¡Bienvenido a la clase de español 1!
Señorita Butler
______313.432.5772
¡Bienvenido! Welcome! In this class you will learn how to speak Spanish at the beginning level. This class is the same Spanish I class offered at the high school level and is counted as high school credit. Students earning a grade of “B-“or higher will typically be recommended for Spanish II.
Materials:
v You are required to bring all of the following to class:
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o A three-ring binder (at least 1 inch)
o 8 dividers or colored pieces of paper to divide binder
o Loose leaf paper
o A black/blue pen
o A pencil
o 3 x 5 index cards
o Planner
o Realidades textbook
o Brain (muy importante)
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v If you are having difficulty getting any of these materials please let me know and we can work something out. J
Grade Scale:
The grade scale will not be subject to change. Grades will not be calculated by use of a curve. Marking period, Midterm Exam, Final Exam and semester grades will be rounded up to the nearest percent; therefore 89.5% or above would be a 90%, 89.4% is a B+, etc.
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Grade Percentage
A+ 98+
A 93-97
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
E 0-59
Grade Distribution:
Participation 15%
Class work/homework 25%
Quizzes 30%
Tests 30%
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The semester grade is calculated as the follows:
1st Marking Period 40%
2nd Marking Period 40%
Semester exam 20%
Course Schedule Summary:
The first semester will cover chapters “Para Empezar” (PE) through 4B, all of which will be on the Midterm Exam. Chapters 5A through 8B will be covered in the second semester, with all chapters being assessed on the Final Exam. Each chapter excluding “PE” is broken down into two sections “A” and “B”. Each section will be covered in approximately 2 weeks (this may vary depending on the material being covered). There will be one test and approximately two quizzes per section. Test and quiz dates will be announced in advance in class and posted on the class website and calendar. Class activities, homework assignments and all other useful information will be posted on the website as well. In class, students will be provided with handouts, examples, valuable activities and note taking opportunities to help learn the material. If a student would like further practice, additional materials can be found online at the textbook website and/or the class website. Additional handouts/practice can be provided from the teacher upon request. Binder checks may be conducted at the teacher’s discretion therefore it is extremely important to maintain an organized and comprehensive binder. (You will find more directions on the “binder outline” handout.)
Attendance/Make-Up Work:
v If a student misses class and the absence is excused then he/she will have a time equal to the time missed to make up any applicable assignment/quiz/test. Arrangements can be made for anyone with an extended absence. Furthermore, it is the students’ responsibility to find out the class work missed and/or set up the date and time of the makeup quiz/test with the teacher.
v If a student has an unexcused absence, he/she will not be able to make up the assignment/quiz/test/etc. of that day.
v Assignments or assessments that were scheduled in advance should be turned in or completed upon returning to class. If a student misses a review before a test, the student must take the test on the day of return, unless otherwise agreed upon.
v All students (including athletes and choir/band members) who will be missing class because of a scheduled event, appointment, or family vacation must notify the teacher in advance and make arrangements to make up the missed work.
v Missed work can be found online. It can also be found in the absent folder that corresponds to the students’ hour.
Late Work:
Work is considered late if it is not presented and/or completed at the time it is being checked in/collected. Missing assignments will be accepted for a maximum of half credit, further points can be deducted based upon the accuracy and quality of the work. All late work is due by the last day of the corresponding quarter – no exceptions!
Extra Credit:
A very limited opportunity to earn extra credit may be offered to the entire class at the teacher’s discretion. This extra credit will typically relate to a curriculum oriented activity/event. Extra credit opportunities are not an alternative to learning necessary classroom material.
Participation:
Participation is extremely important in learning the language; therefore it is valued highly in this class. The student has control over his/her own participation grade. Students earn these points when they speak in Spanish by asking/answering a question, stay on task, say “hola”/”buenos días/”adios”/”hasta luego,” etc. to classmates and teacher. Students begin each 2-week period with 10 points; loss of participation points involves tardiness, misconduct, and/or insubordination. If a student wishes to make up missed participation points then he/she may set up a time to meet with the teacher (no more than once a week) to practice speaking Spanish – a maximum of 5 points may be earned during the meeting and may not be used towards extra credit. We will also have periodical self-evaluations of participation during the year.
Expectations:
v My fabulous carretilla (cart), along with all its bells and whistles, is off limits. ¡No la toques! No touchy!
v Students may not use/touch the SMART board and its accessories unless permitted by the teacher.
v The bell does not dismiss the class – I do.
v Do your own work. Use of online translators, copying others’ work and/or any other means of excessive help from someone else will result in a zero grade for the assignment.
v Be respectful of others’ property, opinions, thoughts and work.
v Be on time and come prepared with the necessary materials.
v Treat others as you would like to be treated.
v Engage in/Focus on this classroom; all other distractions are not permitted – especially cell phones! If a student is caught using a cell phone, the battery/phone will be confiscated and turned into the office. Don’t tempt me.
v I have the right to modify/add rules as the year progresses.
Help:
If there are any questions in class about the assignments, etc. that we are currently doing, please ask. If you have questions about past assignments, make up work, etc., please see me before/after school or otherwise schedule an appointment with me. I will not discuss make up work, etc. during instruction time as it takes away from the time that we have together as a class.
***Please contact me if you have questions, comments, concerns. The best manner to reach me is through email. I look forward to working with you for the success of your student! ***
Parent/Student Signature:
Please read with your parent/guardian the entire syllabus and then sign below. Please keep this syllabus in your 3-ring binder for future reference. Detach this part of the syllabus and return to Señorita B. by ______.
I have read and gone over all 3 pages of Señorita B.’s Spanish I syllabus. By signing this form, I am acknowledging that I understand the policies and guidelines that the syllabus outlines. I am also recognizing that I agree to help ______follow these policies & guidelines. (please print student’s name)
Student Signature: ______Date: ______
Student Name (please print): ______
Parent/Guardian Signature: ______Date: ______
Parent/Guardian Name (please print): ______
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