LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Around the world in one semester!

This lesson is a semester-long project that focuses on countries that speak the target language. Students will research a chosen country and do an oral presentation for the class. They will then research and present a current event weekly for the remainder of the semester.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Second Languages

By Crystal Humphrey and Michelle Chrismon

Learn more

  • African Studies Center Links to online resources about African countries
  • Geographia This website provides tourism information about Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin Ameria, and Europe.

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Learning outcomes

Students will gain greater awareness of countries that speak their target languae and increase their knowledge and use of the target language.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

4 months

Materials/resources

Technology resources

  • internet access
  • PowerPoint (optional)

Pre-activities

Teacher will provide students with a list of target language countries and students will choose their country.

Activities

Research. Two days in the computer lab and media center.

  1. Students will use the internet or atlases to create a map of their countries. The map will include the capital and other major cities and major geographical features.
  2. Teacher will provide the Required Information List to students.
  3. Students will use the internet or other Media Center resources to research their chosen target language country.

Oral Presentations. Presentations should be scheduled over one or two days.

Students will orally present information about their country to the class. They may use PowerPoint if desired and resources are available. Each presentation should be approximately five minutes in length.

Current Events. Allow half of a class each week for remainder of semester.

Students will research and report on a current event from their country each week for the remainder of the semester.

Portfolio. At the end of the semester, students will turn in a portfolio of all current events presented and country research.

Assessment

Teachers will use the attached rubrics:

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson plan was a collaborative effort between Crystal Humphrey, French teacher, and Michelle Chrismon, Spanish teacher at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, North Carolina as a result of the workshop, “The 2004 Second Language Standard Course of Study” held at UNC Charlotte on March 7–8, 2005. The purpose of this lesson is to expose our second level students to the respective target language countries.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Second Languages (2005)

Grade 9–12 — High School Level II

  • Goal 3: PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATION - The learner will present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics in the target language.
    • Objective 3.01: Give oral and written presentations about people, places, things, and events using simple sentences and paragraphs in present and past time.
    • Objective 3.07: Summarize orally and in writing main idea(s) from selected material.
  • Goal 4: CULTURES - The learner will gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among practices, products, and perspectives of cultures other than his/her own.
    • Objective 4.04: Identify major geographical features, cities, and regions of the target countries where the language is spoken and show their relationship to the culture.
    • Objective 4.06: Investigate perspectives and practices of contemporary life in the target cultures through print, non-print, electronic materials, and cultural artifacts.
  • Goal 6: CONNECTIONS - The learner will acquire, reinforce, and further his/her knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
    • Objective 6.02: Communicate information in the foreign language class which is common to other disciplines.