Lesson Plan

La Familia

Familias Reales: La Familia de J.C.
Photo caption

"Familias Reales: La Familia de J.C." (2005).

Even very young students know, and may occasionally use, words that are Spanish in origin—rodeo, tortilla, lasso, and macho, to name a few. And many are able to count from 1 to 10 in Spanish, due in large part to early exposure to the language provided by children's television programming. This sense of familiarity with Spanish, combined with the excellent language acquisition skills possessed by students in this age group, will help make this unit on Spanish culture an exciting but comfortable experience for your class. Students will learn about families in various Spanish cultures and gain a preliminary knowledge of the Spanish language, learning the Spanish names for various family members.

Guiding Questions

Where is Spain?

Where else is Spanish spoken?

Where is Latin America?

Where are Central and South America?

Where is the Caribbean?

How are families in various Spanish-speaking countries alike and different?

What Spanish words can we learn that look and sound almost the same as English words?

Learning Objectives

Identify at least one country where the Spanish language is spoken.

Describe similarities and differences between Spanish, Mexican, and Puerto Rican families.

Speak the Spanish words for several family members.