Le français I
Class Syllabus 2012-2013
Bonjour et bienvenue à la classe de français I. Hello and welcome to French I! I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing summer vacation and that you have come back ready to learn. I look forward to some exciting activities that we will complete throughout the course of the school year and am pleased to have you all in my class this year. The purpose of this syllabus is to give you an overview of the material we will be covering in class this year, as well as to inform you of my grading procedures and expectations of you as students in my classroom.
Classroom Rules and Expectations
1)BE RESPECTFUL: I ask that while you are in my classroom you are respectful of me, your fellow students, the property of others, and yourself. This means raising your hand when you would like to speak and listening while others are talking. If you treat me with respect, I will treat you with respect.
2)BE ON TIME & BE PREPARED: I ask that you are in your seat ready to learn with the appropriate materials for class when the bell rings. You have time in between classes, as well as before and after school to use the restroom, stop at your locker and talk to friends, so you should not need to leave the room for any of these reasons once the bell rings. Do NOT be late for class. When the bell rings, be in your seat working on the warm-up activity.
3)NO ELECTRONICS : You should not bring any electronics (cell phones, iPODs, MP3s, cameras, etc.) to class with you. These devices are not allowed in school and you should not have them in class. If you are caught with any electronic device, it will be confiscated. Repeated offenses may result in stricter punishment (detention, in-school suspension, etc.).
4)All other school rules and policies apply. Please make sure you’ve read your student handbook.
Required Materials
You are required to bring the following items to class with you each day, unless otherwise instructed: a writing utensil (pencil or pen), a 3-ring binder, any assigned homework, and a notebook (optional – notebook paper is provided). It is important that you bring these materials to class with you everyday so that you will be able to participate fully in each day’s lesson.
Our textbook that we will use is “Discovering French – Bleu” by Jean-Paul Valette and Rebecca M. Valette.
Grading
Grades will be measured by points earned on quizzes, tests, homework, class participation, oral presentations/speaking tests, projects and notebook checks completed throughout the course of each marking period. You will have the opportunity to earn bonus or extra credit points several times throughout the grading period. Grades will be updated weekly and will be available to view online through PowerSchool.
Notebook Checks
I will be conducting notebook checks throughout the year. I feel it is important for you to keep your materials in a location where you will be able to find them when needed without having to ask me for a new copy every time you come to class. Therefore, I am going to require that you keep notes, in-class worksheets and returned graded assignments in a 3-ring binder. The size of the binder is up to you, but I would recommend at least a one-inch binder so that you will have room for all of your materials. Notebook checks will be conducted once per marking period and will be scored on organization and whether the required work/notes was found in the notebook.
Class Participation Grade (May be implemented at some point in the year if necessary)
Class participation is especially important when learning another language, because we need to learn how to speak, listen, read and write in the new language. We will spend a lot of time in class practicing all of these skills. To encourage class participation, you can earn up to 5 points per day for class participation. To earn all 5 points, you must have all of the required materials, have homework completed, be on time to class, be attentive and respectful, and actively participate in the day’s lesson. Failure to do any of these things will result in the loss of some or all of your class participation points for the day.
If you are absent, you make make-up these points by completing an assignment from the day(s) you missed. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed and see what you need to do to make up the points.
Homework, tests, quizzes and projects
Tests, quizzes, and in class assignments will make up the majority of your grades for this class. Some tests, quizzes or assignments may have a speaking component. Speaking is a very important part of learning a new language. You WILL be graded on your ability to speak in French. If you are uncomfortable speaking in a foreign language you may want to reconsider this class.
In addition, you will also be graded on homework assignments and projects throughout the year. If homework is assigned, you will earn 5 points just for completing it on time, unless I state that it will be graded differently. In order to earn these 5 points, your work must be completed prior to arriving to class.
We will complete projects on various topics throughout the year. All projects will consist of a writing component and a speaking component. You will be given time in class to work on projects.
Missed Work/Absences
I understand that there may be situations that cause you to miss class (illness, sports, field trips, etc.). In these situations, it is your responsibility to make up any work you have missed while you were out. I will keep a folder for each class on the cabinet next to the windows, along with a notebook saying what we did in class each day, as well as the class participation assignment (if applicable). When you return from an absence, you should look in the notebook to find out what you missed and then check the folder to see if there are any papers/notes that you need to pick up. Work that was assigned before your absence is due the day you return. If you missed a test or quiz, you make see me to schedule a time to make it up. Tests and quizzes must be made up within a week of when you return to class.
Topics for the Year
Unité 1: BONJOUR
We will choose French names, learn how to greet others, introduce ourselves to others, learn the French alphabet and pronunciation, numbers1-60, and how to tell time.
Unité 2:LES COPAINS ET LA FAMILLE
We will learn to talk about people, including friends, family, pets, ages, days of the week, months of the year and numbers 60-100.
Unité 3: BON APPÉTIT!
We will learn vocabulary for food, how to ask if someone is hungry or thirsty, how to ask how much something costs, and how to describe the weather.
Unité 4: QU’EST-CE QU’ON FAIT?
We will learn how to talk to about our daily activities, preferences, and wishes. We will learn the verb “être” (to be), the question word “Ou?,” how to ask and answer questions with yes/no answers, and we will start learning regular –er verbs and the verb “faire” (to make/to do).
Unité 5: LE MONDE PERSONNEL ET FAMILIER
We will learn how to describe people and possessions, use the verb “avoir” (to have), feminine, masculine and plural articles and adjectives, adjectives of nationality, and colors.
Unité 6: EN VILLE
We will learn how to describe places commonly found in cities/towns (ex. Mall, movie theater, etc.), rooms of the house, and how to give directions. Students will complete a project where they will create a board game using new vocabulary.
Paris: We will complete a study of the city of Paris focusing on well-known landmarks, monuments and museums. Students will complete a project where they plan an imaginary trip to Paris.
I hope that this syllabus will be helpful to you throughout the course of the year. Please keep it in your notebook (this is something I will be checking for) and refer to it as needed. If you have any other questions about the rules or policies of my class or if you are having any other problems throughout the course of the year please don’t hesitate to ask. If you ever feel you need extra help, please come see me; that’s why I’m here. I look forward to working with you this school year!
Madame Adlon
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THIS PORTION
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