Introduction
This unit is designed for IB Spanish B Standard level year 1 and year 2 and it is aligned to the core topic Identidades although it can also be used in AP Spanish language or other higher level Spanish classes. Students must have completed at least 2 years of Spanish prior to taking the class. The purpose of this unit is to begin the year by demonstrating the relevance and importance of language as part of our identity as human beings. In this unit, we will incorporate history, theory of knowledge, linguistics, and composition in a variety of assessments. The unit is six weeks long and divided into two parts, each three weeks. In the first part of the unit, we will explore how language shapes the way we think and perceive the world. We will transition to the origin of the Spanish language and learn about the evolution of Spanish and the differences between European Spanish and Spanish spoken in Mexico. The performance task expects students to interpret expressions from European Spanish to Mexican Spanish and vice versa, as well as complete a written narrative describing cultural and linguistic differences if they were to visit Spain. The second part of the unit focuses on hispanics in the United States and explores questions such as, What does it mean to belong to two distinct places? and, What part does language play in our identity? Through discussions of and readings on chicanismo, mestizaje, hispanics and latino and Spanglish, students will learn how we as humans are connected, whether racially and/or linguistically related or not. In the performance task, students will analyze the lyrics of “Somos más americanos” and perform a mock Paper 2 reading comprehension exam titled “Estadounidismos: la evolución del español en los Estados Unidos.” In conclusion, this unit focuses on the evolution and transformation of the Spanish language; from European Spanish to the adaptation of Nahuatl terms in Mexico during colonization, to the current Spanglish we hear around us every day. Stage 1Desired Results Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills for Languages Other Than English 1. Communication. The student communicates in a language other than English using the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The student is expected to: a. engage in oral and written exchanges of learned material to socialize and to provide and obtain information; b. demonstrate understanding of simple, clearly spoken, and written language such as simple stories, high-frequency commands, and brief instructions when dealing with familiar topics; and c. present information using familiar words, phrases, and sentences to listeners and readers. 2. Cultures. The student gains knowledge and understanding of other cultures. The student is expected to: a. demonstrate an understanding of the practices (what people do) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied; and b. demonstrate an understanding of the products (what people create) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied. 3. Connections. The student uses the language to make connections with other subject areas and to acquire information. The student is expected to: a. use resources (that may include technology) in the language and cultures being studied to gain access to information; and b. use the language to obtain, reinforce, or expand knowledge of other subject areas. 4. Comparisons. The student develops insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing the student’s own language and culture to another. The student is expected to: a. demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the student’s own language and the language studied; b. demonstrate an understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the student’s own culture and the cultures studied; and c. demonstrate an understanding of the influence of one language and culture on another IB Objectives (pg. 15 & 19) Within the theme of Identidades, students will: ➔ Communicate clearly and effectively in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes. ➔ Understand and use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and/or intercultural contexts and audiences. ➔ Understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas with fluency and accuracy. ➔ Identify, organize and present ideas on a range of topics. ➔ Understand, analyse and reflect upon a range of written, audio, visual and audio-visual texts. College and Career Readiness Standards for English/Language Arts; applicable to the level of Spanish they students are capable of using. Reading: ➔ Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. ➔ Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. ➔ Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text relate to each other and the whole. Writing: ➔ Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. ➔ Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. ➔ Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating an understanding of the subject under investigation.
