Here is a set of lesson plans for a beginning Spanish class to learn to talk about family and descriptions.

Essential Questions

  • How do I talk about my family and others?
  • How do people describe themselves and others in Spanish-speaking cultures?

Can-Do Statements

  • I can describe family members and their relationships.
  • I can describe physical appearance and personality.
  • I can talk about pets.

Key Vocabulary

  • Family members & pets; physical & personality traits; colors & descriptive adjectives

Grammar Focus

  • Tener and ser; adjective agreement; possessive adjectives

Cultural Connections

  • Family structure in Hispanic cultures; famous/TV families from Spanish-speaking countries

Daily Routines (every day, brief):
 Attendance in TL (aquí/presente/ausente) • Juramento • Quick greeting/emotions check • Calendar (date, numbers, quick weather)

Day 1 — Numbers Warm-Up + Body Parts (Mr. Potato Head)

Standards: Communication, Connections, Culture, Comparisons, Communities
Communicative Objective: Begin descriptive language via body parts and classroom TPR.

Activities (from Día 20):

  1. Numbers focus (listen/repeat/count).
  2. Number Bingo (0–20; students can be callers).
  3. Mr. Potato Head body parts TPR/build; recycle ¿Cómo se llama?; describe the creations.
  4. Notes: adjectives you introduced to describe people.
    Exit: Say one body part and one describing word heard today.
    Apuntes: core body parts + 2–3 adjectives.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can understand some body-part words and simple descriptions.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 2 — Numbers + Colors by Number; Appearance Survey (Part 1)

Communicative Objective: Recognize colors; begin describing appearance with class surveys.

Activities (from Día 21):

  1. Number Bingo (2 rounds).
  2. Color-by-number style task; whole-class or walk-around survey of colors.
  3. Appearance surveys (tables) + teacher drawings/illustrations; Post-its gallery of illustrated adjectives.
    Survey pack: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uxyvvnt74qbj16l6t8p93/SpanishActivitiesFifteenSurveysforBeginningStudents-1.docx?dl=0
     Opposites slides: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGkgsphL88/Ogb9JdgkthJg3ZXxEBMFaA/view?mode=preview
     Exit: “Stand Up/Sit Down” guessing game (who fits the description).
    Apuntes: colors + 4–6 appearance adjectives.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can recognize basic colors and some appearance words.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 3 — Guess Who? Setup & Practice

Communicative Objective: Ask/answer yes/no description questions to identify a person.

Activities (from Día 21):

  1. Introduce Guess Who? (tablero/cartas).
  2. Model yes/no questions; pair play with provided handout/cheat sheets:
    https://www.canva.com/design/DAGjrV57yoA/LhEjj9C0CHS6pj8L0S83CQ/view?mode=preview
     Exit: Each pair identifies one quick strategy they used in Spanish.
    Apuntes: question starters for Guess Who + key descriptors.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can ask/answer yes/no to describe/identify people.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 4 — Descriptions Activities (Day One)

Communicative Objective: Build descriptive language through your Day One set.

Activities (from Día 22):

  • Day One lesson: Descriptions Activities (run your sequence as written).
    Exit: One written sentence describing a classmate’s character (teacher-approved prompts).
    Apuntes: 4–6 new descriptive adjectives.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can use a few adjectives to describe a person.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 5 — Descriptions Activities (Day Two)

Communicative Objective: Expand descriptive language and opposites.

Activities (from Día 23):

Day 6 — Descriptions Activities (Day Three)

Communicative Objective: Recycle and apply descriptive language in varied tasks.

Activities (from Día 24):

  • Day Three lesson: Descriptions Activities (run your sequence).
    Exit: 2 true/1 false description statements; peers guess.
    Apuntes: any new descriptors surfaced.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can produce short description statements.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 7 — Descriptions Activities (Day Four)

Communicative Objective: Strengthen accuracy with description sets and noticing.

Activities (from Día 25):

  • Day Four lesson: Descriptions Activities (run your sequence).
    Exit: Highlight adjective agreement you used.
    Apuntes: adjective endings you noticed.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can notice adjective endings for gender/number.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 8 — Appearance Surveys + Stand Up/Sit Down + Body/Description Project

Communicative Objective: Consolidate appearance language in interactive formats.

Activities (from Día 26):

  1. Attendance/Juramento/Calendar (you should hear more TL now).
  2. ¿Cómo son los gigantes? Nivel A1 (as noted).
  3. Appearance surveys + Stand Up/Sit Down (Deborah Blaz).
  4. Mr. Potato Head + hula hoops TPR build & describe.
  5. Choose a fun body/description project:
    Project doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10xIWLjOQbfXYmL4RuIxIuZbmI7oQnrTL2gbXkrzyQKQ/copy
     Exit: Share one project sentence aloud.
    Apuntes: project vocabulary.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can describe a created character/person.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 9 — Body Parts Song & Games (Optional) / Verb Practice Alternative

Communicative Objective: (Option A) Identify body parts and say where it hurts; (Option B) Verb practice day.

Activities (from Día 27):
 Option A (Body/Health):

Day 10 — Pets + Colors (Video) + Coloring Activity + Verb Game

Communicative Objective: Talk about pets; recycle colors; quick verb review.

Activities (from Día 28):

Day 11 — Personality Chat + Tener + Family Intro (Song/Tree)

Communicative Objective: Begin family vocabulary; use tener with family.

Activities (from Día 29):

  • Personality quizzes (teacher-selected).
  • Family intro with Tengo una familia grande (Barbara McArthur).
  • Dictate a family tree (cards/map/Post-its); build tree live.
  • Presentation: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGmYfmPM5Q/tOlAAUuT0P4mYoZrs3PO5Q/view?mode=preview
  • Dress-up & guess family members; Family tree project intro (see bundle).
    Exit: One tener sentence about family.
    Apuntes: core family terms + tener patterns.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can say who is in my family using tener.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 12 — Family Project Work + -ER Verbs (Intro via Pictures)

Communicative Objective: Build family vocabulary in writing; introduce -ER verbs in context.

Activities (from Día 30):

Day 13 — Adjective Agreement + Possessives + Family Book

Communicative Objective: Notice agreement; use possessives with family.

Activities (from Día 31):

Day 14 — Reading/Listening: La Familia Real + -ER Verbs + Possessives

Communicative Objective: Interpret an authentic/graded family text; practice -ER & possessives.

Activities (from Día 32):

  • Charlar: appearance/personality warm-up.
  • Read/listen La Familia Real / La familia del Rey (A1); use Éste es el rey de España, Felipe VI transcript/listening as referenced.
  • Continue -ER verbs + possessives activity; Complete Family Book.
  • Prep IPA with verbs (-ER present).
    Exit: One fact from the family reading.
    Apuntes: 3 reading words; 1 -ER sentence.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can understand a short text about a family.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 15 — IPA (Option A) with Verbs: Lectura “Un día en la vida de Carla”

Communicative Objective: Demonstrate interpretive abilities with -ER verbs in context.

Activities (from Día 33):

  • IPA with verbs: Lectura: Un día en la vida de Carla (use your materials).
  • Reference: Copy of Verb Charts and Quizzes 2 (for prep/review).
    Exit: Quick reflection: 1 part easy / 1 part to review.
    Apuntes: none (assessment).
    Can-Do: ☐ I can read and understand a simple daily life text.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 16 — IPA (Option B): La familia y las descripciones

Communicative Objective: Demonstrate unit skills (family + descriptions).

Activities (from Día 33):

  • Unit 3 IPA: La familia y las descripciones (interpretive/interpersonal/presentational as you designed).
    Exit: Self-check against Can-Dos.
    Apuntes: none (assessment).
    Can-Do: ☐ I can describe my family and a person’s appearance/personality.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 17 — Grammar Focus Workshop: Tener & Ser (Accuracy Boost)

Communicative Objective: Solidify forms/uses of tener and ser in family/description context.

Activities:

  • Mini-lesson charts (from your pack), fast drills in context; short partner interviews using target prompts.
    Exit: 3 correct sentences (1 ser, 1 tener, 1 with adjective agreement).
    Apuntes: tener & ser charts; agreement mini-grid.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can choose ser vs tener correctly in familiar sentences.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 18 — Possessives + Family Relationships (Apply)

Communicative Objective: Use possessive adjectives to discuss relationships.

Activities:

  • Quick mingle: “This is mi…, su…, nuestro/a…” with family pictures/icons.
  • Short writing: 5 lines about “mi familia.”
    Exit: Swap & underline possessives in a partner’s writing.
    Apuntes: possessives recap with examples.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can write a short paragraph about my family.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 19 — Pets/Personality & Color Recycle + Speaking Circles

Communicative Objective: Talk spontaneously about pets and people using adjectives & colors.

Activities:

  • Speed rounds (inside/outside circles): pet + color + 1 personality trait.
  • If time: 1 quick Guess Who round.
    Exit: Record 2 sentences you said that felt strongest.
    Apuntes: your two best lines.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can talk briefly about pets and describe people.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Day 20 — Showcase / Project Day or Make-ups (Spiral Review)

Communicative Objective: Present a polished artifact or complete missed components.

Activities:

  • Present Family Book or small poster: “Mi familia y yo.”
  • Make-ups/retakes as needed.
  • Light game review (adjective agreement / possessives / -ER).
    Exit: Unit 3 Can-Do self-assessment checklist.
    Apuntes: none.
    Can-Do: ☐ I can describe my family, appearances, and personalities with basic accuracy.
    Teacher Notes: ______________________

Reference Lists (from your unit text)

Family Members & Pets; Physical/Personality Traits; Colors & Adjectives
 (Use your full vocab lists and the grammar focus you included; keep your resources and links as-is.)

Grammar Focus (as provided):

  • Tener & Ser (present), adjective agreement, possessive adjectives.

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