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Middle School

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

2013 Curriculum Summary

MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH Philosophy As the primary tool of communication, language enables and enhances our efforts in business, information dissemination, humanitarian aid, and international relations. As work in all these domains becomes more global, ability in a foreign language grows in importance. The French language is spoken on five continents and is the second most widely taught second language in the world (after English). The French language has an important literary, artistic, and diplomatic history. Loudoun Country Day School’s foreign language program prepares students for high school foreign language study, for university entrance requirements and higher level study. We strive to demonstrate that foreign language study is important and fun. LCDS Middle School language covers Levels 1 and 2 of the language. With successful completion of LCDS’ middle school French program, students will generally start high school with French 3, and advance to cover AP French during their high school studies. The 7th and 8th grade classes are high-school level classes and grades from these courses count on students’ high school transcripts. Students are given a solid foundation in the language. Emphasis is on oral communication and comprehension, acquisition of vocabulary, and internalization of grammatical structures. Students are constantly using the full scope of language skills that includes speaking, reading, oral comprehension, and writing. Cultural perspectives are shown, since they are integral to full communication and understanding. Students will be given an overview of the geography of the French-speaking world. They will be shown that French is alive and used by a wide range of people every day, including French-speaking peers who enjoy discussing topics of interest to young people everywhere. Foreign language study is promoted through all-school events in the form of a foreign language/international festival. Our goal is to impart competence and confidence with spoken language so that students feel they can take risks and communicate successfully at a basic level in the foreign language.

6th Grade French Students are given a thorough, basic vocabulary, and instruction in the grammatical structure of the language. Students are taught to perform basic spoken courtesies and exchanges that will allow them to greet and exchange information with a French speaker. The essential verbs être, avoir and faire are stressed, and -er verbs are introduced. Students learn to use subject pronouns and to conjugate verbs. French class also covers basic geography of the French-speaking world, and cultural perspectives. French is used in spoken classroom exchanges to boost confidence with speaking. Writing and reading are introduced. Students write complete sentences with direction from their textbook and teacher. Correspondence with pen pals and occasional Skype calls to France reinforce students’ understanding of French as a living language used by young people in other places in the world. Text and Materials

Discovering French Nouveau – Bleu level 1b Jean-Paul Valette, Rebecca M. Valette D.C Heath and Company/Houghton Mifflin/McDougal Littell

o Online textbook with sound clips, online workbook and practice quizzes; web quests o Educational music CDs, popular music and lyrics, o Video clips available by subscription and online o Classroom library of French-language books, magazines and readers. o Bonjour magazine from Scholasic Mary Glasgow magazines o Realia such as brochures, tickets, magazines, advertisements

Course Content A brief introduction is made about the French language as it is encountered in the world. This includes instruction on and discussion of:

Countries and peoples that speak French, Why it is useful to learn French, Relationships of French to other living world languages and to Latin.

Common greetings are introduced and the students begin right away to use these basics in spoken interchanges with classmates. Grammar basics are covered, including:

Definite and indefinite articles Concept of gender of words Interrogatives and formation of questions Subject pronouns Conjugation of verbs Agreement of adjectives for number and gender Possessive adjectives Construction of negative statements

Vocabulary is introduced in thematic units and includes basic sets of vocabulary in the following domains:

Common classroom objects Common household objects The expression ‘il y a’ / “There is/There are” Classroom commands and instructions Numbers and counting; Arithmetic Telling time Names of some basic professions Family members and people in everyday life Likes and dislikes Inviting someone; accepting and declining invitations Descriptive adjectives including colors Parts of the body

Common activities Conversations in a restaurant or café

Essential verbs are introduced and rehearsed, including

Être, avoir, faire, aller Many –er verbs are introduced

Common idiomatic expressions are taught.

Expressions using avoir; Expressions using faire Students improve research and presentation skills through a research project or itinerary project. Students participate in a Pen pal and Skype program with peers in France.

Practice written French; compare our interests, hand-writing, and school calendar with French peers. Students see French as the everyday language of people like themselves

Field trip – this may include French restaurant, theater performance, concert, or restaurant. Students sample traditional French foods. Cultural perspectives are presented and compared and contrasted with American ones.

Festivals and traditions of French-speaking countries School day and weekly routines of families in French-speaking countries

All school language festival

Student work is displayed Performers of international or foreign language interest perform

Student Objectives Students shall be able to:

o Carry on simple conversations concerning weather, date, time. o Describe themselves using adjectives of physical traits, personality and nationality o Use adjective agreement with adjectives o Name common classroom and household objects o Ask questions using est-ce que and some basic interrogatives. o Name and show on a map areas where French is used. o Correctly use indefinite and definite articles. o Read and understand sentences and paragraphs from magazines, newspapers, current events, online news

sources, and Bonjour magazine. o Communicate speaking and in writing information about themselves and their activities o Hold simple conversations concerning their feelings, likes and dislikes

Procedures

o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction. o Classes are varied, but most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board,

followed by oral practice of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice, and do a wide variety of creative reinforcement activities including dialogs in our classroom café area, games, songs, skits, or art projects.

o Occasional changes of pace bring opportunities to cook and sample French food, to sing, to watch a movie, or to film a movie of our own.

Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes. o Occasional reading comprehension and speaking assessments are included.

o Generally, students also have a project grade and unit test in each trimester. Projects may be photo montages, videos, creative writing or research projects.

o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and are calculated into the final grade.

o A final exam is administered at the end of the school year. Upper School guidelines provide that for 6th graders, this final exam grade is calculated into their final grade only if it improves their grade.

7th Grade French

Course Description Students expand their French vocabulary, and their understanding of the grammatical structure of the language. They practice more involved spoken exchanges in scenarios of everyday life. The essential verbs être, avoir, aller and faire are reviewed and reinforced. –Ir and –re verb conjugations are added. Students begin using past and future tenses. More of the class is conducted in French at this level. Students practice speaking in each class session through teacher-directed exchanges. The program includes further exploration of cultural topics and some more advanced reading and writing. Written or Skype correspondence with pen pals reinforces students’ understanding of French as a living language used by young people in other places in the world. At the end of this year, students have completed the equivalent of high school French 1 and their grades from this course will become French 1 on their high school transcripts. Text and Materials

o Discovering French Nouveau – Bleu level 1b Jean-Paul Valette, Rebecca M. Valette o D.C Heath and Company/Houghton Mifflin/McDougal Littell o Online textbook with sound clips, online workbook and practice quizzes; web quests o Educational music CDs, popular music and lyrics, o Bonjour magazine from Scholasic Mary Glasgow magazines o Realia including brochures, advertisements, magazines, tickets, etc. o Classroom library of French-language books, magazines and readers.

Course Content A brief review provides brief discussion of where French is spoken and includes

Countries and peoples that speak French, Why it is useful to learn French, Relationships of French to other living world languages and to Latin.

Students review basics of Greetings, Numbers, Time and Weather expression, Definite and indefinite articles, Concept of gender of words, Subject pronouns

Further instruction is given on Conjugation of verbs Agreement of adjectives for number and gender Possessive adjectives Construction of negative statements Interrogatives and formation of questions Stress pronouns The verbs aller and venir, the prepositions à and de and their contractions Creating the future tense ‘futur proche’ using aller Irregular adjectives and the Order of adjectives in French Ordinal numbers Demonstrative and interrogative pronouns: Which? This/These… Comparisons -ir verbs and –re verbs Imperative Introduction to passé composé


Common classroom and household objects Professions Family members Places in town Directions - Giving, asking for and understanding directions

Activities, sports and musical instruments Likes and dislikes Rooms of the house Clothing names Monetary transactions; spending and saving Asking for and giving opinions Comparisons Idiomatic expressions with avoir and faire Weekend and summer activities; leisure time

Essential verbs are reviewed and mastered, including

Être, avoir, faire, aller Many verbs are added to the repertoire. Students improve research and presentation skills through a research project.

Oral presentation and sharing of information with class; written report, slideshow, book, or video Students participate in a Pen pal and Skype program with peers in France.

Practice written French; compare our interests, hand-writing, and school calendar with French peers. Students see French as the everyday language of people like themselves

Field trip to French bakery, theater performance, concert, or restaurant. Students sample traditional French foods. Cultural perspectives are presented and compared and contrasted with American ones.

Paris monuments and features; the metro system France and the diversity of its population School day and weekly routines of families in French-speaking countries

All-school language festival Student Objectives Students shall be able to:

o Complete the objectives of the 6th grade curriculum o Converse about likes and dislikes o Correctly use irregular adjectives and correct adjective/noun ordering. o Correctly use a wide range of family member titles o Ask questions using est-ce que, inversion, and intonation. Use interrogatives. o Read and understand sentences and paragraphs from a variety of sources. o Understand teacher instructions in French. o Communicate in writing information about themselves and their activities o Hold conversations from typical day-to-day life, including asking for and giving directions, conversing with

store and restaurant personnel, asking for and giving opinions o Use aller and venir along with prepositions à and de and their contractions o Use the preposition chez and stress pronouns o Talk about future events using futur proche o Use basic imperative to give commands and instructions o Use demonstrative and interrogative pronouns o Use correct adjective agreement with irregular adjectives o Understand a wide range of new verbs o Compare things using plus…que, moins…que, and aussi…que. o Apply the rules of French phonetics to correctly pronounce new words

Procedures

o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction. o Classes are varied, but most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board,

followed by oral practice of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice, and do a wide variety of creative reinforcement activities including dialogs in our classroom café area, games, songs, skits, or art projects.


Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes. Occasional reading comprehension and speaking assessments are included. Generally, students also have a project grade and unit test in each trimester. Projects may be photo montages, videos, creative writing or research projects.

o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and are calculated into the final grade. A final exam is administered at the end of the school year and counts as one seventh 1/7 of the final grade.

8th Grade French Course Description This is a high-school paced course. Students work to add a great number of verbs and adjectives to their repertoire. Oral comprehension is increased and the majority of teacher instruction is in French. Students are able to carry on conversations to exchange basic information and opinions with a French speaker. The essential verbs etre, avoir, aller and faire are stressed. French class also covers basic geography of the French-speaking world, and cultural perspectives.

At the end of this year, students have completed the equivalent of high school French 2 and their grades from this course will become French 2 on their high school transcripts. Text and Materials

o Discovering French Nouveau – Blanc level 2 Jean-Paul Valette, Rebecca M. Valette o D.C Heath and Company/Houghton Mifflin/McDougal Littell o Online textbook with sound clips, online workbook and practice quizzes; web quests o Educational music CDs, popular music and lyrics, o Bonjour magazine from Scholasic Mary Glasgow magazines o Realia including brochures, advertisements, magazines, tickets, etc. o Classroom library of French-language books, magazines and readers.

Course Content A brief review provides brief discussion of where French is spoken and includes

Countries and peoples that speak French, Why it is useful to learn French, Relationships of French to other living world languages and to Latin. Students review basics of greetings, numbers, time and weather expressions, classroom and household

objects, Conjugation of verbs, Agreement of adjectives for number and gender, Construction of negative statements, Interrogatives and formation of questions

New or expanded grammar topics include:

The verbs aller and venir, the prepositions à and de and their contractions Irregular adjectives; many new adjectives Demonstrative and interrogative pronouns More new -ir verbs and –re verbs Imperative, and adding imperative of être Thorough work with passé compose; story order words and expressions of time passé compose with être helping verb Alternative negative constructions: Ne..personne, ne….rien, ne…jamais The verbs devoir, pouvoir, and vouloir Expressions with il faut + verb infinitive Direct object pronouns Indirect object pronouns Pronouns y and en Reflexive verbs Imperfect tense Introduction to Futur simple


Personal identification information Professions

Expanded Family member vocabulary Introducing people Telephone etiquette Many new adjectives Wants and needs City and rural leisure activities Paris metro system, modes of transport Expressions of past time Meals and food, food shopping, eating out Going out with friends; movies, concerts Extending, accepting, and turning down invitations Weekend and summer activities; leisure time

Many verbs are added to the repertoire, especially irregular verbs and those with irregular past participles. Common idiomatic expressions are reviewed. Students improve research and presentation skills through a research project, video, book project, creative writing, or itinerary project. Students participate in a Pen pal writing and Skype program with peers in France. Field trip to French bakery, theater performance, concert, or restaurant. Students prepare and sample traditional French foods. Cultural perspectives are presented and compared and contrasted with American ones.

Places outside of France where French is spoken All-school language festival Student Objectives Students shall be able to:

o Complete the objectives of the 6th and 7th grade curricula o Speak about themselves, their activities, and their likes and dislikes o Correctly use irregular adjectives and correct adjective/noun ordering. o Correctly use a wide range of family member titles, including step- and in-law. o Ask questions using est-ce que, inversion, and intonation. Use interrogatives. o Read and understand sentences and paragraphs from a variety of sources. o Understand teacher instructions in French. o Communicate in writing information about themselves and their activities o Discuss past events using passé compose o Use aller and venir along with prepositions à and de and their contractions, adding the ‘venir de’ usage o Use the preposition chez and stress pronouns o Talk about future events using futur proche o Use direct and indirect object pronouns o Show initial understanding of the use of the imparfait past tense o Recognize the futur simple tense o Learn a great number of verbs, including past participles and accent-changing verbs o Apply the rules of French phonetics to correctly pronounce new words o Read and understand larger written materials

Procedures

o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction.

o Classes are varied, but most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board, followed by oral practice of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice, and do a wide variety of creative reinforcement activities including dialogs in our classroom café area, games, songs, skits, or art projects.


Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes. Occasional reading comprehension and speaking assessments are included. Generally, students also have a project grade and unit test in each trimester. Projects may be photo montages, videos, creative writing or research projects.

o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and are calculated into the final grade. A final exam is administered at the end of the school year and counts as one seventh 1/7 of the final grade.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH Philosophy If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. -Nelson Mandela Loudoun Country Day School’s Spanish program prepares students for high school foreign language study and in this way, for university entrance requirements and higher level study. We strive to demonstrate that the study of Spanish is important and also enjoyable. Learning a foreign language takes time and dedication. Having a clear idea of why you're learning a language can help to motivate you in your studies. Learning another language opens up new opportunities and gives you perspectives that you might never have encountered otherwise. Personal, professional, social, and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages. Learning another language gives the learner the ability to step inside the mind and context of another culture. As globalization, mobility and communications bring the world ever closer together, the need for global citizens to be competent in other languages is evident. Learning another language can be good for you too. Research indicates that knowing and using two languages regularly increases your brain’s flexibility. Other studies show that studying languages can improve your memory and slow age-related decline in mental acuity. Your critical thinking skills will also be improved as you learn to view things through a different lens. Whereas 52.7% of Europeans are fluent in both their native tongue and at least one other language, only 9.3% of Americans are fluent in both their native tongue and another language. The upward trend in language learning must accelerate if the U.S. is to continue to be a major participant on the international stage. At LCDS we want our students ready to compete in that world. Mandarin and Spanish are the most commonly spoken languages in the world. Learning Spanish will enable you to keep pace with Hispanic influences on our culture. Spanish is becoming more important economically as well as politically. Learning Spanish will not only enable you to better communicate with Spanish speaking employees or co-workers, but it might help you sell your ideas and products to a growing market. In the United States, knowing Spanish can be particularly helpful at this time if you work in healthcare or education. With well over 35 million Spanish speakers in the United States, and with over 40% of the population growth being among Hispanic people, the stage is set for an enormous increase in Spanish usage in the United States. With some 400 million speakers, Spanish is the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is the mother tongue in 21 countries. The sheer number of Spanish speakers and their rate of growth makes learning Spanish a smart choice. By studying Spanish you will gain a better understanding of English. Spanish is a "Romance" language, meaning that it is based on Latin, the language of the ancient Roman Empire. Many English words are also of Latin origin, and so when you learn vocabulary in Spanish you will simultaneously be expanding your English vocabulary. You will also find that your understanding of the deep meaning of these Latin based English words is greatly enhanced. Also, as you study the grammar of Spanish, you will notice how it is similar to English, as well as how it is different. This will raise your awareness of the grammar of your native language. Because Spanish is very nearly phonetically perfect, you can look at almost any word and immediately know exactly how to pronounce it. This characteristic makes Spanish one of the easiest languages to learn. And, when it comes to learning a third language, such as French or Italian, already knowing Spanish will be a huge advantage because these languages, too, are Romance Languages.

Students at LCDS are given a solid foundation in the language, with acquisition of vocabulary and understanding of grammatical principles and structures as primary goals. These are applied to the full scope of language skills that includes speaking, reading, oral comprehension, and writing. Cultural perspectives are incorporated, since they are integral to full communication and understanding. The goal is to impart competence and confidence with spoken language so that students feel they can take risks and eventually really communicate in Spanish. While this is desirable by the end of their middle school studies, students’ comfort with spoken Spanish will continue to grow throughout their language studies in high school. LCDS grads are well-prepared with a good understanding of the grammatical backbones, with good pronunciation, and with reading ability. As a core course for the three middle school years, LCDS covers Spanish I and II. With successful completion of LCDS’ middle school Spanish program with a A- or better, students should advance to begin high school with Spanish III. Spanish I and II Overview Spanish I This course emphasizes the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a “communicative approach” to language learning. Students communicate in Spanish from the beginning by conversing with each other, expressing themselves in writing, and reading and understanding what others have written. Additionally, students will learn how to better listen and deduce in a foreign language without focusing on word for word translation. The course prepares the students for Spanish II. Emphasis is on the acquisition of listening and speaking skills through a programmed immersion in situations requiring simple, functional grammar and vocabulary. Textbooks, workbooks, audio and video enhance teacher-student and student-student interactions. The focus is on building a strong vocabulary as well as mastering the grammar and syntax. Once the students have achieved mastery of the material presented, short compositions and original dialogues are assigned for reinforcement. Students need to come with an open mind and willingness to participate. To supplement their learning, students are expected to use the textbook’s on-line resources on a regular basis. Students must understand the importance of daily study. Spanish II Spanish II usually begins halfway through seventh grade. Emphasis is on the development of listening and speaking skills through a programmed immersion in settings requiring appropriate grammar and vocabulary for the situation. The study of more complex structures is accompanied by increased emphasis on composition and reading skills. Listening and speaking skills are systematically broadened; and particular emphasis is given to building increased competence in composition and reading by means of materials and literary texts that are supplemental to the core textbook program. Building upon the fundamental skills developed during Spanish I, this course emphasizes and further refines the four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, in a communicative approach to language learning. The focus is on building a strong vocabulary as well as mastering grammar and syntax. The emphasis is on putting the student in a real-life situation that requires some communication and response. The expectation is that the student will be able to transmit and receive information in Spanish both orally and in writing. Students are expected to use the textbook’s on-line resources on a regular basis. The course will be taught as much as possible solely in Spanish. This is how we break down the components into the three middle school years:

6th Grade Spanish Course Description This course will review and continue to build on language skills developed during the Lower School course, with an emphasis on communication. Dialogues, skits, pairing and sharing, and group activities are used to develop mastery of grammar and syntax in culturally thematic based units. Within the thematic based units, the students will learn present tense of verbs in regular forms (-ar, er, and -ir), irregular forms of verbs in the present tense including stem-changing verbs; adjective forms and usage; and direct object pronoun forms and usage. The topics generally relate to daily activities and subjects of import in the student's day, families, sports, and leisure activities. While oral communication dominates classroom activities, reading comprehension, written expression and cultural information complement the coursework. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are engaged and developed throughout the year in a variety of assignments, projects, and other activities. Spanish is used in spoken classroom exchanges to boost confidence with speaking. Writing and reading are introduced. Students write complete sentences with direction from their textbook and teacher. Text and Materials

o Español 1 by Dr. Miguel Santana, Dr. Lori Langer de Ramirez, Eduardo Fernández Galán, Dr. Michelle Guerrini et al 1. modern storyline centered around students told in desafíos (stories and challenges) 2. seamless integration of language and culture 3. differentiated materials 4. integrated and balanced techniques 5. digital textbook with audio and video 6. digital and interactive practice, speaking and listening, and reading workbooks (3) 7. prepared by the University of Salamanca and Santillana publishers

o Spanish language books, graphic novels and films o Target language internet sites – RTVE, VME, BBC, yabla, and others o Music and dance internet sites o Realia such as brochures, menus, tickets, magazines, advertisements, newspapers

Course Content Introduction An introduction to the basics of the Spanish language includes instruction on and discussion of:

o Countries and peoples that speak Spanish, o Why it is useful to learn Spanish, o Relationships of Spanish to other living world languages and to Latin. o Common greetings and manners o Class commands o Numbers and Alphabet o Telling time and the date o Basic classroom objects and vocabulary

Español 1: Unit 1 Culture and geography-Mexico Vocabulary people- family and friends physical characteristics and personality traits Grammar subject pronouns the verbs ser, tener and estar adjective agreement expressing possession

possessive adjectives the preposition de Español 1: Unit 2 Culture and geography-Puerto Rico Vocabulary the house furniture and objects household chores leisure activities Grammar nouns articles agreement with nouns expressing existence- the verb haber expressing location regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs, present tense expressing obligation- tener + que + infinitive hay + que + infinitive adverbs of frequency Español 1: Unit 3 Culture and geography- Guatemala Vocabulary the shopping center clothing and footwear describing clothing and footwear shopping Grammar stem changing verbs (e>ie) and (o>ue) the verbs ir, gustar demonstratives comparisons, comparative adjectives Español 1: Unit 4 Culture and geography-Perú vocabulary foods and beverages food stores at the table describing food grammar adverbs of quantity expressing want, preference and rejection the verbs querer and preferir irregular verbs in the yo form direct object pronouns indirect object pronouns stem changing verbs (e>i) Other Activities

o Reading Programs and Exchange Programs may change from year to year depending on resources available.

o We attend theater performances at GALA Theatre in DC. Sometimes we take advantage of other special performances or exhibits. We try to do a lunch outing at a local Hispanic restaurant.

o Throughout the year we create opportunities for students to sample traditional Spanish and Latino foods. These are often tied in to explain festivals and traditions of Spanish-speaking countries and how daily and weekly routines of families in Spanish-speaking countries might differ from our own.

o Extra Help is available during Wednesday lunch period which is set aside for those seeking extra help. o All school language festival where student work is displayed or performed and performers of international

or foreign language interest present an assembly program. o Middle School Career Day is a biannual event where professionals talk about how languages helped create

opportunities in their lives. Student Objectives Students shall be able to:

o Carry on simple conversations concerning weather, date, time. o Describe themselves and others using adjectives of physical traits, personality and nationality o Use adjective agreement with adjectives, articles and nouns o Name common classroom and household objects o Ask questions using basic interrogatives o Name and show on a map areas where Spanish is used o Demonstrate understanding of gender and number in use of articles o Correctly use indefinite and definite articles o Read and understand sentences and simple paragraphs from readers and realia o Communicate in writing information about themselves and their activities o Hold simple conversations concerning their feelings, likes and dislikes

Procedures

o Classes generally start with a warm-up activity. o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction. o Classes are varied, but most are divided between teacher instruction, guided oral and written drills and

practice, and follow-up activities such as skits, reading, games or projects. o Most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board, followed by oral and

written practice of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice. Once material is understood and mastered, a looser format is implemented for further reinforcement. This can consist of dialogs, games, music, skits, or art projects.

Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes and end of unit tests. 1. Vocabulary quizzes 2. Grammar topic quizzes

o Occasional reading, listening and speaking comprehension assessments are included. 1. Informal writing assessments 2. Listening assessments of short narratives, dialogues, and songs 3. Selected literary readings for comprehension and various informal articles 4. Informal speaking: simulated conversation

o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and calculated into the final grade. o A final exam is administered at the end of the school year. Middle School guidelines provide that for 6th

graders, this final exam grade is calculated into their final grade only if it improves their grade.

7th Grade Spanish Course Description This course is designed to complete Spanish I coursework and begin Spanish II. They practice more involved spoken exchanges in scenarios of everyday life. The essential verbs ser, estar, ir, tener and haber are reviewed and reinforced. Within the thematic based units the students will be building the knowledge of new verbs in the present, future, preterit (past) and present progressive tenses. They will learn more irregular and stem changing verbs and learn to express liking, being interested or bored. They will also learn to use reflexive verbs. The course includes a little further look into Spanish-speaking countries. Students practice speaking in each class session through teacher-directed exchanges. Students write in correct complete sentences and evolve their skills to construct simple paragraphs. They read a reader for their first exposure to a larger amount of written Spanish. Dialogues, skits, songs, pairing and sharing, and group activities are used to develop mastery of grammar and syntax in thematic based units. The topics generally relate to daily activities and the school day, families, sports, and leisure activities. While oral communication dominates classroom activities, reading comprehension, written expression and cultural information complement the coursework. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are engaged and developed throughout the year in a variety of assignments, projects, and other activities. Text and Materials

o Español 1 and Español II by Dr. Miguel Santana, Dr. Lori Langer de Ramirez, Eduardo Fernández Galán, Dr. Michelle Guerrini et al 1. modern storyline centered around students told in desafíos 2. seamless integration of language and culture 3. differentiated materials 4. integrated and balanced techniques 5. digital textbook with audio and video 6. digital and interactive practice, speaking and listening, and reading workbooks (3) 7. prepared by the University of Salamanca and Santillana publishers

o Spanish language books, graphic novels and films o Target language internet sites – RTVE, VME, BBC, yabla, and others o Music and dance internet sites o Realia such as brochures, tickets, magazines, advertisements, newspapers

Course Content After a brief review of Sixth Grade Spanish, we move onto the integrated lessons of the textbook that cover in: Español I: Unit 5 Culture and geography-España Vocabulary parts of the body personal hygiene symptoms and illness basic remedies healthy habits Grammar the verbs ver, oir, oler and decir reflexive verbs the verb doler the verb sentirse affirmative tú commands- regular verbs Español 1: Unit 6 Culture and geography-Estados Unidos

Vocabulary the world of work hobbies free time sports Grammar affirmative commands- irregular verbs ir + a + infinitive, time markers in the future the present progressive the present participle stem changing verbs (u>ue) Español 1: Unit 7 Culture and geography-Argentina Vocabulary transportation travel destinations and lodging the city, location and directions Grammar the preterite tense of regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs time markers in the past the preterite tense of ser and ir negative commands Español 1: Unit 8 Culture and geography-Chile Vocabulary the universe geography political divisions numbers from 101 to 1,000 nature and the environment Grammar expressing cause: porque and por expressing quantity: indefinities irregular verbs in the preterite, decir, hacer, estar and tener expressing permission and prohibition Español II: Unit 1 Culture and geography-Centroamérica Vocabulary personal and family relationships physical characteristics and personality traits emotional states and feelings personal information Grammar possessives adjectives and nouns comparisons and superlatives interrogatives

Other Activities







o Converse about likes and dislikes o Correctly use irregular adjectives and correct adjective/noun ordering. o Correctly use a wide range of family member titles o Ask questions using interrogatives, inversion, and intonation. o Read and understand sentences and paragraphs from a variety of sources. o Understand teacher instructions in Spanish. o Communicate in writing information about themselves and their activities o Hold conversations from typical day-to-day life, including asking for and giving directions, conversing with

store and restaurant personnel, asking for and giving opinions o Use ir and venir along with prepositions a and de and their contractions o Use the preposition con and stress pronouns o Talk about future events using ir + a + infinitive o Use basic imperative to give commands and instructions o Use demonstrative and interrogative pronouns o Use correct adjective agreement with irregular adjectives o Use a wide range of new verbs o Compare things using mas…que, menos…que, and tanto…como. o Apply the rules of Spanish phonetics to correctly pronounce new words

Procedures

o Classes generally start with a warm-up. o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction. o Classes are varied, but most are divided between teacher instruction, guided oral drills and practice, and

follow-up activities. o Most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board, followed by oral practice

of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice. Once material is understood and mastered, a looser format is implemented for further reinforcement. This can consist of dialogs, games, music, skits, or art projects.

Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes. o Occasional reading comprehension and speaking assessments are included. o Tests are given at the end of each unit. o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and are calculated into the final

grade. o A final exam is administered at the end of the school year and counts as one seventh 1/7 of the final

grade. o The grade earned at the end of this year is the grade that officially transfers to a high school transcript as

the grade for Spanish I.

8th Grade Spanish Course Description This course is a continuation of the introduction to Spanish II in seventh grade. Its aim is to provide a strong foundation in understanding the grammar, language, patterns, and sentence structure of the language to prepare students for Spanish III in High School. Essential language skills and mastery of basic grammar and vocabulary are emphasized, as students learn the necessary skills to communicate with one another. In thematic units, the students will learn how to successfully give commands and use complex grammatical structures such as direct and indirect object pronouns in daily conversation. Students learn the preterite, the imperfect and the future tenses. They learn to use reflexive verbs and expand the use of interrogatives and commands. They expand vocabulary to include more descriptive, characteristic and conditional words. Students explore more daily routine, pastimes and travel vocabulary. Students work to add a great number of verbs and adjectives to their repertoire. Oral comprehension is increased as greater percentage of teacher instruction is in Spanish. Students are able to carry on conversations and exchange information with a Spanish speaker. A variety of teaching strategies are used to better serve the needs of the students in this course. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are engaged and developed throughout the year in a variety of assignments, projects, and other activities. Text and Materials

o Español 2 by Dr. Miguel Santana, Dr. Lori Langer de Ramirez, Eduardo Fernández Galán, Dr. Michelle Guerrini et al 1. modern storyline centered around students told in desafíos 2. seamless integration of language and culture 3. differentiated materials 4. integrated and balanced techniques 5. digital textbook with audio and video 6. digital and interactive practice, speaking and listening, and reading workbooks (3) 7. prepared by the University of Salamanca and Santillana publishers

o Spanish language books, graphic novels and films o Target language internet sites – RTVE, VME, BBC, yabla, and others o Music and dance internet sites o Realia such as brochures, tickets, magazines, advertisements, newspapers

Course Content A brief review of vocabulary and grammar covered in sixth and seventh grade is followed by The introduction of culturally thematic units in the following domains expand upon already acquired vocabulary and grammar concepts: Español II: Unit 2 Culture and geography-Las Antillas Vocabulary the house and household chores furniture and objects electrical appliances the neighborhood, places and services Grammar the present progressive direct object pronouns indirect object pronouns demonstratives Español II: Unit 3 Culture and geography- Andes Centrales

Vocabulary clothing and accessories describing clothing stores and establishments shopping Grammar the preterite tense of regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs the preterite tense of verbs ser, ir, decir, tener, estar and hacer the preterite tense of stem changing -ir verbs Español II: Unit 4 Culture and geography- Norteamérica Vocabulary foods buying food in the kitchen

in the restaurant Grammar

expressing amount, indefinites singular affirmative commands plural affirmative commands

negative commands Español II: Unit 5 Culture and geography- España Vocabulary

parts of the body personal hygiene health symptoms and illness basic remedies healthy habits

Grammar the past participle adverbs ending in -mente por and para making recommendations

Español II: Unit 6 Culture and geography- Caribe continental Vocabulary

trips and excursions on the train and on the plane the car the hotel

the bank Grammar

the imperfect tense the preterite tense of the verbs dar, poder, poner, querer, saber and venir talking about past actions; the preterite and the imperfect talking about past actions and describing the past;the preterite and the imperfect

Español II: Unit 7 Culture and geography- Río de la Plata Vocabulary

o the school o professions o hobbies and free time activities and entertainment o sports

Grammar o expressing existence o the present subjunctive of regular, irregular and stem changing verbs

Español II: Unit 8 La Panamericana Vocabulary

o geography o countries o weather o nature and the environment

Grammar o the relative superlatives o expressing plans and intentions o the future tense o hiding the agent, the pronoun se

Other Activities







o Speak freely about themselves, their activities, and their likes and dislikes o Correctly use irregular adjectives and correct adjective/noun ordering. o Ask questions using interrogatives, inversion, and intonation. o Read and understand sentences and paragraphs from a variety of sources. o Understand teacher instructions in Spanish. o Communicate in writing about themselves, their activities, their families and their world o Hold conversations from typical day-to-day life, including asking for and giving directions, conversing with

store and restaurant personnel, asking for and giving opinions o Discuss past events using the preterite and imperfect o Use prepositions of frequency, time and place o Talk about future events using both ir a constructions and the future tense o Use basic imperative to give commands and instructions o Express likes, dislikes and preferences and share opinions

o Express intentions Procedures

o Classes meet for four periods per week, each period consisting of 48-50 minutes of instruction. o Classes generally start with a warm-up . o Classes are varied, but most are divided between teacher instruction, guided oral drills and practice, and

follow-up activities. o Most class periods are centered around a unit of teacher instruction at the board, followed by oral practice

of the material. Students apply newly acquired material in written practice. Once material is understood and mastered, a looser format is implemented for further reinforcement. This can consist of dialogs, games, music, skits, or art projects.

Evaluation

o Assessment of student progress is made largely through regular quizzes. o Occasional reading comprehension and speaking assessments are included. o Tests are given at the end of each unit. o Completion of homework and quality of classwork are also evaluated and are calculated into the final

grade. o A final exam is administered at the end of the school year and counts as one seventh 1/7 of the final

grade. o The grade earned at the end of this year is the grade that officially transfers to a high school transcript as

the grade for Spanish II.

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