Western Mennonite School
Course Syllabus
Course Title: Spanish IV Instructor: Mrs. Sommer Grade Level: High School Course Description: The Spanish program is designed to enhance student knowledge of Spanish language and culture by making comparisons and connections to students’ backgrounds and experiences. In Spanish IV students will reinforce what they already know about speaking, reading, writing and listening by scaffolding even more vocabulary, grammar and cultural knowledge. The class will be designed to encourage a lot of class conversation and discussion (in Spanish) about international issues as well as topics of interest to the students. The class will focus on conversation and communication skills, and incorporating other content areas into the curriculum. Goals and Objectives: 1. Understand and respond to what others say in Spanish. 2. Comprehend verbal language from authentic and other sources. 3. Comprehend print materials from a variety of authentic and other sources. 4. Write to communicate meaning. 5. Speak to present unrehearsed information. Course Content: Throughout the year we will be using the following tools and covering these topics: Small group conversation International travel Large group conversation Relationships Debate Immigration Spanish films Poverty (domestic and international) Reading a book independently Spanish grammar review Magazines Spanish culture Materials: Provided by school: Ryan, Pam M. Esperanza Renace. USA: Scholastic, Inc., 2002. Print. Davis, Robert L., H. J. Siskin, and Alicia Ramos. Entrevistas: An Introduction to Language and Culture. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2005. Print. Entrevistas workbook. Valette, Jean-Paul, Valette Rebecca M., and Carrera-Hanley, Teresa. Spanish for Mastery 3. USA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1988. Print. Spanish for Mastery 3 workbook. De Cervantes, Miguel and Andrade, Marcel C. Don Quijote de la Mancha. USA: American Eagle Co. Inc., 1996. Print. Spanish-English dictionary Provided by student: Two different colored highlighters Pencil, pen, etc.
September 1, 2011
Grading: Grading will be based on the total points available from the six weeks. The following categories will be a part of the grade: participation, homework, projects, tests and quizzes. It is in your best interest to keep all your work until the end of the semester to use a resource when studying. A = 90-100% B = 80-89 C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = 59 & Below Attendance The best way to learn Spanish is to be immersed in a Spanish environment. This means that the best way for you to learn is to be in class. Although the textbook is helpful, and I can give you assignments that you missed if you were absent, there will be many things that we do in class that cannot be reproduced outside of the classroom. If you know ahead of time that you are going to miss class for sports, choir, etc. you need to let me know at least the day before so that I can give you what you will be missing. If you do not let me know beforehand, come talk to me and I will give you the homework you missed, and expect it to be turned back in by the date that we agree upon. Specific Class Rules / Behavior Expectations: Above everything else, I expect the following things from my students: Respect o for myself: for example, if I ask you to please stop talking, I don’t expect to have to ask you twice o for other students: you will be working in partners and/or groups and I expect you to act responsibly and appropriately while in these groups o for class materials: the books, textbooks, and other materials are valuable and I expect you to treat them as such Effort – even if you don’t know how to say something correctly, or don’t know all the words in Spanish, I will expect you to make an effort, and at least attempt to ask and answer questions in Spanish Food and Drink Food and drink will be allowed until it becomes a problem. Any drinks must have a screw-top lid, and drinking water is strongly encouraged. Cell phones & iPods Cell phones, iPods and MP3 players are not allowed. The use of iPods/iTouch, etc. is not allowed even if using an English-Spanish translator. There are plenty of dictionaries and other resources in the classroom, and you do not need your iPod for any reason in class. If I see any of the previously mentioned items, they will become mine for at least the rest of the day. Late Work Policy Homework assignments may be turned in by the end of the day unless told otherwise. If you do not turn it in when it is due, it will be considered late and points will be withheld as follows: for each day that an assignment is late (up to 5 days), 10% will be deducted. After 5 days late, the best score than can be earned is 50%. For larger projects, the weekend counts as one day. For example, if an assignment was due on Thursday but wasn’t turned in until Monday, the best score that could be received is 70% (10% off for Friday, the weekend, and Monday). I will accept late work until a designated date towards the end of each 6 week period.
September 1, 2011
Cheating Cheating will not be tolerated. If you have cheated on an assignment, you will receive a zero for that assignment, a conversation with the vice-principal, and a phone call home. If cheating occurs again, more serious actions will be taken. I consider copying and pasting from a Spanish-English translator to be cheating. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether or not you are cheating, or simply using your resources. If you are unsure, please talk to me about it. Borrowing Resources The Spanish-English dictionaries and verb books are to be left in the room unless you talk to me about checking them out.
Contact Information: Kelsey Sommer Email: ksommer@westernmennoniteschool.org Telephone Number: 503-363-2000 Ext. 221
Please detach from course syllabus and return by Tuesday, September 13th, 2011.
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September 1, 2011