Global+Awareness+Lesson

Global Awareness Lesson: Weather of the Spanish Speaking World



Description & Purpose

This lesson is in response to a prompt to compose a lesson that includes Global/Cultural aspects. Fortunately for me, in World Languages, students automatically gain understanding of Worldly concepts. Spanish is most often spoken in other places in the world, even though there are many native Spanish speakers in the United States. Students must learn the Spanish culture and they are required to gain this understanding in this lesson. The students are asked to first learn how to express the weather in Spanish. After learning weather, I ask students to go beyond simple practice of vocabulary. I require that they learn how weather is globally. In a variety of different ways, some including technology, students must investigate the Spanish speaking world and the weather patterns it contains. Moreover, students contribute to GeoGame, a global database of locations (in this case, Spanish speaking cities and countries). This lesson covers a variety of technological, 21st century, and Spanish content area standards. Students must practice vocabulary, research countries and weather, make decisions on their own for their own goals and purposes, and create original products technologically. I think this lesson is an excellent way for students to learn Spanish culture and to participate in our global society. It requires them to dig deeper into the Spanish culture, its origination, and the economic entities that are involved in these parts of the world.

Selection Process

As I read the prompt for this assignment, I knew I wanted to create something I could use this year in my instruction. As I won’t get to the lesson for a few more months, I’ve already become very excited about the results. I chose this lesson because so many of my students need to constantly revisit concepts (as the final exam is comprehensive). In this lesson, weather will be the new concept where Spanish speaking countries will be recycled. Another reason I chose to use weather as an avenue for global awareness is because many students don’t realize the world is on a 23 degree axis tilt. They don’t realize that this is the reason seasons occur. Then, moreover, many cannot use deductive reasoning to understand that the southern and northern hemispheres often have opposite weather conditions. As much of the Spanish speaking world is located in other areas of the world, allowing students to investigate these countries allows students to “come across” this information. It’s delightful to see students come to this understanding through using technology. Moreover, as students submit a clue to GeoGame, they feel a sense of purpose in their work by competing in this Global database.  Reflection In planning my instruction everyday, I have started asking myself how I can make students members of society, even globally. I’ve never tried to incorporate this type of objective in my lessons until now. Before, I just wanted students to learn the language. A great thing about being a world language teacher is that students naturally learn a good amount of the Spanish culture through learning their language. Yet, I want to deliberately make lessons that address 21st century standards. I think this lesson helps students to realize quite a few things: the Spanish culture is alive, well, and economically thriving. Weather affects all kinds of properties of their culture, just as it does ours. While it’s very important to learn the Spanish culture and the weather, my objective is still to include technology. I want hands on practice with this important aspect of learning. Asking students to create a presentation about the city they chose is a way to address Global and Technology standards. Students learn about the country at hand and use technology to produce their information. I see no better way for students to learn technology: with the intent to create a useful, effective product.

References Global SchoolNet,. (1990). Globalschoolnet.org. Retrieved from [] Webdesign-GuRu.co.uk,. (2009, April 26). Free icons. Retrieved from []