Overview

In this project, you will interview a native Spanish speaker, gather details about a personal story, and then create your own narrated story (un cuento) using the imperfect and preterite tenses. You will revise your work based on feedback, record your story, and participate in a class “truth or lie” activity.

Día 1: Choosing a Theme & Building Your Story

Step 1: Select ONE theme

Interview your Spanish speaker AND choose one theme for the story you will tell:

• Your worst day
  
• Your best day
  
• A holiday
  
• A trip
  
• An interesting day
  

Use your interview to gather ideas, vocabulary, and expressions you can use in your own version.

Step 2: Use the IMPERFECT to set the scene

Answer the following questions in Spanish using the imperfect tense. These details give background information and describe the setting of your story.

1. ¿Cuándo era?
   (When was it? What was the general time or season?)
   
2. ¿Qué tiempo hacía?
   (What was the weather like?)
   
3. ¿Dónde estabas?
   (Where were you?)
   
4. ¿Cuántos años tenías?
   (How old were you?)
   
5. ¿Cómo te sentías?
   (How were you feeling?)
   

Step 3: Use the PRETERITE to describe what happened

Tell the main events using the preterite tense.

• Tres cosas que hiciste.
  (Three things you did.)
• Tres cosas que pasaron.
  (Three things that happened.)

Your goal is to create a short but complete story that combines background + actions.

Step 4: Give Peer Feedback

Respond to at least two classmates’ stories with helpful feedback.

Your teacher will also send you private feedback on your draft.

Día 2: Revising, Rewriting & Recording

Step 5: Polish your presentation

Use the feedback you received to improve your story:

• Correct verb tenses
• Add details
• Improve transitions
• Clarify events
• Strengthen vocabulary

Step 6: Group Work — Truth or Lie

Form a group. Share your revised stories with each other.

Then:

• One person in your group will change their story so that it is NOT true.
• The other group members will keep their stories true.

Step 7: Record Your Story

Your story should be:

• Clear
• Well-organized
• In the past tenses
• 1–2 minutes long

Step 8: Truth-or-Lie Listening Activity

Listen to all the new stories posted by your classmates.

For each recording, comment:

1. Whether you think the story is true or a lie
   
2. Why you think so (give clues, language reasons, details, etc.)

Your teacher will later reveal:

• Which stories were true
• Which were lies

1. Student-Friendly Rubric (Novice High → Intermediate Low)

Project: Un cuento – Interview + Story + Truth-or-Lie Recording

Categories (20 points total)

1. Use of Imperfect (5 points)

• 5 – Consistently uses the imperfect correctly to describe background (weather, feelings, age, location, time).
• 4 – Mostly correct; minor errors.
• 3 – Some correct uses; noticeable errors.
• 2 – Rarely correct or mixed with preterite.
• 1 – Incorrect or missing.

2. Use of Preterite (5 points)

• 5 – Three clear actions you did + three clear events that happened, with correct preterite forms.
• 4 – Mostly complete; minor tense errors.
• 3 – Some correct actions/events; frequent errors.
• 2 – Missing events or mostly incorrect.
• 1 – Incorrect or missing.

3. Story Organization (4 points)

• 4 – Well organized; uses transitions; easy to follow.
• 3 – Mostly organized; some transitions.
• 2 – Some disorganization; few transitions.
• 1 – Hard to follow.

4. Speaking & Pronunciation (3 points)

• 3 – Clear pronunciation; good pacing; understandable.
• 2 – Some errors but still understandable.
• 1 – Difficult to understand.

5. Creativity & Detail (3 points)

• 3 – Strong details; engaging storytelling.
• 2 – Some details; mostly clear.
• 1 – Minimal detail.

2. Interview Question Sheet for Talking With a Native Speaker

Part A: Background Questions (use for imperfect ideas)

Ask your interview partner these questions in Spanish:

1. ¿Cuándo era? (What season/year/time was it?)
2. ¿Qué tiempo hacía? (What was the weather like?)
3. ¿Dónde estabas? (Where were you?)
4. ¿Cuántos años tenías? (How old were you?)
5. ¿Cómo te sentías? (How were you feeling?)
6. ¿Quién estaba contigo? (Who was with you?)
7. ¿Qué era típico en ese momento? (What was typical at that time?)

Part B: Main Events (preterite ideas)

Ask your interview partner:

1. ¿Qué hiciste tú? (What did you do?)
2. ¿Qué pasó después? (What happened next?)
3. ¿Cuál fue el momento más importante? (What was the most important moment?)
4. ¿Hubo un problema o sorpresa? (Was there a problem or surprise?)
5. ¿Cómo terminó todo? (How did everything end?)

Part C: Vocabulary Support

Have the interviewee share useful expressions or cultural phrases you can use in your own story.

3. Bilingual Writing Frame (Spanish + English Support)

Choose a theme:

Your worst day ● Your best day ● A holiday ● A trip ● An interesting day

I. Background (Imperfect)

Use these sentence starters:

• Primero, era… (First, it was…)
  
• Hacía… (It was [weather]…)
  
• Estaba en… (I was in…)
  
• Tenía ___ años. (I was ___ years old.)
  
• Me sentía… (I felt…)
  

II. Main Events (Preterite)

Describe the actions:

• Hice… (I did…)
  
• Pasó que… (It happened that…)
  
• Vi… / fui… / comí… / hablé…
  
• Después… (After that…)
  

Write at least:

• 3 things YOU did
  
• 3 things that HAPPENED
  

III. Transition Words (required)

• primero – first
• luego – then
• después – after that
• también – also
• por fin – finally

4. Recording Checklist

Before Recording

✔ I revised using peer + teacher feedback
✔ I included imperfect + preterite correctly
✔ I used all 5 transition words
✔ My story is organized, clear, and 1–2 minutes

During Recording

✔ I speak clearly and at a steady pace
✔ I check that my camera and mic work
✔ I keep my notes nearby, but I don’t read word-for-word

After Recording

✔ I upload the correct video
✔ I listen to at least 3 classmates’ stories
✔ For each story, I comment:

• True or lie?
  
• Why I think so
  

5. Copy-and-Paste Template (Google Doc style)

Un Cuento – Story Project

Name:

Theme:

Part 1 – Imperfect (Background)

¿Cuándo era?
→

¿Qué tiempo hacía?
→

¿Dónde estabas?
→

¿Cuántos años tenías?
→

¿Cómo te sentías?
→

Part 2 – Preterite (Main Events)

Tres cosas que hice:
1.
2.
3.

Tres cosas que pasaron:
1.
2.
3.

Part 3 – Final Story (Paragraph Form)

Use transitions: primero, luego, después, también, por fin

→ Write story here:

Part 4 – Truth-or-Lie Guessing Log

Story	True or Lie?	Why I think so

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