Throughout Mapas, this introductory section, Para empezar, aims to contextualize the chapter’s linguistic content and themes via images, data, quotes, video, etc. before seeing them in more detail in later sections. 

These annotations point to activities associated with specific communication learning targets, as defined by the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) in collaboration with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The focus of this Para empezar section targets Interpretive and Presentational communication, as students aim to identify the general topic of the written and visual texts and do a brief presentation about basic information in both very familiar and everyday contexts. 

To deepen the conversation on this topic, have students find sentences on the internet that use the three terms in a way that they find interesting or noteworthy. 

Invite students to find their own quotes looking for citas periodismo. They should choose one that they’d like to share with the class. 

To maximize class time, students can complete these Prepárate sections outside class. Students can consult the words highlighted in yellow in the Gramática & Vocabulario section, listen to one of the Textos locutados and consult the Texto mapeado. 

Conduct a 4-corners activity, placing sticky notes (1 through 4) in each corner of the room, and a fifth one in the middle. Students should gather around the sticky note with the description with which they most identify. Ask students to have a three-minute conversation with each other about why they chose that category. 

Mapas includes six videos, carefully selected and produced, belonging to diverse genres: documentary, animation, fiction, etc. They are designed to help immerse students in Spanish and its regional variations as well as to help them understand diverse Spanish-speaking communities, encouraging their comprehension of the perspectives, practices, and products of these cultures. The Spanish Hub is the digital environment where all digital content and resources for Mapas are available. 

Sample Answer: 

Eminencia: Persona que destaca en su campo o actividad.