Creative Past Narratives

Unit: Mastering Spanish Past Tense

Lesson 5 of 5

Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 13 students
Grade: 11th Grade (IB Language B Spanish)

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IB Curriculum Alignment

• IB Language B Guide (2020) – Communicative Language Competence
• Key concepts: Communication, Culture, Creativity, Connection
• Learning Objectives:
  • Comprehend and produce stories and detailed personal accounts using past tenses in Spanish (IB Language B, Listening, Speaking, Writing criteria)
  • Use past tense structures accurately and creatively to express personal experiences (Grammar and syntax mastery)
  • Express personal feelings and reflections connected to storytelling (Intrapersonal communication)
  • Participate confidently and respectfully in oral exchanges (Collaborative communication skills)

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Learning Objectives ("I can..." statements)

• I can write a detailed personal narrative using a variety of Spanish past tenses accurately.
• I can orally share my personal story with clear pronunciation and expressive language in Spanish.
• I can listen attentively and provide positive feedback on my classmates’ stories.
• I can use storytelling techniques to make my narrative engaging and reflective.

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Materials Needed:

• Notebooks or laptops/tablets for writing
• Story prompt cards (optional, for extra inspiration)
• Audio recorder or smartphone (optional, for optional recordings)
• Dyslexia-friendly high-contrast printed vocabulary lists & past tense verb charts
• Timer for speaking turns

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Lesson Breakdown:

Time	Activity	Description & Differentiation Strategies
0-5m	Warm up & Review	Quick oral recap: students brainstorm past tense verbs and phrases they’ve learned. Use a word cloud or flashcards. Dyslexia-friendly printouts are provided.
5-15m	Guided Narrative Writing	Students write a 150-200 word personal story using past tense. Prompt: “Tell about a defining moment from your past.” Teacher circulates to support diverse learners (sentence starters, verb help). Advanced learners encouraged to include varied past tenses (preterite, imperfect, past perfect). Dyslexic-friendly font and spacing are used for printed prompts.
15-20m	Peer Review & Collaborative Feedback	Students pair up to read each other’s stories and provide positive, constructive feedback orally and in writing (sentence stems provided). Supports interpersonal skills and language reinforcement.
20-40m	Storytelling Circle – Oral Presentations	Each student presents their story aloud to the group (2 min max each). Teacher models effective storytelling techniques (intonation, pacing). Peers listen actively and use "I like how you..." sentence starter feedback. Audio recording option available for students wanting to self-evaluate. For shy or struggling speakers, pairing for duet storytelling can be arranged.
40-45m	Reflection & Wrap-up	Group discussion on the challenges and successes encountered using the past tense. Students complete "I can..." self-assessment checklist. Extension: challenge to write a follow-up story using future tense for advanced learners.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual support: Dyslexia-friendly fonts and spacing, verb charts, checklists.
• Sentence starters: Provided for writing and peer feedback to support ELLs and reluctant writers.
• Pair/Group work: Allows peer scaffolding for students struggling with oral tasks.
• Advanced challenge: Use of compound tenses (e.g., pluscuamperfecto) and richer vocabulary in narratives.
• Oral alternatives: Students uncomfortable with writing may dictate stories to the teacher or a peer scribe.
• Recording option: Supports students with processing difficulties and allows self-paced practice.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation during writing and presentations; peer feedback quality; self-assessment checklist.
• Summative (optional): Collection of written narratives graded on IB Language B writing rubrics, focusing on accuracy, fluency, and creativity in past tense use.

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Notes for Teachers

• Encourage authentic storytelling to connect language learning to students’ identities and experiences, fulfilling IB’s learner profile attributes, particularly Communication and Reflective.
• Use this final lesson to celebrate progress and foster a supportive language community.
• Scaffold any grammar issues as they arise in writing or oral presentation, but focus on communication and engagement over perfect accuracy.
• Consider inviting students to compile these narratives into a class digital anthology for sharing with parents and peers, adding cross-disciplinary elements with technology and art.

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This lesson plan aligns with IB values by promoting intercultural understanding through personal narrative, using meaningful communication, and fostering creativity in language use.