Describing People in Spanish

Lesson Information

• Subject: Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) – Spanish
• Year Group: Year 3 & Year 4
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Class Size: 16 students
• UK Curriculum Reference: Aligned with the Primary National Curriculum for Foreign Languages, focusing on:
  • Developing speaking, listening, reading and writing skills
  • Using simple phrases and sentences to describe people
  • Enhancing vocabulary related to physical features, colours, and body parts

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Recognise and describe physical features (e.g. eyes, hair, face shape, height) in Spanish.
2. Use simple sentences to describe physical attributes with adjectives and colours.
3. Engage in a "Guess Who" style game using Spanish vocabulary.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up Activity – Simon Says in Spanish (7 mins)

• Objective: Activate prior knowledge of body parts in Spanish.
• Instructions:
  • Teacher says commands using "Simón dice..." followed by a body part in Spanish (e.g. "Simón dice toca la cabeza" – Simon says touch your head).
  • If the teacher does not say "Simón dice", students should not follow the command.
  • Increase speed progressively to engage students.

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2. Introduce Key Vocabulary (15 mins)

A) Physical Features & Descriptions (7 mins)

Using flashcards and images of different people (real and cartoon-based), introduce key vocabulary:

• Hair – pelo (e.g. pelo corto, pelo largo, pelo rizado, pelo liso)
• Eye colour – ojos (e.g. ojos azules, ojos marrones, ojos verdes)
• Height – alto/a (tall), bajo/a (short)
• Other features – gafas (glasses), pecas (freckles), barba (beard)

Interactive element: Teachers can describe a person on-screen, and students guess who it is from a selection of faces.

B) Adjective & Colour Agreement (8 mins)

• Teach that adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number (e.g. pelo rubio, pelo rubia).
• Introduce basic sentence structures:
  • Tiene el pelo ... y los ojos ... (He/She has ... hair and ... eyes)
  • Es ... (He/She is ...)

Paired Activity:

• Students use images or dolls to describe their "partner" using these sentences.

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3. "Guess Who" Game (18 mins)

Objective: Reinforce vocabulary in a fun, engaging way using Spanish descriptions.

• Instructions:
  1. Each student is given a different secret character card with a picture of a person.
  2. In pairs, students ask each other yes/no questions in Spanish, e.g.:
     • ¿Tiene el pelo rubio? (Does he/she have blonde hair?)
     • ¿Lleva gafas? (Does he/she wear glasses?)
  3. Players eliminate options and try to guess the character correctly.
  4. The first student to guess correctly wins the round.
  5. Rotate pairs or play as a whole class challenge.

Teacher's Role: Circulate, offer prompts, and model pronunciation.

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Assessment & Reflection (5 mins)

Self-Assessment With Actions

• The teacher makes a statement in Spanish (e.g. Tiene los ojos marrones).
• If it describes them, students stand up.
• If not, they stay seated.
• This allows quick formative assessment of comprehension.

Exit Ticket (Written Task)

• Each student writes two sentences describing a fictional person using vocabulary learned.
• This written evidence helps assess sentence structure and adjective agreement.

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Differentiation Strategies

1. For learners who need extra support:

   • Provide a visual vocabulary sheet for reference.
   • Use sentence starters (e.g. Tiene ...).
   • Allow responses in single words before full sentences.

2. For more able learners:

   • Challenge them to use additional descriptive words (e.g. Tiene una barba larga y negra).
   • Encourage longer sentences (e.g. Es bajo, tiene el pelo negro y lleva gafas).

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Lesson Materials Needed

• Flashcards of key vocabulary
• Character images (for the Guess Who game)
• Small whiteboards for practising written phrases
• Vocabulary reference sheets (for lower-ability students)

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Teacher Reflection After Lesson

• Which vocabulary words were understood well?
• Did students form correct adjective agreements?
• Did lower-ability students access the activity with confidence?
• Should future lessons include more structured sentence-building before open-ended games?

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Follow-Up Activities

• Link with Art: Students can draw and describe a character from their imagination.
• Homework Challenge: Students describe a family member or a fictional character in Spanish.
• Cultural Connection: Discuss Spanish-speaking celebrities and describe their appearance using today's vocabulary.

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Final Thought 💡

This lesson blends movement, visuals, and game-based learning to create a dynamic MFL experience. It not only reinforces body parts and colours but also boosts confidence in describing others, making language learning active and exciting!