Amanda+Gorman+Unit+Plan

Topic: Topic: Family Traditions/Holidays Essential Question: How do family traditions and holidays give us insight into their culture?

I have decided to do my unit plan on family traditions and holidays because I feel it is a topic that everyone can relate to. I feel that it is a great way to get students involved as well because almost every student has a story: a birthday party, a 4th of july, a bar mitzvah, a quincinera, a wedding, halloween---the list continues to grow, but each student is able to feel like they are "a part of the lesson." The lesson will obviously incorporate key spanish vocabulary and grammar but the students won't have that as their main focus, the lesson will become personalized for them, thus making them put in more effort and increase their motivation. Plus, it is my belief that the best way to learn is to learn from each other, and what better way to learn from each other then to share in each other's culture.

I decided to create my essential question based on the fact that culture is such an integral part of every person, country, and language. A person's traditions, holidays, and how they spend their time during these events gives us great insight into their culture, they way they live, and how they interact with others. I think that this is a great learning experience for students and it allows us to take the project down many different roads for students to express themselves and share with their classmates a part of their life that is important to them. It also opens students eyes to the varied amount of traditions and holidays that are celebrated around the world and how they influence a person's culture and way of life.

Goals for the family traditions/hoiday unit: 1) Students will comprehend, master, and use effectively appropriate vocabulary related to holidays, traditions and culture 2) Students will feel comfortable speaking in the target language about their traditions and other's traditions 3) Students will be introduced to "comparison grammar" to compare and contrast different cultures, and feel comfortable using the structure 4) Students will feel comfortable talking about the frequency that they celebrate the holidays and if they still celebrate them, focusing on using the past tense 5) Students will learn to talk about the role that family has in the culture, learning family vocabulary, family trees, and understanding differences among families

National standards (or the 5 C's) Communication: Students will talk amongst each other, in groups, and in front of the class to share their different traditions and holidays that they celebrate, activities will include: oral presentations, visuals, mini-group work, and role-play Cultures: Students will learn more about the cultures of Spanish speaking countries as well as the different cultures celebrated in the United States Connections: Students will make connections among the similiarities found in Spanish speaking traditions/holidays and American traditions and holidays Comparisons: Students will compare how they celebrate holidays and how they support cultural traditions compared to those in Spanish Speaking countries Communities: Students will learn how communities interact during the holidays and traditions that are celebrated