Comprehensive Course Syllabus Template - Illinois Mathematics ...

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Comprehensive Course Syllabus Course Title Spanish V (WLG 250) 2012-2013 Course Description: In Spanish Level V, students continue to build communication skills developed in the first four levels of Spanish by refining the five major skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competency. Spanish V course will help prepare students to demonstrate their level of Spanish proficiency across three communicative modes (Interpersonal [interactive communication], Interpretive [receptive communication], and Presentational [productive communication], and the five goal areas outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century¹ (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities). Students will acquire information from authentic sources in Spanish intended for native speakers: films, documentaries, recordings, podcasts, literary texts, newspapers, magazines, essays, research papers, biographies, websites, etc. in a variety of settings, types of discourse, styles, topics, registers, and broad regional variations. These sources include advanced grammatical structures (i.e. indicative, subjunctive and imperative moods, indirect discourse, and passive voice), idiomatic expressions, and topics that are literary, sociopolitical, historical, philosophical, technical, and scientific. As the year progresses, students’ written and oral Spanish is expected to reflect advanced grammatical structures and an ever-expanding, sophisticated, precise, and eloquent vocabulary. Students will demonstrate an increasing strong command of Spanish linguistic skills (including grammatical accuracy, fluency, a more accurate pronunciation, and an authentic Spanish intonation). Spanish V will cover, among other learning experiences, the study of sociopolitical issues during the late 20th Century in Latin America the first semester and the civil war era in Spain the second semester. INSTRUCTOR  Name: Sra. María Atienza-Gabás  Office number: A 134  Telephone number: 630-907-5877  E-mail address: [email protected]  Office hours: before, after school, and Wednesdays from 1:00-3:00 pm Meeting Days, Time and Room(s): A/C days 9:35am-10:45am; and B/D days 9:35am- 10:20am Room A 135 _________________ 1.National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (Lawrence, Kan.: Allen Press, 1999).

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Text(s) / Materials: Level V is a film and literature-based course. The theme or big idea of each of the learning experiences or units will be presented through a film and supported with literary and authentic texts. Students will read several literary excerpts, short stories, and at least a theater play. Also, the instructor will provide additional materials including teachergenerated handouts, grammar packets, different literary selections, news articles, etc. The following resources are subject to change. Excerpts from: Historia de América Latina. G. Vázquez Hispanoamérica ayer y hoy. A. Alberty, F. Ardanaz Historia de España. F. Bajo Alvarez Historia de España para jóvenes del siglo XXI. J. A. Vaca de Osma Cinema for Spanish Conversation. Maria Paz Haro De lector a escritor: el desarrollo de la comunicación escrita. M. D. Finnemann and L. Carbón Gorell Short Stories from: Abriendo puertas: Antología de literatura en español Tomos I y II. W. S. Bowen and B. Tucker Bowen Lecturas Avanzadas: AP Spanish Reader. E. Giulianelli Sorpresas. E. Olazagasti-Segovia Breves cuentos hispanos. T. E. Kooreman, O. Muvdi Kooreman, and E. Sanchez de la Calle. Album. R. M. Valette and J. Renjilian-Burgy Theater Plays: La dama del alba. Alejandro Casona La casa de Bernarda Alba. Federico García Lorca (acts) Films for Latinamerican units – first semester: (subject to change) La hora oficial Desaparecidos Maria llena de gracia Voces inocentes Films for Spain units –second semester La lengua de las mariposas El laberinto del fauno Los girasoles ciegos La dama del alba Materials:  your own Spanish-English dictionary (we recommend The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary),  a 2”ring binder with loose-leaf paper for hand outs and notes taking  a composition notebook for journaling and in class short writes  recommended: a red /green pen for editing, and a highlighter A / SV/2012-2013

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Essential Experimental Aspect: At the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy®, one of our main objectives in teaching foreign languages is for students to engage, on a deep, intellectual, and personal level, in new ways of seeing, thinking, interacting, and communicating. In order for this objective to be realized, students must encounter a communicative system and cultural perspectives different from their own. It is essential for our students' growth that they engage in immersion-based learning experiences where they are supported in going beyond normal comfort levels, and where they learn to function within a system that is unfamiliar to them, thereby developing real-world proficiency in another language and in other cultures. As a result of language learning, our students think and act globally, are cosmopolitan in their outlook, and international in their understanding. They will be ethical leaders who advance the human condition. When one speaks another language, he or she thinks and acts differently. One’s perspective is widened and horizons are expanded. Students have a greater capacity to empathize, to make friends, to imagine "what it would be like" to be in another person's shoes. Imagination is stretched. Students no longer see "aliens" or "others", but rather they see real people with differences and similarities. If students stop studying a language, they may forget the words and grammar details. However, learning another language and its culture(s), learning how to effectively communicate with other human beings, and learning how meaning is constructed through words other than one’s native tongue, will remain for a lifetime. The IMSA World Language Learning Standards, in which the five unifying concepts (communication, cultures, communities, comparisons, and connections) are embedded, are the guiding principles of the program. Our standards are adapted from Standards for foreign language learning: Preparing for the 21st century, National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, 1996. Students studying foreign language at IMSA will: A. communicate in multiple modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). B. understand the relationships among the practices, products, and perspectives of the cultures studied. C. reinforce and further knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. D. acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures. E. understand the nature of language through comparisons of their own language and the language studied. F. understand the concept of culture through comparisons of their own culture and the cultures studied. G. use knowledge of language and culture both within and beyond the school setting for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

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In addition, the WL team guides students in the development of their meta-cognitive skills, their ability to collaborate, and their ability to accurately assess learning--skills which are applicable to all of their learning experiences. Standards of Significant Learning Outcomes: The following SSL’s, correlated with learning outcomes, will be targeted and assessed in this course, according to the following pattern: FA (formally assessed), IA (informally assessed). IA. Students are expected to develop automaticity in skills, concepts, and processes that support and enable complex thought by  engaging in oral and written discourse FA, IA  providing and obtaining information FA, IA  expressing feelings and emotions FA, IA,  exchanging opinions FA, IA  applying content knowledge to create with the target language FA, IA  decoding written and spoken language on a variety of topics FA, IA  presenting information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics FA  controlling the linguistic system (syntax, morphology, phonology, semantics, lexis) FA  using strategies that enhance the effectiveness of communication FA  compensating for linguistic inadequacies and cultural differences when they occur, and applying knowledge of cultural perspectives governing interactions between individuals of different age, status, and background FA  recognizing and interpreting how cultural perspectives, embedded in the artifacts of the culture, give meaning to language FA  directly accessing knowledge and information generated by other countries and cultures IA  communicating with people from other countries and cultures IA  transferring content knowledge in alternative scenarios and new problems IA II. A. Students are expected to identify unexamined cultural, historical, and personal assumptions and misconceptions that impede and skew inquiry by  recognizing the existence of other peoples' world views, their unique way of life, and the patterns of behavior which order their world IA  demonstrating mutual cultural understanding and respect IA  assessing the linguistic and cultural differences that contribute to the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures FA, IA  identifying patterns among language systems FA  recognizing that language learning is not simply a word-for-word translation process, but rather the acquisition of an entirely new set of concepts IA IV.B. Students are expected to write and speak with power, economy, and elegance by  engaging in oral and written discourse on given topics FA, IA

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    

providing and obtaining information FA, IA expressing feelings and emotions FA, IA exchanging opinions FA, IA decoding written and spoken language on a variety of topics FA, IA presenting information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics FA  controlling the linguistic system (syntax, morphology, phonology, semantics, lexis) FA  using strategies that enhance the effectiveness of communication FA, IA  compensating for linguistic inadequacies and cultural differences when they occur, and applying knowledge of cultural perspectives governing interactions between individuals of different age, status, and background FA, IA IV.D. Students are expected to develop an aesthetic awareness and capability by  recognizing that language learning is not simply a word-for-word translation process, but rather the acquisition of an entirely new set of concepts IA  recognizing that people of other cultures view the world from a perspective different from their own IA  identifying patterns of behavior among people of other cultures IA  applying knowledge of the perspectives, artifacts, and practices of a culture IA,FA  experiencing more fully the artistic and cultural creations of other cultures IA V.A. Students are expected to identify, understand, and accept the rights and responsibilities of belonging to a diverse community by  recognizing the existence of other peoples' world views, their unique way of life, and the patterns of behavior which order their world IA  applying knowledge of the perspectives, artifacts, and practices of a culture FA  assessing the linguistic and cultural differences that contribute to the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures IA  engaging in oral and written discourse IA, FA  providing and obtaining information IA,FA  expressing feelings and emotions IA,FA  exchanging opinions IA  compensating for linguistic inadequacies and cultural differences when they occur, and applying knowledge of cultural perspectives governing interactions between individuals of different age, status, and background IA  explaining the process of stereotyping and the role stereotypes play in forming and sustaining prejudice IA  demonstrating mutual cultural understanding and respect IA  engaging in meaningful direct interactions with members of other cultures IA  sharing their knowledge of language and culture IA,FA

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Instructional Design and Approach: World Languages teachers establish an immersion classroom where the goal is communication in the target language with correct, uninhibited, and creative expressions. Immersion means that you will be in class surrounded by Spanish at a level that is appropriate for you. "Communication" includes speaking, reading, listening, and writing within a cultural context. We denote, and help students to develop skills in, three modes of communication: presentational, interpersonal, and interpretive. Our instructional design provides the opportunity for students to develop core competency learner characteristics. We empower and enable students to discover what they personally need in order to acquire and use a foreign language; we place responsibility on the individual student to collaborate, utilize problem-solving skills, and critical and creative thinking. We ask students to persist through frustration, and to maintain a tolerance for ambiguity; we demand that they look at problematic situations from various viewpoints and perspectives, and we design instruction so that they must develop and go beyond automaticity, actively construct meaning, seek connections and interactions that deepen understanding, and appreciate the value of knowledge from multiple sources and perspectives. We help students develop the cultural sensitivity that is necessary to guard against miscommunication or misunderstanding. We assume that students will display the motivation, maturity, and personal responsibility necessary to participate in this sort of language acquisition environment. Spanish V class is built around a premise of “learning together” in which students become active participants in every aspect of learning and instruction. In practice, this means that: a) active participation in all learning activities is required and expected, b) frequent and ongoing interaction with other students and the instructor are integral components of each lesson, c) pair activities and small group interactions for practicing the language are the most common instructional arrangements, d) variety and choice of instructional formats (individual, pair, small group), assessment types (presentations, skits, discussions, debates), and media (audio, video, pictures, music, etc.) are built into the course, e) self-reflection is promoted by means of self-assessments for video projects, the design of rubrics by the students themselves, the administration of a learningstyles questionnaire, and the identification of strategies to enhance individual learning. . Students are always involved in assessing their own learning. A videotaped group interview/conversation in the first few weeks of instruction will identify areas of individual strength and weaknesses, and will set personalized goals for future performance.

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Student Expectations: Active and extensive class participation is essential to your success and the success of the course. Students are expected to speak only Spanish in class with the instructor and

classmates. Also, students are encouraged to speak Spanish informally outside class with anyone who speaks the language. Remember, practice makes perfect! Attendance Students are expected to be in class daily, be punctual, be well prepared with all required class materials and completed assignments. They are expected to be positive contributors and collaborators who actively participate in class activities. The WL Team follows the Academy’s attendance policy. It states that three unexcused tardies equal one unexcused absence, and four unexcused absences will result in the student being withdrawn from the course with a WF grade. Please, be aware that it is the responsibility of students and parents to check the attendance record in Power School. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to communicate with a classmate or with me to obtain the necessary information/class work/homework, etc. and to turn the homework in the day of your return to class. If your absence is unexcused, there will NOT be make-ups for any form of assessments, including unit final projects or presentations. Homework No late homework (not available at the beginning of class) will be accepted. There will be daily homework in different formats. H om ew ork is an essential part of your learning experience: d o it w ith that purpose in m ind . If you need help w ith it, com e and see m e before your next class. Homework assignments are not necessarily only

written documents, but practicing, researching, learning material, listening, reading, working on a project, and memorizing. Since homework will be an essential component for a class activity the following day, timely completion of homework is essential for successful participation in class. Homework will be assigned as individual, partners, and/or group work. All homework assignments must be handed in on time: at the beginning of class. Homework partially completed or done in class will not receive any credit. Late homework will not be accepted. Homework will be collected unannounced and it will be graded. Assignments and assessments including drafts, essays, visuals for a presentation, oral presentations, and any other form of assessment that are not ready at the due date and time (including students who are not ready for a presentation) will receive partial credit for the assignment (a reduction of a 25% off the final grade), and it will need to be done by the following class. Field trips and school sponsored activities are excused absences, but you must have your homework done at your return. The amount of time outside of class that a student needs to spend in order to acquire proficiency in Spanish varies from individual to individual. A reasonable expectation is

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45 minutes per day. Shorter daily study and practice sessions are much more conducive to language acquisition than one or two longer periods during the week. Group work and collaboration outside class to practice speaking is highly encouraged. Academic Integrity IMSA students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. I follow the Academy's academic honesty policy; refer to the Student Handbook/Planner. Students involved in breaches of academic integrity (cheating, plagiarism, and inappropriate collaboration) will receive a zero for the assignment or assessment. Cheating includes: copying another’s person work and presenting it as yours; using any form of notes during a test; looking over another’s person answers during an exam; using a translator devise for more than individual words; and using an English version of a Spanish text, including news. Assessment Practices, Procedures, and Processes: Assessment in Spanish V involves both the teacher and the student. The teacher provides regular feedback on student performance. The student follows through on the teacher’s feedback, and engages in self–assessment. Emphasis is on continued efforts to improve student’s language proficiency. Students are assessed daily on the production of written and spoken language, and on reading and listening comprehension. Essential elements of effective communication are the creative use of vocabulary in context, and grammatical and syntactical accuracy. To measure your progress in the language, a variety of assessments (interpersonal, presentational, and interpretive) will be used throughout the year. After each assessment, you will receive immediate and constructive feedback on your performance. Reflections and self-assessments will be essential components of your learning. Written assessments include journal entries, compositions, short writes, summaries, peer responses, quizzes, and exams. Written performance assessments include orthography, diacritical markings, legibility, punctuation, organization, syntax control, use of advanced vocabulary, and style. Evaluation of written assessments will include: organization, flow, content, syntax control, orthography, and advanced and level appropriate vocabulary used, including connectors and transitions. Oral assessments include daily informal conversations, individual and group work, and formal and informal in-class presentations including, but not limited to, skits, debates, film and reading discussions, impromptu and demonstration speeches, news reports, PP presentations, teaching assignments, etc. Some of these presentations will be video recorded for self-assessment purposes. Oral assessments will evaluate content and information, organization, quality of syntax control, use of advanced vocabulary and grammar, pronunciation, intonation, and fluency.

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You will receive specific rubrics for major oral and written assessments. For your baseline video assessment, you will receive a rubric for interpersonal communication to evaluate your level of proficiency according to IMSA SSLs (Standards of Significant Learning -see pgs. 4 and 5) and ACTFL (American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages) proficiency levels. Grading Scale: The following are the cut-off values for quarter and semester grades as calculated by PowerSchool: A 92.5 A- 90.0

B+ 87.5 B 82.5

B- 80.0 C+ 77.5

C 72.5 C- 70.0

D 69.9 F 0

Oral assessments: video assessments, class oral production, presentations, skits Written assessments: compositions, journal entries, short writes, critiques Homework : Exams: grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening, unit content. Weekly individual work: engagement in individual and group activities, attitude, preparedness for class, and effort.

25% 25% 15% 20%

Quarter 1 Quarter 2

50% 50%

Final assessments in both semesters will be part of your semester grade.

To reference: IMSA’s World Language Learning Standards: www.imsa.edu/learning/standards/wlang.php

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15%


Spanish V Sequence of Learning Experiences for 2012-2013 Spanish V Essential Question: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? A unit guideline with information including essential questions, targeted SSLs and outcomes, grammar, vocabulary, and cultural resource will be provided at the start of each unit. Level V is a film-based and content-based class in Spanish; therefore, grammar is not a component of its curriculum. Students at this level should have acquired an advanced level of grammar and syntax that will allow them successful completion of this course. Some grammar aspects will be slightly revised. Students who need more work on that area are encouraged to work outside class to meet level and class expectations. Unit 1. “My Generation and I” Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? Who are we? What are the concepts of “self” in Hispanic cultures and in diverse societies? How does self-identity change according to age in our society and in Spanish society? How US education system differ from others? Among other learning experiences, students will explore and reflect on what makes them who they are: what are the ideas, concepts, objects, etc. that identify who they are. Students will read a magazine article on El país semanal, by Lucas Arraut, My life within my backpack, about the concept of self-definition and identity of a group of 12 Spanish teenagers who just turned 18. The article is a portrait of the restlessness of these new young adults through the objects that best represent who they are. Students will explore, compare and contrast different perspectives and approaches to how Spanish and American teenagers see their world. Students will research the education system in the Spanish-speaking world and will make connections with their own. Students will contact students and teacher from these countries to get first hand information about their experiences in education. Written assessment: a magazine-like article about “what objects represent me and my American generation.” Students will follow the same design and format that the article they read. Students will compile, design, and print a magazine with all these articles. Oral assessment: first baseline video: group discussion about content of the magazine articles, students articles, the differences in the education systems from the countries researched, and the writing process. Unit 2. Slice of Time: The time period between 1970 and 1990 in Argentina. The Argentinean Dictatorship. The Coup D’état. General Jorge Rafael Videla. La Junta Militar. The Missing. Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. The Children of the Missing. Amnistía Internacional.

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Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How are we transformed by our study of other cultures? Why and how do our perspectives and understandings of others change after being exposed to their lives and experiences? What do we find when we explore other cultures? How do people strive to survive? Why and how are people determined to find justice? Among other learning experiences, students will watch the Argentinean film, The Official Story (in Spanish), read several newspaper articles: Crímenes de estado: La dictadura empieza a pagar por Alejandro Rebossio (El Pais 26.06.11), Los niños robados de la dictadura: los hijos adoptados por la señora Ernestina Noble, dueña del grupo Clarin, read the biographies of Rafael Videla and Luisa Valenzuela, and read the short story by Luisa Valenzuela, Los mejor calzados, Aquí pasan cosas raras. (Sorpresas), La historia oficial. Ezequiel Barriga Chávez, El lector tiene la palabra. Mercedes Sánchez. (De lector a escritor), Las Madres de La Plaza de Mayo. Poemas de las Madres de La Plaza de Mayo. Written Assessment: 1) A letter from the point of view of a “missing” to a family member narrating his experience. This letter should be a legacy to his family. 2) You are the mother of a “missing,” write a letter to Amnesty International to document the situation of thousands like you. Oral Assessment: a debate between the “junta militar” and the previous government to explore and present the reasons that “justified” a coup d’état. Unit 3. Slice of Time: The time period between 1970 and 1990 in Chile. The Chilean Dictatorship. Salvador Allende. Augusto Pinochet and La Junta Militar. The Coup D’état. The Missing. The Operation Condor. The role of United States: CIA and Henry Kissinger. Charles Edmund Horman Lazar. Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How are we transformed by our study of other cultures? Why and how do our perspectives and understandings of others change after being exposed to their lives and experiences? What do we find when we explore other cultures? How do people strive to survive? Why and how are people determined to find justice? Among other learning experiences, students will watch the American film, Missing (in Spanish), read: biographies of: Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, Charles Horman, news articles: Herman Brady, ejecutor de los designios de Pinochet by Manuel Délano (El País 7/02/2011), ¿Por qué Augusto Pinochet fue tan odiado? by Anthony Daniels (Miami Herald 2/29/2000), several other articles and short stories: Narrative during the Dictatorship: La violencia de la dictadura en La ciudad está triste de Ramón Díaz Eterovic y comentado por Benoit Santini. Written Assessment: 1) You are a Charles’s Horman colleague, write a report on the whereabouts after he became missing. 2) After reading 2 news articles from opposite

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points of view, write your personal opinion based on the arguments presented in both articles and what you have learned in this unit. Oral Assessment: group discussion/conversation: based on the content of the unit and answering some of the essential questions. Unit 4. Portraits of war through the eyes of children. The drug war in Colombia: international drug trafficking. The “guerrillas” in El Salvador: Children Soldiers. Essential questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How does the selection and use of information lead to greater understanding and broader perspectives on a variety of issues? How do children adapt to adversity? How does extreme poverty and desire for a brighter future force children to endure unimaginable danger? How can I explore other cultures (Latin America cultures) without stereotyping? Among other learning experiences, students will watch the Colombian film Maria Full of Grace and the Salvadorian film Innocent Voices (both films are in Spanish), read chapters from the novel En el tiempo de las mariposas by Julia Alvarez, read newspaper articles about children soldiers during the 80s in El Salvador, read information on “las guerrillas” in Centro America, Colombia, and Mexico, and read biography of Pablo Escobar and his son, Juan Pablo Escobar: “Victims and Victimizers.” The role of the UN in these issues. What has been done: The Creative Community Outreach Initiative of the United Nations. (www.un.org.en.creative) Writing Assessment: an expository essay on a topic answering one of the essential questions. Oral Assessment: group discussion/conversation: based on the content of the unit and answering some of the essential questions. Second Semester: Unit 5. Slice of Time: The generation of the XXI century in Spain and the US. How Americans see Spaniards and how Spaniards see Americans. Differences and Similarities: misunderstandings, assumptions, and misconceptions. The sense of a dual identity common to many “new immigrants.” Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How does where I live shape who I am? How can I enhance my connections with people through language? How can learning and using a language help me assimilate into a new culture? What is it like to be a “foreigner”? Who is an immigrant?

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Among other learning experiences, students will watch several chapters of Spaniards in the World: US destinations, read the essay by Antonio Muñoz Molina, España- Estados Unidos. From this side, from the other side. How we see them, how they see us, read testimonials of 12 US citizens living in Spain and 12 Spaniards living in the US. Written Assessment: a literary analysis of the short story by Carmen Martín Gaite, Las ataduras. Oral assessment: students will interview other students living in and outside of IMSA who are first generation of immigrants about their experiences. Then, students in groups will discuss what they learned - through their interviews- about the process of assimilation to a new culture. Unit 6. Slice of Time: Spain right before the Civil War (1934-1936). The 2nd Republic. July 18th 1936: Spain’s coup d’état in rural Spain. Portraits of the war through the eyes of children in rural Spain. Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How does the selection and use of information lead to greater understanding and broader perspectives on a variety of issues? How do people manipulate the public’s opinion to gain their trust? What is the impact of violence on children? How do children adapt to adversity? What would parents do to protect the lives of their children in extreme situations? Among other learning experiences, students will watch the film Butterfly (La lengua de la mariposa), read Las medias rojas by Emilia Pardo Bazán, read news articles about July 18th 1936 and comments from both sides, and Bernardino by Ana Maria Matute, and a selection of Pascual Duarte by Camilo José Cela. Written Assessments: students will write the literary analysis of Las medias rojas. Oral Assessment: a group conversation about the causes that led to the Spanish Civil War and the impact of the war in rural Spain. Unit 7. Slice of Time: Spain after the Civil War (1939). Los maquis. Spain divided, its consequences: repression and isolation from the world (1939-1975). Portraits of the post-war era through the life of children: rural Spain. Los niños de la Guerra: the forced emigration of republican children to Russia. Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? How does the selection and use of information lead to greater understanding and broader perspectives on a variety of issues? How do people manipulate the public’s opinion to gain their trust? What is the impact of violence on children? How do children adapt to adversity?

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Among other learning experiences, students will watch the film El laberinto del fauno, read sections of Historia de España para jóvenes del siglo XXI and newspaper articles to compare and contrast how the civil war was portrayed from both sides of the conflict, read and listen to testimonials from “niños de la Guerra;” read the short story Al colegio by Carmen Laforet, and read selections of Un largo silencio by Angeles Caso. Written Assessment: an expository or an argumentative essay defending one side of the conflict. Oral Assessment: 1) a TV show/panel with panelists representing the nationalist and republicans and discussion on how the civil war affected the lives of all Spanish children. 2) A group conversation and reflection on how life in Spain has changed after the Civil War. A retrospective evaluation from units 1, 5, and 7. Unit 8.Theater: Alejandro Casona: La dama del alba (1944). The elements of drama. The play’s premiere in exile (Buenos Aires 1944). Margarita Xirgu. Alejandro Casona. Asturias: language and traditions. Essential Questions: What can I learn about my own language and culture from the study of others? What do we find when we explore other cultures? How are customs and old traditions rooted in people? How is a country’s unstable political situation reflected in its art? How does collaboration help students to develop interpretations of literary texts? How does analysis of a literary text help students to develop critical thinking skills? How does dramatic performance help students’ understanding of literature? Students will watch the play, read the four acts of the play, use dramatization to perform it, write journal entries about the themes in each of the acts, discuss the elements of a drama, read the biographies of Alejandro Casona and Margarita Xirgu, and research about Asturias: geography, traditions, language; etc. that are present in the play. Written Assessment: 1) students will write an essay answering a question related to one of the themes in the play, or 2) students will answer a question related to one of the acts that will demonstrate their understanding of Asturias traditions. Oral Assessment: in groups, students will perform the 4 acts of the play (reader’s theater)

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