World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Languages
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.1.N.a: Identify basic differences and similarities in vocabulary between
one’s own language and the target language (cognates and borrowed words).
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
Have students translate a variety of words from English to the target language using the
dictionary and circle words that are cognates or borrowed words.
During:
Have students translate phrases such as “head straight,” “go back,” “I love you” using
the dictionary correctly and determine cognates and borrowed words.
After:
Have students read a paragraph in the target language and circle words that look like
English words (cognates and borrowed words).
1
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
New Vocabulary:
2
World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Languages
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.1.N.b: Identify basic differences and similarities in grammatical structures
between one’s own language and the target.
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
Have students translate a variety of phrases from English to the target language using the
dictionary (i.e. “It is fun,” “I have it,” “I like basketball,” “I love you,” “red shirt,” “give me
that,” “My name is,” “I’m 8 years old”) (*using phrases that have different structures in
English than in target language).
During:
Have students translate additional phrases from the before assessment such as “I have
it,” “My brother is 9 years old,” “I like cars,” etc. using the dictionary correctly.
After:
Have students read a whole paragraph in the native language and circle grammatical
differences.
3
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
New Vocabulary:
4
World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Languages
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.1.N.c: Identify basic differences and similarities in register/honorifics
between one’s own language and the target language.
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
Show students pictures of different people and ask them which register they would use
when talking to that person (formal or informal).
During:
Have students translate parts of a conversation into the target language to show
understanding of not just being able to translate “you” directly; there are different ways
to say “you” and each way changes the meaning.
After:
Have students write really short messages to three different people (friend, teacher & a
group of people), saying the same thing in all three messages but changing the register
appropriately and using appropriate honorifics if necessary.
5
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
New Vocabulary:
6
World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Languages
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.1.N.d: Identify basic differences and similarities in phonological features
(such as pronunciation, intonation, and tone) between one’s own language and the
target language.
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
Give each student 5 different words in the target language; choosing words that are
commonly mispronounced due to the way the sounds the letters make in English
(examples in Spanish: the –ge, lla, -gi, vowels, examples in French: vowels, “ll”).
During:
Students are given a short script and have to read/act out script with a partner in front of
the class focusing on pronunciation.
After:
Students have to individually give a brief presentation on a news article where they read
the article aloud to the class, focusing on pronunciation, and explain what it is about in
English after reading the article.
7
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
1. Go over the five words as a class and discuss the
pronunciation of the word letter by letter and have
students repeat after teacher.
News broadcasts from
Internet sites
2. Review the alphabet in the target language and point out
major differences between that and English.
3. With each new vocabulary word that is taught throughout
the year, the students need to repeat it to the teacher to
get the pronunciation down.
4. Listen to a news broadcast in the target language and
pay attention to pronunciation.
New Vocabulary: pronunciation, letters of the alphabet
8
World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Cultures
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.2.N.a: Identify the basic target language culture practices and
compare them to one’s own.
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
KWL chart – What do you know about ____________________ practice from the target
culture. (Could be a religious practice such as Easter or Christmas or Ramadan, or a
coming of age custom, wedding practices, schooling, food, etc.)
During:
Students have to create a Venn diagram comparing their culture to the culture seen in a
movie shown (can be a documentary or a regular movie and can be a specific custom
or can be more general comparing the culture overall).
After:
3-fold poster board project; on left side the tradition/custom from your culture, the right
side would have the tradition/custom from the target culture and in the middle would be
what they have in common (for example: comparing sweet sixteen and quinceanera).
Each student is assigned a different tradition/custom.
9
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
New Vocabulary:
10
World Language
Assessment/Activity Worksheet
LEVEL:
Novice Low
Strand:
Comparisons
Standard:
Comparing Cultures
Level of Proficiency/Domain: Novice Low
Benchmark:
4.2.N.b: Identify basic target culture products and compare them to
one’s own .
Assessment (before, during, after):
Before:
Students are given brief descriptions of products and then a picture of the products and
then have to match them.
During:
Students are given different ads for products in the target language and have to answer a
variety of questions about them.
After:
In pairs students give an oral presentation on a product from the target culture. Each pair
is assigned a different cultural product (a clothing item, a food, a car, etc.).
11
Learning Activities/Facts/Information:
Resources:
New Vocabulary:
12