Historias y Comunidades
Stories and Communities
This year at a glance
Grade 7 unlocks the past tense — and with it, storytelling. Students narrate real events, read short biographies, study their own community, and put their Spanish to work in a service-learning project.
By the end of Grade 7, students can say:
- I can tell what happened in the past in simple sentences.
- I can understand a short biography of a real person.
- I can plan and describe a project that helps my community.
Standards
Every unit is aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities) with NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do statements as learning targets. See the full curriculum map.
6 units, one connected story
Units are being produced in order and will unlock here as they are finished — the same interactive lesson format as Kindergarten Unit 1.
Cuéntame
Narrating with the preterite: what happened yesterday, last weekend, last year.
Plan readyLa Ciudad y Yo
Urban life and getting around — comparing transit, neighborhoods, and city life across countries.
Plan readyNuestro Medio Ambiente
The environment: local issues, simple solutions, and the vocabulary of change.
Plan readyHéroes Cotidianos
Everyday heroes: reading short real biographies from across the Spanish-speaking world.
Plan readyManos a la Obra
Service learning: students design a small real project serving Spanish speakers in their community.
Plan readyIPA: Historias de Mi Comunidad
Capstone IPA: research, interview, and present a story from your own community.
For families & teachers
🏠 At home
Ask “¿Qué pasó hoy?” (What happened today?) at dinner — past-tense practice disguised as conversation.
🍎 In the classroom
Preterite first (regular + high-frequency irregulars); imperfect waits for Grade 8. The service project can scale from a bilingual poster to a real community partnership.