By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Teacher move: Project two images side-by-side — a Puerto Rican beach in July and a Chilean ski slope in July. Ask: "¿Qué ven? ¿Qué tiempo hace?" Accept any response (single words, gestures, English + Spanish mix — Novice Mid is expected).
Student actions: Students call out weather words they know. Teacher records responses on the board in Spanish, labeling each image. Introduce/reinforce: hace calor, hace frío, hace sol, nieva.
Hook: "In Spanish-speaking countries, the same month can mean total opposite weather. Why? Let's find out." Brief mention of Northern vs. Southern hemisphere — connects to Connections (geography).
Social Justice anchor: Ask: "Do any of you have family who experiences summer and winter differently than you do?" Brief share — validates diverse student backgrounds (ID.9-12.3).
Vocabulary presentation (8 min): Using picture cards and the projected anchor chart, teacher presents beach and ski vocabulary through TPR-style input. Students repeat and associate words with images. Teacher models in short sentences: "En la playa, yo nado. Tomo el sol. Hace mucho calor."
Preterite introduction (7 min): Teacher introduces the preterite with a personal narrative: "El verano pasado, yo nadé en la playa. ¿Y tú? ¿Nadaste?" Write the paradigm visually on the board — highlight the -é / -aste / -ó endings with color coding. Keep scope to yo, tú, él/ella only at this level. Distribute conjugation reference sheet.
Comprehensible input tip: Use the pictures throughout — never let vocabulary float without a visual anchor at Novice Mid.
Part A — Sentence Frames (5 min): Students complete a structured handout matching vocabulary pictures to sentences: "En el verano, yo _____. En el invierno, yo _____." Word bank provided. This is low-stakes and scaffolded — appropriate for Novice Mid.
Part B — Partner Share (10 min): Students work in pairs using the handout as a scaffold. Student A asks: "¿Qué hiciste en el verano?" Student B answers using at least two verbs from the vocabulary list. Then switch. Teacher circulates and provides corrective recasting (not direct correction — model the correct form naturally in response).
Cultural connection: Point to the Puerto Rico / Chile photos. "¿Crees que un estudiante en Chile hizo las mismas actividades que tú en el verano?" Brief class discussion — introduces Comparisons (DI.9-12.9).
Task: Students create a short illustrated "postcard" (index card) from their ideal summer OR winter destination. They write 3–4 sentences using the preterite: where they went, what the weather was like, and 2 activities they did. Sentence frames available for students who need them.
Share out: 3–4 volunteers share with the class. Teacher asks the class: "¿Adónde fue [Name]? ¿Qué hizo?" — reinforces él/ella forms naturally.
Cultural layer: Encourage students to choose a destination in a Spanish-speaking country. Post a world map and let students point to their destination — builds Communities connection.
Exit ticket: Students complete a slip with three items: (1) Write one sentence about something you did last summer or winter using the preterite. (2) Name two vocabulary words you remember from today. (3) Self-assessment: circle one — 😕 Not there yet / 🙂 Getting it / 😄 I've got it!
Teacher move: Collect exit tickets at the door. Use responses to group students for the next lesson's differentiated review.
| Student Group | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Below level / Emerging | Provide pre-filled sentence frames for all activities. Vocabulary picture cards may be kept at their desk throughout the lesson. Exit ticket reduced to one sentence + two vocabulary words only. |
| Above level / Accelerating | Extend preterite scope to nosotros and ellos/ellas forms. Challenge: write 5–6 sentences for the postcard activity and include a weather description using adjectives not on the word list. |
| Heritage / ELL speakers | Validate their prior knowledge — ask heritage speakers to share how their family talks about seasonal activities. Use as a cultural teaching moment. For ELL students, allow code-switching in partner work; prioritize communication over accuracy at this stage. |
Exit ticket: 1 preterite sentence + 2 vocabulary words + self-assessment emoji. Teacher observation during partner work — note who needs conjugation support vs. who is ready for extended scope.
This lesson feeds into a unit summative task: a short presentational video or written "postcard from vacation" where students narrate 4–6 sentences about a real or imagined seasonal trip, using preterite -ar verbs and seasonal vocabulary.