Learning Activity

Current Events

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

In this lesson, the students will use authentic websites and digital resources to report on the current events happening in the target culture. The students will read the article in the target language, make a summary of the article, and determine what products, practices, or perspectives of the target culture can be identified in the article. Then, students will make a comparison between the reporting of the current event in the target culture and the same or similar event in the native culture. Students may present their current event in the target language and compare similar events in other target language countries through class or small group discussions.

This activity was created as a result of the World Languages Course of Study Resource Development Summit.

World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.3

Present information on familiar topics in a variety of time frames using varied vocabulary and more complex sentence structure.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L3.3

Knowledge

Students know:
  • the target language Vocab for specific purposes.
  • verbs in a variety of time frames.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • write about and describe verbally appearance and personality traits, school workplace, famous place visted, holidays, vacations, typical celebrations, something learned and plans for future in a variety of time frames.
  • express needs and wants for school, work, or daily life in a variety of time frames.
  • give explanations.
  • give multi-step instructions.
  • describe plans for weekend, summer, holidays or vacations, and future.
  • describe what is needed for holiday or celebration.
  • write notes, outlines and drafts of presentations to be presented orally.
  • write about movies, television, influential figures, proverbs and simple poems.
  • create questions for discussion or reflection.
  • develop os simple questionnaire or survey.
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • make presentations on something learned and/or future plans.
  • make a report on a social event attended.
  • describe childhood or past experiences.
  • write a short article and give a short presentaiton on a current event.
  • write about and present on a topic from an academic subject.
  • describe how to plan an event.
  • give short presentation on influential figures, cultural event or landmarks.
  • write and present about a favorite movie, song, play, book, etc and tell why I like it.
  • give presentation on historical figures or famous people and tell why they are important.
  • create a flyer.
  • compose a letter.

Understanding

Intermediate-Low Level
Students understand that:
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
Intermediate Mid Level Students understand that:
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.7

Acquire information related to diverse perspectives in the target culture.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L3.7

Knowledge

Students know:
  • a variety of the target language specific vocabulary.
  • verb conjugations in a variety of time frames.
  • are familiar with current events and news across the world.
  • are familiar with the impact of marketing and how it reveals a target culture's perspectives.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • describe photos, artwork, images, charts, and videos.
  • ask simple questions about photos, artwork, images, charts, and videos.
  • identify the main idea and topic of online articles, videos, advertisements, announcements, and social media posts.
  • recognize target language perspectives on basic cultural topics such as families, holidays, food.
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • use the target language to find and analyze information on the diverse perspectives of the target culture and make comparisons with the diverse perspectives of their own culture.
  • use the target language to make comparison of current events and how they are reported.
  • use the target language to identify advertisements and compare them with target culture and students'own culture.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • proficiency in a foreign language is a vehicle to gaining knowledge that can only be acquired through that language and its culture.
  • world language learning offers opportunities to uncover big ideas in and about other disciplines.
  • strategies used to acquire a language are transferable to other areas of learning throughout life.
  • a second language facilitates the acquisition of information about the world outside our experiences.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.9

Compare products, practices and perspectives of the target culture and the native culture in a variety of time frames.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L3.9

Knowledge

Students know:
  • the target language Vocabualry for specific purposes.
  • verb conjugations in a variety of tenses.
  • how to identify the products, practices and perspectives of target and native cultures.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • compare and contrast daily life activities in the target and native cultures, such as schooling, working, freetime activities, and daily routines.
  • compare and contrast holiday celebrations and traditions in the target and native cultures.
  • identify games, fairy tales, songs, and rhymes from the target culture and compare them with those of the native culture.
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • use the target langauge to identify and compare the products, practices and perspectives of the target culture.
  • use target langauge to compare activities and events of the target culture and native culture.
  • use target langauge to compare the practices of target and native culture.
  • identify games, fairy tales, songs, and rhymes from the target culture and compare them with those of the native culture.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
  • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

1. The learner will use the target language beyond the classroom environment by using the Internet to find authentic websites on current events.

2. The learner will use the target language to acquire information related to diverse perspectives by comparing how current events are reported in the target culture and locally.

3. The learner will use the target language to investigate perspectives through the practices and products of the target culture as viewed in the current event.

4. The learner will use the target language in a variety of time frames to compare the products, practices, and perspectives of the target culture by comparing activities and events of the target culture and the native culture.

5. The learner will interpret what is heard, read, or viewed in the target language in a variety of time frames by using background knowledge and will show understanding by describing the main idea and details of the current event.

6. The student will use the target language by sharing and asking for information on the topics addressed in the current events by using a variety of words, phrases, and simple sentences.

7. The student will present the current event in the target language using a variety of vocabulary, varied time frames, and more complex sentence structure.

 

Activity Details

Beginning Strategy

  1. Working in small groups, students will use the Internet to find authentic sources in the target language, from which they can find a current event taking place in the target culture.

  2. Students identify the current event they wish to analyze for the activity.

Core Strategy

  1. The student identifies the current event, the source, the date, and provides a link for the resource used.

  2. The student reads, listens to, or watches the current event in the target language for understanding.

  3. Using the "Talk to Text" strategy*, the student uses the target language to summarize the information found for the current event. The student then uses the "3-2-1" strategy** to analyze the text further.

    * The "Talk to Text" strategy is making notes or adding questions in the margin of the text. Students may define unknown words here, jot down notes of interest regarding the text, write down a question they have about the text, etc.

    ** The "3-2-1" strategy asks the students to list three details, two questions, and one connection (for Foreign Language this will be a cultural connection).

  4. The student then answers questions “Who?” ”What?” “Where?” of the current event.

  5. The student then identifies the products, practices, and/or perspectives of the target culture as seen through the current event.

  6. The student then uses the target language to make a comparison of the event and the ways in which it is reported between the target culture and the native culture.

Closing Strategy.

The students present their current event in a small group, providing the required information (the Who, What, Where, When, Why, the three details, two questions about the article, and the cultural connection) from the activity. The students in the small group ask questions about the current event and the presenter answers regarding their selection.

 

 
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Teachers may use a document to assess understanding to the article which would include a summary of the main ideas of the article, the identification of the people, place, and how/why the event took place. They may also assess a comparison between the reporting of the event in the target culture and locally and have students identify the products, practices and/or perspectives of the target culture as found in the current event.

Teachers may also use the presentation and discussion portion of the post-activity to assess interpersonal and presentational speaking.

 

Variation Tips

An additional Closing Strategy:

Based on the current events of the group, the students identify the products, practices, and perspectives seen in the current events and use the target language to discuss the ways the event highlights the products, practices, or perspectives and how it compares to the same or similar even reported locally.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Teachers will likely need to assist students in finding reliable resources in the target language. This can be done ahead of time and given to the students as options for finding current events.

Teachers will need to create a template so that the student can include the required information from the current event. This should be a form of the teacher’s preferences.

Some resources for consideration:

CNN - https://www.cnn.com/ 

BBC - http://www.bbc.com 

Newspapers and magazines of target culture in the target language may also be used.

Digital Tools / Resources

Google
https://www.google.com

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

rsuarez
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