E L E N CI E R RO

DE

T OR O S : U N I T P L A N O V E R V IE W

Unit Topic: Cultural Exploration: El Encierro de Toros (The Running of the

Bulls)
Essential questions:
-

How can the study of culture help me learn a new language?

What is El Encierro de Toros, and how can I compare/contrast it to my

own experiences?

Unit Duration: 4 Days

Language Proficiency Level(s): Beginner (Spanish 1)
Adapted by Erin Haas from a unit originally created by Martina Bexaccessed via The Comprehensible Classroom Blog.
Brief Summary of Unit
In this unit, students will learn two new structures: va a (he/she goes) and ve
a (he/she sees). They will be able to recognize and potentially produce two
supporting structures: con, (with) and ste es un muchacho que se
llama (This is a guy whose name is). They will first learn these
structures by associating physical movements with the spoken words, in the
way of the TPR (Total Physical Response) Method. They will complete daily
translations with these structures, read and interact with a story about Justin
Bieberand variations of this storyin which the structures are embedded,
and take listening and reading assessments that act as scaffolds to their
culminating writing assessment. The unit is framed by the exploration of the
Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain, and by the end of the unit,
students will be able to compare and contrast the tradition with their own
experiences in a Philosophical Chairs discussion.
D E S I RE D R E SU LTS

OF UNIT

Relevant Goals From the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning

Languages
Cultural Comparisons:
Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the concept
of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

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J. Pease

Unit Learning Goals (UKDs) & Essential Questions

Students will Understand THAT
language can be learned through
the exploration of different cultural
traditions.

Students will explore these

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What is El Encierro de Toros, and how
can I compare/contrast it to my own
experiences?
How can the study of culture help me
learn a language?

Students will Know

that El Encierro de Toros is an
annual festival in which bulls and
people through the streets of
Pamplona, Spain.
how to comprehend and produce
language in Spanish using new target
structures.
that va a means he/she goes
and ve a means he/she sees.
that con means with and
muchacho/a means guy/girl
that ste es un muchacho que se
llama __________ means This is a
guy whose name is ______________.

Students will be skilled at (Do)

show comprehension of target
structures va a, ve a, ste es un
muchacho que se llama and con
through physical gestures (TPR
motions), translations, reading,
listening, speaking, and writing
original sentences/stories.
read, draw, retell, listen to, and act
out versions of this units story.
reflect on El Encierro de Toros and
comparing it to their own experiences
in the United States.
engage in a Philosophical Chairs
discussion on El Encierro de Toros.

Unit Assessments
Formative
-

TPR (Total Physical Response)

gestures

Warm-up translations

Story reading/comprehension
questions/retells

Listening Assessment

Reading Assessment

Summative
-

Philosophical Chairs discussion

Individual reflection on El
Encierro de Toros

Writing Assessment

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J. Pease

Day 1 Lesson Content/Plan

Lesson Objectives (UKDs)
As a result of this lesson, students will
Understand THAT:
Know:
Be able to (Do):
language can be
learned through the
exploration of
different cultural
traditions.

how to comprehend
and produce language
perform movements to
in Spanish using new
represent two target
target structures.
structures in Spanish: va a
that va a means
(he/she goes) and ve a
he/she goes and
(he/she sees).
ve a means he/she
sees.
perform movements to
represent supporting
that con means
vocabulary in Spanish: con
with and
muchacho/a means (with) and muchacho/a
(guy/girl).
guy/girl
that El Encierro de
Toros is an annual
festival in which bulls
and people through
the streets of
Pamplona, Spain.

translate sentences using

the target structures from
Spanish to English.
read and comprehend Va y
Ve: a short story in which
target structures are
embedded.
free write using target
structures and old
vocabulary to further show
comprehension.

Steps in Lesson
STEP 1. Hook

Greet students.
Show an artistic rendition of El Encierro de Toros on the
PowerPoint screen, and ask students if they know what this
event celebrates.
Show a Youtube video of El Encierro de Toros.
Ask students to share their initial thoughts/feelings about this
event.
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J. Pease

STEP 2. CLARIFY OBJECTIVES FOR THE LESSON

State objectives and allow time to answer students questions.

STEP 3. INPUT/PRESENTATION OF NEW MATERIAL

I begin presenting new material through a Total Physical Response
demonstration. In the TPR method, the teacher teaches specific vocabulary
words by modeling gestures associated with each word, providing examples
and non-examples of what each word is, and asking students yes or no
questions about each word.
Teach students physical gestures for the following words:
1. Va a: he/she goes
2. Ve a: he/she sees
3. Con: with
4. El muchacho/la muchacha: guy/girl
Circling questions- more interaction with the new words, following the steps
below:
- Review the gestures several times, allowing for many repetitions.
- Ask yes or no questions to continue repetitions of target structures
- Ask questions that give examples and non-examples to continue
repetitions of target structures
- Ask students personal questions using the target structures
STEP 4: INTERACTION- GUIDED PRACTICE, ASSESSMENT OF
PERFORMANCE, AND PROVISION OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK
Invite students to grab small whiteboards, markers, and erasers for their
groups. Students will interact with the new vocabulary by translating
sentences from Spanish into English. Teacher has six translations on the
PowerPoint and can differentiate by adding more when needed. Teacher
provides correction and clarification whenever necessary.
STEP 5. Continued Interaction: INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Students will return their whiteboards and take a sheet of paper with their
story. The target structures are embedded in a humorous story about Justin
Bieber. Their job is to read through the story and answer the comprehension
questions that follow. They may work in partners or on their own. This is
differentiation based on choice and comfort.
STEP 6. Output/ REVIEW / FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT / CLOSURE:
INDEPENDENT FREE WRITE
Make final transition by asking students to put their story papers in their
binders for future reference and to take out their journals. On the PowerPoint,
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several photos are displayed, along with a word bank of new target
structures and some key old vocabulary. Students should use the photos and
the word bank for support as they take the final 7 minutes to free write. To
model, scaffold, and differentiate based on student readiness, I can involve
the whole class to work together to build a story from the pictures, as
needed.
*Students work in their journals is a formal formative assessment. They will
leave their journals at school, and I will look through them, making
corrections as needed and providing constructive feedback. This assessment
will show me if/how students are able to make connections between the
vocabulary they were taught in class and their actual families. I am looking
to see that they are able to correctly recall correct Spanish words in their
writing, and if they demonstrate an inability to do so, I will provide further
opportunities for individual review (making flash cards, labeling photos of a
family) during the next class.

Lesson Content and Plan- Day 2

Lesson Objectives (UKDs)
As a result of this lesson, students will
Understand THAT:
Know:
Be able to (Do):
language can be
learned through the
exploration of
different cultural
traditions.

how to comprehend
and produce language
perform movements to
in Spanish using new
represent two target
target structures.
structures in Spanish: va a
(he/she goes) and ve a
that va a means
(he/she sees).
he/she goes and
ve a means he/she perform movements to
sees.
represent supporting
vocabulary in Spanish: con
that con means
(with) and muchacho/a
with and
muchacho/a means (guy/girl).
guy/girl
fill-in the blank/translate
that El Encierro de
sentences using the target
Toros is an annual
structures from Spanish to
festival in which bulls English.
and people through
the streets of
retell, draw, read, listen to,
Pamplona, Spain.
and act out versions of this
units story
write original sentences
using target structures to
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J. Pease

describe a Running of the

Bulls video
listen to and comprehend
a short story in which target
structures are embedded:
listening assessment
Steps in Lesson
STEP 1. Hook
Students will be given three sentences in Spanish. Each sentence has one
word blanked out. Students should fill in the blanks with words in Spanish
that fit. They should then translate the sentences into English. Students will
be given a word bank for extra support.
STEP 2. CLARIFY OBJECTIVES FOR THE LESSON

State objectives and allow time to answer students questions.

STEP 3. Review of old material and continued interaction with target

structures
I begin by reviewing the TPR gestures for our target vocabulary and
reviewing with little whiteboards and translations as needed.
Students will then retell the story that they read yesterday. They may work
individually or with a partner. On the board, I have provided several of the
key words from the story and pictures that represent key events in the story
for extra support.
STEP 4: INTERACTION- GUIDED PRACTICE, ASSESSMENT OF
PERFORMANCE, AND PROVISION OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK
Students will trade their rewritten stories with the pair of students sitting
across from them. The new group should take the story and replace at least
five words to make the story personalized. They should then trade stories
again with a new group. The new groups job will be to have one partner read
the story aloud to the other partner, while the other partner acts it out. They
switch off paragraph-by-paragraph, reading, listening, and acting out the
story. Students will then trade stories one last time, and their final job will be
to read the story aloud to one another and draw what happens. They will turn
in their completed stories and pictures to me at the end of class for a
classwork grade.

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J. Pease

STEP 5. Continued Interaction with target vocabulary and culture

Students will watch another video of El Encierro de Toros, and they must
write two original sentences to describe the event using our target structures
va a and ve a. They will have the chance to read these sentences aloud to
the class to earn participation points.
STEP 6. REVIEW / FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT / CLOSURE
Listening assessment: I will read a story that is very similar to the one with
which they worked today and yesterday. Students should listen to my voice
and use what they hear to answer comprehension questions.

Lesson Content and Plan- Day 3

Lesson Objectives (UKDs)
As a result of this lesson, students will
Understand THAT:
Know:
Be able to (Do):
language can be
learned through the
exploration of
different cultural
traditions.

how to comprehend
and produce language
in Spanish using new
target structures.
that va a means
he/she goes and ve
a means he/she
sees.
that con means
with and
muchacho/a means
guy/girl
that ste es un
muchacho que se
llama __________
means This is a guy
whose name is
______________.
that El Encierro de
Toros is an annual
festival in which bulls
and people through
the streets of
Pamplona, Spain.

recognize pictures of
Spanish words, describe
these words to partner
using gestures and Spanish
only- Espaldas game
perform movements to
represent a new target
structure in Spanish: ste
es un muchacho que se
llama...
write 2 original sentences
using new target structure
read, comprehend, and
present a new story using
previously taught target
structures
for students who need
extra challenge, translate
into English a new short
story with embedded
previously taught target
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structures in Spanish
Read, comprehend,
answer questions about a
short story in which target
structures are embedded:
reading assessment
Steps in Lesson
STEP 1. REVIEW OF OLD MATERIAL
Students will play Espaldas, which means Backs. They work in partners,
and one partner faces the smart board or whiteboard while the other partner
sits with his/her back facing the board. I will flash a picture on the board, and
the partner facing the board must use gestures and vocabulary in Spanish to
help the other partner guess the word that is being shown in the picture. The
partner whose back is to the board earns a point when he or she is able to
correctly guess the word. I will show several pictures and allow partners to
switch back and forth several times to review target structures and relevant
vocabulary as needed.
STEP 2. CLARIFY OBJECTIVES FOR THE LESSON

State objectives and allow time to answer students questions.

STEP 3. INPUT OF NEW STRUCTURE TO EXPAND ON PREVIOUSLY

TAUGHT TARGET STRUCTURES
I begin by reviewing the TPR gestures for our target vocabulary and asking
students personal questions to provide as much time for repetitions as
needed. I will teach one more target structure: ste es un muchacho que se
llama _________. This means This is a guy whose name is ________________.
For their reading and writing assessments for this unit, students will need to
be able to recognize and comprehend this structure when they see it. They
will not necessarily need to be able to produce it. I will teach this structure
using a PowerPoint slide with pictures, and students will have time to use
whiteboards, markers, and erasers to practice using this structure through
translations and question prompts that I provide. We will repeat this structure
over and over until students show that they are ready to move on.
STEP 4: INTERACTION- GUIDED PRACTICE, ASSESSMENT OF
PERFORMANCE, AND PROVISION OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK
I will flash a slide with pictures of old vocabulary with which students are
very familiar. Their job is to write two sentences each, using the new
structure from today, personalizing their sentences by writing about some
familiar vocabulary. They may choose other subjects for their sentences, as
long as they write in Spanish; the pictures are just scaffolds to get their ideas
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flowing, should they get stuck on what to write about. I will circulate, giving
feedback and corrections when needed.
Share time: students may earn participation points by volunteering to read
their sentences aloud.
STEP 5. CONTINUED INTERACTION
Students will now work together to read and comprehend new stories using
this weeks target structures. I have five different versions of the story, and
each group of four students will receive a different version of the story.
Students will take turns reading the story aloud to each other, drawing what
happens in each scene in the margins. They will then answer comprehension
questions in Spanish about the story. As time allows, they will all flip over
their story sheets and read a new story that is on the backside of the sheet.
Their task with this second story is to translate it into English. This is
differentiation based on readiness: students who may need an extra
challenge have time to do an extra assignment, should they finish early.
Presentations: Each group will present their story to the class. They will pick
a selection to read aloud, and as the class listens, they should perform
physical TPR motions to show their comprehension.
STEP 6. REVIEW / FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT / CLOSURE
Reading assessment: Students will be given a short story using the target
structures from the past two lessons and the structure from todays lesson.
They will answer questions in English about the written selection in Spanish.

Lesson Content and Plan- Day 4

Lesson Objectives (UKDs)
As a result of this lesson, students will
Understand THAT:
Know:
Be able to (Do):
language can be
learned through the
exploration of
different cultural
traditions.

how to comprehend
and produce
language in Spanish
using new target
structures.
that El Encierro de
Toros is an annual
festival in which bulls
and people through
the streets of
Pamplona, Spain.

fill-in vocabulary from a

spoken mini-lesson on El
Encierro de Toros.
engage in a Philosophical
Chairs discussion on El
Encierro de Toros.
take a written assessment
showing mastery of the
target structures learned in
this unit.
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reflect individually on El
Encierro de Toros.
compare/contrast El
Encierro de Toros to a
tradition that they have
personally experienced in
the United States.

Steps in Lesson
STEP 1. REVIEW OF OLD MATERIAL
Students will translate a short passage of text from English to Spanish. They
will need to use all of the new structures learned in the past three classes.
STEP 2. CLARIFY OBJECTIVES FOR THE LESSON

State objectives and allow time to answer students questions.

STEP 3. CULTURAL MINI-LESSON

I will use Martina Bexs lesson on El Encierro de Toros to directly teach
concepts about the Spanish tradition to students. I will show pictures of the
event and speak entirely in Spanish. Students will receive a handout with the
entire script that I will say to them, with words blanked out. They should
listen to me and fill in the blanks with words I say. This holds them
accountable to paying attention to the explanation of the event. Words that
are blanked out are targeted structures and vocabulary relevant to the unitlike toro, which means bull. During this lesson, I explain the origins of the
event, why it is celebrated, where its celebrated, and why people
participate.
STEP 4: INTERACTION WITH CULTURAL CONCEPTS
Philosophical chairs discussion. I will play a video of people getting into
accidents during El Encierro de Toros. This video is intended to shock
students and expose them to the less-than-perfect realities of the event.
After watching the video, students will engage in discussion based on several
statements that I will display on the board. If students agree with the given
statement, they should congregate on the left side of the classroom. If they
disagree, they should congregate on the right side of the classroom. Once
congregated in their respective sides, students will have a chance to discuss
their opinions, according to the following rules: Students may speak only
when holding the magic object, any student who wishes to state his/her
opinion must first re-state whatever the previous speaker shared. Students
will discuss the following three statements:
- Everyone should go to Pamplona, Spain and participate in El Encierro
de Toros at least once in his or her life.
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Bulls should be raised for the sole purpose of participating in El

Encierro de Toros.
The Spanish government should prohibit El Encierro de Toros.

STEP 6. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT / CLOSURE

Students will separate their desks and take out a pen or pencil. They will be
given their writing assessment. They will be given three pictures. Their task
is to write a short story that describes each picture. They should use the
target structures va a and ve a to meet objectives for the assignment,
and any extra target structures they earn will help them exceed expectations
for the assignment. This is an individual, unsupported, summative
assessment in which students will write exclusively in Spanish.
When students finish, they should reflect individually on the Encierro de Toros
by responding in English to the following prompt in a Google Form:
-

What traditions do we have in the United States that you could

compare to the Encierro de Toros? Why do you think this?
Would you ever participate in El Encierro de Toros? Why or why not?

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J. Pease