Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ann Crowley
Education 302
April 9, 2021
Rationale This lesson serves to get students thinking about different cultural
perspectives on medicine. This lesson fits within a larger unit on medicine
and health. This lesson fits in after having a few days to learn, familiarize
themselves with, and use the vocabulary. After having the opportunity to
demonstrate their vocabulary knowledge with a quiz and also work
towards the completion of their creative project, students will then use their
knowledge of Spanish medical vocabulary to investigate different cultural
perspectives. From an unchallenged viewpoint, I believe it can be easy to
assume that practices and beliefs regarding medicine, particularly for
accidents and injuries like our focus in this chapter, would be more or less
universal. However, there are many different perspectives regarding
medical treatment in the Spanish speaking world. Based on their
knowledge of the medical vocabulary which they will first practice and
then demonstrate in an assessment, students will encounter other
perspectives on medical treatment in the Spanish speaking world through
engaging with authentic text (song). They will also reflect on their own
beliefs and practices regarding medical treatment. I am hoping this lesson
will engage students by showing them that their Spanish vocab and skills
gained in this unit so far have connections to the real world and can help us
to understand other cultures. This discussion can be extended with a
reading activity if time allows.
Timing 50 mins
Objectives
● Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to understand and use Spanish
vocabulary about medicine.
● Students will be able to understand and reflect upon cultural perspectives on medicine
through the investigation of Curanderismo in target cultures.
Standards
● 2.1 Cultural Practices and Perspectives: Learners use the language to investigate,
explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the
cultures studied.
● 4.1 Cultural Comparisons: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect
on the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Cultural Component
This lesson allows students to explore and reflect upon perspectives about medical practices
and customs in target cultures. They will leverage their knowledge of the vocabulary in order
to interact with authentic texts.
Assessment
Agenda
AM
● 5B Examencito de Vocabulario
○ Después, tiempo para trabajar en las historietas
● La medicina: perspectivas culturales
Entonces chicos, vamos a empezar con el examencito. ¿Hay algunas preguntas antes
de empezar?
Hello and welcome. We are going to get started, I will go over the agenda for today.
So, you know that today we have the vocab quiz. After, we are going to talk a bit
about culture. We have a presentation about an alternative kind of medicine in the
Spanish-speaking world. Remember that our Comic Strips project is due tomorrow.
You have one more day to complete it.
Well, let’s get started with the quiz. Any questions before we begin?
Let students ask questions before getting started with the quizzes.
Examencito de vocabulario 25
mins
Distribute quizzes.
La segunda parte es, llena el espacio. Ustedes van a completar la oración con la
palabra más lógica. Hay un banco de palabras.
La tercera parte es con los verbos. Ustedes van a leer la oración y escoger el verbo
apropiado de las tres opciones.
OK, I am going to go over the instructions. The first part is deciding whether the
statement is logical or not. The second part is filling in the blank with the most
logical vocab word. The third part is choosing the best verb of the three options in
the appropriate form to fit in the sentence. The last part is a reading, you will read
and then answer a few comprehension questions. Circle the right answer, please.
Gesture for each with the corresponding thumbs up/down gesture. Have students
show you thumbs up or down (or to the side).
Ahora vamos a hablar un poquito sobre las perspectivas culturales sobre la medicina.
I will say this part in English so everyone fully understands and there are no
misunderstandings.
I think it can be sometimes easy to assume that our ideas about medical treatment
and what we do when we are sick or having pain is the same in the whole world, but
this is something that really varies depending on the culture. Today we are going to
talk about a different perspective on medical treatment that is prominent in some
Latin American cultures. This is not to say that everyone in Latin America only
seeks out this kind of medical treatment, or that they even use it. It is just one way,
out of many, that some people choose to receive medical care in some Latin
American cultures.
Entonces, chicos, vamos a empezar. Primero, vamos a escuchar una entrevista con
una mujer de Oaxaca.
We are going to start. First, let’s listen to an interview with a woman from Oaxaca.
Play interview.
OK, chicos, en inglés, what did we understand from that interview clip? What is she
talking about?
Give hints if they need it. Get them to identify that she is talking about alternative
medicine, specifically to her region of Oaxaca.
Exacto, chicos. Ella habla de otra forma de la medicina en Oaxaca, con orígenes
indígenas. Vamos a aprender más sobre esta otra forma. Pero antes, chicos, ¿alguien
sabe de unos métodos alternativos de la medicina?
Exactly, kids. She talks about another form of medicine common in Oaxaca, with
indigenous origins. We are going to talk more about this kind of medicine. Before
that, kids, does anyone know of some alternative medicine?
Have a discussion about alternative medicine we are familiar with (essential oils,
acupuncture, etc).
OK, entonces, ¿qué hace un curandero o una curandera? Receta, chicos, ustedes
saben esta palabra, muy bien. La curandera receta remedios para enfermedades.
Pero los remedios no son como las pastillas de la farmacia…. Es diferente. Receta
remedios con hierbas. Chicos, ¿qué son hierbas?
So, what does a curandero do? Receta → you know this word. The curandera
prescribes remedies for illnesses. But… it’s not remedies or prescriptions like pills
from the pharmacy. It is different. They prescribe remedies with hierbas. Chicos,
what is hierbas?
Check for understanding by asking them what hierbas are.
Muy bien. Y también, chicos, hay un elemento espiritual en los métodos de una
curandera con las tradiciones indígenas.
Very good. Also, there is a spiritual element in the methods of a curandero, based in
traditional indigenous beliefs.
OK, y ¿Los curanderos solamente están en Latinoamérica? No… claro que no.
Desde los años noventa, también hay curanderos en los Estados Unidos.
Curanderos are not just in Latin America. Since the 90s, it has been pretty common
for there to be curanderos here in the US.
What is curanderismo based on? Chicos, curanderismo is the word for the practice,
and the curandero is the person. So, curanderismo is based in traditions and beliefs
of indigenous communities of Latin America.
Ahora, chicos, vamos a escuchar una canción sobre una curandera. Primero, vamos a
presentar un poquito de vocabulario. Primero, la frase, “qué caro me cobró”
Now, we are going to listen to a song about a curandera. First, let’s go over some
vocab. First, the phrase ay qué caro me cobró.
Point to image for “caro” and “me cobró”
¿Qué significa caro?
What does caro mean?
Ask for volunteer.
Y chicos, me cobró is like “charged me.” So ay qué caro me cobró” is what someone
would say when they were charged an expensive amount of money.
OK, ¿y canasta?
Volunteer.
OK, chicos, y la frase “La curandera te va a sanar” What is la curandera going to do?
Give hints if they need to get them to the word → Heal.
OK, chicos, ahora que tenemos el vocabulario, vamos a escuchar la canción. Presten
atención a la letra. Students will have a copy of the lyrics in front of them.
Now, chicos, we have the vocab. Let’s listen to the song. Pay attention to the lyrics.
Play song.
Bien chicos. Vamos a hablar de la canción. Habla con tu grupo sobre la letra.
-¿Qué está pasando en la canción?
-La mujer en la canción visita dos personas para la ayuda. Describe sus experiencias
con la primera persona y la segunda persona. ¿Cuales son las diferencias?
Good, chicos. Let’s talk about the song. Talk with your group about the lyrics.
-What is happening in the song?
-The woman in the song visits two people for help. Describe her experiences with
both people. How do the experiences differ?
Come together as a group after to discuss the differences in the experience in the
song with a doctor and a curandera. Main points → cost and emotional support.
Muy bien. Es una buena canción. Chicos, vamos a pensar más en este tema. Vamos
a pensar, “¿Cómo son las prácticas y las perspectivas culturales sobre la medicina en
la canción “La Curandera” similares o diferentes de los tuyos? Charlen con tu grupo
por unos minutos. ¿Tienes unas prácticas de remedios caseros? ¿Usas hierbas
cuando estás enfermo? ¿Quién te ayuda cuando necesitas atención médica?
Great job! What a great song. We are going to think more about this topic. Let’s
think about: How are the practices and cultural perspectives on medicine in the song
La Curandera similar or different from yours? Talk with your group about this. Do
you have home remedies you use? Do you use herbs when you’re sick? Who helps
you out when you are sick and need medical treatment?
Come together as a group to discuss perspectives and practices on medicine and how
that is similar or different to curanderismo.
Muchas gracias chicos. Eso fue una buena conversación. Hemos aprendido mucho
sobre las perspectivas culturales y nuestras perspectivas sobre la medicina.
Thanks so much, this was a great conversation. We have learned a lot about cultural
perspectives and our own perspectives on medicine.
Backpocket Activities
Lectura de curanderismo y actividad
Since I aimed to keep this lesson really flexible, I have a lot of material for our cultural
perspectives investigation. I am not expecting to be able to complete the reading and
corresponding activity, because I will prioritize the introduction of information, the song, and
the reflective discussion. The reading and corresponding activity would definitely enhance our
conversation if we are able to include it, which is why it is a backpocket activity. We could
also just work on interpreting the reading together if we only had time for the reading and not
for the activity.
Critical Questions
● How is my timing? I can see myself getting too excited and not being able to get
through the song. Do I provide enough background information for students to make
cultural comparisons?
● Is my explanation of curanderismo mindful of the diversity of cultures in Latin
America? Do I establish well enough that this is not universal?
Vocabulary Assessment #1 - Quiz
Nombre: ___________________________________________________________ Hora: _____
___ 1. Una ambulancia es un vehículo que usan para traer a la gente herida al hospital.
___ 2. Necesito una radiografía porque me corté el dedo.
___ 3. Si te rompes la pierna, las muletas te ayudan a caminar.
___ 4. Necesito una curita porque me torcí el tobillo.
___ 5. Los enfermeros y enfermeras no deben entrar en la sala de emergencia.
___ 6. Tengo que ir al hospital porque ella me rompió el corazón :(
___ 7. La niña lloró porque tuvo que recibir una inyección.
___ 8. Necesito un yeso porque me rompí el brazo.
___ 9. La enfermera me da una curita porque tengo un hueso roto.
Lucía: No lo vas a creer. Hoy, después de mi partido de golf, decidí caminar por mi vecindario. Mientras caminaba,
escuchaba música, para relajarme. Estaba muy contenta porque el partido de golf fue excelente. ¡Gané por muchos
puntos! Tenía muchas ganas de celebrar, entonces saqué mi teléfono para invitar a mis amigos a mi casa, pero no pude
llamar a nadie. Cuando iba a marcar tu número de teléfono un automóvil me chocó y se fue. Por suerte, una mujer que
caminaba por allí me vio y llamó al 911. Me dolía mucho la pierna y no podía moverme. Estaba muy preocupada
porque no quería una pierna rota. Tenía mucho miedo y no entendía nada de lo que me decían los paramédicos. Sólo
recuerdo que me pusieron una inyección y me llevaron al hospital en una ambulancia. En el hospital, no recuerdo qué
pasó. Se me olvidó todo y me duele mucho la cabeza. Estoy sola y tengo mucho miedo. Omar, ¿puedes venir por mí?
Omar: Sí, claro, Lucía. En un momento salgo para el hospital, pero calma. Tú eres una mujer muy fuerte y saludable,
estoy seguro de que pronto vas a estar bien.
1. ¿Cierto o falso? Lucía hablaba con sus amigos por teléfono cuando el accidente ocurrió.
a. Cierto
b. Falso
Benefits: Common:
Avoids: Faith:
II. Supporting Details. Circle the letter of the 3 details found in the article, then write the Spanish evidence from the
source.
III. Comparing Cultural Perspectives -- We are going to share and discuss these questions in a Jamboard.
2. ¿Cuáles son los métodos de un curandero / una curandera? ¿Cómo ayuda a los enfermeros?
3. ¿Qué haces tú cuando estás enferm@? ¿Quién te ayuda? ¿Es similar o diferente de un curandero / una curandera?
4. ¿Tienes algunos remedios caseros cuando estás enferm@? ¿Crees que son similares o diferentes de los métodos de un