Adjectives: Hero versus Villain

Students will compare and contrast a hero and a villain through a variety of oral and written activities.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Second Languages

By Rebecca Watkins

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Related topics

• Learn more about Spanish, adjectives, compare and contrast, second languages, and vocabulary.

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Learning outcomes

Students will learn to use appropriate adjectives to compare and contrast a hero and a villain.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 days

Materials/resources

• an adjective vocabulary list (teacher should create this)
• photographs of famous heroes and villains
• a short video in target language with a hero and villain (I use a Popeye cartoon in Spanish.)
• white paper
• crayons or markers

Technology resources

• VCR
• optional PowerPoint presentation with necessary equipment

Pre-activities

Students will need to have studied their list of adjectives.

Activities

Activity 1

The teacher draws a stick figure on the board with a question mark on the face. He/She begins to describe this mystery person to the students in the target language using adjectives that they have studied in class. The students take turns guessing who is being described. Once they have correctly identified the mystery person, the teacher shows the students a picture of that person and asks for any other adjectives that could have been used. This activity can be repeated several times with the teacher and students taking turns describing and guessing mystery people.

Optional: Please see the attached PowerPoint presentation. The teacher can use this format to describe mystery persons or students can prepare their own similar presentations to practice their speaking and vocabulary skills.

The teacher shows a short cartoon video in the target language. (I use a Spanish Popeye video.) Students make columns on a scrap piece of paper and label each column with the name of a character in the video. As the students watch the video, they write down adjectives about each character. After the video is over, the students compare their lists with each other and share their thoughts orally with the class using complete sentences in the target language.

Activity 3

The teacher draws two large overlapping circles (a Venn diagram) on the chalkboard or overhead projector and labels one circle “hero” and the other “villain.” (These are written in the target language.) Students orally share adjectives that fit under hero or villain. In the overlapping area, students can list common characteristics using plural forms of adjectives.

Activity 4

The students create their own “Hero versus Villain” Venn diagrams. They will select their own hero and villain. They will list adjectives for each character, common traits, and include an illustration. Please see this example.

Assessment

This is best determined by the teacher, based on the level of the class. I usually require a minimum of fifteen adjectives that appropriately describe the hero and the villain, spelled correctly with the proper gender and plural/singular usage.

Supplemental information

Comments

This activity can be used at any level. I often use a similar activity as a pre-writing activity for my Spanish III students. It allows them to organize their thoughts before writing a comparison and contrast paper about people in literature or society.