Course Name: Italian III Academic
Course Code: 154
Prerequisite: Italian II Academic or Accelerated (152, 153)
Course Description: This course is designed for students who have completed Italian II or its
equivalent. Students continue to develop their proficiency in speaking, listening and writing: interacting
with other speakers of Italian; understanding oral and written messages in Italian, and making oral and
written presentations in the target language. Students communicate on a variety of topics using complex
structures, moving from concrete to more abstract concepts. They comprehend the main ideas of
authentic materials that they read and hear, and are able to identify significant details when the topics are
familiar. Italian is used almost exclusively in the class as students develop the ability to discuss topics
related to historical and contemporary events and issues.
Course Proficiencies: Students who successfully complete the course will have developed sufficient
skill in the following language areas:
COMMUNICATION
Interpretive Mode (Understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)
1. Demonstrate comprehension of oral and written instructions connected to daily activities through
appropriate responses. (7.1 A.1)
2. Compare and contrast similarities and differences in the use of verbal and non-verbal etiquette
found in the Italian-speaking world. (7.1 A.2)
3. Identify and begin to be able to discuss people, places, objects, and daily activities based on oral
or written descriptions related to units of study such as famous historical and contemporary
personalities from Italy; art, regions, cities, and cultural sites of Italy. (7.1 A.3)
4. Comprehend conversations and written information on a variety of topics including: health,
reflection of culture through past-times, going to a doctor/emergency room, re-telling stories,
environmental issues, how technology has influenced the present, and how it will transform the
future, and the study of past cultures through the reading and discussion of legends. (7.1 A.4)
5. Apply knowledge and skills gained in other core content areas to the learning of Italian when
discussing, reading and writing about health issues, technology, and art, past cultures. (7.1 A.5)
6. Identify the main idea and theme, and describe the main characters and setting in readings from
legends and unit-related culturally authentic selections. (7.1 A.6)
7. Compare and contrast unique linguistic elements in English and the Italian language including:
present, past, future, commands, commonly used words and phrases related to the units of study,
and idiomatic expressions related to the expression of the functions. (7.1 A.7)
8. Begin to demonstrate an understanding of spoken and written language, as expressed by native
speakers in formal and informal settings through appropriate responses. (7.1 A.4)
9. Recognize familiar words and phrases, understand the main idea, and infer meaning of some
highly contextualized unfamiliar words spoken or written contained in culturally authentic
electronic information sources such as podcasts, videocasts, audio clips, and websites, related to
targeted themes. (7.1.A.1, A.4, A.5)).
Interpersonal Mode (Direct spoken or written communication)
1. Give and follow a series of oral and written directions, commands, and requests for participating
in unit-related classroom activities. (7.1 B.1)
2. Use common idiomatic expressions, culturally appropriate vocabulary, and gestures of the Italian
language to: (7.1 B.2)
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Talk about traveling; request help in a store; talk about ailments; describe what was
happening when an accident occurred; serve as interpreter in an emergency situation;
react to various types of art.
Describe a past event; give excuses; report about an event.
Ask for and give directions; ask for help in an airport, hospital, store; talk about how
clothes reflect personality, describe, compare and contrast works of art.
Set the scene for a story; tell a story; continue and end a story; talk about the latest
news events; react to news.
Describe a problem by talking about the environment; talk about consequences;
express agreement and disagreement; talk about obligations and solutions.
Exchange the latest news; talk about past events; describe people and places of the
past; talk about regrets and express hope.
3. Ask and respond to factual and interpretive questions related to units of study. (7.1 B.3)
4. Engage in short conversations about personal experiences or events related to units of study. (7.1.
B.4)
5. Describe the principal characters, setting, and important events from age-appropriate, culturally
authentic selections both orally and in writing. (7.1 B.5)
6. Explain how proficiency in Italian will be an advantage in careers and life situations. (7.1 B.6)
7. Exchange basic information by recombining memorized words, phrases, and sentences on topics
related to self and targeted themes using digital tools, such as video conferencing, texting, IMing,
Blogging, etc. (7.1.B.1,B.2, B.3)
Presentational Mode (Spoken or written communication for an audience)
1. Present student-created and/or authentic role-plays, skits, poems, songs, stories or reports such as
creating a visual representation of a region or country supported by technological resources and
other media. (7.1 C.1)
2. Begin to apply the writing process and use the language creatively, in writing, in response to a
variety of oral or visual prompts, such as writing short, well-organized essays or letters related to
topics of study. (7.1 C.2)
3. Engage in a variety of oral and written tasks using age-appropriate culturally authentic selections,
such as summary of the plot and characters, dramatization of principal scenes in the text, and
role-playing a film critic to express opinions about the text. (7.1 C.3)
4. Describe orally, in writing, or through simulation, similarities and differences among products
and practices found in the Italian culture with one’s own, such as family relationships, services in
France, mealtimes and table etiquette.) (7.1 C.4)
5. Recombine basic information at the word and sentence level related to self and targeted themes to
create a multimedia rich presentation, containing a combination of text, audio, still images, video,
interactivity, and animation, on targeted themes to be shared virtually with a target language
audience. (7.1.C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4)
CULTURE
Interpretive Mode (Understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)
1. Show how the attitudes and beliefs (perspectives) of the Italian-speaking world are reflected in
cultural practice. (7.2 A.1)
2. Show the relationship between the cultural characteristics found in films or videos to the cultural
perspectives of the Italian-speaking world. (7.2 A.2)
3. Investigate how geography and climate influence the lives of people in Italy. (7.2 A.3)
4. Examine tangible products of the Italian culture and begin to infer why people produce them. (7.2
A.4)
5. Read, interpret, and react to various authentic cultural selections about appearance, past-times,
legends, art, and health issues. (7.2 A.4)
6. Listen, interpret and react to various authentic cultural selections about appearance, past-times,
legends, art, and health issues. (7.2 A.4)
Interpersonal Mode (Direct spoken and written communication)
1. Interact in a variety of situations using culturally appropriate etiquette in verbal and non-verbal
communication. (7.2 B.1)
2. Discuss various elements of age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections and identify how they
reflect certain aspects of the Italian culture. (7.2 B.2)
3. Discuss in some detail observable patterns of behavior and social conventions of the peer group
in the Italian-speaking world and make comparisons with the U.S. (7.2 B.3)
4. Discuss the characteristics of the school community in the Italian-speaking world and compare
with those in the U.S. (7.2 B.4)
5. Discuss the ways technology has shaped the present and will shape the future. (7.2 B.5)
6. Describe past and present issues, events, and/or trends from the Italian culture perspective and the
U.S. perspective. (7.2 B.5)
Presentational Mode (Spoken and written communication for an audience)
1. Compare and contrast similarities and differences between tangible products of the Italian
culture(s) and their own. (7.2 C.1)
2. Present the results of research showing the extent of diversity in products and practices that exist
within the Italian language and culture. (7.2 C.1)
3. Describe and reproduce expressive products of the Italian culture. (7.2 C.2)
4. Participate in activities related to special events celebrated in the Italian culture and make
comparisons with the U.S. (7.2 C.2)
5. Prepare an analysis showing how expressive products or innovations of the Italian culture
influence the global community. (7.2 C.2)
Evaluative Criteria
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Teacher Observation
Participation in class discussion
Interpersonal communicative activities
Written open-ended assessments
Performance-based assessments
Individual and group work
Special cultural projects
Home assignments
Resources:
Texts:
Forza Tre
Seguimi
Ciao
Parliamo Italiano
Contemporary Issues in Italian History
Tocca a te
Film Arobics: Exercises for the Study of Film
Periodicals:
Ragazzi