EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL
Nombre_______________________
20 puntos de Tarea y 20 puntos de Participación
Clase_________________________
This is a very special assignment designed to encourage you to explore something of the cultures, news,
history, and ideas of Spanish-speaking countries and their influence on the United States.
Your friends in Spanish, French, or German classes probably have a similar “culture credit” assignment. I
have heard wonderful things from students, parents, and teachers about the cultural experiences that students,
and at times their family and friends, choose. Choose something new & interesting to you!
Instructions: For each due date, choose a different one of the cultural experiences listed & do what it says.
Enjoy each one, share it with family or friends, learn from it, and document it (take notes, photos, etc.).
On each due date, you will:
**share your experience with our class:
□ Begin with a sentence in Spanish. (I will help you prepare this!)
□ Tell us what you did. (Include: who, what, when, where, why, how.) (Try to use Spanish.)
□ Tell us 3 specific facts/details that you learned from your experience. (Try to use Spanish.)
□ End with a sentence in Spanish telling your feeling/opinion about your experience. (I will help you
prepare this, too.)
□ Turn in a NOTECARD with what you said. (Use the notecard for reference as you present.)
AND
**turn in this page with...
□ the type of experience circled/highlighted &
□ your reportaje stapled to it. Your reportaje includes:
o the documentation required for that specific experience AND:
o one paragraph describing your experience (who?what?when?where?how was this new?)
o one paragraph telling your reaction (how did you & others feel? what did you understand?
what helped you understand? what was challenging? was this useful for you as a student of
language and cultures? would you recommend this experience or do it again? why?)
o one paragraph explanation of what you learned about the Hispanic cultures and/or the
Spanish language. (Facts, observations, historical context, compare/contrast.) Be specific!
o citation of sources, if you used any. (URLs must be complete.)
o 8 sentences in Spanish, in your own words.
For 100%, go above & beyond and take photos, create a video or poster, or otherwise enhance your sharing
of your experience with the class.
Due Dates:
Wednesday November 4, 2015
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Wednesday January 6, 2015
Wednesday March 2, 2015
Wednesday May 4, 2015
Wednesday June 1, 2015: Must be FOOD-RELATED**
*You will turn in this page every time, so keep it in your notebook!
*Assignments turned in late may receive ½ credit – please talk to me if you have a difficult situation.
Note: Your use of the Spanish language should reflect YOUR own personal ability to communicate in Spanish, however basic or
advanced this may be. Use of a translator or helper will not enhance your grade, but could in fact result in a “O” grade for the
assignment. Talk to me in advance if you have any questions about this.
EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL
20 puntos de Tarea y 20 puntos de Participación
SAMPLE RUBRIC
Para el # de mes , mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
__________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
----------------------------------------------------- OPCIONES--------------------------------------------------------#1 VOLUNTEER: Volunteer in our community for 1 hour, in a way that will involve using your Spanish language skills.
You can find volunteer opportunities by calling Familias Unidas / South Everett Community Center or searching the database
http://www.uwsc.org/VolunteerCtr/index.htm. Familias Unidas / South Everett Community Center is often looking for volunteers
for child care, ESL tutoring, and helping at festivals. I can also help you connect with a local elementary school if you would like
to work with young students after school. Record the location, dates, hours, & tasks, and have your supervisor sign to verify.
#2 PERFORMANCES/COMMUNITY EVENTS: Attend a performance or exhibit or festival or other community
event related to Hispanic or Spanish culture(s). OR If you are in the band, choir or orchestra and play or sing a piece by a
Spanish/Hispanic/Latino composer this also counts. OR learn to play or sing a song, or dance, and perform and teach it to our
class. Include a written summary of the piece, the composer, historical and cultural context, difficulty, & your opinions.
Cite sources!
#3 ART/MUSIC: Paint, sculpt, sew, sing, dance, build, perform... a reproduction of a famous painting, statue, traditional
clothes, folklore or popular music, important building or monument, poem or play... Include a well-researched written explanation
of the original artwork and its creator. OR Visit a local or on-line museum or gallery. Document artwork by Hispanic artists,
including titles, artists’ names, sketches and/or descriptions, and your opinions. OR Research & Listen to music on-line
representative of popular or folklore style(s) of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino music. Document song titles, band/musicians’ names,
links, take notes on your observations, and cite sources for your research.
#4 INTERVIEWS / JOB SHADOW: Interview a Spanish speaker about his/her country of origin, OR someone who has
travelled to a Spanish-speaking country, OR a manager/employee of a local business or nonprofit; OR job shadow someone who
uses Spanish in the workplace. ASK about traditions or cultural similarities and differences, how multilingualism & Spanish are
beneficial in their career & life, what cross-cultural challenges they have encountered, what etiquette is important to know when
communicating in Spanish, and other topics of interest to you.
#5 NEWS/CURRENT EVENTS: Select a Spanish-speaking country or region & collect 5 current news articles from that
region. OR Select a theme, such as immigration, economics, political systems, & collect 5 current news articles from around Latin
America or Spain that pertain to that theme. Write a paragraph summary for each of 5 news articles. The articles must be
attached. The articles may be from a newspaper, magazine or online sources. You must include the name & date of the source.
If you hear something on the radio or TV write the program and date and time it aired/showed.
#6 READING: Read a novel (in Spanish or English) that relates to a Spanish-speaking culture, or read a guide book to a
Spanish-speaking country. Include a full citation.
#7 UNIVERSITY: Visit a post-secondary institution offering Spanish courses such as the University of Washington, Everett
Community College, or a private language institute. OR Use on-line sources to research degree programs related to Spanish and
career areas that interest you (examples: translator/interpreter, international business, medical field, linguistics, etc.).
#8 STUDY ABROAD/VOLUNTEER ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES: Use on-line sources to research a study
abroad or volunteer opportunity in a Spanish-speaking country.
#9 TRAVEL (PLANNING): Research and describe your ideal vacation. First, inform yourself: Write to tourist offices of
various cities in Spanish-speaking countries requesting information (Submit a copy of you letter and the materials you receive),
use guidebooks (I have some you can borrow and the library has lots), and/or the Internet. Then, plan it! Cite sources!
**#10 STORES: Visit a store specializing in Latino or Spanish food and specialties. You are not required to buy anything,
but write a 15-item list of Latino and/or Spanish foods that you saw there, with brand names, item descriptions, & countries of
origin. It is appropriate to inform the people in the store that you are doing a school project. If you want to take photos, be sure to
ASK permission first! You may want to ask how or when certain things are used or eaten & take notes on this, to increase your
cultural learning. Include the name and address of the store.
**#11 RESTAURANTS: Eat at a non-Mexican restaurant representative of a Spanish-speaking country, or eat something
you’ve never eaten before at a Mexican restaurant. Try to speak only Spanish with the servers; let them know that you want to
practice; speak formally with “usted” form to show respect. In your write-up, include the phrases that you and the servers said in
Spanish (as best that you remember). Also describe the restaurant and your experience there, including the foods that everyone ate
(names in Spanish & descriptions in English). Include how the food is similar/different to food you generally eat (ingredients,
spices, preparation, etc., ) and how the restaurant experience (service, decorations,...) is similar/different to others you’ve had at
other restaurants. Attach the receipt and/or parent signature.
**#12 COOKING: Make something from a Spanish-speaking country. Try something new! Bring a written paragraph
signed by a parent/guardian who helped you eat what YOU made. Include in your description: Name of dish, copy of the recipe,
where you got the recipe (exact URL or bibliography of cook book), difficulty, your opinions, where the dish is from and how the
dish is representative of that country, when this dish is eaten (every day, which meal, special occasions), and how it is
similar/different to food you generally eat (ingredients, spices, preparation, etc.). Cite sources!
#13 WORLD LEADERS: Research a world leader of a Spanish-speaking country, and “become” this person as you
introduce yourself to the class as a “guest speaker.” OR Make a poster about a famous Spanish-speaking person (scientist,
historical/political figure, artist, athlete). Include a short bio on the poster and more information in your write-up. Cite sources!
#14 TV: Watch 2 hours of Spanish programming on local TV (news, sports, music, telenovelas, game shows, whatever you find
interesting). Record the dates, times, & names of the programs, and write notes on specific words you understand, what helps you
understand the show, and other observations and reactions; then have a parent/guardian sign to verify.
#15 MOVIES: Attend or rent a movie from or about a Spanish speaking country. Include a chronological summary, the plot,
point of the movie, and a review, in addition to the explanation of your cultural learning. Look up history/facts to help you
understand the movie’s cultural context. Cite sources! This website has many culturally-rich movies.
http://www.sparkenthusiasm.com/popular_movies.html (Do NOT choose Disney/etc movies dubbed into Spanish - this is a CULTURAL
experience.)
**#16 COMPUTER RESEARCH: Spend 2 hours exploring websites related to Spanish-speaking countries and their
cultures. Focus on a country, region, or theme as you explore, so that you can learn more in-depth & write in-depth for your
reportaje. Record the dates, times, and complete URLs, and have a parent/guardian sign to verify.
#17 LANGUAGE-LEARNING TECH: Try out multiple computer-based Spanish programs or APPS, for a total of 2
hours. Record the dates, times, and complete URLs and/or program/APP names, & have a parent/guardian sign to verify.
#18 “SHOP:” Visit a foreign Spanish language store or catalog web site from a Spanish-speaking country, and put together a
wish list. Include: names of the items, descriptions, costs in that country’s currency and in US dollars. Also record the complete
URL. Check with me in advance to be sure you found a site from a Spanish-speaking country. Example: www.elcorteingles.es
#19 OTHER IDEAS: Talk to me in advance (at least 1 week prior to each due date) if you have other ideas!
EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL
Nombre_______________________
20 puntos de Tarea y 20 puntos de Participación
Clase_________________________
Para el 4 de noviembre, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
__________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
Para el 16 de diciembre, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
__________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL
Nombre_______________________
20 puntos de Tarea y 20 puntos de Participación
Clase_________________________
Para el 6 de enero, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
______________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
Para el 2 de marzo, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
_____________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
EXPERIENCIA CULTURAL
Nombre_______________________
20 puntos de Tarea y 20 puntos de Participación
Clase_________________________
Para el 4 de mayo, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
______________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
Para el 1 de junio, mi experiencia fue:#___
TAREA
PARTICIPACION
F: 0-11
F: 0-11
Incomplete.
OR Sources not
cited. /
Plagiarism. /
Internet
translator.
OR Not related
to Spanish
language or
Hispanic
cultures.
D: 12-13
D: 12-13
All parts are
included but with
few details. Not
clear what
specifically you
learned about
language and/or
culture. Not clear
that this was a
new experience
for you.
-1 per missing Spanish sentence (8 required)
-5 per missing paragraph or documentation
_____________________(tipo/categoría)
C: 14-15
C: 14-15
All parts are
included but
paragraphs are
superficial
with some
examples.
B: 16-17
B: 16-17
Your work is
complete and
thoughtful, and
includes many
interesting details and
specific examples.
¡Muy buen trabajo!
A: 18-20
A: 18-20
Same as for B, plus: your
project extends beyond
the requirements. For
example, you wrote
more, or showed
pictures, created a video,
or otherwise enhanced
your sharing of your
experience with our
class. ¡Bravo! y
¡Muchas gracias!