12/8/14

LAN 475 Materials Portfolio

Jackie Space

TPR Grammar Lesson: Affirmative T Commands

Content: Students will be introduced to new verbs through TPR. Later, students will learn command forms
through playing Simon Says. Finally, students will play charades.
Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Time: 20-25 minutes

ACTFL Standards
1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions,
and exchange opinions.
1.2 Students 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.
4.1 Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language
studied and their own.
Previous Knowledge
- Reflexive verbs
- Basic conjugation in the present tense
Learning Objectives:
- Students can identify and understand verbs in Spanish
- Students can recognize and utilize the command forms of verbs
Communicative Objective:
- Students can communicate the meaning of verbs through body language
- Students can command other students to perform certain actions during Simon Says
Evaluation:
Instructor will check for understanding throughout the lesson.
Materials Needed:
- Sheet of paper with master list of verbs for Simon Says
- Slips of paper to be drawn from a hat for Charades
Accommodations/Adaptations:
- Include verbs that have irregular commands, but teach these irregularities explicitly
- Include other command forms instead of just the affirmative t form.
Instructor Guidelines:
1. Instructor will begin the lesson by modeling the verbs with the accompanying command form.
Instructor will write the infinitive and command form of each verb on the chalkboard as they are
performed. Begin with levantarse and sentarse.
2. Place a student desk in the front of the classroom, facing the class. Place a book on the desk.

12/8/14

LAN 475 Materials Portfolio

Jackie Space

3. Ask a volunteer to come to the front of the classroom. Ask this volunteer to perform the various
actions as the instructor commands them.
4. When adding a new verb, the instructor will model the action first, then ask the volunteer to model
the action. Instructor should continue to repeat previously mentioned verbs.
a. levantarse
levntate
b. sentarse
sintate
c. levantar la mano
levanta la mano
d. abrir tu libro
abre tu libro
e. cerrar tu libro
cierra tu libro
f. afeitarse
afitate
g. dormir
duerme
h. despertarse
despirtate
i. maquillarse
maqullate
j. peinarse
pinate
5. Ask the students to reflect on the activity. Great job, [student]! S/he understood perfectly what I was
saying. Did you notice anything about the form of the verb I was using? Even though I was talking
directly to him/her, I was not using the t form. What form is this? (l/ella/Usted) Notice I was not
asking him/her to do the action, rather, I was telling them to do something. What do you think this
form of the verb communicates?
6. Allow students to guess, but eventually tell them it is the command form. Clarify that the command
form for t is simply the third person form of the verb.
7. Then, tell the students it is there turn and ask them to play Simon Says. Ask the students to read the
instructions for Simn dice on their handout.
8. Summarize the directions the students have just read. Ask students if they have any questions
regarding the instructions, or if they require clarification. Model the activity for the students.
9. Divide the class into two groups. In each group, ask a student to volunteer to be Simn or assign this
role to a student. Ask students to arrange themselves in a circle to play this game.
10. If a student performs an incorrect action, or performs the action when Simon does not say Simn
dice that student must sit down. Students must be quick to perform the action. If it takes more than
5 seconds for the student to do what Simon says, it is considered a miss and the student must sit
down. The last student standing wins!
11. Next, have students play charades. Divide the class into four groups.
12. Students will draw slips of paper with verbs from a hat. The verb will be in command form,
commanding the student to perform that verb.
a. The other students will have to guess what the student charading was commanded to do; they
must say the verb that the student is performing in the command form in order to answer
correctly.
b. When a student guesses the charade correctly, they receive the slip of paper that they
correctly guessed. The student with the most slips of paper at the end of the game wins!
Slips of paper for charades, and Student handout included below.

12/8/14

LAN 475 Materials Portfolio

Jackie Space

Verbs for Charades

Instructor: Cut the following commands out, fold them in half, then mix them up in a hat. Print out one set
of verbs for each group. One of these sheets is enough for two groups.

afitate!

abre tu libro!

baila!

bebe!

camina!

canta!

cierra tu libro!

come!

corre!

despirtate!

duerme!

habla!

levntate!

levanta la mano!

maqullate!

estudia

pinate!

sintate!

toca la guitarra!

escribe!

escucha msica!

juega baloncesto!

cocina!

lee el libro!

Verbs for Charades

Instructor: Cut the following commands out, fold them in half, then mix them up in a hat. Print out one set
of verbs for each group. One of these sheets is enough for two groups.

afitate!

abre tu libro!

baila!

bebe!

camina!

canta!

cierra tu libro!

come!

corre!

despirtate!

duerme!

habla!

levntate!

levanta la mano!

maqullate!

estudia

pinate!

sintate!

toca la guitarra!

escribe!

escucha msica!

juega baloncesto!

cocina!

lee el libro!

12/8/14

LAN 475 Materials Portfolio

Jackie Space

Simn dice
Now we will play Simon Says. Please read the rules carefully.
1. One person will be Simn. This person will tell the others in the group to do an action. The
others must only do the action if Simn says Simn dice. If Simn does not say this, the group
should not do the action.
2. Simn may tell the others to do one verb while pantomiming another to try to trick the other
players.
3. Remember, you must only do the verb that Simn says, and only if they say Simn dice first!
Modelo:
You hear: Simn dice levntate. You stand up
You hear: Simn dice sintate. You sit down.
You hear: Canta.
You do nothing.

Simn, command your fellow classmates to do a variety of the following verbs

afeitarse

abrir tu libro

bailar

beber

caminar

cantar

cerrar tu libro

comer

correr

despertarse

dormir

hablar

levantarse

levantar la mano

maquillarse

mirar al pizarra

peinarse

sentarse

tocar el escritorio