Lesson Plan

Spanish Verb Conjugations

Command Forms

Grade 10 Division 4

Language level: beginners

1 class (1 hour)

Lesson prepared on Sept 23/06

Rationale

This lesson is designed to teach students how to use the “tu” command forms (“imperativo” in Spanish) in conversation and to train them to distinguish these verb forms through listening. The “tu” command forms are used when speaking to friends, fellow students, colleagues, children, and family members.

Bridge (10 minutes)

Students have already learned the conjugations of regular, irregular, and reflexive verbs in present tense.
Students have also learned the conjugation rules for command forms. This is their third lesson in command forms.
In the previous classes, students have learned the vocabulary required to complete today’s exercise. The teacher has prepared a handout to them with a list of 12 verbs and taught them how to pronounce the verbs (The students have learned the rules of how to pronounce all the Spanish words just by looking at them). They are told to check the command forms of the 12 verbs (see the list in Participatory Learning) on the internet at home and to memorize them.
In the beginning of the class, in the computer lab, the teacher will spend ten minutes practicing the command verb form.
The six verbs used for practice are: pagar, buscar, levantarse, dormer, irse, salir, decir. The subject of the verbs is “tu.”
Firstly, the teacher will choose a verb and ask all the students to say it in command form (singular and affirmative) and then the negative command form.
Secondly, the teacher will use these verbs in a sentence and ask one student to respond with the action. For example, David, dime “Buenos días.” David has to say “Buenos días.” Another example, Maria, no te levantes. In this case, Maria should not stand up

Pre-assessment (10 minutes)

Students will do an exercise with these 12 verbs on the internet, at this http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/exercises/commands_tu1.html
They are not allowed to check other resources for correct answers.
When they are done, they will print their exercises and compare them with the correct answers provided on the internet by clicking on the “correct” button on the bottom of the screen. They should turn in the exercises to the teacher.
Students are asked to quietly return to the class for the remaining session.

Learning Objectives

Upon finishing this class, students will be able to…
Use 12 verbs in command forms, positive and negative.
Understand these verbs when used in a sentence as well as in conversation with the teacher or his/her fellow students.
Memorize the conjugations of the command forms since some of the verbs are irregular.
Distinguish both the affirmative and negative command forms of “tu”.
Learn the rest of the verbs in command forms, singular and plural, and another command form using “usted” as the subject. (The “usted” command forms are used when speaking to professors, bosses, and people with whom they are unfamiliar.)
Alberta Learner Outcomes in Technology:

o C7 Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.

o 4.1 Use appropriate strategies to locate information to meet personal needs.

o Students can choose their preferred websites to learn or check verb conjugations. They are supposed to provide the URLs to the teacher and update the resources they have used each month.

o Recommended online Spanish dictionary: http://www.wordreference.com/

o Recommended Spanish verb conjugation websites:

http://turingmachine.org/cgi-bin/compjugador/compjugador.pl

http://www.spaleon.com/conj.php

Participatory Learning: (20 minutes)

-The 12 verbs are as follows:

Infinitive “tu” Command form Negative form

(Imperativo)

pagar paga No pagues

buscar busca No busques

levantarse levántate No te levantes

quedarse quédate No te quedes

enojarse enójate No te enojes

sentarse siéntate No te sientes

mentir miente No te mientas

dormir duerme No duermas

irse vete No te vayas

decir di No digas

tener ten No tengas

salir sal No salgas

-Materials

The teacher has prepared two sets of larger flash cards. On each flash card, there is either a picture or a word associated to one of the 12 verbs. One set of the cards is hung on the right side of the classroom and another set is hung on the left set of the classroom.

-Procedures:

When students return to the class, the teacher will spend 10 minutes practicing these verbs with students. For instance, the teacher will say a sentence: “Ten cuidado” and ask a student to go to the flash card hung on the wall that has “tener” on it. Then the teacher will write the word “ten” on the board to show students the command form.
Another example is with “levantarse.” The teacher will say the negative form “No te levantes” and ask a student to go to the card that has a picture associated with the verb “get up.” If the first student fails to find the answer, another student can help. The teacher also can ask students to act according to her command with verbs such as “sentarse,” “levantarse,” and “dormir.”
The class of 20 students is divided in two groups for a game of 10 minutes to train their listening ability. All the desks are moved to the back of the classroom. Students will stand in the center of the classroom ready to find the correct flash card when the teacher utters the sentence.
The teacher should use sentences with different vocabulary to train students’ listening ability. For instance, if “Ten cuidado” has been used in the previous practice, the teacher should use another sentence such as “Ten mucho cuidado” or “Ten mucha paciencia,” or “No tengas paciencia.”

(In the game, the first person who finds the correct answer will score a point for his/her group.)

Post-assessment (15 minutes)

After the game, 20 students are divided in 4 groups to practice the command form, positive and negative. They make their own sentences in a conversation form using the verbs they have just learned. A sample is distributed to them to make sure they do it correctly. Each group should make 6 sentences-3 sentences in one conversation. The teacher can give them an example using the sample sentences.

Sample

Conversation 1

First person: Maria, dime la verdad.

Second person: María, no digas la verdad.

Third person (María): No, no quiero decir la verdad.

Conversation 2

First person: Pedro, levántate.

Second person: Pedro, no te levantes.

Third person (Pedro): Sí, voy a levantarme.

Students have about 5 minutes to prepare the sentences. Then they will present them in conversation with their group members in class.
Students have to turn in their sentences to the teacher for assessment.

Wrap-up: (5 minutes)

The teacher will…

Ask students if they have any questions regarding the command forms.
Praise them if they perform well or warn them if they have not made an effort at home or in class.
Continue to practice the verbs that are hard to learn in the next class.
Ask students to take turn recommending 5 verbs they found on the websites so that all the students can share and practice these verbs on the internet together with the exercise provided on the internet.
Distribute a handout about the content of the next lesson and ask students to prepare it at home.

Student Evaluation

The activities will be evaluated out of 20 marks. The marking scheme is as listed:

Pre-assessment 10

Group game 2

Group writing 3

Group conversation 5

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