Lake Travis High School Spanish 3 Pre-AP Course Syllabus 2013 – 2014 Department: Languages Other Than English Course Title: Spanish 3 Pre-AP Grade Level: 10, 11, 12 Prerequisites: Spanish 1, Spanish 2 (with an A) Website: http://www.ltisdschools.org//Domain/150 YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/senoraday Tutorials: B day mornings before school or by appointment Instructor: Beth Day Room: B200 E-mail: dayb@ltisdschools.org elizabethchandlerday@gmail.com Phone: 533-5811 Edmodo: go to edmo.do/j/ypd2j3 Sign up for my Celly to receive text messages reminding you of assignments and assessments Text to this phone number: 23559 Text this message: @Spanish3preAP You must have an identifiable username in order to be approved. (Hint: “supersassygurrrl” is not identifiable!) Schedule: A 1. Conference 2. Spanish 3 preAP 3. Spanish 3 preAP 4. Spanish 3 preAP B 5. Spanish 2 6. Spanish 2 7. Conference 8. Spanish 2 Spanish 3 preAP is a “flipped classroom.” In a flipped classroom, students will receive instruction via instructor-made videos on my website as ‘homework.’ During class, students will spent the entire period practicing with the language: vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing and SPEAKING! This allows students to repeat instruction when necessary and to receive my guidance through their practice (what was traditionally called ‘homework’). “By making lecture materials available for students to review before class, class time is freed up to engage students in conversations around course content and assess student learning. Along with creating shifts in teaching methods, flipping the classroom challenges beliefs often held by both students and instructors about their roles in the classroom.” (cited: Education Technology Services of Penn State University) Course Pacing At the beginning of each chapter, students will receive a calendar with a suggested pace for learning and a schedule of assessments (quizzes, tests, projects, etc). Additionally, students will be given a list of objectives for each chapter. During class, I will spend 45-60 minutes working with the students as a group: speaking, reviewing questions from the video, practicing reading/writing, etc. The other 30-45 minutes of class the students will work through independent practice of their given objectives. There will be multiple ways to show mastery of each objective. Some of these may include: worksheets of varying difficulty, presentations, written summary, etc. In order to get credit for mastery of an objective and move on, a student must earn at least 85 points. Some students may stay exactly on-pace with the calendar while others may choose to work faster through their objectives. Students that complete objectives more quickly than the assigned class pace will spend the remaining time in class working with Spanish. This time can be used in various ways: working ahead on chapter objectives, working on their independent study, reviewing vocabulary using quizlet.com, re-watching instructional videos, watching up-coming instructional videos, etc. All students will complete assessments (quizzes, tests, projects, etc.) at the same time. At the beginning of each 9 week grading period, students will decide on an independent study project. Some previous independent studies have been: organizing and reviewing the 5 most common verb conjugations, 100 most common verbs in Spanish, 100 new vocabulary words associated with the medical field, 50 common expressions for lawyers, reading and analyzing a short work of literature in Spanish. The students will create their own notes, practices (homework), informal assessment (quiz), formal assessment (to prove mastery) and keys to check all work. This decreases wasted time in class, allows freedom and encourages a love for the language! Course Description This course is designed for students who have previously had two years of formal Spanish language instruction and are now able to initiate and participate in short conversations/discussions on a variety of subjects. In order to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and creative writing composition in Spanish, students in this class need to be willing to work on these areas in and out of the classroom. Students will speak ONLY Spanish in the classroom. Expected Graduated Outcomes Students will be able to: Greatly expand their Spanish vocabulary, increasing their capacity to develop more creative oral and written dialogues, stories, reports, and some correspondence. Improve their Spanish skills to a level at which they can engage in more complex spontaneous conversation and discussions Develop their higher order thinking skills as they move from guided practice to open-ended expression on a wide range of topics with an enriched vocabulary and enhanced speaking skills. Extend their skills from simple observing, sorting, identifying, restating, describing, etc., to higher levels of justifying, persuading, predicting, and hypothesizing. Students will improve their Spanish speaking proficiency, reading, writing and listening comprehension skills by extensive practice in the classroom. Students will gain a deeper understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures and recognize the importance of these cultures and communication in a world that is becoming increasingly globalized. Regular attendance and daily participation in class activities are extremely important for satisfactory progress in this course. This class will provide continuity for students and the best opportunity for rapid advancement in learning to communicate in Spanish. Resources ¡Exprésate! 3 Humbach and Velasco – Holt, Rinehart & Winston (go.hrw.com) Evaluation 60% Major (minimum of 3 grades) including tests, projects and quizzes. Tests/projects will be entered in the grade book twice, quizzes will be entered once. Therefore, tests/projects are worth twice as much as quizzes. 40% Minor (minimum of 10 grades) including videos, in-class assignments and informal assessments. Late Work If a student has not watched the assigned video and completed a WSQ by the morning (8:30 am) it will be discussed in class, the student will lose 10 points per day it is late. Late major assignments (such as projects) will lose 15 points per calendar day late. One minor grade and one major grade will be dropped at the end of the 9 weeks. Check unit calendar or teacher website regularly for assignment and assessment schedules. See your teacher for tutorials before the assignment is due. Make-up Work Students have a period of time equal to the length of the absence to turn in makeup work. When absent, students are responsible for missed work and assignments. Daily assignments are due the class period after the student returns. Students must make up missed tests and quizzes before school by scheduling an appointment with me. The quiz/test should be made up before the next scheduled assessment.