Los Ancianos (a video-related activity)

This post was originally on another blog that I had started this fall (called Communicating in the TL) because these activities aren't specifically the TPRS method. However, it could easily be changed into that format. In an effort to consolidate the two blogs (the other blog was definitely neglected), I changed the description under the title of this blog to include activities such as the one listed here.

Last week (the 1st week in October) I completed the following activities with my students in Spanish 4. I make a special effort to dedicate Fridays to activities that are connected to short video clips. Sometimes the students watch the video and explain it to others that haven't seen it. Other times I show the video clips to students at the same time and pause it for discussion throughout the video. The activity below is on the topic "Los Ancianos" the elderly. I did these activities with two of my Spanish 4 level classes. One class was able to finish the three videos and discussion within the 70 minute class period. The other class did not have time to watch the 3rd video because their class discussion was lively and all participated.

Lesson Plan on GoogleDocs

Lesson Plan Outline

Level – Spanish IV

Topic: Los Ancianos (the elderly)

When I have pre-selected topics for class activities, I keep a notepad handy to jot down vocabulary words. Whenever a student does not know how to say a word that is related to the topic and if none or most of the other students do not know the word, I tell them the word and add it to the list. The next day I give them the list of Spanish words to use as we refer back to the previous day’s topic. Sometimes I make a short story using the vocabulary words, but the words are listed in a word bank and the students choose the write word for each blank.

FIRST VIDEO “Rose” ("Home") http://youtu.be/8-k_wlp8IEM

1. Ask students who is the oldest person they know. How old are they? Describe the person. If it is a relative, how often do they visit them?

2. Discuss common stereotypes of elderly people. What are the differences in cultures on how the elderly are treated and cared for?

3. Play video. Pause the video before Rose drips any soup on her blouse. I ask students to describe the scene (the dining room, description of Rose, why they think they aren’t others dining, her age, her family, where she used to live/past occupation, etc) as if they were explaining to their friend the next day what they saw when they entered the dining room.

4. Restart video and play to end. Discuss the worker’s reaction to the spilled soup, Rose’s reaction, the desire to hold onto one’s independence, etc.

SECOND VIDEO “Teeth” http://youtu.be/87AkewNcgwU

5. If not mentioned in previous discussion, ask students what activities they think retired people like to do, such as hobbies, outdoor activities, part-time jobs, travel, etc.

6. Play video. Pause the video after a few seconds so students can describe the setting again (Where are the two men? Does their clothing give an indication as to what part of the world they may be? How do they know each other? Etc.

7. Restart video, pause after the teeth fall in the water. What will the man that sneezed do?

Continue to pause after short clips so students can guess what happens next.

THIRD VIDEO “What is It? http://youtu.be/9pn89S-yRig

(This movie is available without subtitles also.)

8. Play video. Stop to describe and discuss: the setting; the relationship of the two people on the bench; location; what day of the week or time of the day it could be; occupation of the man on the right; etc.

9. Restart video. Pause after the younger man yells at the older man and the older man walks away. What is the problem? How would you react if you were the man on the right? What does his repetition of the question remind you of?

10. Restart video. Pause after older man returns with a book. Why does he have a book?

11. Restart and watch to the end. Discuss: What is the video saying to them? Compare relationship of a young parent caring for their child to an older child caring for their elderly parent.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Vocabulary list from 10/2011

The following class, distribute the list of words that students did not know when discussing the video. Retell what happened in the video, and students may use the paper while retelling.

Choose one of the videos and write a different ending or continue the story.

Write about a past experience or encounter that you had with an elderly person – either a relative, an acquaintance, an event that you witnessed at a store (ex: an elderly person that needs help reaching for something at the grocery store; an elderly person using public transportation during peak hours, etc.)

This activity could serve as an introduction to a unit on the elderly.