Continue your journey of linguistic and cultural discovery by expanding your academic vocabulary and literacy in Spanish. You will dive into thematic units that explore the complex histories and diverse cultures of Spanish-speaking societies across the globe. This course prepares you for Spanish for Heritage Speakers III and other advanced levels, empowering you to navigate the world as a proficient and culturally aware bilingual.

Unit

Timeframe

Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)

Major Learning Experiences from Unit 

Unit 1

Q1

  1. Who are we among our friends and inside our family, school and culture?

  2. Who are we in the world?

  3. What is our identity in the United States?

  4. What key elements make up the identity of a person?

  5. With which cultures do we identify?

Cultural & Artistic Research: Analyzing the Nuyorican movement and researching the historical roots and significance of salsa music, potentially including learning the dance.

Identity & Immigration Discussions: Reflecting on the Hispanic immigrant experience in the United States and exploring how history and geography impact the regional arts scene.

Geographic Literacy: Identifying major areas of Hispanic population in the U.S. and correctly labeling regional maps.

Societal Problem Solving: Participating in formal debates centered on strategies to stop bullying.

Personal Identity Projects: Creating and presenting personal identity projects such as digital posters, short speeches, written bios, or videos.

Linguistic Mastery: 

  • Identifying and using simple and compound nouns with correct gender and number agreement.

  • Mastering the use of "aguda" words (stress on the last syllable) and monosyllabic words that change meaning with an accent.

  • Refining spelling accuracy for the letters G and J, specifically for verb endings in -ger and -gir.

Interpersonal Communication: Engaging in paired or small-group conversations to discuss personal and cultural identities.

Unit 2

Q2

  1. What behaviors constitute bullying?

  2. How can we prevent and combat this type of behavior?

  3. How has the history, geography and economy of Northern South America influenced social relationships?

  4. What are some of the norms of behavior in our society?

  5. How can class or social position affect people's quality of life?

Literary & Artistic Analysis: Interpreting and analyzing the novel Las memorias de Mamá Blanca and the artworks of Fernando Botero, Carlos Cruz-Diez, and Oswaldo Guayasamín.

Musical Exploration: Analyzing and interpreting cumbia and vallenato music.

Social Problem-Solving: Developing possible solutions to combat school bullying and participating in formal debates about preventing such behavior.

Regional & Environmental Research: Investigating the geography of Northern South America (Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador) and the unique biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands.

Historical Contextualization: Studying the viceroyalties of the Spanish Empire.

Linguistic & Lexical Development: 

  • Exploring regional lexical variations related to food.

  • Learning basic terminology in the fields of statistics, law, and sociology.

  • Identifying and defining different types of characters in literature.

Advanced Grammar & Writing: 

  • Constructing complex sentences using linking words, clauses, conjunctions, and contractions.

  • Mastering the correct use of colons and the spelling of words containing B and V.

Unit 3

Q3

  1. What is art? 

  2. What is artistic expression?

  3. What literature and poetry is worthy of a Nobel Prize?

  4. How has history, geography, and economics of the Southern Cone influenced its art?

  5. What are some famous Argentine films?

  6. Who are some famous people involved in Argentine film?

Literary & Cinematic Analysis: Students interpret the poetry of Nobel Prize winners Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, and analyze famous Argentine and Chilean films, such as Relatos salvajes.

Cultural Traditions: Researching the historical roots of tango music (with the opportunity to learn the dance) and the cultural significance of mate.

Regional Geography & Politics: Identifying the countries of the Southern Cone (Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay) on maps and discussing current events related to the Falkland Islands and Easter Island.

Advanced Linguistic Skills:

  • Voseo: Mastering the pronoun vos and its specific grammatical conjugations as used in the Río de la Plata region.

  • Phonetics: Learning to pronounce the letters Y and LL according to regional variations in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

  • Grammar & Mechanics: Using adverbs of time and place, and applying advanced punctuation such as dashes, parentheses, and commas.

  • Spelling: Focusing on the correct usage of R and RR.

Interpersonal & Presentational Projects: Conducting interviews with peers about meaningful artistic expressions and recording presentations on influential artists.

Societal Reflection: Participating in formal debates about preventing bullying and reflecting on how regional history and geography impact the local arts scene.

Unit 4

Q4

  1. What role does the media play in social and political criticism?

  2. How can cinema give a voice to different groups of people?

  3. What relationship exists in Mexico between the media, the government and society? 

  4. What are some of the social criticisms that the Cantinflas movies make?

Media & Cinema Analysis: Analyzing the role of media in social and political criticism and exploring how cinema provides a voice to different groups, with a specific focus on Mexican society and Cantinflas movies.

Literary & Artistic Interpretation: Interpreting the poetry of Nobel laureates Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, and analyzing films from Argentina and Chile, such as Relatos salvajes.

Cultural Research: Investigating the historical roots and significance of tango music and the cultural tradition of drinking mate.

Regional Geography & Current Events: Labeling maps of the Southern Cone (Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay) and discussing imperialism and current events related to the Falkland Islands and Easter Island.

Advanced Linguistic Skills:

  • Regional Variations: Mastering the use of the pronoun vos and its conjugations, as well as regional pronunciations of "Y" and "LL" specific to the Río de la Plata region.

  • Grammar & Mechanics: Identifying adverbs of time and place, correctly using commas, parentheses, and dashes, and mastering the spelling of "R" and "RR".

  • Vocabulary: Building proficiency in film terminology, literary elements, and regional slang or colloquialisms.

Assessments & Projects: Participating in formal debates about bullying, conducting peer interviews, and creating presentational projects on influential artists or meaningful forms of artistic expression.