Learning Activity

What Would They Do?

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This activity is part research and part role play in order for students to learn about an important historical/current figure in the target culture.

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.L5.5

Analyze perspectives through products of the target cultures.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L5.5

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes.
  • background knowledge of the target culture.

Skills

Intermediate High Level
Students are able to:
  • nvestigate the products and perspetives of a target culture.
  • investigate the beliefs (perspectives) associated with the target culture's products in the contexts of arts, crafts, graphic representations, music, and short videos.
  • investigate and explain the relationship bewtween cultural products and perspectives.
  • investigate and explain the realtion between cultural practices and perspectives.
  • analyze the function of everyday objects produced in the culture.
    • compare and analyze perspectives reflected in news reports, social media, pamphlets, advertisements, etc.
  • discuss perspectives reflected in creative works of the culture.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • language and culture are inextricably linked.
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L5.6

Connect with other disciplines in the target language using complex sentence structure in a variety of time frames and aspects.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L5.6

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes.
  • background knowledge of the target culture.

Skills

Intermediate High Level
Students are able to:
  • identify and interpret basic information from authentic sources, such as news articles, event flyers, invitations, and advertisements.
  • identify a few target language news sources and stores.
  • use the target language to learn about other disciplines.
  • use information learned in the target language in other disciplines.
  • use the target language to make comparisons of similarities and differences in countries where target language is spoken.
  • use the target language to investigate, explain, and present connections made with other disciplines.
  • use the target language to present to and interact with others for a variety of purposes in a variety of time frames and moods.
  • make oral or written presentations in the target language on topics being studied in other classes.
  • describe and compare key characteristics of countries where the target language is spoken.
  • research and compare how countries where the target language is spoken deal with current global issues (i.e., environment, economic crisis, migration, etc.).
  • research and report on contributions of the cultures that use the target language to science, medicine, and government.

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.L5.7

Acquire information related to diverse perspectives in the target culture using varied vocabulary and more complex sentence structure.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.L5.7

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes.
  • how perspectives of a target culture are portrayed through media and advertising.

Skills

Intermediate High Level
Students are able to:
  • use the target language to investigate, compare, and contrast current events and advertisements from the target culture to a student's own culture.
  • identify and explain the diverse perspectives of the target culture through the lens of a culture's perspectives.
  • communicate in the target language in a variety of time frames and moods.
  • 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.
  • research how a major figure from history, science, or the arts is described in the target language and use it to expand what they already know.
  • compare how products are marketed in the target culture versus the United States.
  • compare news articles on front pages of newspapers from countries where the target language is spoken.

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.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students can analyze the importance of products of the target culture, related to government, education, religion, and economics.

Students can investigate and explain the impact prominent figures from the target culture have made/are making.

Students can investigate and identify topics related to the perspectives of the target culture in a variety of time frames and moods.

Students can compare and contrast current events and advertisements from the target culture to a student's own culture.

Students can explain how current global issues are viewed from the perspective of the target culture.

Activity Details

  • During the class, the instructor will call on students to present on the historical figures in front of the entire class (see Advanced Preparation section for additional information). The students should present basic biographic information as well as some specifics on why the person is famous in the target culture.

  • The instructor will then divide the class into groups and give the entire class a current events topic to discuss how the historical figure may react to the situation. Students should utilize the information they know about their historical figure to properly discuss the topic.  

  • The instructor will call the class back together to discuss main points from the small group discussions. Students will be called to the board to write how their historic figure would react to or think about a certain event/topic. (i.e. - modern technology, historic events, etc.)

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Observe the students as they discuss the current events.

As the students discuss the topic with their partners, the instructor should listen making sure the conversation does not become stagnate. The instructor can ask leading questions to get the students on track if needed.

Formative assessment - observing the students as they interact in the discussion.

Summative assessment - grade the final written assignment for language accuracy and content.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Develop a list of appropriate historical figures as well as a list of possible resources where the students can find information.

Pre-activity:

  • Students will select a historical figure/important figure from the target culture. (The figures should be from a pre-approved list or the instructor should improve a student’s selection in order to avoid controversial figures.) The students will then spend time at home researching the figure and learning about their lives. The students will prepare a presentation, in the target language, to present to the class.

 

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

nsgossett1
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