Teacher:
Señora Jansen
Day & Date:
Subject:
Title: El Árbol Generoso
Time to Complete: 50 minutes
Spanish
Context
Grade Level: High School Spanish 1
First year Spanish students have already learned how to conjugate and use present
tense verbs as well as the progressive tense. Students have a basic vocabulary
relating to family, classroom, and everyday life. This unit will focus on the
imperfect verb tense and literature settings relating to nature (La Naturaleza).
The following unit will focus on the preterite and literature settings in urban areas
(La Ciudad).
Goal
The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the imperfect verb tense by
reading a selection of the children’s story El Árbol Generoso (The Giving Tree).
Vocabulary will relate to La Naturaleza (nature).

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, High School Spanish 1 students will be able to
correctly conjugate ar & er/ir verbs in the imperfect, given specific sentence
cues, pictures, a selection of verbs, and conjugation charts.
28.A.2a - Comprehend illustrated stories, audiovisual programs or websites.
Corresponding
Illinois Standards
29.C.1a - Identify main characters, settings and events from selected samples of
children’s literature using audio and visual cues.
28.d.1a – Copy/write words, phrases, and simple sentences.
Communication
Corresponding 5
C’s
Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a
variety of topics
Communities
Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the
language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Required Materials
Opening Routines
and Getting Started
1) El Árbol Generoso book
5) magnetized imperfect verbs
2) «Vocabulario del árbol» PowerPoint
6) Student conjugation handout
3) «Vocabulario del árbol» handout
7) Poster board verb conjugations
4) El Árbol Generoso handout
8) Homework handout

Display El Árbol Generoso book. Greet students. Ask students if they can identify the
book and if they know the name of the book in English. ¿Cómo se llama el título del
libro en ingles?

Tell students that we will be continuing to practice Naturaleza vocabulary. Today, we
will begin learning the imperfect verb tense (el imperfecto). We’re going to read a
short section of the book together as a class.

Explain that the imperfect is one of two main past tenses in Spanish. It is mainly used
to talk about things that happened in the past without specifying a beginning or
ending. It is usually translated in English as “I was _____ing” or
“I used to _______” It is one of the easiest tenses. Media #1 (5 min)

Tell students that there may be some unfamiliar vocabulary in the story. Display the
«Vocabulario del árbol» PowerPoint and pass out the «Vocabulario del árbol»
handouts. Students are not required to learn this vocabulary; the Power Point and
handouts are only there to help them comprehend the story. Media #2, Media #3.

Ask student to form a circle or semicircle with their desks. Pass out El Árbol Generoso
handout. Explain that we will go in order reading each sentence in Spanish and trying
to translate it in English. Demonstrate the first page as an example. Media #4

Go through the story. After each student completes reading/translating a sentence,
have them place the corresponding magnetized verb under the correct heading (ar &
er/ir) on the board. Media #5 (5-10 min)

After reading the story, call students’ attention to the lists of ar & er/ir verbs they
created on the board. Ask students what they notice about how the ar & er/ir forms
differ. Pass out the student conjugation handout and have students give input as the
teacher fills out the poster board conjugation charts while students fill out their own.
Media #6, Media #7 (5 min)
(Anticipatory Set)
Major Activities
Closing Routines
and Homework
(Closure)
Assessment

Explain that there are only 3 irregular verbs in the imperfect: ser, ir, ver. Draw three
verb conjugation charts on the board and label them ser, ir, and ver. Fill in the “yo”
form of each chart: era, iba, veía. Ask for three volunteers to attempt to complete the
verb charts based on what they figured out for the ar & er/ir verbs. Check the charts
for completion and ask students to copy the conjugations onto the back of their
conjugation handout. (5 min)

Reiterate guidelines for the imperfect. Read through the story again quickly to verify
what the imperfect verbs mean. Draw a wavy line on the board to emphasize that the
imperfect does not demonstrate a specific action that occurred and a certain time.
Emphasize that imperfect actions do not have a clear beginning or ending. Check for
understanding, and assure students that we will continue to practice both forming the
imperfect verbs and deciding when to use the imperfect tense. (5-10 min)

Divide the class into two teams. Play Avalancha to practice conjugating the verbs in
the imperfect. (10 min or less)

Congratulate students on success with reading story and with figuring out how to form
the imperfect.

Distribute homework handout. Explain homework and demonstrate the first sentence.
Ask students to have it completed for the next class when we will continue to learn
more about the imperfect. Media # 8 (5 min)
Formative - The teacher will informally assess students while reading the story, creating the
verb conjugations chart, and while playing Avalancha to determine if students are grasping
the imperfect and what will need to be reinforced/repeated in future lessons. The
homework will also be used as formative assessment to determine if re-teaching or further
instruction in some areas is necessary.
Summative – The teacher will evaluate the students’ homework for accurateness.
Future Classes
The imperfect will be reinforced in future lessons through synoptic drills and games, a die
conjugating game, writing exercises, and possibly acting out short stories. The remainder of
the book will be read during the preterite unit.
Sources
El Árbol Generoso by Shel Silverstein