I.
II.
Unit Plan Inventory
a. Unit Title: All the World’s A Stage!
b. Language/Level: Second year high school Spanish, Novice Low-Novice Mid level
c. Unit Overview: The students will explore target culture playwrights and theatre in how it relates
to culture and history, while putting on a “school play” from Hispanic literature.
State 1: What learners should know and be able to do
a. Enduring Understanding(s): How culture and history are reflected in literature, while learning
how to collaborate on producing a creative work
b. Essential Question(s): How does life imitate art?
How are history and culture involved in theatrical
literature?
What skills are necessary to put on a play?
c. Standards: Communication- Students will converse spontaneously in the language during role
plays with each other, as well as with me, where they can negotiate meaning (National Standard
1.1 Interpersonal) (State Interpersonal Standard 1 and 2). They will also read authentic texts
about playwrights and report on them to determine comprehension (National Standard 1.2
Interpretive) (State Interpretive Standards 1 and 3). Lastly, students will perform their
rehearsed, revised scene for an audience of their peers (National Standard 1.3 Presentational)
(State Presentational Standards 1 and 2).
Cultures: Students will note the practices of the times in which the
works were
written (ie getting married for money and mourning periods), and
the relationship it has with the
perspectives of the playwright, characters, and
society as a whole (National Standard 2.1 Practices
and Perspectives)
(State Cultures Standard 1).
Connections: Connections will be made to the disciplines of History,
Literature,
and Drama. Students will also practice using fine arts concepts
such as analyzing literature, acting, etc. by discussing and analyzing the works.
They
will also discuss Spanish Civil War during WWII unit in History class to
reinforce and further their knowledge of European history. Lastly, students
will learn how
to produce a play as the drama class puts on their play (National
Standard 3.1 Reinforce Knowledge)
Comparisons: Students compare Hispanic plays with American ones
they are reading
in class to see how culture is reflected in both cultures
through the perspective of the playwright (National Standard 4.2 Compare
Culture
1 and Culture 2). Also it’s possible that students and I will compare
Spanish vs. English
language in commands and pronouns
(National Standard 4.1 Compare L1 an L2).
Communities: Students will talk to native speakers outside of
school about their favorite theatrical plays (National Standard 5.1 Learning
Outside of Classroom)
d. Goals: Describe how history and culture are reflected in Hispanic theatre
Discuss opinions and reactions to themes and character actions within
the
works of theatre in the target language.
Interpret authentic works of Hispanic theatre, as well as display basic
writing
skills in relation to said works
Identify some key playwrights, historical events, and works of lit in the
target culture
III.
Stage 2: How students will demonstrate what they know and can do: Performance Based
Assessments PBAs
a. Interpersonal Performance Assessment description: Students will engage in a role play with
me one on one, where they are the stage manager or director of a play and must solve a problem
that occurs (ie the lead has stage fright and doesn’t want to go on stage. How do you get them to
perform?). Each problem will be different in order to maintain spontaneity. See attachment for the
three situations.
b. Interpretive Task: Students will read the attached authentic book excerpts and articles to
research the playwright who’s work they’re performing, then the five provided comprehension
questions about his or her life and why they wrote that play (aka what it says about
history/culture).
c. Presentational Task: After reading two plays out loud in class, students will break up into
groups and each group will write another scene for the play (whether a new ending or interlude),
and perform it for the class.
IV.
Stage 3: Preparing students to demonstrate what they know and can do
a. Language Functions: Give an Opinion (I think..., I believe..., I like/don’t like...), Expressing
Emotions/Reactions (i.e. I am/feel scared), Dialogue techniques, Questions, Directions (Right,
Left) and Reaction action verbs/commands (enter, gasp, scream, etc.)
b. Grammatical Structures: Commands (in the role plays to solve the problem, in the stage
directions of their scenes i.e. “Enter Right,” and in the dialogue of the students’ scenes), Present
tense, Pronouns (in their scenes when discussing other characters in the scene and offstage, and
also in the comprehension questions to avoid repeating the author’s name over and over again)
c. Key Vocabulary: Elements of a story (plot, setting, characters, etc)
Theatre words (microphone, stage, actor, director, etc)
Experiencing theatre words (audience, “I like,” etc)
Process words (First, Then, Next, etc)
d. Culture: Students will begin to explore and understand the historical and social environment of
the time/place where these two plays were written and how life imitates art.
Products- The plays themselves
Practices- Will explore and discuss the various practices of the time that these
plays were written (ie El Luto, marrying for money, dowries, class
systems, etc.) and how it
relates to the perspectives of both the
authors and characters.
Perspectives- Will explore the playwright’s perspective on historical
and
cultural events, as well as character’s perspectives on their
world, therefore who/what
their real-world counterparts think
about the world through its practices. For example,
we will discuss
Adela’s opinion that her mother is overbearing and that
she is tired of being oppressed, so Adela rebels against her
mother, and how this represents the feminist who fought against
the oppressive society in
which they lived.
e. Subject Content: Literature and Theatre/Drama class (character development, culture/history
reflected in literature, how to analyze literature, etc.), as well as History class (social systems,
Spanish Civil War, etc)
f. Essential Materials: Readings- All of the following are attatched:
El Delantal Blanco por Sergio Vodanovic and La Casa de Bernarda Alba por Federico
García Lorca (in class)
Short Articles and/or excerpts from native elementary text books about Lorca
and Vodanovic
Vocabulary lists for each lesson
Three role play scenario note cards and hat from which students will select them
Projector
g. Major Learning Activities/Performance: Researching/Writing about a playwright,
Collaborating to write a new scene for their play and performing it for the class (after which the
audience watching the scene will comment on how it possibly changed the meaning of the show
in historical context) reading the play out loud in class, discussing the play as a group (where
every student must comment at least once about each work), historical context lesson, vocab story
lesson, all students will role play the same scenario with other students during class to practice
vocabulary for the assessment role play, role play with instructor (all of which differ from the inclass scenario), Jeopardy game for vocabulary practice, Venn Diagram, agree/disagree to aid
discussion, listen to presentation about theatre
h. Comparisons: Students will work in groups to create a Venn Diagram comparing the Americans
plays they are reading in English class and the Spanish plays El Delantal Blanco and La Casa de
Bernarda Alba after reading them in class.
i. Communities: I will have someone from the local theatre community come present to the class
what it takes to put on a play in order to have a connection to the community within the
classroom. Also, the students will go out into the community and interview local native speakers
about their favorite plays to use language outside the classroom.
Lesson Plan
Teacher Candidate Name:
Students’ Grade Level: Students’
Proficiency Level:
Subject:
Lesson Plan
Context/Title/Theme/Focus:
Focus Question:
Lesson Overview:
Two or three sentences that summarize
the lesson.
Goals/Objectives/SLOs:
Students will be able to… Measurable
(Bloom’s Taxonomy)
National Goals and State Standards:
Identify relevant goals and standards
(make sure these are clearly met in the
lesson)
Overview
Katherine Wiesenhahn
Second Level
Novice Mid
Spanish Theatre
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
A Day at the Theatre
How do we comment on and discuss Hispanic theatre?
Students will be learning to describe different elements of a production:
costumes, set, acting, etc. They will also discuss what they like and don’t like
about a scene. We will use different clips to practice these newly acquired skills.
Students will be able to discuss likes/dislikes and reactions with each other in the
target language
Students will be able to understand the different elements of a play
Students will be able to describe a scene with adjectives
National Standards
Communication
1.1 Students will engage in conversations, provide and obtain information,
express feelings and emotions, and exchange options
1.2 Students will understand and interpret written and spoken language on a
variety of topics
1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners
or readers on a variety of topics.
3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through
the foreign language.
State Standards
Interpersonal Standard 3: Express preferences, feelings, emotions and opinions
about familiar and some unfamiliar topics
Presentational Standard 2: Present information, concepts and viewpoints on
familiar and some unfamiliar topics from across disciplines.
Language Functions/Grammar:
(e.g. greeting, introduce, describing,
asking and answering questions, narrate
in the past, greet each other) see list in
C/D page 156 or search online for a list
of language functions.
Academic Language:
Language demands for the lesson
(content or cultural vocabulary that is
new to the students such as bidet)
Vocabulary:
Describing: Ser (Ej- El decorado es simple) and adjectives
Expressing Likes/Dislikes: Me gusta, No me gusta
Agreeing/Disagreeing: Estoy/No estoy de acuerdo
Set, Plot, Scenery, Costumes, Comedy, Drama, Character, Protagonist, Music,
Scene
El teatro- theatre
emocionante- moving
La actuación- performance
increíble- incredible
El argumento- plot
inolvidable- unforgettable
La comedia- comedy; El drama- drama
interesante- interesting
Los efectos especiales- Special effects
aburrido- boring
La obra- show
bonito- pretty
El auditorio- auditorium
feo- ugly
El escenario- stage
divertido- fun
La canción- song
serio- serious
La música- music
exagerado- exaggerated
El actor/La actriz- actor/actress
apagado- dull
Personaje- character
creativo- creative
El bailarín/La bailarina; bailar- to dance feliz- happy
El crítico- critic
triste- sad
El director- director
vistoso- colorful
Los gestos- gestures
claro- light
La escena- scene
oscuro- dark
El músical- musical
simple- simple
El/La protagonista- main character
complejo- complex
El decorado- scenery
moderno- modern
El vestuario- costumes
período (de vestuario)- period
Los símbolos- symbols
El climax- climax
La ironía- irony
Irónico- ironic
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence and Detail your Assessment Plan
Pre-assessment: used to determine what First ask students if they have seen theatre before, and if so, what it was like.
students already know about the day’s
Then ask the students to write down all of the words that they can think of that
topic (e.g. checklist, KWL, graphic
they’d need to talk about theatre. Then have students go up to the board and write
organizer, teacher observation, answer to
in Spanish what theatre words from their lists they already know.
a writing prompt, etc.)
Formative:
Measure(s) of progress toward goal
Students will face back to back, and one will describe pictures and/or video clips
of parts of the play to the other student, and he/she will draw what is being
described. Then they will switch places.
Summative:
Measure(s) of achievement of goal
Students will come up to me one on one and participate in a role play. They will
be directors of a play of their choice from a list of shows I provide. I will then
ask them questions about what the costumes, set, props, etc. will look like.
Self-assessment: Use LinguaFolio selfassessments guide
http://www.ncssfl.org/links/index.php?sel
f-assessments
I can answer questions about my likes/dislikes using one or more words or
memorized phrases. Y/N
I can respond to a question about my likes/dislikes. Y/N
I can discuss my opinions, feelings, and thoughts about the subject Y/N
I can understand the video clips enough to describe them to a partner Y/N
I can use specific vocabulary from the lesson to tell my partner how to draw the
scene Y/N
I can use specific vocabulary from the lesson to use in the role play and describe
what I want my show to look like Y/N
Stage 3: Instructional Phase and Learning Experiences
Anticipatory Set: (select some of the Hook: I will project photos on the board of both Spanish plays and me in my high
school productions, as well as show up wearing a decorated masquerade mask.
strategies below)
Hook: to capture students’ attention (e.g.
something you bring to class like a box or Access Prior Knowledge: I will ask students to tell of their experiences seeing
a picture you project on board)
theatre, everything that one needs to put on a production, and the parts and
Activate Prior Knowledge: how will you elements of a story
activate knowledge students may have on
the topic possibly from their L1?
Advance Organizers: I will play some scenes from Spanish translations of
Routine: Do you have a routine that you popular musicals and plays, as well as authentic Spanish texts, to get students
do everyday?
ready to analyze. I will also have a Power Point to introduce them to the vocab
Advance organizers: relevant and
introductory material that sets the scene
Ins
tru
cti
on
al
Se
qu
enc
e
(lin
ke
d)
Comprehensible Input:
Presentation of new material by
teacher, authentic material or
combination
I will present a Power Point of vocabulary words to aid the students.
After the Power Point, I will play the clips from the shows, which will be
embedded in the PowerPoint, on the last slide.
I will conduct samples/examples of how to describe how you like/dislike
something through asking students questions about their likes/dislikes on familiar
topics, as well as describing my own preferences.
Guided Practice: Teacher guides
and checks to make sure students
understand content/new material.
There should be a link between
comprehensible input, guided
practice, and the strategies and
activities that follow
As I go through the Power Point, I will ask students questions and do lots of
repetition to make sure that they comprehend the material. I will also insert
pictures and/or videos in the powerpoint to continue practicing.
Place opinion sentences on the board, and having students state whether they are
in agreement with them or not
Students will complete an information gap activity with a partner, which will
Strategies and Activities:
Pair/Group Practice – teacher
include a list of titles of plays and musicals and students will have to ask each
should be involved minimally, will other how the elements are, as well as whether they like it or not. See attached
often require a worksheet at this sheet.
level. Attach worksheets you will
use
Students will do an activity where one will turn his or her back, and the partner
will watch a clip and describe the different aspects of the play (how are the set,
costumes, etc?) to their partner. Then they will switch places.
Stage 4: Reflection
Materials: List the materials you used
Vocab Power Point
Various clips
Worksheet
Hook photos
Vocabulary magnets
Language function magnets
List of shows to do the role play
When I present new material, I will use comprehensible input as defined by
Research Connections:
Discuss where your lesson was impacted Krashen (1982), where it is slightly above the students current level of
by SLA, cite the SLA principle (e.g.
comprehension.
when I present the new material, I will As presented by Canale and Swain (1983), I will focus on communication more
use comprehensible input as defined by than grammar.
Krashen (1982), input that is a bit beyond The students will also have ample opportunity for meaningful output, as Swain
the students’ current level)
(1983) states
For students who are sight impaired, I will ensure that all of my type is very
Accommodations:
What accommodations will you make for large, and I will also attempt to say everything through my repetition, and
students with special needs? Select one or describe photos and set the scene for video clips.
two possible scenarios and list how you Since it is mostly an oral lesson, I feel that it accommodates students with
will accommodate
dyslexia, visual impairments, and other reading-based disabilities.
Reflection:
Did you achieve your objectives?
What worked especially well?
What would I change if I teach this
lesson again? This is completed after
you administer a lesson
Yes, I achieved my objectives. The activity worked well I believed, everyone was
speaking, which was great. Also, I believe that I went with the flow quite well. I
made sure that students were understanding, and I went to the groups that seemed
to be struggling. Lastly, I believe that I modeled the activities really well for the
students. I went through the vocabulary a little too quickly, so I feel that students
struggled with knowing the words. I also had problems with not asking enough
questions.
Information Gap Activity
La Obra
La Casa de Bernarda Alba
Elemento
La Obra
Irónico
Escenario
Elemento
La Casa de Bernarda Alba
El Delantal Blanco
¿Te gusta?
Vestuario
El Delantal Blanco
Hairspray
¿Cómo es?
¿Cómo es?
Deslucido
Argumento
¿Te gusta?
La Obra
Elemento
Hairspray
¿Cómo es?
¿Te gusta?
Simple, Vistoso
Assessment Plan
Formative Assessment:
Students will work in pairs and face back to back, and Student A will describe pictures and/or video clips of parts of the
play to Student B, and he/she will draw what is being described. Then I will show another clip and Student B will get a chance to
describe, while Student A draws the scene.
Summative Assessments:
Interpersonal Task
Description: Students will pick a scenario from a hat. Then they will take on the role of the Stage Manager or lead of the school
play on opening night. Everything is going great until disaster strikes and something goes horribly wrong! Either a microphone
broke halfway through, the lead actor gets sick, or as the lead actor, you forget your lines in the middle of the scene! Students will
present how they will solve whichever issue they pick in order to save the show! While this is happening, the rest of the class will
be watching the video adaptation of La Casa de Bernarda Alba.
Task: Students will visit the “director” (teacher) and explain to her what is wrong and describe how they plan to fix the issue, as
well as ask if the director has any ideas on how to fix the issue. They will need to ask questions and describe/solve a problem using
vocabulary from the unit.
Rubric:
Criteria
Task Completion
4
Fully describes
situation in detail,
asks for advice,
and offers at least
one clearly stated,
detailed solution
to the problem.
3
2
1
Situation
Explanation of
Explanation not
described, but
problem barely clear. Does not ask
details are less mentioned. Does
for advice. No
specific. Asks for not ask for advice. workable solution
advice. Solution Brief solution with
offered.
clearly stated, but
few details.
not given in
sufficient detail
Comprehensibility Conversation is Conversation is Conversation is
easily
comprehensible,
somewhat
comprehensible, and requires little comprehensible,
and requires no
negotiation of
but requires a
negotiation of
meaning for the significant amount
meaning for the
listener.
of negotiation of
listener.
meaning for the
listener.
Conversation is
barely
comprehensible,
and requires a lot
of negotiation of
meaning for the
listener.
Fluency
Speech is very Speech is fluid,
Speech is
Speech is very
fluid, with little or with a few pauses. somewhat choppy, choppy, with many
no pauses. Full
Full sentences
with significant
pauses. No full
sentences come present, but there
pauses. Full
sentences, and
easily, and there are stumbles, and
sentences are countless trip-ups.
are little or no
the sentences
difficult to
trip-ups.
don’t flow as produce, and there
smoothly.
are several tripups.
Pronunciation
Very clear and Fairly clear and Not very clear and Unclear and not on
native-quality.
almost native- barely authentic. mark (essentially
Aids
quality. Does not
Hurts
incorrect or
comprehensibility
hurt
comprehensibility
nonexistent).
comprehensibility
Makes speech
almost
incomprehensible
Vocabulary
Utilizes lots of Utilizes some of
specific
the vocabulary
vocabulary from from the unit, and
the unit, as well a decent range of
as a variety of
vocabulary.
vocabulary.
Uses little of the
vocabulary from
the unit. Lots of
repetition, little
variety.
None of the
specific
vocabulary from
the unit used. No
variation, and
significant
repetition
Interpretive Task
Description: Students will read authentic book excerpts and articles I provide for them in class to research a playwright in the
target culture. These will be two to five pages. They will then write a one page summary about what they read in the articles and
book excerpts.
Task: Students will write a page about their researched author, describing his life, why he wrote the play we read in class, and what
the play says about the historical and cultural context in which it was written.
Interpretive Task Checklist
1. Is the summary at least one page?
Yes: _____ No: _____
2. Does it display comprehension of the texts?
Yes: _____ No: _____
3. Is the playwright’s life summarized?
Yes: _____ No: _____
4. Does the student discuss the playwright’s works?
Yes: _____ No: _____
5. Are the historical and cultural context discussed?
Yes: _____ No: _____
6. Is the report grammatically correct ?
Yes: _____ No: _____
7. Is spelling correct?
Yes: _____ No: _____
8. Does the student grasp the assignment’s objective?
Yes: _____ No: _____
Presentational Task
Description: After reading both plays in class, students will break into groups and write a new scene to the
play of their choice. They will rehearse these scenes and then perform the polished scenes for the class.
Task: Students will, in groups of four, write an additional scene to either one of the works. The scenes will be
between 3 and 5 minutes in length, and each group member has to have a role and speak at least once. They
must keep in mind what their scene does to change the meaning of the work, and what the author was trying
to convey. Also, students must consider the historical context as well. They will then rehearse and perform
the polished scene for the class.
Rubric:
Criteria
4
3
2
Task Completion Lasts 3-5 minutes, Lasts 3 minutes, Not long enough,
and everyone has and everyone has a
and almost
a significant role role in the scene
everyone had a
in scene
speaking role
Performance is
Performance is
Comprehensibility Performance is
easily
comprehensible,
somewhat
comprehensible, and requires little comprehensible,
and requires no
negotiation of
but requires a
negotiation of
meaning for the significant amount
meaning for the
listener.
of negotiation of
listener.
meaning for the
listener.
Level of Discourse Uses wide range
of complete
sentences. All
thoughts are
cohesive.
Preparation
1
Not long enough,
and not everyone
has a spoken role
in the scene
Performance is
barely
comprehensible,
and requires a lot
of negotiation of
meaning for the
listener.
Some variety of
Uses complete
Complete but
complete
sentences, some
repetitive
sentences. Ideas repetitive. Some sentences. Lacks
are mostly
cohesion of ideas.
cohesion.
cohesive.
Well prepared, lots Appropriately and
Somewhat
Minimal effort put
of effort put into
adequately
prepared, with
into the
performance
prepared, some moderate effort put performance. No
quality. All lines effort put in. Most
into the
lines memorized.
memorized
lines memorized. performance. Few
lines memorized
Few or no
Mostly free of Some punctuation Full of punctuation
Grammar of
and/or
Written Script punctuation and/or punctuation and/or and/or grammatical
grammatical
grammatical
errors.
grammatical
errors. (0-2 errors) errors. (3-5 errors)
(6-9 errors)
errors.
(10+ errors)
Creativity
Very creative,
with interesting
plot and props,
costumes, etc. to
enhance
performance
Cultural
Relevance
Stays very true to Stays mostly true Not very true to
Not true to the
the target culture
to the target
the target culture in target culture in
in references to
culture in
references to
references to
events, holidays,
references to
events, holidays, events, holidays,
food, etc.
events, holidays,
food, etc.
food, etc.
mentioned in the
food, etc.
mentioned in the mentioned in the
scene
mentioned in the
scene (several
scene (many
scene
American
American
references)
references)
Teamwork
Teamwork
Teamwork
Teamwork
Teamwork
evaluation reports evaluation reports evaluation reports evaluation reports
everyone
most everyone
only some
that only some
contributing
contributing
contributing a lot members of the
equally to the
equally to the
to the project, group contributed
project
project. Everyone
while others
to the project,
made some
contribute little or while others did
contribution.
not at all
nothing
Creative,
somewhat
interesting plot,
and some props,
costumes to
enhance
performance
Somewhat
Not very creative,
creative, with with stark plot and
decent plot and
no costumes or
minimal props, props to enhance
costumes, etc. to
performance
enhance
performance
Summary
My philosophy of assessment is that assessment is very important in the foreign language classroom.
However, in foreign language, the traditional pen and paper grammar test is no longer an adequate, nor
effective, means of assessment. Assessment should be taking place constantly through activities,
comprehension checks, and other forms of formative assessments in order to determine student progress. In
foreign language classrooms, we must think outside the box to find ways to assess communication ability.
This is done through hands-on assessments, such as role plays, SOPIs, or other verbal/oral assessments.
Another very important factor of assessment is that it mirrors your instruction. This helps students be well
prepared, as well as ensure that the assessment is age and proficiency level appropriate. Also, self-reflection
and assessment on the teacher’s part are very important. If students are not grasping the concepts that are
presented on the formative assessments, the instructor must go back and adjust and reteach the material.
Culture Activity
Description: Before we read the plays, students will learn about the historical and social
environment of the time/place where these two plays were written by watching a PowerPoint that I
created about various cultural practices at the time of the writing, mainly the Spanish Civil War. I
will discuss the war itself briefly, but the PowerPoint will mostly focus on the social situation of both
Spain at this time, as well as that of Chile during the 1950’s. The input will be comprehensible
throughout the presentation of the material. We will then discuss as a class how we feel that this
affected the authors’ lives, and predict what the theme/perspective of the play will be on all of these
cultural practices. We will also discuss how we feel about these practices, and how they compare
to those of today.
After the discussion, students will, in pairs, write a letter to the playwrights about whether
they agree with the playwright’s perspective on the practices we learned about and tell them of
how things are different (for the better or worse) today in those regards. Students will receive a
rubric for the letter to explain clearly the components of, and expectations for, this activity.
Perspectives: Women and poor not important in society, nor do
they have the same rights. They are kept down through the
perpetuation of cultural practices and ideas. The playwrights
combat this opinion through their works.
Attachments: Pictures From My Power Point
Pictures like the ones below will help students to understand what life was like for the marginalized
members of society during these specific time periods. They will be able to see how simple cultural
practices that were ingrained in society were inherently unfair to some members of society, namely
women and the poor,
Practices: El Luto, marrying for
money/dowry, class systems, and
women’s role in society during the
Spanish Civil War and 1950s in Chile
and how they were put
into place in order to
keep these people in
their place, so to
speak.
Products: The pieces of literature
themselves (the texts of El Delantal
Blanco and La Casa de Bernarda
Alba)
EL LUTO
DOWRY
Role of Women
CLASS SYSTEM
Sample Letter: I will write my own letter and project it on the board to show students an example of
what they should be going in their pairs.
Estimado Señor Lorca:
Hola. Me llamo Katherine Wiesenhahn, y soy estudiante del año 2012. Estoy estudiando
tu obra La Casa de Bernarda Alba y el contexto histórico de la. Estoy de acuerdo contigo que
la practica del dote es horrible y que la mujer no tenía derecho en su época. Hoy en día, cosas
son un poco diferente. Por ejemplo, por lo general, personas pueden casarse con alguien que
le gustan y no hay un sistema de dote más. Hay excepciones en algunos países, pero en
general, no es el caso. Qué bueno, ¿no? Y las mujeres tienen más derechos hoy en día
también. No somos igual completamente con hombres, pero podemos trabajar, votar, y asistir
la universidad. Pues, ¡gracias para leer mi nota, y ten un buen día!
Cordialmente,
Katherine Wiesenhahn
CBI
Content 1: History- Students will have to consider and discuss the historical time period where the
plays take place, especially as they relate to the plot. They will also discuss gender roles and other
social issues such as class systems that are tied to social studies and history.
Content 2: Literature and Drama- Students will be responsible for analyzing literature and
understanding character development, plot, elements of a play (ie irony), historical themes in
literature, and how life imitates art.
Collaborating Teachers: A History and an English teacher (I will talk with them and find out
specific content standards that this activity can meet.)
Activity Description: On this day, students will learn about the role of women during the Spanish
Civil War. They will first view a Power Point with comprehensible input about the perspective of
women on their place in society, as well as their role in society as a whole. Then we will take one
of María Josefa’s rants and analyze how it is an allegory for the social standing of women in this
era. Also, we will discuss how lucid she is, despite how everyone calls her crazy, and how this is
an analogy for how people with radical ideas, or who told it like it was, were deemed “crazy” by
society. Through this analysis, we will touch on the literary devices such as allegories, symbolism,
imagery, and irony, while also showing how this excerpt cuts through all of the passive-aggressive
drama of the house to discuss directly the social standing of women as it affects the characters in
the play. This touches on both the historical and literary content. Students will write a summary of
our discussion in partners to ensure that they grasp the importance and main points of our
discussion.
Differentiated Instruction Activity
There are five stations where students can gain insight on a different cultural or historical aspect of the play
we are reading in class. Each station will have an activity to complete. Students will select three stations and
complete the activities at those stations. Students must take notes on the activities (what they liked, what they
learned, etc.) Students will then break up into groups of between three and five, to ensure that all of the
stations are covered, and share what they learned. Then we will have a class discussion about how this
activity helped the students gain a better understanding of the play.
Five Stations:
1. Historical Center- Read about different facets of the time period of the play, such as womenʼs roles, the
practice of El Luto, and the Spanish Civil War. Take notes on what you learned and found interesting.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWspain.htm
http://www.normasdeprotocolo.com/tag/luto/
http://www.historiasiglo20.org/sufragespana/sufragismo_v3_english.swf
2. Film Center- La Casa de Bernarda Alba has been made into a film. Watch a ten minute clip, and make
note of how it compares to the written play (how is it the same? Did it deviate from the plot?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsE5UhnWEg
3. Cultural Experience Center- The women in the play perform many household chores and stereotypical
activities, such as sewing, cooking, and cleaning the house. There will be yarn and plastic knitting needles, a
pot and some green beans, and a cluttered area of the classroom. You will experiment with each activity
(knitting, breaking green beans and putting them in the pot, and cleaning the messy area) in order to simulate
what the women in the play do all day. Note how you would feel if that was all your life was day in and day
out, as well as how doing these activities made you feel.
4. Biography Center- Read the short attached biography about Garcia Lorcaʼs life. Pay attention to how it
relates to the time period when he wrote the play.
https://docs.google.com/a/muohio.edu/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13ab74ab5af1cb74&mt=ap
plication/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Dac34fa073c%26view%3Datt%26th%3
D13ab74ab5af1cb74%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbQexav8CcLzM6TTmEKWUTYu34lHQ
5. Analysis Center- Here you will look at a selection from the play and make note of any symbolism,
imagery, and any other literary devices that you come across in the excerpt. Also, you will explain what the
meaning behind the passage is in regards to the theme of the play.
María Josefa:
Ovejita, niño mío,
vámonos a la orilla del mar.
La hormiguita estará en su puerta,
yo te daré la teta y el pan.
Bernarda,
cara de leoparda.
Magdalena,
cara de hiena.
¡Ovejita!
Meee, meee.
Vamos a los ramos del portal de Belén.(Ríe)
Ni tú ni yo queremos dormir.
La puerta sola se abrirá
y en la playa nos meteremos
en una choza de coral.
Bernarda,
cara de leoparda.
Magdalena,
cara de hiena.
¡Ovejita!
Meee, meee.
Vamos a los ramos del portal de Belén!
(Se va cantando. Entra Adela. Mira a un lado y otro con sigilo, y desaparece por la puerta del corral. Sale
Martirio por otra puerta y queda en angustioso acecho en el centro de la escena. También va en enaguas. Se
cubre con un pequeño mantón negro de talle. Sale por enfrente de ella María Josefa.)
Martirio: Abuela, ¿dónde va usted?
María Josefa: ¿Vas a abrirme la puerta? ¿Quién eres tú?
Martirio: ¿Cómo está aquí?
María Josefa: Me escapé. ¿Tú quién eres?
Martirio: Vaya a acostarse. María Josefa: Tú eres Martirio, ya te veo. Martirio, cara de martirio. ¿Y cuándo
vas a tener un niño? Yo he tenido éste.
Martirio: ¿Dónde cogió esa oveja?
María Josefa: Ya sé que es una oveja. Pero, ¿por qué una oveja no va a ser un niño? Mejor es tener una oveja
que no tener nada. Bernarda, cara de leoparda. Magdalena, cara de hiena.
Martirio: No dé voces.
María Josefa: Es verdad. Está todo muy oscuro. Como tengo el pelo blanco crees que no puedo tener crías, y
sí, crías y crías y crías. Este niño tendrá el pelo blanco y tendrá otro niño, y éste otro, y todos con el pelo de
nieve, seremos como las olas, una y otra y otra. Luego nos sentaremos todos, y todos tendremos el cabello
blanco y seremos espuma. ¿Por qué aquí no hay espuma? Aquí no hay más que mantos de luto.
Martirio: Calle, calle.
María Josefa: Cuando mi vecina tenía un niño yo le llevaba chocolate y luego ella me lo traía a mí, y así
siempre, siempre, siempre. Tú tendrás el pelo blanco, pero no vendrán las vecinas. Yo tengo que marcharme,
pero tengo miedo de que los perros me muerdan. ¿Me acompañarás tú a salir del campo? Yo quiero campo.
Yo quiero casas, pero casas abiertas, y las vecinas acostadas en sus camas con sus niños chiquitos, y los
hombres fuera, sentados en sus sillas. Pepe el Romano es un gigante. Todas lo queréis. Pero él os va a
devorar, porque vosotras sois granos de trigo. No granos de trigo, no. ¡Ranas sin lengua!
Martirio: (Enérgica.) Vamos, váyase a la cama. (La empuja.)
María Josefa: Sí, pero luego tú me abrirás, ¿verdad?
Martirio: De seguro.
María Josefa: (Llorando.)
Ovejita, niño mío,
vámonos a la orilla del mar.
La hormiguita estará en su puerta,
yo te daré la teta y el pan.
Literacy Activity
The Text: La Casa de Bernarda Alba, the authentic play by Federico García Lorca. It starts on
page 10 of the attached document below.
Activity Description: As a class, we will read La Casa de Bernarda Alba, and I will project the
play on the projector screen for the whole class to see. At the end of each page, I will help
students underline three or more words (nouns, like Adela’s green dress), concepts, or themes that
are central to understanding the work. I will list the words and concepts on the board, and together
the class will write one statement about each one to help them remember its importance.
https://docs.google.com/a/muohio.edu/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13ab73f4bc0e61fe&
mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Dac34fa073c%26view%3D
att%26th%3D13ab73f4bc0e61fe%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbQ5StU7VM
eAWPPlrnwvu4_d1W1ySg