¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use the imperfect continuous and preterite tenses in the context of a conflict.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- The Spanish Civil War happened between 1936 and 1939. Franco became a dictator and ruled Spain until his death in 1975.
- The imperfect continuous is for ongoing past actions; form it with the imperfect of ‘estar’ and the present participle.
- In the imperfect continuous, reflexive pronouns can go before the 1st verb or be attached after the present participle.
- The preterite tense is used to talk about events completed in the past.
- When 'cuando' indicates an interruption to ongoing past actions, the preterite tense is generally used afterwards.
Keywords
Imperfect continuous - verb tense used to talk about ongoing actions in the past, what 'was happening'
Reflexive pronoun - used to indicate doing something to yourself, words like 'myself' and 'yourself'
Preterite - verb tense used for events completed in the past
Common misconception
'Estaba' only means 'I was' in the imperfect.
'Estaba' means 'I was' but also 'she, he, it was' in the imperfect.
Teacher tip
Students can create their own testimony inspired by the real children's drawings from the exhibition. They can use both tenses to describe what they were doing when the war started or ended, just like María Magdalena, offering a powerful way to reflect on how conflict affects children.
Equipment
The video testimony of María Magdalena can be found on the Spanish Civil War Virtual Museum website. The children's drawings can be found on the University of San Diego library website.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which phrase means 'see you soon'?
Q2.Match the Spanish and English.
wall
proof, evidence, test
fork
recent
chemical
bad
Q3.Match the Spanish and English.
I will say
there will be
I will put
I will want
I will know
I will go out
Q4.Order the words to say: 'they danced flamenco in the restaurant during the meal'.
Q5.Write in English: 'pedí un entrante'.
Q6.Write in Spanish: 'the party was crazy'.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who was the ruler of Spain between 1939 and 1975?
Q2.Match the Spanish and English.
waiter
body
ice cream
permission
dessert
knife
Q3.'Estaba un café'. Choose the correct verb.
Q4.Which sentences are correct?
Q5.Order the words to say: 'I was reading when the phone rang'.
Q6.Write in Spanish: 'I was watching and she was hearing'.
To help you plan your 10 Spanish lesson on: ¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 Spanish lesson on: ¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 Spanish lessons from the My neighbourhood: conflictos unit, dive into the full secondary Spanish curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.