Does The Somos Curriculum meet Nebraska World Language Standards?

The Somos Curriculum and Nebraska World Language Standards

Alignment of Somos 1 Units 1–10 to Nebraska’s novice performance indicators

Does The Somos Curriculum meet Nebraska World Language Standards?

Yes. The Somos Curriculum provides a proficiency-oriented, comprehension-based pathway through which novice learners can develop the communication, cultural understanding, cross-curricular connections, community applications, and learning awareness described in Nebraska’s World Language Standards. This document aligns Nebraska’s official standards and novice indicators with specific evidence from Somos 1 Units 1–10.

Purpose and scope

This alignment uses Nebraska’s official strand, standard, and indicator language. It focuses on the standards framework and performance expectations described on pages 5–7 and 10–30 of the Nebraska document. WIDA comparisons and WIDA Spanish Language Standards are excluded.

The unit-level evidence comes from the Somos 1 Novice Curriculum overviews for Units 1–10. Because Nebraska states that course titles do not automatically establish performance level, this document does not claim that the label “Somos 1” guarantees a particular rating. It shows where the curriculum gives learners repeated opportunities to develop and demonstrate the Novice Low, Novice Mid, and Novice High indicators.

Nebraska’s five strands

• Communication: Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations for multiple purposes.

• Culture: Students work with the language in a way that shows familiarity with and value for the cultures of the speakers of the language.

• Connections: Students use the language studied to reinforce and expand their knowledge, connecting language and cultural experiences to all content areas.

• Communities: Students can apply their world language skills to personal, community, and career experiences.

• Cognition: Students explain what they know and are able to monitor their own learning journey with support from their teachers.

How The Somos Curriculum supports novice performance

Across Units 1–10, the Somos 1 overviews repeatedly identify interpretive, interpersonal, presentational, and cultural benchmarks; listening, reading, writing, and speaking experiences; authentic texts and cultural resources; real-world purposes; scaffolded vocabulary; and performance-based assessments. The curriculum allows a silent period and does not force unsupported output, while continuing to invite learners into meaningful communication as their comprehension and language resources grow.

This is an alignment of curriculum opportunities to standards. Local pacing, instructional choices, student access to unit components, and evidence of individual performance determine whether a learner has mastered a particular indicator.

Strand One — Communication

Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations for multiple purposes.

WL 1.1 — Students exchange information through interaction and negotiation of meaning.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 1.1.a, Novice Low: Participate in basic exchanges with isolated, high-frequency words, fragmented responses, or phrases.

• WL 1.1.b, Novice Mid: Participate in basic exchanges in structured contexts about familiar and predictable topics using high-frequency vocabulary and phrasing.

• WL 1.1.c, Novice High: Participate in basic exchanges by constructing simple questions and answers using familiar vocabulary and language structures.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

The Somos Curriculum prepares students to exchange meaning about familiar topics through Personalized Questions and Answers, storyasking, class discussion, partner work, and communicative activities. Somos 1 begins with supported comprehension and brief responses, then expands opportunities for students to ask questions, answer questions, describe, compare, express opinions, and retell. Sheltered vocabulary and structured contexts make the interpersonal demands appropriate for novice learners.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students introduce themselves and others, understand common questions, and contribute one-word responses during storyasking.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students respond to teacher questions with simple words and phrases, describe familiar scenes, express opinions, and communicate about what they see.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students ask and answer questions about information, respond with familiar words and phrases, and retell a class story.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students discuss interests, talents, school subjects, and future plans while responding to teacher questions in conversation.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students contribute brief responses during storyasking, retell sentences, and express and evaluate opinions about bullfighting.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students respond during PQA and TPRS, follow and give commands, and share two truths and a lie.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students ask for help, offer help, discuss what they can do, and respond to questions during PQA and TPRS.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students ask and answer classmates’ questions about food, ingredients, preferences, and what they know or do not know.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students discuss fears, ask and answer questions in communicative activities, and compare personal fears and legends.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students ask questions and discuss emotions, food preferences, personal experiences, and cultural traditions.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to WL 1.1.a–c. Units 1–10 provide repeated, scaffolded exchanges that progress from isolated responses toward simple questions and answers.

WL 1.2 — Students understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 1.2.a, Novice Low: Identify isolated words and phrases of messages containing high-frequency vocabulary, predictable language structures, and/or extra-linguistic support.

• WL 1.2.b, Novice Mid: Identify elements of the explicit meaning of messages containing high-frequency vocabulary, predictable language structures, and/or extra-linguistic support.

• WL 1.2.c, Novice High: Identify the explicit meaning of messages containing high-frequency vocabulary, predictable language structures, and/or extra-linguistic support.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Interpretive communication is foundational throughout Somos 1. Each unit overview includes an interpretive benchmark focused on identifying the general topic and basic information in familiar spoken, written, or viewed texts. Teacher narration, stories, songs, informational readings, videos, images, repeated language, and contextual support closely match Nebraska’s novice emphasis on high-frequency vocabulary, predictable structures, and extra-linguistic support.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students listen to a teacher-told story and a traditional song and read short biographies, song lyrics, and stories.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students interpret story retells and event descriptions, complete shared and individual reading, and take listening and reading assessments.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students listen to story retells, video narrations, songs, facts, and information and read stories and informational texts about Panama.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students listen during PQA and TPRS and interpret songs, a class story, university information, and a talents quiz.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students interpret story retells, slideshows, ClipChats, songs, informational texts, protest images, and tweets and complete listening and reading assessments.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students interpret teacher language, TPR and TPRS, song lyrics, a class story, and a substitute story and complete an interpretive reading assessment.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students interpret an authentic Castells video, songs, a transcript, a class story, and three cultural readings that increase in complexity.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students interpret songs, a music video, a commercial, stories, and informational texts about Latin influences, foods, and elote and complete reading and listening assessments.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students interpret teacher narration, songs, a legend told by Joe Hayes, MovieTalk, classmate language, and multiple stories and complete an interpretive reading assessment.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students interpret stories, songs, and informational texts about Peru, geography, seasons, solstices, Inti Raymi, Quechua culture, and pachamanca.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to WL 1.2.a–c through sustained exposure to comprehensible, contextualized messages and repeated assessments of explicit meaning.

WL 1.3 — Students present ideas and information according to a variety of purposes and audiences.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 1.3.a, Novice Low: Present information on familiar and everyday topics using isolated, high-frequency words and phrases in highly structured contexts.

• WL 1.3.b, Novice Mid: Present information on familiar and predictable topics using high-frequency vocabulary and phrases in structured contexts.

• WL 1.3.c, Novice High: Present information on familiar and everyday topics using simple sentences in structured contexts.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Somos 1 prepares students to present familiar information through supported speaking and writing. Output develops from isolated words and practiced phrases to descriptions, facts, opinions, summaries, storyboards, and retells. Presentational tasks are grounded in familiar stories, images, personal experiences, cultural content, and everyday topics, while early units avoid demanding unsupported output before learners have sufficient comprehension.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students complete highly structured fill-in-the-blank writing and translation and sing familiar lyrics; the unit appropriately delays summative assessment during the earliest days of study.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students write learned facts, describe images and familiar stories, and complete a three-frame storyboard writing assessment.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students state facts, describe a six-frame storyboard, and retell a class story.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students write about talents and future plans and complete a focused free write about what they want to be.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students write a parallel story and an opinion about bullfighting, retell story sentences, and complete a writing assessment.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students write true and untrue facts and create a substitute story from a new perspective.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students write a shrinking summary, respond to personal questions, and complete a writing assessment tied to the class story.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students produce word-level responses, a short poem, familiar-event descriptions, and a story exit slip.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students write a shrinking summary and truths and a lie and complete a presentational writing assessment.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students write story events, summaries, retells, and graphic-organizer notes and complete a presentational speaking assessment.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to WL 1.3.a–c, with a purposeful progression from tightly supported output to simple messages for identifiable purposes.

Strand Two — Culture

Students work with the language in a way that shows familiarity with and value for the cultures of the speakers of the language.

WL 2.1 — Students use the language to observe and to discuss the relationship between the products, practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 2.1.a, Novice Low: Identify and describe products, practices and perspectives using isolated words and phrases.

• WL 2.1.b, Novice Mid: Identify products, practices, and perspectives using high-frequency vocabulary and phrases.

• WL 2.1.c, Novice High: Identify and describe products, practices, and perspectives using simple sentences in structured contexts.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Culture is embedded throughout Somos 1 through essential questions, authentic songs and media, informational texts, stories, comparisons, and real-world purposes. Students encounter cultural products and practices in Spanish and are invited to consider the perspectives and values connected to them. The curriculum’s recurring cultural benchmark explicitly calls for comparisons between products and practices in order to understand perspectives.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students explore the traditional song “Los Pollitos Dicen,” culturally appropriate introductions, and cultural readings.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students examine cumbia, San Silvestre races in several countries, and Spain’s San Fermín celebration.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students study the Panama Canal, information about Panama, and a traditional Mexican song and artist biography.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students learn about universities and secondary education in Spanish-speaking countries, Spanish-language music, and comparative infographics.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students examine bullfighting as a cultural tradition and artistic practice, consider competing perspectives, and interpret songs connected to the tradition.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students use an authentic Spanish version of a familiar body song while exploring family structure and responses to authority.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students study the Castells of Tarragona, compare towers, and consider the perspectives and community roles within the tradition.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students investigate Latin influences on local food culture, traditional foods from multiple countries, elote, music, and a commercial.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students study the legends of El Cucuy and El Chupacabras, authentic music, and beliefs about fear across ages.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students investigate Inti Raymi, Quechua heritage, Peruvian geography, solstices, pachamanca, and authentic musical expression.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to WL 2.1.a–c. Units 1–10 provide sustained opportunities to identify and describe cultural products, practices, and perspectives with novice-level language.

WL 2.2 — Students identify and apply culturally-appropriate language and behavior.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 2.2.a, Novice Low: Identify expressions unique to the cultures studied.

• WL 2.2.b, Novice Mid: Identify and react with simple expressions and idioms unique to the languages and cultures studied.

• WL 2.2.c, Novice High: Identify and respond with culturally appropriate simple expressions in everyday situations in structured or highly predictable situations.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Somos 1 prepares students to notice that successful communication depends on cultural context as well as literal meaning. Students practice introductions, questions, opinions, commands, offers of help, preferences, and other everyday language while interpreting authentic voices and culturally situated texts. Some units provide direct practice with culturally appropriate interaction; others build the cultural awareness needed to select respectful language and behavior.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students learn culturally appropriate ways to introduce themselves and others and practice the language needed for first meetings.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students react to cultural events and activities, express whether something is a good idea, and compare events from multiple communities.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students interpret commands and authority relationships while using time expressions and basic information about Panama in structured contexts.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students discuss education, interests, talents, and future plans in the context of schools and universities in Spanish-speaking countries.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students express opinions about a contested tradition and consider multiple cultural perspectives rather than treating one viewpoint as universal.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students practice giving and following commands and interpret authentic language through a familiar song.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students ask for help, offer help, and discuss responsibilities while considering the roles people hold within a community tradition.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students communicate food preferences, restrictions, ingredients, and knowledge—survival-level functions relevant to eating and shopping contexts.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students discuss fears and compare legends and beliefs, building awareness that culturally shaped stories influence everyday communication.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students discuss food, emotions, celebrations, and traditions while learning how Quechua and Peruvian practices reflect cultural values.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to the novice identification and response expectations in WL 2.2.a–c. The degree of spontaneous culturally appropriate behavior will depend on classroom practice and student performance.

Strand Three — Connections

Students use the language studied to reinforce and expand their knowledge, connecting language and cultural experiences to all content areas.

WL 3.1 — Students apply the language of study to discuss other content areas of study.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 3.1.a, Novice Low: Apply isolated words and phrases to accomplish tasks or show understanding of concepts in other content areas and/or situations beyond the classroom.

• WL 3.1.b, Novice Mid: Apply high-frequency vocabulary and predictable language structures to accomplish tasks or show understanding of concepts in other content areas and/or situations beyond the classroom.

• WL 3.1.c, Novice High: Apply familiar vocabulary and simple sentences to accomplish tasks or show understanding of concepts in other content areas and/or situations beyond the classroom.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Somos 1 uses Spanish to explore history, geography, music, literature, education, ethics, science, health, engineering, and community topics. Authentic and adapted resources allow students to use novice language to identify information, complete tasks, organize ideas, and discuss concepts that extend beyond the language classroom.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students connect language to music, biography, identity, and social introductions.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students connect movement language to sports, celebrations, geography, and cultural events in several countries.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students use Spanish to learn about the geography, history, engineering significance, and global-navigation role of the Panama Canal.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students connect language to education systems, school subjects, professions, talents, and future planning.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students connect language to ethics, artistic expression, animal welfare, public debate, protest imagery, and persuasive opinion.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students connect commands and body vocabulary to physical movement, anatomy, perspective, and responses to authority.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students connect language to engineering, balance, teamwork, risk, architecture, and civic participation through the Castells tradition.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students connect Spanish to nutrition, ingredients, cultural diffusion, commerce, and the influence of Latin foods on local communities.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students connect language to folklore, literature, childhood, belief systems, fear, and comparisons among legends.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students connect Spanish to geography, astronomy, seasons, solstices, Indigenous heritage, agriculture, and food traditions.

Alignment finding: Strong alignment to WL 3.1.a–c. Units 1–10 consistently use novice Spanish to access and communicate knowledge from other content areas.

Strand Four — Communities

Students can apply their world language skills to personal, community, and career experiences.

WL 4.1 — Students use knowledge and skills gained in the language to identify and create a personal education and/or career plan.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 4.1.a, Novice Low: Identify college and career options that incorporate the language studied using isolated words and phrases.

• WL 4.1.b, Novice Mid: Identify college and career options that incorporate the language studied using high-frequency vocabulary and predictable language structures.

• WL 4.1.c, Novice High: Identify college and career options that incorporate the language studied using familiar vocabulary and simple sentences.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

The strongest direct alignment occurs in Unit 4, where students discuss education, professions, talents, interests, school subjects, and future plans. Other Units 1–10 contribute the personal identity, interests, values, skills, community awareness, and cultural knowledge that students need to make meaningful education and career choices. To demonstrate the full novice indicators, teachers should explicitly connect this accumulated language to college and career options that use Spanish.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students develop language for identity and introductions, a foundation for describing themselves in an education or career context.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students identify activities they enjoy participating in or observing, contributing vocabulary about personal interests.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students reflect on character, authority, and how others might describe them, contributing language for self-knowledge.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students directly discuss professions, universities, talents, school subjects, future plans, and what they want to be and complete related writing and reading tasks.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students examine personal values, ethics, artistic expression, and animal welfare, which can inform career-interest discussions.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students reflect on following directions, responding to authority, and communicating about the body—supporting discussion of workplace habits and health-related interests.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students consider helping others, making a difference, risk, teamwork, and community roles—useful concepts for service and career exploration.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students explore food, preferences, ingredients, commerce, and cultural influence, which can support discussion of culinary, hospitality, health, or business options when made explicit.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students explore storytelling, culture, fear, and communication, which can support discussion of creative or helping professions when made explicit.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students explore geography, cultural heritage, food, music, and community traditions, broadening awareness of fields in which Spanish and intercultural competence are valuable.

Alignment finding: Direct alignment is strongest in Unit 4; Units 1–3 and 5–10 provide supporting self-knowledge and career-context content. Explicit college-and-career application is needed to document full attainment of WL 4.1.a–c.

WL 4.2 — Students use digital tools in the language of study to further language study and/or to connect with a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 4.2.a, Novice Low: Use digital tools to select, categorize, and paraphrase information that tends to use isolated, high-frequency words and/or phrases and extra-linguistic supports.

• WL 4.2.b, Novice Mid: Use digital tools to select, categorize, and paraphrase information that tends to use high-frequency words and phrases in structured contexts.

• WL 4.2.c, Novice High: Use digital tools to select, categorize, and paraphrase information that tends to use simple sentences in structured formats on familiar or highly contextualized topics.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Somos 1 incorporates videos, ClipChats, songs, digital texts, infographics, tweets, commercials, transcripts, and online resources across Units 1–10. These resources expose students to voices and perspectives beyond the classroom. Nebraska’s indicators require students—not only the teacher—to use digital tools to select, categorize, or paraphrase information, so full alignment depends on assigning student-facing digital tasks with those actions.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: The overview identifies stories, biographies, song lyrics, and cultural readings; teachers can use their digital versions for supported selection and categorization, although a specific student digital task is not named.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students work with cultural and event resources that can be organized or compared digitally; the overview does not specify the exact digital tool.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students interpret ClipChat narrations and video summaries and can select or paraphrase basic information about Panama.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students interpret songs and comparative infographics about education and Spanish-speaking countries, creating opportunities to categorize information digitally.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students use slideshows, ClipChats, protest images, and tweets—direct digital source types that can support selecting, sorting, and paraphrasing viewpoints.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: The overview emphasizes songs, stories, and TPR but does not name a student digital-tool task; a teacher-created digital response or sorting activity would complete the indicator.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students interpret an authentic Castells video and transcript and can categorize roles, sequence information, or paraphrase key ideas.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students interpret a music video and commercial and can sort or paraphrase information about foods, ingredients, and cultural influence.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students interpret MovieTalk and a recorded legend and can organize or paraphrase information about fears and stories.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students use rich informational and musical resources about Peru, Inti Raymi, solstices, Quechua culture, and food; digital graphic organizers can make the required student tool use explicit.

Alignment finding: Supported alignment to WL 4.2.a–c. The curriculum supplies abundant digital content; teachers should ensure that students actively use digital tools to select, categorize, organize, compare, or paraphrase information.

Strand Five — Cognition

Students explain what they know and are able to monitor their own learning journey with support from their teachers.

WL 5.1 — Students self-assess growth in language learning, practice, and understanding.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 5.1.a, Novice Low: Use isolated words, phrasing, or images to identify what concepts, skills, or information have been learned.

• WL 5.1.b, Novice Mid: Use simple words or phrasing to identify what concepts, skills, or information have been learned.

• WL 5.1.c, Novice High: Use simple sentences or structures to identify and describe what concepts, skills, or information have been learned.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

Each Somos 1 overview identifies essential questions, proficiency-oriented benchmarks, real-world purposes, modalities, student-centered supports, and assessments. These elements make learning targets and evidence visible and provide a strong framework for novice self-assessment. Because the overviews do not consistently name a formal student self-assessment routine, teachers should invite students to use the benchmarks and assessment evidence to identify what they can now understand or communicate.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students can reflect on whether they can introduce themselves or others, understand basic questions, and recognize the language and cultural content learned; the absence of an early summative assessment respects their developmental stage.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Listening, reading, and storyboard-writing assessments provide evidence students can use to identify growth in understanding stories and communicating about movement and events.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Reading and six-frame storyboard assessments provide evidence for reflection on understanding Panama-related content and narrating familiar events.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Listening, reading, and focused writing assessments allow students to identify growth in discussing talents, education, and future plans.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Listening, reading, and writing assessments support reflection on interpreting and expressing opinions about a cultural debate.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: An interpretive reading assessment and perspective rewrite provide evidence for identifying growth in commands, story comprehension, and perspective.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Reading and shrinking-summary assessments allow students to reflect on understanding a cultural tradition and summarizing familiar content.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Interpretive reading and listening assessments allow students to identify growth in understanding food, ingredients, and cultural influence.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Interpretive reading and presentational writing assessments provide evidence for reflecting on comprehension, storytelling, and comparison.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Interpretive reading and presentational speaking assessments provide evidence for identifying growth in cultural understanding, retelling, and discussion.

Alignment finding: The curriculum provides strong targets and evidence for WL 5.1.a–c. Full alignment is demonstrated when students are explicitly asked to use those targets and results to self-assess their own growth.

WL 5.2 — Students set language learning goals and organize priorities.

Relevant novice indicators

• WL 5.2.a, Novice Low: Identify what concepts, skills, or information are desired using isolated words, phrasing, or images.

• WL 5.2.b, Novice Mid: Identify what concepts, skills, or information are desired using simple words or phrasing.

• WL 5.2.c, Novice High: Identify and describe what concepts, skills, or information are desired using simple sentences or guided models.

How The Somos Curriculum aligns

The essential questions, benchmarks, and real-world purposes in Somos 1 provide clear, unit-sized targets that can be converted into student language-learning goals. The curriculum establishes what learners are preparing to understand and communicate; to fully meet Nebraska’s student-goal-setting indicators, teachers should add a brief routine in which students select a target, state it in novice-appropriate language, and revisit it after instruction.

Examples from Somos 1 Units 1–10

• Unit 1, “Dice”: Students can select a short-term goal such as introducing themselves, introducing another person, or understanding common first-meeting questions.

• Unit 2, “Corre”: Students can set a goal to describe movement, communicate what they see, express an opinion, or narrate a familiar event.

• Unit 3, “El Canal de Panamá”: Students can set a goal to tell time, respond to commands, narrate a story, or give basic information about Panama.

• Unit 4, “La Universidad”: Students can set a goal to discuss interests and talents, identify a profession, talk about school subjects, or express a future plan.

• Unit 5, “La Corrida de Toros”: Students can set a goal to narrate events, describe a cultural practice, or express and support an opinion.

• Unit 6, “Siéntate”: Students can set a goal to understand, give, or follow commands and communicate about the body.

• Unit 7, “Los Castells de Tarragona”: Students can set a goal to ask for help, offer help, discuss ability, or explain how they can contribute to a community.

• Unit 8, “La Comida Latina”: Students can set a goal to communicate food preferences, identify ingredients or restrictions, or explain a cultural food connection.

• Unit 9, “El Cucuy”: Students can set a goal to discuss fears, tell a story, or compare legends.

• Unit 10, “El Inti Raymi”: Students can set a goal to express emotion, discuss food, or explain basic information about a cultural celebration and its geographic context.

Alignment finding: The curriculum supplies coherent short-term goal content for WL 5.2.a–c. Full alignment requires an explicit student goal-selection and progress-monitoring routine using these unit targets.

Overall conclusion

The Somos Curriculum aligns strongly with Nebraska’s novice expectations in Communication, Culture, and Connections. Units 1–10 provide extensive evidence of meaningful communication, interpretation of contextualized messages, presentational output, cultural inquiry, authentic resources, and cross-curricular learning. Communities and Cognition are also supported, with especially direct evidence for education and career exploration in Unit 4 and for student reflection through unit benchmarks and assessments. To document full attainment of WL 4.1, WL 4.2, WL 5.1, and WL 5.2, teachers should make the student-facing career, digital-tool, self-assessment, and goal-setting actions explicit.

Sources reviewed

• Nebraska World Language Standards, with emphasis on pages 5–7 and 10–30; WIDA material excluded.

• Somos 1 Unit Overviews, The Comprehensible Classroom LLC, Units 1–10.