Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
THEMATICALLY ORGANIZED ASSESSMENT
SPANISH
TOA Title:
Mi casa es mi castillo
Theme:
What Makes My House A Home
Level:
Intermediate-Low
TOA Overview:
You love Latin American music and you are fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich and famous. You follow
news about your favorite performers online as well as on television. When you find an article about Ricky
Martin’s house written in Spanish, you read it carefully for details about his daily life. You discuss the article
with one of your Spanish-speaking friends comparing your lifestyle with Ricky Martin’s. In the next email to
your epal who lives in Puerto Rico, you tell him/her about the article and describe how you will live when you
are rich famous. You talk about the home you will have, the amenities you want (pool, tennis courts, sauna,
etc.), and the great parties you will host.
1
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Task Title:
Mi casa es mi castillo
Theme:
What Makes My House A Home
Level:
Intermediate-Low
National Standards Goals:
Communication
Communicative Mode:
Interpretive
Focus Age Group: 11 - 14
Cultures
Time Frame: 40 minutes
Description of Task:
While browsing through www.Univision.com you find information about Ricky Martin homes. After reading
the information in Spanish, you decide to check your comprehension by answering some questions. You are
considering showing your work to one of your Spanish-speaking friends to make sure you understood
everything!
Teacher Notes: As a pre-reading activity you may ask the students to imagine the life style of a famous
entertainer. You might ask questions to spur interest. What does he/she do for fun? Where does he/she like to
entertain? What kind of house he/she might
buy?
You may search for articles at:
www.univision.com
Buscar: casas de famosos
1
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Interpretive Task Comprehension
Mi casa es mi castillo
While browsing through www.Univision.com you find information about Ricky Martin. After reading the
information in Spanish, you decide to check your comprehension by answering some questions. You are
considering showing your work to one of your Spanish-speaking friends to make sure you understood
everything!
I.
What is this article about?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
II.
After reading the article once, you write down some facts. However, after a second reading you realize
that only some of them are true. Circle the ones that are true according to the article and on the space
provided rewrite the false ones with the correct information.
a. Only Ricky Martin is going to live in the house.
_______________________________________________________________
b. People may see the gardens, the swimming pool and the tennis court from the balcony on the
second floor.
c. There is a fountain in the middle of the entrance.
d. The house has 10 bathrooms.
_______________________________________________________________
e. One may view the city and the sea from the dining room.
____________________________________________________________
III.
You are so impressed that you want to describe some places in the house to your friend who only knows
English.
The home office
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
The dining rooms
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Since you did not understand a few words, you guessed the meaning by the context.
1. conduce ______________________________________________________________
2. paredes_______________________________________________________________
3. trasera _______________________________________________________________
4. diseñado______________________________________________________________
5. detalles_______________________________________________________________
3
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Intermediate-Low Interpretive Rubric
Mi casa es mi castillo
Can I identify the
main idea?
EXCEEDS
EXPECTATIONS
MEETS
EXPECTATIONS
DOES NOT
MEET
EXPECTATIONS
I identify the main
ideas presented in text.
I identify the main
ideas of the text.
I do not identify the
main ideas of the
text.
I understand most
supporting details of
the text.
I understand some
supporting details.
I understand few
supporting details.
I infer the meaning of
most cognates and
word families.
I infer the meaning
of some cognates
and word families.
I infer the meaning
of few cognates and
word families.
I derive the meaning of
a few new words from
context.
I do not derive the
meaning of new
words from
context.
I do not derive the
meaning of new
words from context.
My answers
demonstrate little
cultural awareness.
My answers do not
demonstrate cultural
awareness.
(Main Idea)
Can I understand
supporting
details?
(Comprehension)
Can I infer
meaning?
(Interpretation)
I infer the author’s
intent.
My answers
demonstrate some
cultural awareness.
4
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Task Title:
Mi casa es mi castillo
Theme:
What Makes My House A Home
Level:
Intermediate-Low
National Standards Goals:
Communication
Communicative Mode:
Interpersonal
Focus Age Group: 11 - 14
Comparison
Time Frame: 40 minutes
Description of Task:
You discuss the article with one of your Spanish-speaking friends comparing your lifestyle with Ricky Martin’s.
The two of you talk about your homes, the activities you enjoy, and the way you spend your free time.
Teachers Notes: You may want to adapt this assessment by posting on the board pictures of different houses,
rooms, furniture and furnishings. You may suggest to students who need more visual clues that they should
imagine that one of them is his/her house.
5
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Intermediate-Low Interpersonal Rubric
Mi casa es mi castillo
How well do I
communicate?
EXCEEDS
EXPECTATIONS
I create with the language
by using strings of
sentences.
MEETS
EXPECTATIONS
I create with language by
using simple sentences
and some strings of
sentences.
DOES NOT MEET
EXPECTATIONS
I use simple sentences,
isolated words, and
memorized phrases.
I am generally
understood. My accuracy
helps me get my point
across.
I am generally
understood. There are
some errors, but they do
not distort my messages.
I am understood with
occasional difficulty.
I use many words and
expressions from
different topics in the
appropriate context most
of the time.
I use a combination of
words from different
topics. Occasionally I
may use the wrong word
or expression.
I use basic and repetitive
vocabulary and I may
resort to English when I am
unable to make myself
understood.
I maintain a simple
conversation by asking
some questions and
answering questions.
I respond to basic, direct
questions and ask simple
questions.
(Text Type)
How well am I
understood?
(Comprehensibility)
What kind of
vocabulary do I
use?
(Language Use &
Vocabulary)
I provide some supporting
details from my own life
and from the article.
How well do I keep I ask and answer
questions to maintain the
the conversation
conversation and to
going?
clarify.
(Communication
Strategies)
At times, I paraphrase to
make myself understood.
6
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Task Title:
Mi casa es mi castillo
Theme:
What Makes My House A Home.
Level:
Intermediate-Low
National Standards Goals:
Communication
Communicative Mode:
Presentational
Focus Age Group: 11 - 14
Cultures
Connections
Comparisons
Time Frame: Two 40 minute periods
Description of Task:
In an email to your epal who lives in Puerto Rico, you tell him/her about the article on Ricky Martin and
describe how you will live when you are rich famous. You talk about the home you will have, the amenities
you want (pool, tennis courts, sauna, etc.), and the great parties you will host.
7
Dayci Chivukula
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
dayci.chivukula@ww-p
Intermediate-Low Presentational Rubric
Mi casa es mi castillo
EXCEEDS
EXPECTATIONS
I create with language
using strings of sentences.
MEETS
EXPECTATIONS
I create with language
using simple sentences. I
use some strings of
sentences.
DOES NOT MEET
EXPECTATIONS
I use mostly simple
sentences and memorized
phrases with some attempts
to create personal meaning.
I am easily understood I
express ideas clearly.
I am generally
understood. I express
most ideas clearly.
My audience occasionally
has trouble understanding
me. I do not always express
my ideas clearly.
What kind of
vocabulary do I use?
(Language Use &
Vocabulary)
I use a wide variety of
vocabulary on several
aspects of the topic with
very little repetition.
I use some variety of
vocabulary on a few
aspects of the topic with
some repetition.
I use basic and/or repetitive
vocabulary
most of the time.
How accurate is my
language?
I am very accurate when
speaking in simple
sentences. My accuracy
may decrease when I use
more complex language.
I am generally accurate
when producing simple
sentences. I may be less
accurate when adding
details.
I am mostly accurate with
memorized language. My
accuracy may decrease a lot
when trying to create with
the language.
I make good choices of
phrases, images and
content to maintain the
attention of the reader.
I make some good
choices of phrases,
images and content to
maintain the attention of
the reader.
I use some phrases, but my
vocabulary conveys very
basic information.
I organize my thoughts in a
logical manner. I write
with fluency.
I organize my thoughts in I focus mostly on the
a logical manner.
completion of the task; I do
not pay much attention to
organization and flow of
your presentation.
How well do I
communicate?
(Text Type &
Language Control)
How well am I
understood?
(Comprehensibility)
()
How well do I
capture and maintain
the attention of
reader?
(Impact)
How organized is my
email letter?
(Communication
Strategies)
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