You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.❞
‒Geoffrey Williams
¡Bienvenido de regreso!! Welcome back!!
I am very delighted to have you return to the Spanish Exploratory 7 class. Our trip to this exciting journey will focus on the different Spanish-speaking countries, cultures and products unique to the Hispanic nations. We will learn how to make comparisons and increase our awareness to the similarities that each culture shares as well as appreciate the differences to that of our culture. Like always, before we begin this adventure, it is necessary for all the travelers to abide by the guidelines. Based from our experience, successful journeys involve the cooperation of everyone. I expect all participants to be respectful and courteous of their classmates and teacher at all times.
As always, our trip will be full of adventure and excitement. Not only will you experience the Spanish culture first hand through a total immersion of the language, but will also have the opportunity to be a part of it. Aside from interactive activities and celebrations, you will have opportunities to attend field trips to Art and Dance Shows as well as participate in some of them during our Hispanic Heritage Month and Winter/Spring concerts. We will continue to have ‘Fiestas’, field trips, and various class activities such as skits, songs and dances. You will also have the chance to listen to native speakers share their experiences. In this class, you will be happy to know that as long as you complete class work in school, I do not give any homework. At the end of the trip, it is my goal that you will be more fluent in speaking the Spanish language in more complex situations and to appreciate the culture. I hope you are packed and ready to go.
This year, all Explo 7 students will be in the Spanish 1 class Standard Class. This was necessary to limit the number of classes required. This will prepare them to take an Advanced Spanish 1 class in the following year.
As always, a trip is not successful without the support and encouragement of each parent. Please feel free to contact me for any questions, suggestions or comments you may have. You may reach me at or call me at 334-284-7130. If you leave a message, I will return your call as soon as possible.
Muchas Gracias .Thank you.
Sincerely, Sra. Henley
Course of Study
Exploratory and Spanish I
Goal Areas and Implementation
Communication: Students will be able to speak, write and comprehend both spoken and written language in the target language. Implemented by the following activities:
· Total immersion of the Spanish language in the classroom.
· Daily Calendar and Weather Review.
· Listening Oral tests, Fluency (one-on-one interview) tests – Spanish I.
· Reading and Writing tests.
· Presentation of movies in the target language.
· Presentation of Bienvenidos/Buen Viaje CD rom and DVD’s.
· Invitation of Native Speakers (exchange students) in class.
· Class Skits, Songs, Dances and Poems.
· Edmodo (online networking application for teachers and students in a safe and controlled environment) for quizzes and tests.
Cultures: Students will be able to learn and appreciate the cultural perspectives of the Spanish-speaking countries. Students will be exposed to different products, food and practices. Implemented by the following activities:
· Celebrate Fiestas on certain Spanish Holidays like Día de los Muertos, La Navidad, Cinco de Mayo, etc.
· Assign Class Projects (ex: “El Mundo Hispano”).
· Field Trips.
Connections: Students will be able to comprehend and create letters, autobiographies, weather, newscast, invitations in the target language. Implemented by the following activities:
· Write “Mi Autobiografia” after completing each chapter of the Bienvenidos/Buen Viaje Textbook.
· Participate/Work with Band department during Winter and Spring Concerts.
· Assign Class Group Projects (ex: “Tarjeta de Invitación” and “Cómo pedir comida en el restaurante”).
Comparisons: Students will be able to increase their awareness and compare and contrast the similarities that each culture shares as well as appreciate the differences. Implemented by the following activities:
· Class Discussions.
· PowerPoint presentations.
· Writing Journals.
Communities: Students will be able to use and put into practice what they have learned. Implemented by the following activities:
· Field Trips (Art and Dance Presentation, Spanish Restaurant).
· Participate in Community Service Projects.
· Participate/Work with the Band department in singing Spanish songs during the Winter and Spring Concert.
· Hispanic Heritage Month School Presentation.
Objectives
1. Participate in a fun and positive interaction with peers or classmates.
2. Show respect for self and others.
3. Exhibit interest in the culture and speaking process.
4. Acceptance of diversity.
5. Advocate use of technology.
Make-up work and Absences:
If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to make-up any missed work. Make-up work may be made for Excused Absences (EA) only. When you return to class after an EA, you have 3 days from the day you return to class to make up the missed work. It is the responsibility of the student, not the teacher, to pick up any missed work and to complete your work. For extended absences (more than 5 days), not to exceed two weeks, a contract will be drafted which will be agreed and signed by the student, the parent and by me, after which, I will make the necessary arrangements. All work must be submitted a week before the end of the quarter to be included in the quarter grade.
Grade Scale/Weight:
The grading scale and weight for this class will be based on the guidelines set by Montgomery Public School. There are as follows:
Scale:
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 0-59
Weight:
65% Major Grade
30% Minor Grade
5% Homework
100 %
Classroom Rules
I will set up a set up a list of class rules and procedures that are clear, fair and consistent. I will also have these rules and procedures posted in my classroom where it is clearly visible for all students to see. I will review these rules and procedures periodically throughout the school year to help the students familiarize themselves of my expectations.
1. Always arrive in class on time. Students must be on their assigned seats and begin working on the bell ringer once the Tardy Bell rings. Being late for class takes away instructional time. If a student is tardy without a valid pass, the students will be marked “Tardy” in the attendance log. Please refer to the Student handbook on Attendance policy. Consequences will usually consist of the following:
1st Offense: Teacher counsels and warns student. May require a call to parent if offense is major.
2nd Offense: Teacher contacts parent by phone or e-mail.
3rd Offense: A note is sent home to parent(s) for his/her signature.
4th Offense: Student receives an office referral.
2. Always be prepared in class. Students must have all their materials ready in class. This would include their sharpened pencils, erasers, notebook paper in their Spanish Binder. All bell ringers are to be kept in order in the Student’s binder.
3. Always follow Classroom Procedures. Procedures are required so that students may know what is expected of them. We need procedures in order to have a smooth transition throughout the day. Failure to follow procedures will result to consequences.
4. Always respect your classmates and your teacher. You’ve heard the saying, “Treat others the way you would want to be treated”. We all deserve to be valued and appreciated. Appropriate behavior and academic success work in tandem.
5. Always remain positive. The famous Peter Thomson once said “You can think best when you are happy”. How true this saying is indeed. Students strive harder when they know that their teachers expect and emphasize on positive things in class.
The following will be discussed in class:
Discipline Hierarchy:
Students at Floyd Magnet Middle School are expected to behave appropriately at all times. Every student is accountable for his/her own behavior. Students that make a ‘choice’ to misbehave will be responsible to face the following consequences:
1st Offense: Verbal Warning. Students will receive an oral warning which is defined as an informal written notice. After the student is warned, he/she will be required to acknowledge and sign a discipline log to ensure that he/she has been formally warned.
2nd Offense: Teacher/Student Conference. Student will be required to attend a meeting with the Teacher. The student will be reminded ahead of time what the teacher’s expectations are at the conference. The student will have the opportunity to explain his/her side of why the misbehavior occurred.
3rd Offense: Notify the Parents. If the misbehavior continues and the Teacher-Students conference deemed ineffective, the parents will be notified through a phone call and an e-mail letter regarding the unacceptable behavior.
4th Offense: Set-up Parent-Teacher Conference. In most cases, the 3rd or 4th level will resolve the issue. However, if the problem continues, the Teacher will request to have a conference with the parents to further discuss the concerns of the issue.
5th Offense: Office Referral. If the 4th level deemed unsuccessful and the problem continues, the teacher will escalate the issue to the office and let the administrators take over.
Rewards/Motivation:
Teachers play an integral part in motivating students to learn. The following are techniques that I use to foster motivation.
1. FIESTA Reward: My Spanish classes have always been associated with ‘Fiestas’, which translates to ‘Parties’. Fiestas play a major role in the Spanish culture. Since I do not just teach the Spanish language but the culture as well, I use a Fiesta to reward my students when they follow classroom procedures. I have the word ‘Fiesta’ printed in my classroom with the following information:
F- Friendly reminder is no longer necessary.
I – Is prepared when Sra. Henley speaks.
E - Enters the classroom properly and quietly.
S – Stays silent when someone is talking.
T – Talks only when asked.
A – Always on task and follows classroom procedures.
Each class has a poster displayed in the classroom. Each class is given a sticker daily until the end of the grading period. The class that has the most stickers is rewarded with a Fiesta at the end of the grading period.
This is a wonderful motivational strategy I use to encourage students to follow classroom procedures.
· HABLEMOS ESPAÑOL: (Spanish 1) Translates to ‘Shall we speak Spanish?’ This is an activity I designed to encourage students to speak the Spanish language in class. Each student has his/her name written on a 3x5 index card posted to my wall per class. Each student is also given a corresponding tally sheet which they track down the date and number of times he/she respond in Spanish. Every time the student responds in Spanish correctly, the student places a tally on his/her sheet. When the student accumulates 3 tallies, the student receives a sticker on the index card. After 5 stickers, the student is rewarded a candy. This activity encourages the students to practice fluency and speak Spanish as much as possible in the classroom. This is a weekly activity.
2. Repaso- El Calendario, Tiempo y Saludos: Translates to ‘Review of the Calendar, the Weather and Greetings and Farewell’. This is a daily activity that takes place in all my classes immediately following the Bell ringer. The teacher uses the Bulletin Board to review the calendar, weather, greetings and farewells in Spanish. The teacher asks the questions and the students respond. I also use this activity as a motivational tool for the students to pair up with their classmates and socialize while they practice speaking in the target language. Students love to communicate with their peers and this opportunity lets them have their ‘socializing’ while practicing the Spanish language.
3. Native Spanish Speaker Guest: This is another activity I use as an incentive for students to be proficient in Spanish. I invite native speakers who may be exchange students, to come to the classroom and share their experiences as an exchange student. This activity offers the students a sense of adventure and enthusiasm to travel abroad and learn different cultures and languages. It also gives them the opportunity to practice speaking the language while they ask questions to the native speaker.
4. AEIOU Bingo Games: This is a game my class plays weekly usually on a Friday. Each student is given an ‘AEIOU’ card with numbers. Just like the Bingo game, I call the numbers out with the corresponding letter but I used the pronunciation of the vowel in Spanish. When the students hear the vowel sound and corresponding number, each student puts a chip to cover their card. The first student to complete the card wins a price. This activity helps the students hear and mimic the proper pronunciation of the vowel as well as be proficient in numbers in the target language.
5. Kahootit.com: This is an interactive game played in class usually as a review for a quiz/test. Students use his/her cell phones to participate in the game.
Supply List
3 ring binder with pockets or can use a section of a main binder
Sharpened pencils, erasers and red pens
1 pair of scissors
1 pack of 3x5 index cards- for flashcards – may increase as the students learn more vocabulary words
1 Box of sandwich-size bags (to store flashcards and project materials) – Exploratory
1 ream of paper (color optional)
Posters and construction paper – required for Projects
1 Elmer’s Glue (Elmer’s Brand works better for projects) - required for Projects
1 Bottle of Hand Sanitizer
1 Box of tissue for projects – write name
1 Three-prong folder required for autobiography
1 Roll of Paper Towel
1 Lysol/Clorox Wipes