Language Resident Name: Joaquin Garcia
Day and Date: 02/07/2017
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Intermediate/Advanced Class
Class theme/topics discussed: Animals, Spanish sayings
How did you structure the class?
Heads-up: upcoming cultural activities
Warm-up: All students standing up. I give a student a ball, within 15 seconds he/she has to think of an animal that starts with the letter “a”. Then he/she passes the ball to another student who must do likewise but with letter “b”. If a student fails has to sit down. We go through the alphabet until only one student is standing. You can go from “z” to “a” again if many students still remain playing. Also, it would be wise if you remove from the beginning those letters with only/none animals (e.g. “x”).
Activity 1: We brainstorm some useful vocabulary to describe animals and I write it down on the board. Then, each student writes the name of an animal on a piece of paper and I stick it on other student’s back. All students stand up and move around and with yes/no questions, they need to figure out which is the animal on their back.
Activity 2: Students are in pairs, I give them a list with Spanish sayings involving animals in one column, and the meaning on the other (although they are not in order). They need to match up the two columns by thinking on the meaning of the sayings. After, I give all the solution and we check how well they did. If there is time left, you can put the students in pairs or little groups and they have to come up with a context where a saying is properly used, they even can act out the situation.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Handouts.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
How could this class be improved/ modified?
Very successful class. Students liked all the activities. Maybe it would have been better doing everything faster so we had time to act some of the sayings. Depending on the level of the students, this can work with an intermediate class although I would recommend to reduce the list of sayings in activity 2. For advance, this matches the difficulty level definitely.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
A | Ser un lince | 1 | Ser astuto |
B | Ser un cerdo/marrano | 2 | Haber poca gente |
C | Ponerse como/ser una vaca | 3 | Tener poca memoria |
D | Llevarse el gato al agua | 4 | Afrontar un problema |
E | Meter/Esconder la cabeza como un avestruz | 5 | Sufrir las consecuencias de algo sin tener la culpa |
F | Ser un zorro | 6 | Ser un/a cobarde |
G | Matar dos pájaros de un tiro | 7 | Haber algo oculto o sospechoso |
H | Ser un burro | 8 | Salirse con la suya, vencer, triunfar |
I | Hacer el/ser un perro | 9 | Mismo problema pero con distinta forma |
J | Estar en la boca del lobo | 10 | Tener mucha memoria |
K | A caballo regalado, no le mires los dientes | 11 | Darse cuenta de un peligro y cambiar de actitud |
L | Tener la piel de gallina | 12 | Haber mucha abundancia |
M | Haber cuatro gatos | 13 | Estar loco |
N | Tener memoria de elefante | 14 | Comportarse sin modales |
Ñ | Tener un cerebro de mosquito | 15 | Estar en una zona peligrosa |
O | Ser un gusano | 16 | Ser muy listo |
P | Ser un/a gallina | 17 | Ser poco inteligente |
Q | El mismo perro con distinto collar | 18 | Ser el que manda, el jefe |
R | Estar como una cabra | 19 | Evitar/huir de los problemas |
S | Tener memoria de pez | 20 | Conseguir dos cosas a la vez |
T | Agarrar el toro por los cuernos | 21 | Ponerse/Estar muy gordo/a |
U | Aquí hay gato encerrado | 22 | Engañar a alguien en un negocio |
V | Atar perros con longanizas | 23 | Ser tonto |
W | Verle las orejas al lobo | 24 | No buscar defectos ni preguntar el precio de un regalo |
X | Cortar el bacalao | 25 | Ser un miserable |
Y | Dar gato por liebre | 26 | Padecer frío o emocionarse |
Z | Pagar el pato | 27 | Hacer el/Ser un vago |