Bienvenidos a la clase de…

SPANISH IV Syllabus

Gallia Academy High School•2855 Centenary Road • Gallipolis, OH 45631

Academic Year 2012-2013

Instructor: Señora (Mrs.) Stephanie Creighton

Room 209AEducation Connection: (740) 446-4320 # 1119

High School telephone number: (740) 446-3212ext. 1209

Email:

Conference/planning period: 7th period (12:37-1:19)

Course Description

¡Bienvenidos!Welcome to Spanish IV! This class is designed to develop,support, and strengthenstudents' advanced skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writinginthe Spanish language. The curriculum will also include the discussion of cultural practices of peoples throughout theSpanish-speaking world. This student-centered course will be taught in Spanish with acommunicative-oriented, input-to-output approach which enables students and classmates to make active use of their Spanish skills to negotiate meaning in a context, paving the way for real communicative situations outside the classroom! It is recommended for a student to have had at least a “B” average in Spanish III to continue to this level.

Expected Learning Outcomes: Students will…

Engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in Spanish.

Understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics in Spanish.

Present information, concepts, and ideas in Spanish to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.

Reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.

Acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.

Demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.

Demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

Use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

Show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Required Materials (to be used daily)

Texts: ¡Buenviaje!(Glencoe McGraw Hill), Leyendaslatinoamericanas(Glencoe McGraw Hill), Album (D.C. Heath), and others; all provided during class

Films: Buried Mirror and Cities of Light series, Vanguard documentary, LaMisma Luna, MiFamilia, and others; all provided during class.

3-ring binder: with the following five sections:

(Your syllabus is to be kept at the front of your notebook.)

EN CLASE (bell ringers, book activities, group work, etc.)

VOCABULARIO (vocabulary handouts, lists, and notes)

GRAMÁTICA (grammar notes and handouts)

CULTURA (culturally related information, handouts, and assignments)

TAREA y ExÁmenes (homework assignments to turn in, graded & returned compositions, quizzes, and other assignments)

Loose leaf paper for binder and class work

Pencils, red or other colored pens, and highlighter(s)

Course Requirements (similar to Spanish I)

Students must complete and participate in the following in order to receive credit:

  1. Maintain and bring to class the notebook with all the class notes, handouts, and assignments pertaining to the current chapters and lessons.
  2. Participation, in-class work and activities, and homework* completion is expected. * Homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the day after assigned unless otherwise directed. (NO CREDIT FOR LATE /INCOMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS)
  3. Take tests and quizzes.
  4. Punctuality and Attendance- as per Student Handbook *It is the responsibility of the student to get assignments missed due to absence.*
  5. Follow all GAHS Student Handbook rules.

Quarterly Grading Criteria

Notebook (5%) / Oral Exams/Presentation/Project (20%)
Homework(expect daily HW) (10%) / Compositions/Comentarios/Essays(25%)
Participation (10%) / Quarterly Assessment (15%)
Exams and Quizzes (15%) / Total=100%

Participation and Rubric

Participation will be graded on a 0-5 scale daily. You can get a maximum of 5 points/day. Your participation grade is affected by effort to express yourself in Spanish,collaboration in pair/group work and with the teacher, responsibility and attitude.

Rubric for participation:

5 point student: Above and beyond good! You go the “extra mile.”

I saw and heard you do all of the following: You were respectful and listened carefully when other spoke; spoke in Spanish when instructed; asked and answered questions; gave your opinions; and made positive contributions to class discussions (i.e. stayed on task, looked for ways to help out, volunteered, and so on.)

4 point student: Good participation

I saw and heard you do most of the items listed above, and you did them most of the time.

3 point student: Average participation

I saw and heard you do at least some of the items listed above.

Below average participation of student: You can do better

You did very little of any of the items listed above.

*0 points -if caught using cell phone or it is out on your desk + GAHS cell phone policy applies*

Extra Help:

If class or the assignments start to become difficult for you, or you would like extra help of any kind, with the appropriate pass written, you may come to my planning period (7th) during school. Also, I will be available after school for Spanish tutoring on Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 4:15pm in our Spanish classroom 209A. If you cannot come during those hours, we can try to arrange a day that will work for both of us. This is a good time to make-up missing work or to come and ask questions about something you have not understood. Please come to see me, even if you just have a small question. You are also welcome to come and practice your Spanish.Parents/Guardians, I would be happy to sign a letter stating that your son/daughter attended tutoring.

A final note:

I very much look forward to getting to know and work with you all soon! Read, follow the directions, and detach the following pages to do your first homework assignment!

First Homework Assignment:

  1. Take the following letter to your parents/guardians.
  2. After your parents/guardians read the letter, detach the last half to sign.
  3. Read over the syllabus carefully and sign your section of the letter.
  4. Have your parents/guardians do the same with their section of the letter.
  5. Turn the detached portion in by Friday, August 24, 2012.

Dear Parents and/or Guardians,

Hello! My name is Stephanie Creighton and I will be your child's new Spanish teacher this coming school year at Gallia Academy High School! I am a graduate of Warren High School in Vincent, Ohio and attended Ohio University in Athens. I majored in Spanish and Spanish Education and minored in Political Science. This past June, I finished a Master of Arts in Spanish degree program to offer the best quality teaching and Spanish to my students. One of my favorite times during my Student Teaching experience occurred when a game I created to practice with Spanish III students ended and they kept asking me for more material to keep playing! Who knew practicing the subjunctive mood could be fun?! I cannot wait to create memories like this in the classroom teaching your students!

This year with the help of the ¡Buenviaje! Textbook series and a few other grammar texts, I plan on beginning with a strong comprehensive review of the grammar and vocabulary covered in the previous three Spanish courses. This will include all of the regularities and irregularities that come along with conjugating verbs in Spanish in all the simple and compound tenses, with work as well on mood and aspect changes of the language, that are not so common to English. We will also incorporate work with all the other parts of speech, practicing them, as well as the key modes of communication: listening, speaking, reading, and writing with a few short story collections that the school owns, the Buried Mirror cultural film series, and others.

To contact me, you may call me at the school and my classroom extension:(740) 446-3212 ext. 1209, send email to my school email , and of course I would be pleased to meet you in person at the parent/teacher conferences on November 8 and 12 later this fall, in order to discuss academic progress and social development. I look forward to seeing your child on the first day of school and know with your support and cooperation it will be a wonderful and productive school year!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Creighton

------Cut out and return the following section------

SPANISH IVNombre: ______

Fecha:______

First homework assignment: Earn your first 10 homework points by following the steps below and return the next section to Sra. Creighton by Friday, August 24th, 2012.

Student: Carefully read the syllabus. Then sign Part A below.

I have read the information included in the Spanish IV syllabus. I know I can be successful in this class by doing my part to maintain good attendance, participate in class, complete homework, get help if needed in advance of tests and quizzes, and promptly find out what work I missed to turn it in after being absent.

A. Student signature______Date ______

Parents/Guardians: After reading my letter to you, please: keep it to stay in touch with me, read the syllabus we will use for the course, and complete sections A-E (on the reverse side). ¡Gracias!

I/We have read the syllabus and understand the importance of encouraging our student to maintain good attendance, class participation, homework completion, and to seek help if needed in advance of tests and quizzes. We know that we can contact the teacher by phone or email.

A. Parent/Guardian signature______Date ______

B. Name and phone # of parent or guardian to contact if needed to discuss student’s progress

______

C. E-mail address ______

D. Internet access at home? Yes _____ No _____

E. Parents/Guardians, I really want to hear from you about your son or daughter. Please take a moment to share helpful information about your student and/or list your questions/comments regarding the course.

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