New Smyrna Beach High School
Course Syllabus
Course Title: Spanish 3 honors, 2016-2017
Instructor’s Information:
Name— Mr. Chris Gellermann
Contact Information— or
Office hours M, T, W, Th Tutoring: Mondays and Thursdays after school
Resources and materials needed for the class:
• Textbook will be issued: Book: Español Santillana, High School 3 ($83.95 if lost, damaged or stolen)
You must bring it to class every day. It must be covered details to be provided in class.
· Student Practice Workbook: Español Santillana, High School 3 ( $10 if lost, damaged or stolen)
You must bring it to class every day.
• Have a 2” 3-ring binder with paper for your Spanish portfolio.
· Earbuds for language lab listening activities
Recommended Resources:
• Googledocs, dropbox or Microsoft Office 365 account
• Spanish/English dictionary
• Lots of note cards to make your own flashcards
• Highlighters
Course Description:
Learning Spanish as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala changed my life. Learning a new language gave me access into new cultures and perspectives. I consider myself extremely lucky to have the opportunity to pass the magic and excitement of language on to others. I welcome you to my classroom.
Congratulations on making it to your 3rd consecutive year of Spanish. Spanish 3 is an honors class. Many colleges are now looking for students who have more than 2 years of a World Language. If you are planning to go to college you have made a good decision to take this course. And beyond college, improving your Spanish will open up many opportunities for you in the future!
Level 3 students have displayed not only interest in the language and culture of the Spanish speaking world, but have demonstrated the ability to grasp vocabulary and grammatical concepts and put them to use in interpreting and producing language. This year you will hone and perfect skills learned over the past 2 years. In addition, you will learn some new tenses such as the imperfect past, the perfect tenses (which are formed with the auxiliary verb Haber) the subjunctive, as well as some other grammatical structures. However, the focus will not be on just learning grammatical structures and new vocabulary, but to actually use what you have studied to complete communicative tasks in the Spanish language. Ultimately this is what the AP Spanish language exam is about, completing communicative tasks and demonstrating literacy in the target language.
The focus of the class is to become more adept, competent and above all, confident in interpreting written and spoken Spanish as well as producing written and oral language. Your texts and other resources that we will use in class will expose you to authentic written and aural materials on an array of topics, and challenge you to interpret. The days of speaking English in the Spanish classroom are over. In the Level 3 class students are expected to immerse themselves in a Spanish speaking environment. You will speak informally and formally with teacher and peers in Spanish every day.
Culture will continue to be a focus in the level 3 class. However, our units will not be exclusively organized by Spanish speaking countries or regions, but by broader topics of human interest:
Unidad 1- ¿Cómo eres?
Unidad 2- Entre amigos
Unidad 3- Tus cosas
Unidad 4- Vida sana
Unidad 5- ¿Trabajas?
Unidad 6- Tus aficiones
Unidad 7- Por el planeta
Unidad 8- En Sociedad
These themes mesh with the 6 themes of AP Spanish. In reading and listening to authentic sources related to these topics you will gain further insights into the unique perspectives of the Spanish Speaking world and prepare yourself for taking AP Spanish and Culture in the future.
All activities in this class will relate to the 2011 FLORIDA NEXT GENERATION WORLD LANGUAGES STANDARDS (see below).
Course Objectives:
2011 FLORIDA NEXT GENERATION WORLD LANGUAGES STANDARDS
World Languages Modes of Communication1. Interpretive Listening:
The student will be able to understand and interpret information, concepts, and ideas orally from a variety of culturally authentic sources on a variety of topics in the target language.
2. Interpretive Reading:
The student will be able to understand and interpret information, concepts, and ideas in writing from a variety of culturally authentic sources on a variety of topics in the target language.
3. Interpersonal Communication
The student will be able to engage in conversations and exchange information, concepts, and ideas orally and in writing with a
variety of speakers or readers on a variety of topics in a culturally appropriate context in the target language.
4. Presentational Speaking
The student will be able to present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners on a variety of topics in a
culturally appropriate context in the target language.
5. Presentational Writing
The student will be able to present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of readers on a variety of topics in a culturally
appropriate context in the target language.
Intercultural Standards
6. Culture
The student will be able to use the target language to gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among
practices, products, and perspectives of cultures other than his/her own.
7. Connections: The student will be able to acquire, reinforce, and further his/her knowledge of other disciplines through the
target language.
8. Comparisons: The student will be able to develop insight into the nature of the target language and culture by comparing
his/her own language(s) and cultures to others.
9. Communities: The student will be able to use the target language both within and beyond the school setting to investigate
and improve his/her world beyond his/her immediate surroundings for personal growth and enrichment.
Instructional Methods:
Various teaching methods will be implemented in the course such as: Gradual release, partner dialog, choral response, cooperative learning, project based learning, close reading, reciprocal reading, direct teaching (lecture), computer based language lab, BYOT, skits, video and film, audio listening activities and student self-reflection on learning.
Homework/ Classwork Policy:
Students who are submitting late work (due to absence) have one day, or one day for each day absent (whichever is greater), to submit work unless the teacher determines there are extenuating circumstances which necessitate an extension. It will be a best practice for students to make up tests within a school week of the original assigned date unless the teacher determines there are extenuating circumstances which necessitate an extension.
Intervention and Remediation:
The focus of instruction should be on getting students to achieve their full learning potential.
· When students demonstrate a lack of proficiency on standards they must receive intervention(s), which may lead to assessment retakes or alternative assignments.
· When students demonstrate a lack of mastery on standards they may receive intervention(s) that require them to attend office hours on 4 designated days of each week. Office hours take place during the first thirty minutes of the lunch period on the four assigned days listed above. World Language classes have office hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but not on Friday.
· Each 9 week grading period, students shall have the opportunity to retake at least one summative assessment. All retakes require that the student attend office hours for intervention assistance on the 4 designated days in order to retake a test during office hours. Additional retakes shall be determined based upon individual student data.
Grading Practices:
Students and parents need timely and accurate feedback in order to effectively monitor learning progress.
· Best practice: Grade book should be updated weekly (except in the case of extensive assignments or unusual circumstances).
· When a student’s score on a retake is less than the original score, the higher score should be used. Scores should not be averaged.
Letter grades are a reflection of the student’s level of academic achievement on the courses’ performance standards as defined in the high school curriculum guides/maps. The following grade scale shall be used to determine a letter grade and the following quality point system shall be used to determine grade point average and honor roll:
Grade / Grade Range / Quality Points / DescriptionA / 90-100 / 4.0 / Outstanding Progress (Mastery)
B / 80-89 / 3.0 / Above Average Progress
C / 70-79 / 2.0 / Average Progress (Proficiency)
D / 60-69 / 1.0 / Lowest Acceptable Progress
F / 0-59 / 0.0 / Failure
I / 0.0 / In progress toward grade level proficiency
in skills and concepts
Grading Procedures and Weights
Diagnostic (class work/home work/pre-tests/practice quizzes, etc.)...... 0%
Formative (All graded assignments/class work/ homework/quizzes)……………..40%
Summative (Unit Tests/Projects/Etc)...... 60%
4th nine weeks:
Diagnostic (class work/home work/pre-tests/practice quizzes, etc.)...... 0%
Formative (All graded assignments/class work/ homework/quizzes)……………..40%
Summative (Unit Tests/Projects/Etc)...... 50%
End of Course Exam (May)……………………………………………………… 10%
Class Participation:
All students are expected to take an active part in the learning environment of the classroom. This means coming to class on time and being prepared to learn.
Academic Dishonesty:
The Volusia County School Board’s Code of Student Conduct has defined Academic Dishonesty as a level II offense. Academic Dishonesty is defined as “Dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the school district. Such behavior may result in reduction in grades, classroom discipline as determined by the instructor, suspension or expulsion from school and/or school activities including student organizations”.
Guidelines for Success:
Students and parents are expected to track grades frequently on the VIMs on-line grade book. In addition I post daily objectives, class work, homework, and upcoming assessments through my teacher link on the school website on a daily basis.
In addition to office hours I provide tutoring.
***Tutoring will be available 2 days after school between 2:45-3:30pm. In room 5-204 or 5-211.
Tutoring will be on Mondays and Thursdays after school.
In terms of classroom management these are my guidelines:
If you can follow these 3 simple guidelines you will succeed!
1. Self- Motivate
2. Self-Organize
3. Self-Control
Please sign that you have read these course requirements and that you understand your responsibilities to ensure success. Then, have a parent or guardian read and sign. Please discuss with your parent or guardian your personal goals and strategies for having a successful year in this class. Then remove this signature page and return to teacher by due date Friday 9/2/2016. Keep this Course Syllabus in your binder for future reference.
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Class______
Period______
Student’s name: ______
Printed name
Student’s Signature: ______Date: ______
Parent’s Signature: ______Date: ______
ALSO……….Please check and sign the box that applies:
YES, my student, ______(student’s name) has my permission to view “Valentin”, “Which Way Home”, “Even in the Rain” and “Colors of the Mountain”
______(Parent/Guardian Signature)
I DO NOT grant my student, ______(student’s name) permission to view “Valentin”, “Which Way Home”, “Even in the Rain” and “Colors of the Mountain”
______(Parent/Guardian Signature)
• All films have been viewed, approved and deemed appropriate for High School Students.
Working together with parents, school personnel and community members, New Smyrna Beach High School students
will graduate with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be positive contributors to society.