Subject: 8th or 9th grade Spanish

Duration: 2 weeks

Goal: To write a children’s book in Spanish.

Objectives:
To locate and label the Spanish speaking Caribbean islands on a map.
To determine the theme, location, and main characters in the book La Isla.
To review the present, present progressive and preterite tenses.

Activities:
Day One:
1. Working in small groups using a two-column notes format, students brainstorm what they know about the Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands on the left side of the paper. Students report to the class and the teacher writes the students knowledge on the board or on a transparency.

2. As students’ knowledge is shared, they can correct or add to what they wrote down in the right column of their paper.

3. Hand out a blank map of the Caribbean and have students label the map with the countries. They may use their textbooks or other source for help.

4. Using an overhead projector students correct their maps according to the map on the overhead.

5. Talk about the climate of the Caribbean and have students add to or correct the notes they have from brainstorming. (Travel Guide Books and travel websites are good for information on the weather. Culture Gram notebooks are also good).

Day Two:
1. Ask students to skim through the book La Isla, paying particular attention to the pictures and words that jump out at them. They should determine the location of the story, the theme, and who the main characters are. Students write down examples to support their findings.

2. Using an overhead or writing on the board, students report their answers to the location of the story, the theme, and the main characters. Go over the location (could be Cuba, Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. Give examples why it could be any of these three islands, i.e., the geography, use of the word la isla, use of color and Spanish on the buildings, etc.). Talk about the theme, and who the main characters are. Are there any other characters? If so, who are they?

3. If each student ahs a copy of the text, ask them to read the first 6 pages of the text . If only one copy is available, students take turns reading aloud to the class. Students underline the verbs and note the tense of each. Students should read the Spanish version of La Isla, but you may want to have the English verison on hand for reference.

Day Three
1. Using the overhead go over the verbs, their tenses and meanings.

2. Students write a brief summary in English or Spanish of what is happening in the first 6 pages.

3. In Spanish, discuss who the characters are, what they are doing (taking an imaginary trip to "the island" where the grandmother grew up.) Discuss the pictures and importance of family. Make sure the students understand what they have read by asking questions in Spanish or English or both depending upon your students.

4. Provide a list of vocabulary the students have not had to accompany the assigned pages.

5. Depending on the length of the class and the ability of the students, assign students more of the book to label and read in class. You may choose to have the students work alone or in pairs to do this. If time permits go over the pages in class or have the students turn in their list of labeled verbs and a summary of the story on the assigned pages.

Assessment:
Students write their own children’s story using the guidelines of the Performance Task Assessment.

Materials: (available at the PIER Resource Center)
La Isla
Map of the Caribbean
Overhead projector
Paper, markers, pencils or crayons
Travel books about the Spanish speaking Caribbean islands
Performance Task Assessment sheet.