K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Name of Unit/Course:
Overall Unit Information (Required for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Unit or
Course
Goal(s)

Culture: Each student will participate in a culture study to develop a deep understanding of
their own culture as well as an in depth comparison and contrast with a Hispanic culture. They
will participate in online blogging, virtual presentations, and keep up to date on current events
of Hispanic cultures.
(Blended model: some assignments given online will be discussed in a physical classroom as a
class on a weekly basis)

See A1

Standards

Name of standards: Georgia Performance Standards Modern Language Level II

Link to standards: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Georgia%20Performance
%20Standards/ Modern%20Languages%20Level%20II.pdf
Location information: Jefferson High School
Grade/Year: 10-11 Grade, Ages 15-17
Subject: Spanish
Standard (as written):
MLII.P1B Give brief, organized oral presentations, using visual and technological support as
appropriate.
MLII.P1C Write short, organized compositions, using visual and technological support as
appropriate.
MLII.CU1B Identify patterns of behavior typically associated with cultures, such as eating and
shopping customs, leisure activities, and celebration of national holidays.
MLII.CCC2A Compare and contrast traditions, such as holidays, foods, and celebrations.
MLII.CCC2B Compare and contrast social conventions of the target culture(s) with the
students own cultures, such as handshaking and kissing on the cheek.
MLII.CCC2C Compare and contrast the geography of countries of the target language and the
students own country and discuss its impact on culture.
MLII.CCC5A Develop and apply target language skills and cultural knowledge beyond the
classroom setting for recreational, educational, and occupational purposes.
MLII.CCC5C Locate and use resources in the target language, such as individuals and
organizations accessible through the community

See A2

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Learner
Characteristi
cs

These learners are ages 15-17 in a suburban high school about one hour outside of Atlanta,
Ga.
Students will be in class of anywhere from 20-28 learners.
Each class is unique in its compilation of visual, auditory, and tactile learners.

See B1

Technology
requirements

Device with internet connection capability (will be able to connect to internet at the school)
Language lab for capturing and recording student voices (provided by school)

See D5

Prerequisite
Skills

At least a middle school reading level

Be able to navigate the internet safely and efficiently
Language lab capability
Some understanding of PowerPoint or other online presentation programs such as Prezi.

See A4 & D6

Introductory
Communicati
on Plans

Modules will be divided into weekly assignments. They will be presented Monday and are due
as students walk into class on Friday.
Students will receive their written instructions via our class website that lays out the
assignments for each week. At the beginning of each week, the class will review that weeks
assignments together. However, most work on the modules will be done outside of class or as
they finish other classwork.
Each student will be required to make one 3-4 paragraph blog post weekly to our class
website. They will be answering a question prompt regarding their personal culture or the
culture they are assigned to be researching. They may also choose to respond verbally and
upload their assignment to the class blog.
Additionally, there will be a current event (written or video) from a Spanish-speaking country
posted each week that they will be responsible for commenting on and responding to their
class mates comments. The event and all comments will be discussed in the physical
classroom each Friday.

See A4 B9 & B10

Universal
Design
Principles
Considered

Forms of representation: Online instructions. verbal instructions in class, written articles,

videos, rubrics
Forms of expression: Blogs, verbal recordings, formal responses/text on website, presentations
Forms of engagement: Personal device, language lab recorder, classroom setting,
commenting/interacting on blog posts

See B4

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Number of
Modules or
Weeks

This unit will last 6 weeks as an ongoing online lesson in addition to the units covered in class.
In the physical classroom, this will also serve as extension activities for those that finish their
in-class work early. However, everyone must participate at some point during the week in the
online forum.

See A3

Module 1 Plan (Note: module and lesson used interchangeably) (Required for MOOC
participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Students will study the three major elements of culture and critically assess their own
personal culture through a blog response.
Students will assess their local culture through current events.
MLII.CU1B Identify patterns of behavior typically associated with cultures, such as
eating and shopping customs, leisure activities, and celebration of national holidays.
MLII.CCC5A Develop and apply target language skills and cultural knowledge beyond
the classroom setting for recreational, educational, and occupational purposes.

Module
Assessment(s)

Weekly blog question response: How do you perceive your own culture? What
are some of your practices? Products? Perspectives? How do they relate to each
other?
Weekly current event response: How does this article reveal our communitys
cultural practices, products, and/or perspectives?
Extra credit- respond to other students blog post or current event responses

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

Description of
Learning
Activities

Students will watch a video on culture and then respond to a prompt for their weekly
blog post.
Students will read a current event article or newscast based in their local community
and assess the elements of culture that they identify in the article/newscast.

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

At the beginning of the week, the teacher will present both the blog question as well as
the current event article to the students. The last 10 minutes of class Tuesday and
Thursday will be dedicated to any questions or concerns students may have about the
weeks topic/assignments.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Physical
Learning
Materials

Physical copies of the current event article and the blog question will be available in
the classroom for anyone without access to the internet during class as they finish
their work.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Video on culture
Current Event article/newscast URL

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Plans for
Differentiation

Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class.
Students who are absent will still be able to access all the necessary information online
through our class website.
Any student may choose to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.

See B1 B4 & B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Module 2 Plan (Optional for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Students will explore their communities and ask family and friends about their
personal culture. Students will then compare and contrast their own cultural identity
with the ones they interviewed and analyze the similarities/differences.
MLII.P1B Give brief, organized oral presentations, using visual and technological
support as appropriate.
MLII.P1C Write short, organized compositions, using visual and technological support
as appropriate.
MLII.CCC5A Develop and apply target language skills and cultural knowledge beyond
the classroom setting for recreational, educational, and occupational purposes.

Module
Assessment(s)

Description of
Learning
Activities

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Audio assignment of student interviewing a friend/family member on their

culture
Weekly blog question response: How does your personal culture compare to
your friend/family member? What reasons can you think of for the similarities
and differences? (Response can be an oral submission or written)
Weekly current event response: How would our community respond to this
event? Why do you say that? What does that communitys response reveal
about their culture?
Extra credit- respond to other students blog post or current event responses

Students will develop a list of 7-10 questions to ask a friend or family member about
their culture. They will interview the person of their choice and record the interview to
be turned in. They will then analysis the similarities and differences between
themselves and their interviewee to write/record their blog post.
Students will also read a news article from another town in the United States and
analyze how their reactions reveal something about that communitys culture.

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

At the beginning of the week, teacher will present both the blog question as well as the
current event article to the students. The last 10 minutes of class Tuesday and
Thursday will be dedicated to any questions or concerns students may have about the
weeks topic/assignments. Together they may even come up with a few interview
questions together as a class to get the students started.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Physical
Learning
Materials

Physical copies of the current event article and the blog question will be available in
the classroom for anyone without access to the internet during class as they finish
their work.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Class website with instructions

Weekly current event URL

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Plans for
Differentiation

Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class.
Students who are absent will still be able to access all the necessary information online
through our class website.
Any student may choose to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.
Students without recording capability for their interview will be allowed to write out
their interviewees responses without penalty.

See B1 B4 & B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Module 3 Plan (Optional for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Students will be assigned a Spanish-speaking country and begin to study and analyze
the culture that resides there.
Students will report on countrys local culture by creating a presentation that discusses
their practices, products, and perspectives.
MLII.P1B Give brief, organized oral presentations, using visual and technological
support as appropriate.
MLII.CCC5C Locate and use resources in the target language, such as individuals and
organizations accessible through the community
MLII.CU1B Identify patterns of behavior typically associated with cultures, such as
eating and shopping customs, leisure activities, and celebration of national holidays.

Module
Assessment(s)

Students will create a short (7-10 slide presentation) to showcase the culture of
their assigned countrys culture. This will be in place of their weekly blog
response.
Weekly current event: Students will submit a current event from their assigned
culture and discuss the three elements of culture found within the article.
Extra credit- respond to other students current event

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

Description of
Learning
Activities

Students will create a 7-10 slide presentation that explains their assigned countrys
culture. (This will be shared with classmates in the next module).
They will also research and locate a current event article from their country to share
with the class. Students will reflect on the event and critically analyze how the culture
of the country is revealed through the event/countrys reaction to the event.

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

At the beginning of the week, teacher will present both the presentation rubric as well
as the current event article assignment to the students. The last 10 minutes of class
Tuesday and Thursday will be dedicated to any questions or concerns students may
have about the weeks topic/assignments. An example presentation will be provided
during the last 10 minutes of Tuesdays class.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Physical
Learning
Materials

Example given in class of the presentation.

A physical copy of the presentation rubric will be available in class for students.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Online rubric for presentation

Student-provided current event URLs for peer viewing

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Plans for
Differentiation

Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class.
Students who are absent will still be able to access all the necessary information online
through our class website.
Students may choose to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.
Students will be free to come in before or after school to review PowerPoint or Prezi
programs for their presentation.

See B1 B4 & B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Module 4 Plan (Optional for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Module
Assessment(s)

Students will view another students short presentations from Module 3 and begin to
compare and contrast their assigned countrys culture with their peers country.
Students will also view current events and respond to their cultural relevance.

Weekly blog prompt: Compare and contrast your assigned country with the
country of your peer by reflecting on the three elements of culture.
Weekly current event response: Respond to the current event posted by your
peer and discuss how your personal community would respond to such an
event. How does your reaction compare/contrast to the articles community?
Extra credit- respond to other students blog post or current event responses

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

Description of
Learning
Activities

Students will be assigned one peer from within their class to share their presentation
and current event article with. Students will then observe similarities and differences
between their assigned culture and culture assigned to their peer.
Students will respond to both a blog prompt and the current event posted by their
peer.

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

At the beginning of the week, teacher will present both the presentation rubric as well
as the current event article assignment to the students. The last 10 minutes of class
Tuesday and Thursday will be dedicated to any questions or concerns students may
have about the weeks topic/assignments. During that time, students may also talk
with the peer that they are working with for the week to discuss cultural patterns or
questions they have of the presentation or current event posted by their peer.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Physical
Learning
Materials

Physical copies of the blog question will be available in the classroom for anyone
without access to the internet during class as they finish their work.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Peers culture presentation

Peers current event article

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Plans for
Differentiation

Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class. Students who are absent will still be able to access all
the necessary information online through our class website. Any student may choose
to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.

See B1 B4 & B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Lokey-Vega (2014)

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K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Module 5 Plan (Optional for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Students will research and become very familiar with a popular Hispanic icon of their
country.
MLII.P1B Give brief, organized oral presentations, using visual and technological
support as appropriate.
MLII.CCC5C Locate and use resources in the target language, such as individuals and
organizations accessible through the community
MLII.CU1B Identify patterns of behavior typically associated with cultures, such as
eating and shopping customs, leisure activities, and celebration of national holidays.

Module
Assessment(s)

Video introduction of their famous person that should last 3-5 minutes
Weekly blog response: How has this icon influenced the culture of your country?
Extra credit- respond to other students blog post or current event responses

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

Description of
Learning
Activities

Each student will choose one famous Hispanic icon from their assigned country and
prepare a video introduction for the class.

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

At the beginning of the week, teacher will present both the presentation rubric as well
as the current event article assignment to the students. The last 10 minutes of class
Tuesday and Thursday will be dedicated to any questions or concerns students may
have about the weeks topic/assignments. Students may turn in their video early if
they wish for the teacher to review it with comments and return it for students final
submission.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Physical
Learning
Materials

Printed rubric will be available for students in class.

Some students may find biography books in the schools library for their Hispanic icon.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Class will watch video presentations the last half of class on Friday.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

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K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Plans for
Differentiation

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Those without video capability can come in to use the schools video equipment or
may choose to present live to the class on Friday afternoon.
Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class.
Students who are absent will still be able to access all the necessary information online
through our class website.
Students may choose to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.

See B1 B4 & B6

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K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Module 6 Plan (Optional for MOOC participants)

Self-Check

Module
Objective(s)

See A1 & A2

Students will assess themselves in their knowledge of culture.

Students will respond to a current event article and discuss the ways in which culture
has influenced the event.
MLII.CCC2C Compare and contrast the geography of countries of the target language
and the students own country and discuss its impact on culture.

Module
Assessment(s)

Student self- assessment on culture

Current Event Response: How does the geography play a role in this countrys
culture? How does our geography here play a role in our culture?
Extra credit- respond to other students blog post or current event responses

See A2 A3 C1 C2 &
C5

Description of
Learning
Activities

Students will take an online survey of their cultural understanding of themselves and
their culture as well as how to begin understanding other peoples culture. This will be
an ungraded assignment that we will discuss on Friday at the end of class as a group.
Students will also respond to a geographically specific event and comment on how
their location influences the culture of that region.

See A2 A3 B3 B4 &
B10

Formative
Evaluation &
Feedback

Students will receive feedback from the teacher on their culture surveys as well as
discuss together as a class on Friday their understanding of culture.

See A3 C1 C3 & C5

Physical
Learning
Materials

Physical copies of the blog question and current event will be available in the
classroom for anyone without access to the internet during class as they finish their
work.

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Digital Learning
Objects

Class website with instructions and blog prompt

Weekly current event URL

See A3, A9, B1, B4,

& B6

Lokey-Vega (2014)

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K-12 Blended and Online Learning

Plans for
Differentiation

Lokey-Vega (2014)

Students who finish class work early will be permitted to work on their online module
for the week while still in class.
Students who are absent will still be able to access all the necessary information online
through our class website.
Any student may choose to stay after school to go over each module with the teacher.

See B1 B4 & B6

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