Spanish
Grade 3
15 min
¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening?
Discuss current events in class, expressing understanding of the news.
What you'll learn
- Identify at least 8 out of 10 Spanish vocabulary words related to current events (e.g., noticias, el clima, deportes) in a written matching exercise.
- Apply learned vocabulary and grammar to construct at least 3 original sentences in Spanish describing a current event, using correct verb conjugations and subject-verb agreement.
- Explain in English the main idea of a short Spanish news article or video clip with at least 70% accuracy, demonstrating comprehension of key vocabulary and grammatical structures.
- Create a brief (3-5 sentence) dialogue in Spanish between two people discussing a current event, using appropriate vocabulary and expressions learned in class, assessed via a rubric focusing on accuracy and fluency.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the correct present tense form of the verb 'estar' for different subjects (yo, tú, él/ella, nosotros, ellos/ellas).
Change a regular -AR verb from its infinitive form to its present participle form by adding '-ando'.
Construct simple sentences in the present progressive tense using the formula: subject + estar + verb-ando.
Describe what someone is doing right now using at least 5 different -AR verbs.
Ask the question '¿Qué está pasando?' and answer it with a complete sentence.
Correctly match subjects with their corresponding 'estar' conjugations in sentence-building activities.
Look around the room! What is your friend doing *right now*? 🤔 Let's learn how to say that in Spanish!
Today, we are learni...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Present ProgressiveA verb tense used to talk about actions happening right now. In English, it uses '-ing' (like 'talking'). In Spanish, we use 'estar' + '-ando'.Yo estoy hablando. (I am talking.)
EstarA special verb that means 'to be'. We use it to say where something is or how someone is feeling. In this lesson, it's our helper verb for actions happening now.Él está en la clase. (He is in the class.)
InfinitiveThe basic, unchanged form of a verb. In Spanish, these verbs end in -AR, -ER, or -IR.Hablar (to talk), Cantar (to sing), Bailar (to dance).
Gerund (Gerundio)The '-ing' form of a verb. For Spanish -AR verbs, we create this by dropping the -AR and adding -ando.Hablar -> Hablando (Talking)
Subje...
3
Grammar Rules & Patterns
The Present Progressive Formula
Subject + [conjugated form of ESTAR] + [verb stem + -ando]
To say what someone is doing right now, you must use this three-part formula. First, say who is doing the action. Second, use the correct form of 'estar'. Third, add '-ando' to the main action verb.
Conjugating the Verb 'Estar'
Yo estoy, Tú estás, Él/Ella/Usted está, Nosotros/Nosotras estamos, Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes están
The verb 'estar' changes its spelling depending on who is doing the action. You must memorize these forms to build your sentences correctly.
Creating the '-ando' Form
Take an -AR verb (like 'cantar'), remove the '-ar' ending ('cant-'), and add '-ando' ('cantando')....
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Es sábado. El sol brilla. La familia Álvarez está en el parque. El papá prepara hamburguesas. La mamá pasa la pelota. Los niños corren y ríen. ¿Qué está pasando?
A.La familia está en el cine.
B.La familia está en una fiesta de cumpleaños.
C.La familia está en un picnic.
D.La familia está en la escuela.
Challenging
Tres de estas frases tienen sentido. ¿Cuál frase NO tiene sentido?
A.El pez nada en el agua.
B.El pájaro canta en el árbol.
C.El perro prepara la cena en la cocina.
D.El gato duerme en el sofá.
Challenging
Ana no baila. Luis no canta. Pedro canta. María baila. ¿Quién canta y quién baila?
A.Ana canta y Luis baila.
B.Pedro canta y María baila.
C.Luis canta y Ana baila.
D.María canta y Pedro baila.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing FreeMore from Temas Adicionales
Spanish for other grades
Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening?"?
¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening? is a Grade 3 Spanish lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in ¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening??
You'll be able to: Identify at least 8 out of 10 Spanish vocabulary words related to current events (e.g., noticias, el clima, deportes) in a written matching exercise; Apply learned vocabulary and grammar to construct at least 3 original….
Is "¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening?" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with ¿Qué Está Pasando? - What's Happening??
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.