Jorge el Curioso
This lesson is adapted from ‘Donde viven los monstruos’ on the language links wikispace
Level: Spanish 3, 4
Grammar: Preterit, Imperfect
What you need for this activity:
Jorge el Curioso book
Copies of each picture page in the book
Sheet with vocabulary words?
1. Pre-reading: Copy all the pictures from the book (not the pages with
writing). Divide the pictures evenly into groups. There are 26 picture
pages, so 5 groups of 5 or 6 pictures works well. Keep the pictures in
order, but don’t label them with numbers. Each group should receive a
packet of 5 pictures, in order. The groups had to create a mini story
based on the pictures. This should be in Spanish. I had them use at
least 3 different uses of the imperfect and preterit (weather,
interrupting action, set the scene). Then they read their stories to the
class. As each group adds on, the story changes. Remember to check
each groups story before the stories are shared.
2. During-reading: Read the story to the class. Have them make
stomping noises for the imperfect tense and raise their hand (like a
stop signal) for the preterit. You could think of something different to
indicate recognition of the tenses, because this seems to take away
from story comprehension.
3. Post-reading: I gave each student a picture. Each student had to make
up at least one sentence for their picture, in the first person, as if they
were Jorge. Then the students put their pictures in order and retold the
story. Check their sentences before they read them aloud, for their
own confidence and for whole-class comprehension.
4. Still not convinced they know the preterit and imperfect tense? You
could have them explain why they chose the tense of each verb.
Adapted by Emily Lewis, lewisem3@msu.edu