Thematic Unit Description Paper
Name: Kayla Knott
Course-Section: 259 004
1. Unit Context
1. Write a description of the unit theme detailing what the students will be learning,
In this unit students will be exposed to the concept of the subjunctive tense. They will
learn the basic grammatical structure of subjunctive in Spanish, as well as the most
commonly used phrases and occasions in which subjunctive occurs. They will also gain
an understanding of the significant cultural influence subjunctive has in various countries,
With this understanding, they will be able to write a paper, skit, puppet show or series of
letters in which they will demonstrate various usage of subjunctive.
2. What is the target subject area/class?
The target subject for this theme is Spanish, level 3 and/or 4, generally a junior level class
in high school.
3, How does this unit fit into the whole learning experience of the students?
This unit will not only help the students grasp a major theme in the Spanish language, but
will help them grasp a grammatical theme that exists in all Latin based languages. This
concept is quite challenging at first, because it is an objective and abstract area of
grammar, but will eventually develop in the students the ability to see grammar and
language as more than just a series of rules, but also a cu ltural expression of a unique
people group.
4. What is the setting or situation? Describe the classroom as you see it. Include information
on what computers and other equipment are available to the students.
The setting or situation ofthis will mainly be a traditional classroom setting. There will
be times that we will go to a computer lab for drills and exercises, as well as to work on
skits/writing projects. There will be video technology available to bring into the
classroom, which I will use at various times to show examples of subjunctive in both
English and Spanish conversations in movies or popular TV shows that students will
connect with.
II. Audience
I. General characteristics: Describe the learners, including the size of the group, their age,
interests, experiences, and aptitudes.
There are 23 students in this specific classroom, ages 16-17. They are all native English
speakers, although a few grew up speaking English and another language.
The demographics are:
12 Caucasians
7 African Americans
3 Hispanic/Latinos
1 Asian
..
There are 14 girls and 9 boys in this class,
Other characteristics are:
4 of the boys and 2 of the girls are apathetic or "hostile" toward this specific
subject material or class.
2 of the boys have behavioral disorders
9 are accelerated learners that grow disinterested if not challenged/stimulated
11 are hands on and/or visual learners, and will not learn grammar or language
well through just studying a book of rules.
2, Entry competencies: What specific knowledge and assumptions can you make about
them? Remember to describe their computer competence.
My students all speak English, and have all passed level one and level two
Spanish, In the past they have learned basic verb conjugations, and recently will have
briefly reviewed all tenses as a class, They all should understand compound sentences
and commands in English, ifnot grammatically, at least in speaking/comprehension
terms, They know the verb endings (-ar, -er, -ir) and know how to conjugate a variety of
verbs with their proper endings.
III, State Objectives
1, State Goal: The goal of this unit is to teach students the concept and foundation of
subjunctive in Spanish, [volition, doubt, insecurity, etc .. ,]. The students will learn the
grammatical formulation of this principle, and will be able to write a basic skit, project or
letter by the end of the unit. They will also understand the context in which subjunctive
occurs, as well as the "feel" that it brings to various languages,
2, State Objective 1: my (A) Spanish 3!4 students will (B) watch a video and (C)make the
connection between subjunctive and the phrases/structure they have grown up using (D)
so that they can more easily comprehend the subjunctive mood in Spanish. They will (D)
identify the "feel" of subj unctive using all English phrases/contexts.
3, State Objective 2: My (A) students will (C) learn the grammatical structure of
subjunctive through (B) tutorial and working on drills on the computer [also basic "verb
fill" assignments] in order to (D) gain a feel for the mood and understand the cultural
importance of subjunctive, as well as the main "triggers" for it.
4. State Objective 3: My (A) students will (C) discover and understand the cultural
significance that subjunctive has specifically in the Spanish realm, but also the (C)
importance it held in Latin, and what it holds in other romance languages. They will then
(B) integrate all of the subjunctive learning into a skit, letter, puppet show, (C) in order to
demonstrate they have a (D) grasp of both the grammar and the feel of subjunctive
everyday conversation,
IV. State Methods
1. Instructional Strategy: Identify the instructional strategies you might use to deliver this
unit with. These are as follow:
- Presentation - Tells, dramatizes, disseminates infonnation to learners - is one
way.
- Demonstration - Learners view example of skill or procedure.
- Discussion - Exchange of ideas and opinions between all parties.
- Drill-and-practice - Learns are led through a series of practice exercises.
- Tutorial - Through the use of a person, software or printed materials learners are
given problems the mechanism then requested to respond, analyze the response
and gives appropriate feedback to a predetermined level of competence.
- Cooperative Learning - Centered around an activity, discuss, topic, or computer
students work as a group to resolve a given learn exercise or challenge.
- Gaming - A playful environment that allows students with rules while striving
to attain a challenging goal.
- Simulation - A scaled-down version of a real-life situation, allowing for realistic
practice and mastery.
- Discovery - Uses inquiry (inductive) by presenting problems to be solved in a
trial-and-error manner.
- Problem Solving - Lifelike starting point to learning. Real world challenge
provides students with knowledge and skill as they grapple with the learning
process.
2. Which of the ten instructional methods could you use to deliver your unit? Explain how
the methods and media will be used to create the learning environment.
a. Method(s) for objective 1
1. Problem Solving- discuss with students how to make commands, express desire
or doubt or possibility in English
2. Media- watch one or two video clips that presents a situation in which
commands, desires or requests are being expressed
3. Discussion - discuss possible words in Spanish that could trigger these same
situations, possible ways that could be expressed
4. Presentation- demonstrate basic sentences and introduce trigger words in
Spanish
b. Method(s) for objective 2
1. Tutorial- Present grammatical structure for subjunctive, including verb
conjugation, situations, trigger words and exceptions.
2. Drill-and-Practice- give students an opportunity to master the grammatical
situation
3. Discovery- begin to ask questions that will lead into the discussion for
objective three, gearing toward the topic of cultural expression and the importance
of Spanish subjunctive in various culture settings.
c. Method(s) for objective 3
1. Discussion- talk about the cultural influence of subjunctive, and ways that
subjunctive weight in Spanish would help you express something you wouldn't be
able to express in English.
2. Simulation- students will come up with "real world" situations in a skit or
letter, in which they will use subjunctive to express themselves.
3. Cooperative Leaming- the skits will be done in groups, the letters will be read
and brain storrned with a partner.
Spanish Verb Drills
Page 1 of 4
StudySpanish.com
Present Tense Subjunctive Mood
All Cases
Written Accents
• Click an accented character to insert it.
• To learn more about written accents click here.
1. saber -- to know:
Gerardo quiere que sus padres
aei6uGlUi\
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los resultados de su examen.
2. Hamar -- to call:
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Mf tio qUiere que yo Ie
a e i 6 U G I 0 i\
3. "egar a ser -- to come to be:
Es improbable que Alfonso f~-~-------;J a ser ingeniero.
aef6uGjUi\
4. empezar -- to begin:
Fregare la vajilla antes de que el programa '­
aef6uG1Un
5. servir -- to serve:
El cliente quiere que el camarero Ie
a e
i 6
u L
I U
n
L
otro plato de sopa.
6. quedar -- to remain:
La anfitriona insiste en que nosotros nos
i 6 U G I U i\
a e
r
http://www.studyspanish.com/cgi-bin/verbs/verb_drill.cgi
un dia mas.
9115/2008
Spanish Subjunctive
Page 1 of 8
StudySpanish.com
Subjunctive: Part I
Notes:
I.
2.
The written lesson is below.
Links to quizzes, tests, etc. are to the left.
All too frequently, the topic of the sUbjunctive is made far more difficult than is necessary. Let's try a slightly
different approach, with the goal of making this topic less troublesome.
The subj unctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood. Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present,
future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action. The subjunctive mood is rarely used
in English, but it is widely used in Spanish.
Here are some examples of the subjunctive being used in English:
The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food.
SUbjunctive conjugation; he La e
The law requires that you be 18 years old 10 vote.
Subjunctive conjugation: YOU be
If I were
a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard.
Subjunctive conjugation: I were
So far, you have studied verb lenses in the indicative mood. The indicative mood is used to express factual
information, certainty, and objectivity.
Usted va al Peru en diciembre.
You are going 10 Peru in December.
The above sentence merely reports the fact that you are going to Peru in December, so the indicative mood is
used.
http://wwvv.studyspanish.com/lessons/subjI.htm
9/15/2008
subjunctive
,
Page 1 of 5
.'
El Subjuntivo
WHEN IS THE SUBJUNCTIVE USED'??
If main clause in the Indicative shows the foJ lowing, then -is in a fonn of the subjunctive.
Dependent clause (after the que)
PART ONE--need TWO different subjects--can't have "yo" on both sides
of the "que" ( you can with ojala and "doubt")
Wish -querer, desear, esperar que...
Emotion-Me alegra que, Me sorprende que..
Impersonal + Que + Subjuntivo
Es interesante que, Es preciso que...
( ES + ADJECTIVE + QUE + SUBJUNCTIVE) unless that adjective shows
certainty like, es obvio, es evidente, es verdad ...
Request - pedir, recomendar
Doubt - dudar, no creer
Ojala--always subjunctive, always, with or wo/que
PART TWO --Hyou say" There's not a restaurant in Independence that serves
Russian food." the verb "serves" would be subjunctive in Spanish. The restaurant
doesn't exist so neither does the action "serves", so it's SUB-JUN-TI-VO.
Non-Existent--No tengo un/a que....subjunctive
Negation- negar,no hay nada, no hay ning{Jn, ninguna+ noun, aunque
PART THREE-pending actions, action B depends on action A happening
MATCHED (only subj. if hasn't happened yet)
and ESCAPAS (always subjunctive)
(only subj if action hasn't happened yet)
Mientras que - While
Aunque even if
Tan pronto como - as soon as
Cuando - when
Hast.a que - until
En cuanto - as soon as
Despues de que - after
(always subjunctive)
En caso de que - in the event that, in case
Sin que - unless
Can tal de que - provided than
Antes de que - before
Para que - so that, in order to(for)
A menos que - unless (can't remove "que")
Siempre y cuando - provided that
"***** Remember if the "que" is not present for some of these--you
use an infinitive after a preposition.
THERE ARE FOUR SUBJUNCTIVES,
WHEN DO I USE THE WHICH ONE?
http://www.geocities.com/srskidmore/subj unctive.html?200815
9/15/2008
I
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Thematic Unit Rubric
This assignment needs to be completed in size 12 font double-spaced with an
average of 2.5-3 pages. Please have paper stapled before you come to class.
POln
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eSIS
Guidelines
Below
Average Above
Average
Average
AI14 sections are included in format of paper (2)
Spelling and grammar (4)
/
51
1 page print out of 3 websites that assist in the
thematic unit (3)
Quality and thorough information in all areas of
thematic unit
I
• Unit Context (5)
/
• Audience (5)
I
• Objectives (10)
!
Objectives in ABCD format, and
0
labeled as such
Thematic Unit Goal stated
0
/
(
• Methods and Media
Include rubric at the back of thematic unit (1)
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Total Points
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(0
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