Spanish IV Course Syllabus
La descripción de la clase-Class description
Grade(s): 12/Teacher permission
Prerequisite(s): Spanish III-(must pass with an 87% or higher)/Teacher permission
Course Length: 36 weeks
Credit Hours: 10
This course is conducted entirely in Spanish. Students will increase communicative abilities
through readings and discussions in the target language. Evaluations will be based on tests,
quizzes, oral proficiency, projects, and daily work.
Los objetivos del curso-Course objectives
1. Students will learn about the geography, history and culture of Spain.
2. Students will read and discuss newspaper articles about the Guernica bombing and immigrants
arriving in Spain.
3. Students will read poems by various Spanish authors and a short story by Ana María Matute.
4. Students will learn about masculine, feminine and irregular nouns.
5. Students will learn about the geography, history, and culture of the Andean region of South
America.
6. Students will read and discuss newspaper articles about the Tungurahua volcano and about
mentors and mentoring.
7. Students will read a poem by José Santos Chocano and a short story by the Inca Garcilaso de la
Vega.
8. Students will learn about the geography, history, and culture of Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and
Uruguay.
9. Students will read and discuss a weather forecast and a newspaper article about university life.
10. Students will read poems by José Hernandez and Pablo Neruda and short stories by Horacio
Quiroga and Julio Cortázar.
11. Students will learn about the geography, history, and culture of Central America.
12. Students will discuss the Mayan civilization.
13. Students will read and discuss newspaper articles about exercise and identification microchips for
pets.
14. Students will read poems by Rubén Darío and a chapter of the biography of Rigoberta Menchú by
Elizabeth Burgos.
15. Students will learn about the geography, history, and culture of Mexico.
16. Students will read and discuss a newspaper article about a concert, as well as several film reviews.
17. Students will read poems by Amado Nervo and Octavio Paz and a chapter of a novel by Laura
Esquivel.
18. Students will read and discuss several short stories from Leyendas Mexicanas.
Las reglas de la clase-Classroom rules
1. Show respect to all students, yourself and Señora Ellis.
2. Arrive on time to class with all necessary materials, (pen, pencil, notebook, paper, folder,
homework, book, laptop, etc.) Please keep all backpacks, purses, etc. on the floor beside your
desk. Please keep your laptops closed unless you are instructed to open them.
3. Take care of all school materials. Use a book cover to protect the text. Do not write or damage
tables, chairs, etc. Sit only on the chairs and not on tables. Keep all four legs of chairs on the
floor.
4. Food and/or drink and gum are allowed as long as it does not become a distraction. This
privilege may be revoked at any time if students are not picking up after themselves or if it
becomes a distraction.
5. Students are encouraged to use the restroom, get drinks, etc. between classes. Students will
also receive a pass card at the beginning of each semester to use the restroom, get a drink, etc. If
passes must be used during class, please try to do so the first 5 min. or the last 10 min. of class.
6. If students complete their assignments prior to the end of class, they are expected to participate
in an activity from the Menú de Actividades (Menu of Activities) listed at the front of the
classroom. Follow directions, participate actively, stay on task, and do your best. Remain
attentive and in your seats while the teacher is teaching. Keep your head off of the desk at all
times. Please ask permission to get out of your seats unless it is an emergency. Do not line up at
the door and wait for the bell to ring.
7. Keep a positive attitude and be an active learner. It will affect how well you succeed in
learning a foreign language.
8. Sra. Ellis will be speaking almost all of the time in Spanish. Students are encouraged to speak
in Spanish the entire class period as well.
Consecuencias-Consequences for not following instructions
1. First offense-Students will generally be given a verbal warning.
2. Second offense-Students will lose privileges.
3. Third offense-Students will receive a retraining session with the teacher.
4. Fourth offense-Students will be sent to the office.
Procedimientos de la clase-Classroom procedures
1. Sit down, be quiet and work on the “Bell Ringer” on the Smart Board or on the card placed at
your desk.
2. Listen and watch the Smart Board for the daily objective(s) and schedule.
3. Take out your homework, listen, and ask any questions you may have. Turn in your
homework in the appropriate tray at the front of the classroom.
4. Listen and participate in the daily lesson.
5. Homework will be started in class. Use your class time wisely.
6. If you need a pass for homeroom, ask for one near the end of class when students are working
on homework.
Calificando-Grading
80% of your grade will consist of summative assessments. Examples include:
Projects
Quizzes-Culture, Grammar, Journalism, Literature
Speaking tests
Chapter tests
10% of your grade will consist of the semester test.
10% of your grade will consist of formative assessments. Examples include:
Daily work
All summative and formative assessments are due on the assigned due date. If a student does
poorly on a summative task, he/she may have one retake opportunity. This retake opportunity
does not include projects or the semester test. The retake will only be granted if teacher-approved
remediation has occurred before or after school, or during homeroom, and if the summative task
was not initially recorded as an incomplete. Students have three days to complete makeup work
before it is recorded as an incomplete. The score that is received on the retake assessment is the
score that is recorded. Any re-take must be completed during the quarter in which the original,
summative assessment was assigned.
Students will have until the last Monday of each quarter to complete any summative tasks. After
this date, all recorded “incompletes” will be converted to a grade of zero.
Spanish IV semester grades will be determined as follows:
Grading Scale
A=93%-100%
B+=89%-92%
B=85%-88%
C+=81%-84%
C=77%-80%
D+=73%-76%
D=69%-72%
F=0%-68%
Ausentes-absences
1. Students will have three days to complete any work missed during their absence. If it is not
completed within three days, it will be recorded as an Incomplete in the grade book and
students will not be allowed a retake opportunity.
2. Students who know in advance that they will be gone, (ex., appointments and school
activities) are expected to notify Sra. Ellis prior to the absence in order to receive the day’s
work and have it done prior to the absence.
Premios-Awards
Spanish certificates will be given at Awards night to all students who have maintained a 96% or
above average for both 1st and 2nd semester. Averages will be determined about 2 weeks prior to
awards night.
Temas-Topics
Some topics to be studied in Spanish IV include:
Geography and history of Spain, the Andean countries, the Southern Cone and Central America.
Newspaper articles of events in Spain, the Andean countries, the Southern Cone and Central
America.
Literature of Spain, The Andean countries, the Southern Cone and Central America.