National Curriculum Links

Languages KS3 – Spanish

• Listening and speaking: Pupils should be able to understand and express simple opinions about people, including physical descriptions, using the present and near future tenses.
• Reading and writing: Pupils should read and write short texts describing themselves and others, applying familiar vocabulary and structures confidently.
• Grammar focus: Pupils use the present tense of high-frequency verbs (e.g. tener, ser) and adjective agreement.
• Intercultural understanding: Pupils recognise cultural differences in appearance descriptions.

Reference: National Curriculum for England, Languages programmes of study KS3 (Years 7-9).

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Lesson Overview

Topic: Describing physical appearance (hair and eye colour)
Duration: 55 minutes
Class: Year 7 Spanish, Set 2 (mid/high ability), 30 students

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Learning Objectives (LO)

By the end of this lesson pupils will be able to:

• LO1: Recall and use vocabulary related to hair and eye colour and types confidently.
• LO2: Apply present tense forms of tener and ser correctly in full sentences to describe appearance.
• LO3: Construct spoken and written descriptions about themselves and others using detailed language with conjunctions where possible.
• LO4: Translate sentences from Spanish to English and vice versa, demonstrating understanding of vocabulary and grammar structures.

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Focus	Resources
0-5 mins	Starter/Retrieval – Silent Quick Quiz	Vocabulary recall and grammar (tener, ser)	Quiz handout (mini whiteboards optional)
5-15 mins	Controlled Practice – Matching & Sentence Building	Recognising correct forms and vocabulary use	Word cards, worksheets
15-30 mins	Guided Practice – Pair Speaking & Reading Task	Speaking and listening, sentence construction	Dialogue scripts, flashcards
30-45 mins	Independent Production – Writing & Translation	Writing and translation into Spanish and English	Worksheets, dictionaries
45-55 mins	Plenary – ‘Describe and Guess’ Speaking Game	Speaking in full sentences, stretching with conjunctions	Flashcards, timer

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Detailed Lesson Plan

0-5 mins – Starter/Retrieval: Silent Quick Quiz (Un comienzo fuerte)

Purpose: Challenge students to silently recall vocabulary and grammar related to describing hair and eyes, focusing on present tense tener and ser.
Instructions:

• Hand out a quick 5-question quiz containing gap fill, matching colours/types, and verb conjugations related to key vocabulary.
• Students complete silently and individually on mini whiteboards or paper.
• Set high expectations: clear handwriting, use full answers where invited.

Example Questions:

1. Complete: Ella _____ (tener) los ojos ______ (blue).
2. Match the Spanish word to the English: rubio, pelirrojo, corto, marrones.
3. Write the correct present tense verb form: Yo ___ (tener) el pelo corto.
4. Translate into Spanish: "He has green eyes."
5. Write a full description of yourself using at least two adjectives and a verb.

Teacher script:
"Este es un repaso para recordar todas las palabras y estructuras que hemos aprendido. Recuerden: ¡sin hablar, todo en silencio! Quiero frases completas donde sea posible. ¡Vamos!"

Expected responses:

• Multiple correct verb forms (tiene, tengo, etc.)
• Vocabulary matches correct (rubio = blonde, marrones = brown)
• Translations correctly using tener.

Challenge: Some students form complex sentences using conjunctions (e.g. y, pero), e.g., Tengo el pelo largo y los ojos verdes.

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5-15 mins – Controlled Practice: Matching and Sentence Building

Purpose: Reinforce vocabulary and grammar in a structured way.

Instructions:

• Distribution of word/phrase cards (hair colours, eye colours, verbs forms).
• Students work in pairs to make full sentences combining cards (e.g. Él tiene el pelo rizado y los ojos azules).
• They write sentences on whiteboards or paper, then swap with another pair to check accuracy.

Teacher script:
"Ahora, en parejas, van a formar oraciones completas usando las tarjetas. Recuerden conjugar tener correctamente y usar vocabulario correcto. Intenten incluir ‘y’ o ‘pero’ si pueden para hacer oraciones más largas."

Expected student work:

• Accurate short sentences describing a fictional or real person.
• Use of tener conjugated correctly.

Challenge: Stronger students describe more than one person or use negative conjunctions (e.g. pero).

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15-30 mins – Guided Practice: Pair Speaking and Reading Task

Purpose: Students practise speaking fluently and develop reading comprehension.

Instructions:

• Give each pair a short dialogue script featuring descriptions of two people.
• They take turns reading aloud and then ask each other questions using the vocabulary and verbs (e.g., ¿De qué color son los ojos de Marta?).
• Encourage full sentence answers.

Teacher script:
"En parejas, lean en voz alta este diálogo. Luego, hagan preguntas el uno al otro para comprobar la comprensión. Por ejemplo, ‘¿De qué color es el pelo de Juan?’ y respondan usando frases completas."

Expected responses:

• Students answer with full sentences using tener and vocabulary, e.g., Juan tiene el pelo corto y los ojos grises.
• Use of ser when describing hair types or other inherent characteristics if relevant.

Challenge: Include a third person in their oral description using conjunctions, extending the dialogue naturally.

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30-45 mins – Independent Production: Writing and Translation

Purpose: Consolidate learning with extended writing and comprehension.

Instructions:

• Students write a short paragraph (5-6 sentences) describing themselves or a family member using the target vocabulary, verbs, and adjectival agreements.
• Then, translate a short English paragraph describing a person into Spanish.
• Provide translation support via word banks, scaffolded sentences for lower ability students.
• Stronger students encouraged to include conjunctions and negative forms (no tiene, pero).

Teacher script:
"Quiero que escriban un párrafo que describa a alguien – ustedes mismos o un familiar. Usen los verbos tener y ser. Después, traduzcan un párrafo del inglés al español usando las palabras que hemos aprendido."

Expected student output:

• Sentences like: Mi hermana tiene el pelo largo y rizado, y los ojos verdes.
• Translation of simple sentences with accurate vocabulary and grammar.

Challenge: Include extra details or contrast ideas within the descriptions.

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45-55 mins – Plenary: ‘Describe and Guess’ Speaking Game

Purpose: Oral fluency; encourage creative and complete use of language; peer listening.

Instructions:

• Students sit in a circle. One student describes a person aloud without naming them (can invent or use a known figure), using full sentences, including adjectives and conjunctions.
• The rest of the class guesses who is being described.
• Rotate 5-6 times depending on time, encourage detailed, full-sentence descriptions.

Teacher script:
"Ahora vamos a jugar ‘Describe y Adivina’. Descríbanos a alguien usando oraciones completas. Pueden decir el color de los ojos, el tipo y color del pelo, y añadir una opinión si quieren. ¡Usen ‘y’ o ‘pero’ para hacer la descripción más interesante!"

Expected responses:

• Descriptions like Tiene el pelo corto y negro, pero no tiene los ojos verdes, los tiene marrones.
• Accurate use of verbs and vocabulary in spontaneous speech.

Challenge: Encourage students to describe two people in one go, using y / pero.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through silent quiz, paired activities, and oral plenary.
• Teacher circulates to monitor language accuracy, verb usage, and complexity.
• Feedback given orally during guided and independent work, highlighting correct use of tener, ser, adjectives, and sentence structure.
• Differentiation achieved by challenge tasks and scaffolding.

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Resources Needed

• Mini whiteboards or worksheets for quiz and sentence construction
• Sets of word and phrase cards (colours, hair types, verbs)
• Dialogue scripts for pair reading
• Writing prompts and translation texts
• Flashcards for plenary game
• Timer or stopwatch

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Notes for Trainee Teachers

• Keep the pace brisk but supportive; model full sentences regularly.
• Use positive reinforcement for both accuracy and complexity.
• Monitor pair work actively, prompting targeted error correction without interrupting fluency.
• Use student responses to re-emphasize key grammatical points on the spot.
• Ensure all students have the opportunity to speak during the plenary.

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This lesson plan offers a rich, structured, and interactive review of describing appearance in Spanish, aligning fully with the KS3 National Curriculum for Languages and tailored perfectly to mid/high ability Year 7 students.