Lesson 5: Adelante - Un Día de Éstos
Duration of Days: 2
Lesson Objective
SWBAT identify the central conflict between the dentist (Aurélio Escovar) and the Mayor (el Alcalde).
SWBAT analyze how the author uses minimalist descriptions of a medical procedure to convey political tension and revenge.
SWBAT interpret the significance of the "well-being" of the characters (the Mayor’s physical pain vs. the dentist’s moral stance).
¿Quién tiene el verdadero poder en la oficina: el hombre con el uniforme o el hombre con el fórceps? (Who has the real power in the office: the man with the uniform or the man with the forceps?)
¿Por qué el dentista decide operar sin anestesia? (Why does the dentist decide to operate without anesthesia?)
¿Qué nos dice el final del cuento sobre la relación entre el gobierno y el pueblo? (What does the ending of the story tell us about the relationship between the government and the people?)
Standard 1.2 (Interpretive): Students read the text to identify sensory details (the sound of the drill, the sight of the gold teeth).
Standard 2.2 (Products of Culture): Students examine the "Magic Realism" roots and political history of Colombia through García Márquez’s work.
Standard 4.2 (Cultural Comparisons): Students discuss the concept of "justice" or "revenge" in their own culture compared to the characters in the story.
Lesson Description: This short story takes place in a dental office where the Mayor, suffering from an abscessed tooth, seeks treatment from a dentist who is his political enemy. The narrative is sparse and intense. Students will explore the vocabulary of health and the body in a much darker context—focusing on pain (el dolor), the extraction (la extracción), and the cold, professional interaction that masks a deeper social resentment.
Purpose: The purpose of this section is Critical Literary Analysis. In Spanish 3, students move beyond "what happened" to "what does it represent?" This story allows students to see how a simple health interaction can be a metaphor for corruption and the "bill" that eventually comes due ("Aquí nos paga veinte muertos, teniente"). It connects the theme of physical well-being to the "well-being" of a society under a dictatorship.
DOK Levels (Depth of Knowledge)
Level 1: Recall Identify Details Students list the tools in the dentist's office and the specific physical symptoms of the Mayor.
Level 2: Skill/Concept --> Summarize & Infer --> Students summarize the dialogue and infer the dentist’s feelings based on his actions (e.g., polishing the gold teeth).
Level 3: Strategic Thinking --> Analyze Symbolism --> Students analyze the phrase "Es la misma vaina" (It’s the same thing) at the end of the story regarding the bill.
Level 4: Extended Thinking --> Evaluate & Critique --> Students write a modern "follow-up" to the story using Perfect Tenses (El alcalde ha regresado...) to describe the aftermath of the encounter.
Support (Scaffolding): Provide a "Character Map" to track the power shift during the extraction. Use a vocabulary bank for dental terms (muela, absceso, mandíbula, pinzas).
Extension (Challenge): Have students rewrite the final dialogue using the Subjunctive of Doubt or Emotion (Dudo que el alcalde olvide este día...).
Visual: Show a short film adaptation of the story (there are many) to help students visualize the tension and the setting of the gabinete.
Selected formative and summative assessments from the SENDEROS VISTA SUPERSITE.