Rancho Alamitos High School
Spanish 1P Syllabus 2012-13
Sra. Nevarez Room 605
714-663-6415
Course Overview:
This course introduces students to Spanish culture and it develops and fosters students reading, writing, speaking and listening skills as established by the Garden Grove Unified School District. Equal emphasis is placed upon developing skills in areas of grammar.
Course Objectives:
By the end of this course students will be able to:
· Engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
· Understand and interpret written and spoken Spanish on a variety of topics.
· Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
· Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and perspectives of the Spanish and Hispanic cultures, and make comparisons between these cultures and your own.
· Show evidence of becoming a life-long learner by using Spanish for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
· Write short letters and compositions.
Materials:
Required materials:
In order to be successful in this course, students are required to have and bring to class every day:
En Español 1, textbook and workbook (issued by RAHS bookroom).
Suggested list of materials:
Interactive notebook Glue stick Blue or black pen
Zip Lock bag Index Card
Grading Guidelines:
Academic grades reflect a student’s mastery of district approved, state or national content standards.
Grading will be done on a 100% weighted scale as follows:
Formative Assessment (Progress Monitoring) Academic Grade: (Student’s level of mastery)
Class Participation and Notebook 10% Advanced: 100-90% A
Quizzes and Benchmarks (all skills) 20% Proficient: 89-80% B
Basic: 79-70% C
Summative Assessment (Assessment of Mastery) Below Basic: 69-60% D
Written Projects: 15% Far Below Basic: 59-0% F
Oral Presentations: 15%
Exams: (Chapter) 20%
Final Exam: (Benchmark) 10%
Homework: 10%
Class Participation and Effort: (Formative Assessment)
Consist of active participation in class activities for a total of 5 daily points: 4 points for individual and group participation and 1 point for completing the daily warm-up activity. Students will be expected to use Spanish in class. Participation points will be deducted when students use vocabulary or phrases in English that they already have learned in Spanish. Three free passes will be given per semester without penalizing the student.
Notebook: (Formative Assessment)
Maintaining an interactive notebook containing class notes, and other papers assigned in class. The notebook will be collected each quarter.
Quizzes: (Formative Assessment)
Quizzes will be given at least once per week to determine the level of mastery of the material being taught at the time.
Benchmark: (Formative Assessment)
A benchmark exam will be given each quarter to monitor student progress.
Projects and Presentations: (Summative Assessment)
Students will be assigned projects according to the material learned. Rubrics will be given for each project. Projects may include oral recordings or presentations, posters, postcards, video presentation, maps or Power Point presentations. Students will be expected to complete the prompts in Spanish.
Exams: (Summative Assessment)
The tests cover the material for the objectives learned in each chapter or “etapa”.
Final Exam: (Summative Assessment)
A comprehensive exam that covers the entire first semester in January as well as all second semester material will be administered in June. The final exam consists of a written and an oral exam developed and taken district-wide.
Homework:
There is always homework in Foreign Language. Even if there are no exercises to write, there are always vocabulary phrases or grammar concepts to study and practice. A minimum of twenty minutes per day should be allocated for homework. Homework exercises are excellent reinforces and will be counted for points.
Citizenship Mark: Relate to a student’s conduct in the class.
Work Habits Mark: Relate to attendance, completion of assignments, and use of class study time.
I am here to ensure your success in acquiring Spanish. Please feel free to ask for any and all help. I will be more than happy to do everything that I can to help you succeed. The expectations, procedures and policies are designed to make your experience the best it can be.
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Please refer to the back of this document to review the General Classroom Management Plan and Classroom Expectations.
My parent/guardian and I understand and agree to follow the guidelines of Sra. Nevarez’s Spanish 1P class.
______
Student Name/Printed Period
______
Student Signature Date
______
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
Keep this information sheet in your Interactive Notebook for quick reference.
Please refer to the attached document to review the General Classroom Management Plan and Classroom Expectations.
General Classroom Management Plan
General Classroom Rules
1. Follow classroom rules, procedures and instructions the first time they are given.
2. Accept responsibility for you own actions.
3. Be attentive and productively engaged (on task) in all classroom activities.
4. Be considerate and well mannered, act politely and speak respectfully to teachers, adults and other students.
5. Have all materials and supplies at your desk and begin to work as soon as you enter the classroom.
Reward System for Individual Student
1. Bonus participation points.
2. Notify your parents about your accomplishments. Letter of recommendation.
3. You earned it! Coupon: Reading time, Music time, Computer time.
Rewards for the Entire Class
The class will work toward a common goal. A predetermined number of points for specific good behavior displayed during a specific amount of time will be set. Upon reaching the goal, the reward will be obtained.
Some of the possible rewards: Listen to music; conduct the class outside on the lawn.
Consequences for misbehavior
First time: Verbal warning: Correct your behavior
Second time: Private Conference: After school to set goals to help you correct the behavior (10 minutes)
and loss of participation points.
Third time: Detention: Loss of participation points, call home, and 20 minutes after school detention.
Citizen or Work Habits mark lowered to N.
Fourth Time: Referral sent to counselor/administrator. Citizenship or Work Habits mark lowered to U.
Fifth Time: Administrator, teacher, counselor, parent and student conference after referral to the grade
level administrator.
Note: You have up to 2 days to serve detention. If you miss serving detention, a referral to your administrator will be issued.
Classroom Expectations:
Be on time:
• Arrive to class on time. If you are late to class, you will forfeit your five participation points that are earned each day in class.
• Students are dismissed when the teacher has dismissed the class. Te bell does not dictate the end of the class. Students are then to gather their materials, straighten their desks, and pick up any trash around their desk before leaving the classroom.
• Three to five tardies will result in an “N” work habits and above five tardies earn a “U” work habits grade for the quarter/semester as well as the loss of class participation points. In addition, the school’s tardy policy is adhered to in this classroom. If you are in class and seated when the bell rings, tardies will not be a problem for you. Tardies accumulate for the entire semester.
Be prepared: (Work Habits Mark)
• Always use the Spanish language to communicate in class. Even if you know only a few words, use it; the more you use Spanish, the better you will feel and the more comfortable it will become.
• If we already went over a word or phrase, you are responsible for remembering it and knowing it; it can appear anywhere, be asked anytime, and will be used in communicating from now on.
• Always complete your homework and be prepared to write it on the board and answer questions. Late work will not be accepted.
• Always bring your book, workbook, interactive notebook, and your black or blue pen. You may use a pencil during exams and quizzes.
• The textbook and workbook checked out to you are your responsibility. Do not write in or on them, and keep them covered. Fines are given for damaged books.
• Take proper Cornell notes and complete all assignments neatly for when the notebook is collected.
Make up your work when absent: (Work Habits Mark)
• Excellent attendance is necessary. Students will be allowed one day for each day absent to make up a test, quiz, or assignment; however, if you are present when the test, quiz or assignment is announced you are responsible for it on the day it is required of the class (if you are back in class).
• It is your responsibility to be prepared for the following day including homework and announced quizzes, exams and projects. Visit my website at www.ranchoalamitoshs.org or send me an e-mail at to be aware of the material covered in class.
Be respectful: (Conduct Mark)
• When I am talking, I have the floor. (No disruptions!)
• When I ask a question, raise your hand, wait to be called on, and then answer.
• When you answer the question, you have the floor. Therefore, no other person should be talking.
• No person should talk badly of another student or faculty or staff member in my classroom. Everyone is to be respected for who they are and the special talents they have.
• No person should have a headset on, be listening to music, gossiping about what happened last night, fixing their make-up etc…
• No food in class – this also means gum, etc. The only drink that is permitted is water!
• Respect is to be given at all times, in all forms. That means, in communicating, in actions and behaviors, and in regards to materials and objects in the room.
Turn in quality work on time: (Work Habit Mark)
• Late work will not be accepted. Assignments are due the day assigned.
• Work must be neat and legible in blue or black ink. Work done in any other color will not be accepted.
• Head your papers with your full name, date and period number. Include a title for the assignment.
Study regularly: (Work Habit Mark)
• The verb “procrastinate” means to put off from day to day, to delay or to defer to a future time. It is a verb that we want you to understand because procrastinating has caused the failure, or near failure, of many young language students. Do not procrastinate. Study regularly. Allow yourself time to study and practice new material and time to review all material previously studied. If you do not understand a lesson or an assignment, make arrangements with the teacher to get help before or after school. Do not get behind. Do no procrastinate.
• Use the following website to practice vocabulary: www.conjuguemos.com
Participate in class activities: (Work Habit/Grade/Citizenship Mark)
• Four points are available each day for participation and readiness to work. No points are given for failure to pay attention, lack of materials, talking out of turn, tardiness, leaving the classroom without a free pass, failure to cover your book, grooming in classroom, being out of your seat without permission, or refusing to participate in lessons.
• Only assignments for Foreign Language will be worked on in the Foreign Language classroom. If you choose to do work for other classes, the work will be thrown away and no activity points will be given for that day.
Attend tutoring:
• Cross-age tutoring will be held if tutors are available from the Foreign Language Clubs or advanced classes. Records are kept. Three visits (one hour total) may be used to retake one failed test or one failed quiz per quarter. The test/quiz must be made up within one week after the third tutoring session. No test retakes will be allowed during the last week of each quarter. Tutoring will be for students who need extra help with concept reinforcement not for grade padding.
Follow school’s policies: (Citizenship Mark)
• The school’s policies for conduct, dress, and attendance will be followed at all times. The behavior and atmosphere n a class must be conducive to learning. The use of profanity will not be tolerated and a referral will be issued immediately
Take good notes: (Work Habits/Grade Mark)
• Cornell Note-Taking is one effective method. Start by using the main section of your notebook page to take down notes during class. Leave space on the left and bottom. Get the main points. Don’t write every word.
Leave blanks in your notes to add explanations. Watch for cues such as repetition and/or emphasis. Indicate main ideas and supporting points as you go. Jot down key vocabulary, key facts, and formulas.
• After class review your notes and fill in any blanks. Underline, highlight, and use symbols to sort through the information. After you’ve reviewed your notes, on the left side write down key words and questions our teacher might ask on a test. At the bottom of each page, write a summary of notes. This helps you digest what you’ve learned, and will improve your memory of the notes, for future tests.
• Cover the main section of the page and use the key words and questions in the left margin as a quiz.
Test-Taking Tips: (Grades)
• Eat well. Studies show that you need good nutrition to concentrate and perform your best.
• Bring pencils and an eraser on the test day.
• Listen to instructions by teacher and see how many sections and what types of questions are on the test. Consider how much time to allow for each section based on the difficulty and point value.
• Read the directions. Ask questions if a question is not clear.
• Answer easy questions first. You may come across information that can help you later.
• Answer every question.
• Identify key words.
• Write neatly. Be sure you don’t lose points on answers the teacher can’t read.
• Use all of the time you are given. If you finish early, use the extra time to proofread and edit your answers
Academic Dishonesty:
• Academic dishonesty (cheating) will not be tolerated. Cheating is considered any overt or covert action of copying another student’s work and claiming it as one’s own. Academic dishonesty is also plagiarism: taking the words of another as being of one’s own creation. The use of on-line translators, translating programs or walking translating apparatuses also constitutes academic dishonesty. Depending on the severity of the infraction, consequences range from a parent/teacher conference with an administrator to failing and being dropped from the class.