Date: May 2, 1999

Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Foreign Language/Spanish

Description: This lesson is intended for a Spanish for Spanish Speakers class. Students write essays and create recipe cards in Spanish with details about their favorite foods and the cultural celebrations or events they associate with the food.

Goals: Students will improve their writing skills with regards to descriptive elements, essay organization and structure, and the difference between the Spanish Preterite and Imperfect verb tenses.

Objectives: Students will be able to:
1. Brainstorm ideas about their favorite food.
2. Associate that food with a specific memory in the past.
3. Write a narrative in the past tenses explaining the personal significance of that food.
4. Tell about the food's cultural significance.
5. Include a recipe for the preparation of the food.
6. Follow the recipe and prepare the food for a class party! (a.k.a., "cultural exchange")

Materials:

In class:

• Overhead projector
• Sample menus from México and other Spanish-speaking countries
• Picture file (to generate ideas)
• 4x6" index cards
• students should each have a pencil/pen and their own paper for brainstorming

• Computer or typewriter
• Any ingredients they'll need to prepare the food!

1. On the overhead, list the favorite foods generated by students.
2. Choose 3-4 students to talk about why they like the food they chose.
3. Have students think of special occasions or family gatherings and what kind of food was prepared at the parties
(eg., quinceañeras, weddings, baptisms).
4. Spend 15 minutes freewriting silently.
5. Call on 2-3 students to read their rough draft aloud to the class, and then take the essays home for homework so they can expand and develop their narratives more.
6. The final draft (2-3 pages in length, double-spaced) is to be turned in typed, or neatly written. The recipe should be written on a 4x6" index card. Plan the party for a Friday.

Assessment: The goal is to improve students' fluidity in written, academic Spanish. Emphasis should be given to grammar and uses of verb tenses. Originality, organization of ideas, and essay structure should be taken into consideration as well.

Useful Internet Resources:

Welcome Home to Ortega
http://www.ortegafoods.com

Azteca Foods
http://www.aztecafoods.com