ILEANA IMHOFFSPANISH TEACHER

UPPER SCHOOLTHE PARK SCHOOL OF BALTIMORE

Using Essential Questions to Design Spanish Elective

Classes

Fo u n d e d i n 1 9 1 2 , Pa r k S c h o o l i s a n o n - s e c t a r i a n , i n d e p e n d e n t ,

c o e d u c a t i o n a l d ay s c h o o l w i t h 7 8 0 s t u d e n t s i n p r e - k i n d e r g a r t e n

t h r o u g h g r a d e t w e l v e .

D a n i e l J . Pa r a d i s w a s a p p o i n t e d t h e t e n t h h e a d o f s c h o o l i n J u l y

2 0 0 8 .

T h e s c h o o l ’ s c o r e v a l u e s , r o o t e d i n t h e p r o g r e s s i v e e d u c a t i o n a l

p h i l o s o p h y o f J o h n D e w e y, s u s t a i n a n u n s h a k a b l e b e l i e f i n c h i l d r e n ’ s

c a p a c i t y t o e n j o y l e a r n i n g , t o a c t r a t i o n a l l y, a n d t o g r o w w h e n

i n s p i r e d b y h i g h l y q u a l i fi e d , c a r i n g t e a c h e r s . A f u n d a m e n t a l

c o m m i t m e n t t o i n c l u s i v e n e s s a n d e q u i t y g u i d e s a l l p r o g r a m s a n d

a c t i v i t i e s .

H T T P: / / W WW. PA R K S C H O O L . N E T / A B O U T / PA R K- AT- A - G L A N C E/

Park Schoolat a Glance

K-12 Modern Language Goals

Gain oral proficiency in the language they are studying –develop all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)

Gain appreciation and awareness of the culture they are studying

Enjoy the process of language learning to insure enthusiasm and motivation to continue studying their language or other languages

Elective Program Proficiency Level

SPEAKING

Able to sustain a conversation on a variety of familiar topics in different time frames (inaccuracies may occur)

Able to express and defend opinions on topics related to class

Able to give formal presentations on topics pertinent to class

WRITING  Able to write formal compositions in various modes: persuasive, analytical,

reflective, factual

Able to write a research-based report on topics related to class content  Able to write a short story using some elements of Spanish literature (1st

draft can be understood by a native reader)

"A GOOD ESSENTIAL QUESTION”

 1. I S O P E N - E N D E D ; T H AT I S , I T T Y P I C A L LY W I L L N O T H AV E A S I N G L E , F I N A L ,

O R C O R R E C T A N S W E R .

2. I S T H O U G H T- P R O V O K I N G A N D I N T E L L E C T U A L LY E N G A G I N G , O F T E N S PA R K I N G D I S C U S S I O N A N D D E B AT E .

3. C A L L S F O R H I G H E R - O R D E R T H I N K I N G , S U C H A S A N A LY S I S , I N F E R E N C E , E VA LU AT I O N, P R E D I C T I O N. I T C A N N O T B E E F F E C T I V E LY A N S W E R E D B Y R E C A L L A L O N E .

4. P O I N T S T O WA R D I M P O R TA N T, T R A N S F E R A B L E I D E A S W I T H I N ( A N D S O M E T I M E S A C R O S S ) D I S C I P L I N E S .

5. R A I S E S A D D I T I O N A L Q U E S T I O N S A N D S PA R K S F U R T H E R I N Q U I R Y.

6. R E Q U I R E S S U P P O R T A N D J U S T I F I C AT I O N, N O T J U S T A N A N S W E R .

7. R E C U R S O V E R T I M E ; T H AT I S , T H E Q U E S T I O N C A N A N D S H O U L D B E R E V I S I T E D A G A I N A N D A G A I N.

Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student UnderstandingBy Jay McTibhe and Grant Wiggins (2013)

Two Spanish Electives

Latinos en los Estados Unidos:

What should students know about undocumented immigration to be able to have educated and informed opinions?

What impact do undocumented immigrants have in the US economy, politics, and culture?

In what ways have historical events impacted undocumented immigration to the US?

Centro America:   Why are there so many Central American Children at the US-Mexican border?

How have the historical events of the XX century shaped the lives of the people currently living in Central America? (Model)

 

• Cont inue to work on ga in ing o ra l p rofi c i ency in Span i sh –deve lop ing a l l f our sk i l l s ( speak ing , l i s ten ing , read ing and wr i t ing )

• Learn about the current s i tua t i on in cent ra l Amer i can count r i es through the s tudy o f h i s to ry, po l i t i c s and economics dur ing the 20 t h century.

• Study and ga in awareness about the s t rong h i s tor i ca l , po l i t i ca l and economic t i e s tha t have ex i s ted be tween the us and cent ra l Amer i ca s ince the beg inn ing o f the 20 t h century.

• Study and compare cu l tura l p rac t i ces and produc ts i n cent ra l Amer i ca ( a r t s , l i t e ra ture , f ood , mus i c , e t c . ) w i th those in the us .

Centro América: su historia, su política y su cultura

(11th and 12th grade)

The students

Current Situation

Population Facts (education, health, socio-economic structure…)

Different Ethnic GroupsLocal Economy vs. CAFTACurrent Challenges

children at the border poverty drug traffic gang activity

Tourism (cities and other places of interest, and safety)

The 20th Century

GuatemalaEl SalvadorHondurasNicaraguaCosta RicaPanama

Literature

Gioconda Belli

Rigoberta Menchu

Ruben Dario

Oscar Arias

Miguel Angel Asturias

Popular culture

Holidays

Traditions

Music

Dance

Art

Food

Barriletes gigantes

Representaciones artisticas

Questions?