Gaby+Butcher+Unit+Plan

__**Introduction to Unit Plan**__ //Essential Question:// How does the country in which we live in affects our view of luxuries vs necessities?


 * Rationale for the unit:** In order to better understand the cultural and economic differences between our country and those of our target language it is important to comprehend how our socioeconomic status and cultural perception affects our view of what is considered to be "a need" vs. "a want". Being that most of our students are accostumed to living in a certain way, and to have certain amenities both in their household and everyday lives, it may be difficult for them to understand how most latin american countries' living standards are so diverse and therefore, the "needs" and "wants" of the people are quite diverse. It is advantageous to consider the point of view of the hispanic population both here and abroad and to be able to identify how needs and wants are defined according to our cultural differences. One can draw several comparisons and contrasts leading to understanding more about our own way of life and the purchases that we make.


 * Goals:**

1. Ss will be able to look at the different living standards of the target language culture (ie. home furnishings, purchases, entertainment choices) and identify what are clearly a neccesity vs. a luxury depending upon our socioeconomic status and the country we are in.

2. Use several Spanish language concepts to describe, state, and qualify luxuries vs. necessities within a particular context.


 * National Standards:**

1. Culture: Investigate our own culture and the that of the target language in order to assess how our perception of wants and needs depends on our own socioeconomic status.

2. Connections: Draw connections between our own cultural context and lifestyle choicess vs those of the Hispanic culture and lifestyle.

3. Comparisons: Compare our own cultural context and purchasing power to that of Hispanic/Hispanic American culture. Draw conclusions about how our choices are limited only by our purchasing power and how that contrasts those of the target language culture.

4. Communities: By looking at diverse contexts in which luxuries vs. needs are evident in both our own culture and that of the Hispanic world, Ss will be able to distinguish how our own cultural perception affects our choices.

5. Communication: Communicate with each other to find both differences and similarities between the two cultures in order to better define and understand "needs" vs. wants".

Unit Project Assignment : http://gabybutcher.googlepages.com/unitplanprojectassignmentsheet

Unit Project Rubric: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1398994&


 * Internet-based Lesson Plan**
 * Lesson Objective**: To learn about the different types of dwellings of people living in Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia, and El Salvador as well as to be able to draw comparisons between those dwellings and those commonly found in the U.S.A.


 * Standards**:
 * Grammatical Concepts**: To make comparisons after doing internet research, students will need to know the comparison structure. I would also like them to incorporate Unit 7’s possessive pronouns and vocabulary.
 * Vocabulary**: The students will need to be familiar with the proper way of making comparisons in Spanish (Ex. __Mi__ casa es mucho __mas__ grande __que__ la __tuya__. They must also be able to know adjectives in order to properly describe and compare.
 * Cultural Topic**: The cultural topics used in this lesson will be mostly as it refers to the different types of homes one finds in the Hispanic world depending upon one’s own perspective of what it is considered to be a necessity vs. a luxury. Different countries have different ways of setting up a house, what furnishing are available as well as it size, location and exterior decoration based on the family’s income.
 * Realia/Resources**: Specific internet sites showing pictures of the dwellings and personal possessions in Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia, and El Salvador.
 * Major Activities**: Warm-up: Quick vocabulary review. Quick group assignment activity: to choose groups of three students that would collaborate together in researching the assigned country. Main activity: In the computer lab students will work in their groups researching the different types of dwellings and personal possessions that the average person/teenager has in their assigned country. They should find interesting statistics regarding GNP, the average rate of pay for a laborer, standard family size, the different designs of homes, their location, and any other relevant information such as the cost of a computer that would allow them to compare the homes and lifestyle of people living in those homes vs. the average U.S.A household. This information will be utilized for their final project. At the end of this lesson, students will write a brief statement stating why they think a teenage/boy girl in their assigned country would like to have one item they take for granted. (Items such a TV. playstation, iPod, or personal computer).
 * Input (focus on meaning):** As a refresher for this internet lesson, students should become aware of what things they are surrounded by that they simply take for granted, things such as the number of bathrooms in their home, their own room, hand-me-downs or the absence of hand-me-downs, number of people in their home, etc. Students should have learned comparison technique and possessive pronouns as well as Unit 7’s vocabulary.
 * Presentation (focus on form):** The sites I would have chosen would be entirely in Spanish, and some of the vocabulary in them may be difficult for the students to interpret. To help the students I will give them access to several Spanish/English dictionaries as well as provide them with a cheat sheet in which I would have translated some of the key words to look for when navigating the websites. I would also arrange the groups so that they have enough time to discuss their country with another group (different country) and they are able to talk about their countries’ differences prior to writing their brief statement stating why their think a teenage boy/girl would love to have one of their personal possessions.
 * Check for understanding:** One student per group would give a brief oral presentation to the rest of class explaining some of the things that they found during their research. I would encourage the class to ask questions and to challenge each other by defending what they chose to be the item to write their brief statement about. They will also turn in their comparative sentences when done. The oral presentation would be graded on the clarity, the information specifics as well as their use of the proper comparison terminology and Unit’s vocabulary. All of these steps will serve as a comprehension check about the websites as well as certain grammar points.
 * Guided practice with Modeling**: We will look at one site of a country not-assigned together, so that they become familiar about how to go about navigating internet sites that are mostly written in Spanish. I would make especially clear how to find the relevant information we are looking for and how to search for additional facts. We also have already covered the proper way to set up comparisons as well as looked at different economic facts such as average salary, household size, and family structure.
 * Grouping Procedures**: I would have students count from 1-4 and form the groups accordingly. I would assign each group their own individual country to research and ask that each group member focuses on a particular area of the research, which way students will not be searching for the same exact information in their own group thus avoiding duplicate information.
 * Feedback**: I like to walk around the classroom and monitor the students’ progress in the project. I will give them feedback when necessary or requested and help them complete their cheat sheet if asked to. I would ask them to turn in their progress at the end of the class period so that I can make comments on it overnight before they complete their Unit Plan Project Assignment based on the information that they research today.
 * Independent Practice**: This activity mostly student guided with minor modeling by the teacher. They will use their peers, dictionaries, and internet websites to research the necessary information. This will give them practice writing complete sentences in Spanish and getting used to utilizing the information they found to make appropriate comparisons.
 * Closure**: The completed Unit Plan Project would be giving this lesson closure. I will remind the students that I am available to look over their individual and group work after before/after class and ask that they take advantage of the school’s computer lab whenever possible. They will also use the information found during this lesson for their final project.
 * Time Limits**: They will have 8 minutes for the review activity, 5 minutes for group creation and the remainder of the class to work on their comparisons, complete their research and write their brief statement.

This is my daily schedule

Unit Plan Powerpoint Presentation Unit Plan Substitute Teacher Lesson --->

Unit Plan Test -->