Semana y festividades

Overview

In this 5th of 5 lessons, students use Spanish to talk about the days of the week and plan simple activities around celebrations, using short dialogues and fun scheduling games.

Learning intentions

• WALT use Spanish days of the week to speak about a routine or plan.
• WALT recognise and say celebrations linked to Spanish-speaking cultures (e.g., Día de los Reyes, Día de la Hispanidad, Semana Santa).
• WALT practise short dialogue patterns for scheduling using “on/at” time cues (e.g., el lunes, el viernes por la tarde).
• WALT listen for key words in games and respond appropriately.

Success criteria

• I can say the days of the week in Spanish in order (or with support for my level).
• I can match a day to a simple plan (e.g., “El lunes…” + activity).
• I can take part in a partner dialogue using a model sentence.
• I can use polite, clear speaking for turn-taking in games.

Curriculum links

• Communicating in Languages: contribute to and respond in short spoken interactions using familiar language.
• Understanding cultural context: recognise that celebrations and practices happen in different places and times.
• Key competencies: thinking (make meaning from patterns), participating and contributing (work in pairs), communicating (speak and listen).
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi / relationships: respectful learning about global communities and cultures through language.

Lesson structure (55 minutes)

1. 5 min – Warm-up chant + quick recap Students sit in mixed groups. Teacher leads a call-and-response chant: days of the week. Students show fingers for each day; add one celebration word each time (no pressure to be perfect).

2. 8 min – “Days + celebration” listening game Teacher reads/plays short prompts (spoken aloud): “El lunes tenemos…”, “El viernes celebramos…”. Students hold up a day card or written day label. They vote with a show of hands for the correct day when unsure.

3. 12 min – Model dialogue + guided speaking On the board, teacher posts two scaffolds (visuals help dyslexia):

• “El [día] celebramos [celebración].”
• “¿Qué día es?” / “Es el [día].” Students repeat chorally, then in pairs with sentence frames. Teacher circulates, correcting gently for clarity (sounds and stress, not long explanations).

4. 15 min – Timetable / scheduling game (pairs or small groups) Set up “class timetable” cards: each student gets an activity card (e.g., ver una película, hacer manualidades, cantar, preparar comida) and a celebration card (simplified). Task: students place their cards onto a weekly grid and practise the dialogue while placing: “El martes celebramos…” or “¿Qué día es?” “Es el martes.” Variation by level:

• Beginner support: students use only “El [día]…”
• More confident: students add “por la mañana / por la tarde” if they know it.

5. 10 min – Multimedia mini-task: record a 10-second “planner” Students choose one planned celebration from their grid and record a short audio (or teacher records if needed). Sentence target: “El [día] celebramos [celebración].” If devices aren’t available, students do a live “stand and say” with the timetable.

6. 3 min – Exit reflection (oral or written) Students complete a quick prompt: “Mi día favorito para celebrar es ____.” (They may write or say it to the teacher.) Teacher checks pronunciation and comprehension.

Resources

• Day-of-week word cards in Spanish (lunes–domingo) with picture cues
• Celebration word/label cards (e.g., Reyes, Hispanidad, Semana Santa) with simple visuals
• Weekly timetable grid (printed or on board)
• Partner dialogue strips with sentence frames
• Audio recording tool (tablet/phone) or teacher checklist for live speaking
• Mini whiteboards or scrap paper for matching/exit reflection
• Timer for game rounds (visual timing helps ADHD learners)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading sheets: large font, high contrast, minimal text, and optional audio model

Assessment

• Teacher observation during dialogue practice and timetable game (checks: correct day, clear speaking, sentence frame use).
• Short audio/live speaking check at the end using the target sentence.
• Listening evidence from the listening game (matching prompts to correct day cards).

Differentiation

• Support for learners needing extra help (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD):
• Provide sentence frames and colour-coded day cards (same colour for the same day across activities).
• Allow audio-first responses (students can speak before writing).
• Use fewer choices in the timetable game (2–3 days only for some learners at first).
• Give movement role: students place cards and then speak once, not repeatedly.
• Stretch for advanced learners:
• Add a second sentence: “El [día] celebramos [celebración] y [actividad].”
• Include a question and answer: “¿Qué día es?” “Es el [día].” with less prompting.
• Challenge: order days correctly from a scrambled set and explain the chosen day for their plan.
• EAL learners:
• Pair with a supportive partner and provide matching visuals for each celebration.
• Encourage rehearsal with teacher before group play; focus on intelligibility.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options (embedded today):
• Use large, clear fonts with plenty of spacing; avoid dense worksheets.
• Offer an audio version of the target phrases from the teacher for students who prefer listening.
• Let students point to cards to build meaning rather than relying on reading long text.