)  What do the songs by Son By Four try to express? (1 sentence in Spanish)
2)   This group's music is a combination of which rythms ?(1 sentence in Spanish)
3)   Describe their style?(1 sentence in Spanish)
4)   Who are the members of the group and how are they related?(1 sentence in Spanish)
5)     Did you like the song, "A puro dolor"? Why or why not? (3 sentences in Spanish)
 

Enabling Activity(ies)
Students will be exposed to an emotive and descriptive  vocabulary.  Students will read and view annotated versions of "La Bohème" and "Tizoc" and describe them using story maps. After completing a story map for each drama (which describe the settings, main characters, main events, problems, music, and solutions), the students will share and review  their information. Culminating Activity
Students will view and listen to the climaxes of "La Bohème" and "Tizoc" and in pair groups will complete two character pyramids describing the two dramas.  When the cooperative learning groups have discussed and recorded their information, the class as a whole groug will share their individual work. Assessment

The activities and quiz(post-test) are worth a total of 130 pts
    Introductory Activity - Listening and answering the six questions based on the song "¿Donde Estas Corazón?" 25 pts
    Homework- Answer the three questions based on the Alejandro Sans' song  15 pts
    Enabling Activity - Story Map   25 pts
    Culminating Activity - Character Pyramid  35 pts
    Quiz - Post-Test  30 pts

Results
How do you measure the student achievement of the objectives of this lesson?

     -A Pre-Test For You To Use!
     -Completion Of These Activities
     -A Post-Test For You To Use!

Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

Introductory Activity
     Shakira
     Son By Four
     Addresses for other songs
Enabling Activity
An example of  a story map.
Addresses for  the   opera of "La Bohème" and "Tizoc".

Culminating Activity
An example of a story pyramid.
Addresses for  the   opera of "La Bohème" and "Tizoc".


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Reseda High School, Los Angeles School District C
 18230 Kittridge St., Reseda, CA 91335
http://lausd.k12.ca.us/Reseda_HS

María T. Chávez   e-mail address:  mtchavez@hotmail.com
Last Revised: 07/05/2000