Spanish 4 is an all-skills course designed to improve oral and written expression of accurate, idiomatic Spanish, along with enrichment of vocabulary and treatment of specific problems of grammar. The curriculum prepares students for Spanish 5 Honors or AP Spanish, depending on interest and commitment.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is the purpose of language?
• How is the structure of a language related to its function?
• What kinds of beauty does language create?
• How do we express our values and beliefs through language?
• How do culture and language interact?
• How does language influence who I am?
• How does language influence perception and understanding of diverse cultures?
• How does competency in language empower us in decision-making?
• How does language influence the development and interaction of civilizations?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one share information about oneself and others?
• How are linguistic and syntactic structures of Spanish used to describe people?
• How do I describe my nationality and that of others?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• identify physical descriptions of themselves and others.
• greet/leave others.
• identify major nations and nationalities.
• describe one’s family origins and that of others.
• identify the gender of nouns designating people.
• write an identification card in Spanish.
• name all of the countries in the world in Spanish.
• ask/tell what something is.
• ask/tell who someone is in Spanish.
• use the verb to be “ser” in sentences and questions with identity.
• use the verb to be “estar” in sentences describing states and conditions.
• use a person’s title in conversation.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• compare the levels of politeness.
• explain differences in greetings.
• compare the differences between “ser” and “estar”.
• understand new vocabulary through demonstration not translation.
• understand nouns designating people usually have feminine and masculine forms.
• define the exceptions to the rule regarding adjective formation and gender identity.
• explain the different types of identification cards.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• categorize the states and conditions in which the verb “ser” and “estar” can be used to describe your personal identity.
• compare the different forms of identification in Hispanic countries compared to the U.S.A.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• analyze the impact of Hispanic stereotyping in the U.S.A.
• discuss solutions that will prevent identity theft.
• synthesize core vocabulary, adjectives, and to be verbs into a coherent oral dialogue on identity.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one talk about one’s daily activities?
• What is the function of a reflexive verb and how is it formed?
• How does one express an apology in Spanish?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify daily activities.
• write and identify personal care items.
• conjugate movement verbs.
• conjugate reflexive verbs.
• give an apology.
• use expressions of apology in a dialogue.
• sing a radical stem changing verb song.
• list radical e-ie, o-ue, u-ue, e-i verbs in the indicative mood.
• use the “acabar + a + infinitivo” construction in a dialogue.
• use the “ir + a+ infinitivo” construction in a dialogue.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• contrast his/her daily activities with that of a classmate.
• defend what type of activities should be included in a daily routine.
• describe one’s personal daily routine using reflexive verbs.
• correlate personal care items with reflexive verbs.
• explain when it is necessary to use the infinitive structure.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• contrast your daily activities with that of a student in a Spanish speaking country.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• synthesize all thematic vocabulary words, reflexive conjugations, and infinitive structures into a coherent written dialogue and present it to the class.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How has the role of the Hispanic woman changed over the decades?
• How is the subjunctive mood used and what is it’s purpose?
• How does one identify, describe, and ask for help with relation to household chores?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• state various types of domestic chores.
• list verbs that express daily domestic chores.
• list daily life objects used with domestic chores.
• conjugate verbs in the subjunctive tense.
• list conditions in which the subjunctive may be used.
• use double clause statements with the subjunctive tense.
• identify typical questions that express asking for help.
• use thematic vocabulary in a directed and impromptu dialogue.
• list similarities and differences of teenage chore responsibilities in Hispanic countries and the U.S.A.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• explain the historical role of the Hispanic woman and compare it to present day.
• compare the responsibilities of a typical teenager from a Hispanic country with that of an American teenager in the U.S.A.
• compare personal chore responsibilities with that of a classmate.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• discuss the importance of helping with household chores in your family.
• predict the difficulties a traditional Hispanic family may have in adapting to life in the U.S.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• synthesize thematic vocabulary and verbs conjugated into the subjunctive in an oral dialogue.
• critique the domestic responsibilities of the Hispanic woman.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one ask for and give directions to specific landmarks in the big city?
• How are commands formed and how does this differ from English?
• How do I describe what is found in a typical big city?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe places found in a big city.
• ask/tell how to get to a specific location.
• give directions using the imperative mood.
• list famous places in Hispanic capital cities.
• make and Label a map of a famous street.
• write sentences using the new vocabulary words.
• conjugate verbs in the Imperative affirmative and negative forms.
• use the imperative in a dialogue.
• list objects found on a typical city street.
• identify prepositions of place in a song.
• write a letter.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• predict difficulties an American tourist would have in a Hispanic city.
• locate major cities on a map of the Hispanic world.
• explain their experiences in a Hispanic city abroad.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• discuss how we can make our big cities more tourist friendly.
• examine the different architectural designs found in big cities

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• synthesize thematic vocabulary and imperative verbs into a coherent dialogue expressing how to get around the city.
• rate the cities and compare them to Hartford and New York City.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one talk about what one did over the weekend?
• How does one express past actions in Spanish?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe what you did last weekend.
• ask/tell a classmate about weekend plans.
• give suggestions on weekend activities.
• list typical social and cultural activities.
• identify prepositions of place.
• identify adverbs.
• conjugate preterite regular and irregular verbs.
• use preterite verbs in questions and sentence.
• write an invitation.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• predict what a tourist could do on a weekend trip to a Hispanic city.
• explain where you went over the last holiday weekend and what you did.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• discuss the differences found in typical social and cultural activities a teenager in Spain would engage in as compared to a teenager in Connecticut.
• examine how to politely give, accept, and reject an invitation.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• synthesize thematic vocabulary and past tense in a coherent and comprehensible dialogue.
• defend your social and cultural weekend activities.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one talk about one’s family vacation?
• How does one distinguish between the preterite and imperfect tenses?
• How does one describe activities in their proper sequence?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• state different places to visit on a vacation.
• tell a classmate about a previous vacation.
• ask a classmate what items were brought on their last vacation.
• write and identify what to do on specific vacations to the seashore, country or mountains.
• conjugate verbs in the preterite and imperfect past tenses.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• classify the differences between the preterite and imperfect tenses.
• describe what to do on a vacation to the seashore.
• describe what to do on a vacation to the countryside.
• describe what to do on a vacation to the mountains.
• explain the sequence of events on your last family vacation.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• compare two vacations and explain why one was better than the other.
• predict where the family will go for the next vacation.
• explain what went wrong on the last vacation and how to avoid those problems next time.
• contrast the preterite and imperfect tenses.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• analyze a given dining custom and explain its role and function within Hispanic society.
• synthesize thematic vocabulary and past tense verbs into sentence structures and questions that are coherent and comprehensible within the context of a telephone conversation with a travel agent.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one politely order and pay for food in a restaurant or market place?
• How does one form and use the present perfect indicative in Spanish?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify specialty food stores.
• write sentences using items bought in a specialty store.
• describe ingredients used in specific recipes.
• talk about typical Hispanic dining customs.
• describe a typical Hispanic meal.
• say politely what you would like to order in a restaurant.
• group appetizers, main courses, beverages, and desserts into food categories.
• recognize common manners in Hispanic culture.
• use thematic vocabulary in a dialogue.
• use the present perfect and past participle in questions and sentences.
• conjugate verbs in the present perfect indicative.
• use subject, prepositional, and direct/indirect object pronouns in statements related to food.
• identify measurements of food.
• describe different forms of payment and currency.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• predict the moral code an American visitor has broken in a particular situation.
• compare food measurements used in Hispanic countries with those of America.
• extend this comparison to a food market dialogue.
• support a Hispanic’s reaction to an American’s breach in table manners.
• contrast meal schedules and typical dishes.
• design a restaurant menu.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• compare how your family dines to a typical Hispanic sobremesa.
• describe a typical family meal.
• describe what form of payment you typically use when you dine out or shop for food.
• convert the U.S. American dollar to Euros and explain how much you would pay for a beverage in Spain during your next student exchange excursion.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• analyze a given dining custom and explain its role and function within Hispanic society.
• apply your understanding of Hispanic manners to predict misunderstandings between an American and a Hispanic in various situations.
• assess what you would typically spend in restaurant for a family of four in the U.S.A. and compare that to what you spent on your last vacation in a Hispanic country.
• synthesize content information to include food and present perfect and past participle verb usage within a simulated situation involving eating out.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one talk about health and sickness in Spanish?
• How does one use the subjunctive in double clause statements expressing emotion and feelings?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe items found in a hospital.
• state symptoms related to illnesses.
• write and identify medical personnel.
• list different types of medications.
• list different types of childhood diseases and illnesses.
• ask/tell what the problem is.
• recommend treatment for a simple illness.
• use thematic vocabulary words in a dialogue.
• read and understand paragraphs despite not having all the vocabulary.
• define new vocabulary based on context of written text.
• use the subjunctive tense in sentences that express emotion, certainty, and doubt.
• conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive mood.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• construct sentences using the present subjunctive mood.
• construct typical questions and responses used in a hospital or clinic situation.
• explain what conditions are necessary in order to use the subjunctive mood in a statement.
• categorize specific symptoms related to a specific childhood illness.
• describe how a person would feel when sick.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• explain how you felt the last time your were sick.
• take a perspective on health care today.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• synthesize thematic vocabulary and verb tense to create a cohesive and comprehensible simulated conversation that takes place in an emergency room.
• defend or pass judgment on U.S. health care coverage for immigrants and citizens.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one describe what one is wearing in Spanish?
• How does one speak about and compare clothing measurements in Hispanic countries with the U.S.?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify different types of clothing.
• list different types of materials clothes are made of.
• identify appropriate clothing worn at different functions.
• ask/tell clothing and shoe measurements.
• restate sentences by replacing the noun with an article.
• match demonstratives pronouns and adjectives to nouns.
• compare different types of outfits.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• explain today’s popular fashion trends.
• design a new style of clothing and describe it in detail.
• explain where you like to shop and why.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• describe how movie stars and media influence teenage fashion.
• compare common types of clothing worn by your classmates.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• compare fashion trends in Hispanic countries with that of the U.S.A.
• extend that to include famous Hispanic designers and what they are know for.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one talk about travel in Spanish?
• What does one learn about travel abroad?
• What is the function of the future tense and how is it formed?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify objects found in an airport.
• list objects found in a train station.
• identify airline and train station personnel.
• conjugate verbs in the future tense.
• conjugate verbs in the conditional tense.
• conjugate verbs in the pluperfect tense.
• express how and where to purchase an airline or train ticket.
• ask/tell someone to make travel arrangements for you.
• express what passengers have to do at an airport.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• explain possible train or airline accommodations for travelers.
• design a travel and vacation itinerary for a group touring one of the Hispanic countries.
• construct questions and responses that can be used at the customs desk.
• categorize different train and airport vocabulary.
• construct questions related to future travel.
• explain typical airline protocol.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• describe ideal travel accommodations.
• contrast your last travel arrangements with your that of your classmate.
• design and explain signs found at an airport.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• defend how he or she feels about increased airport security and procedures.
• synthesize vocabulary and new verb tenses to express what to do or not do when traveling abroad.