Friday, March 29, 2013

Flipping with the Essential Question

Before the Spring Break, I worked really hard on creating the second half of my conflict unit for my Spanish III class. I am using the model that I learned about at the CCFLT conference. In the weeks before the break, we did some vocab and grammar. When we return, I will be putting the students in their groups and having them get to work on these projects. I selected groups based on a Google Voice question a few weeks back. I had asked them what they would like to learn before they finish Spanish III. I took the responses to these questions, and formed the groups. The groups are of 3 and 4. Students that did not respond to the phone call were placed in groups together and I chose a theme for them. Basically the themes are sports, food, conversation/culture (colloquial phrases, insults, etc.), science, and pop culture. 

Students will be able to choose a country and then take their general topic and find a more specific topic that interests them. I am asking them to focus on comparsions and in particular comparisons of their topic and a similar topic in the US. Here are links to all of the documents that I will be giving the students. I worked hard on this, and to make sure that I was adequately covering all of the modes. I am using this as a test to see how the students respond and complete the assessments.

As you all know, I love comments from my PLN, so please offer any advice or comments. I am looking forward to this and want it to go well. Let me know what you think!


 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 


2 comments:

  1. Mrs. Witten: I think your idea is fantastic!. Your students will have to work hard to get this project done!.I am fascinated with the idea of Flipped Classes and I´ve been doing some research about it. I know it is not easy to achieve because of some issues concerning internet connection, etc.
    I ´m not sure if you know I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina but I lived and taught in Rowan Co., NC for six years divided in two periods. My first one I taught HS Spanish 1, 2 & Honors 3, and some ESOL, plus some help at the Guidance Dept. So I know Spanish III can be tough to teach and learn. I was thinking the about the local newspaper which is edited in English and it.s called Buenos Aires Herald: http://www.buenosairesherald.com/. I can highly recommend it to you, for it has been issued here for years. There is also another local newspaper called Clarin (http://www.clarin.com/) which recently added a English version covering Pope Francis life events, etc. http://www.clarin.com/pope-francis/

    Hope this helps!
    Saludos desde Buenos Aires!

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  2. I only wanted to share part of my -our culture with you I thought it could be useful for your students´assignment if they happen to choose Argentina. (I bet they will choose Mexico or Spain) but... We have Tango music!!
    Also, I remember something I missed so much while being in the US, my students used to ask me how shopping malls and supermarkets or "groceries stores" looked like and forgot all the fliers and brochures here...at home! So many things to carry in your suitcase when you move for a long time. You know we, argentinians, speak Spanish, but with the same Spanish spoken all along Latin America...ours is kind of special!
    Argentina Supermarkets websites:
    http://www.coto.com.ar/
    http://www.jumbo.com.ar/
    http://www.carrefour.com.ar/

    Besides, I forgot to mention I was a Cultural Exchange Educator in the US and I belong to VIF Visiting International Faculty Program Alumni, based in Chapel Hill, NC: www.vifprogram.com
    Saludos!

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