Dear Parent/Guardian

   Let me begin by saying that I consider it a privilege to have your child in my Spanish IV classes.  My class is a continuing stage of your child learning an international language.  This involves mastering listening, speaking, reading and writing the language.  In Spanish IV the goals are to develop control of the language’s sound system, continue the study of the basic structure of the language, train the students in patterns of intonation, auditory discrimination, and the relationships between sound and written symbols, to increase aural comprehension, to increase reading ability in the target language, increase oral fluency, and to provide opportunities to enjoy another language, its people, places, and activities, and to achieve a minimum of 85% accuracy on the written assessment.

   The curriculum this year is fairly new and we are doing our best to achieve the above stated goals.  However, when students do not grasp the content matter, I will slow down in order for them to master the subject concepts we are studying. I feel it is more important to master the target language principles than just covering the chapters of the book.  It is not advantageous to your child if we go through the entire book and he/she fails to grasp the workings of the language.

  In order to achieve these goals there are a variety of tools at your child’s disposal.  Of course they will have their textbooks, notebooks, and workbooks, but we also have a “Take-Home Tutor” which the students can check out and download on their home computers.  There is also a website with this curriculum called Classzone.com, which the students can access from their home computers.  Additionally I make myself available to the students before school from 7:30-8:20, and after school from 3:30-4:00.  Also they know they can reach me at home if they do not understand the homework assignment.   In addition, you, as their parent, can assist at home by helping them review their assignments, practicing their vocabulary words with them, or showing the importance of a second language in the workplace.  You may want to help out here at the school by helping with ideas for bulletin boards or volunteering to speak to the class.

   Notification of your child’s progress is documented by the Progress Report that we send out, as well as Report Cards.  In addition you can access your student’s progress by going online with Infinite Campus on our website.  However, should you ever wish to contact me here at the school, my email address is gary.howard@cowetaschools.org.  Thanks again for the opportunity of teaching your child and I look forward to hearing from you.

Spanish Teacher

East Coweta High School

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SEÑOR HOWARD ESPAÑOL IV SYLLABUS

Spanish IV

Spanish IV embraces level III skills and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.  This course provides continued language development through exploration of familiar and unfamiliar topics and provides opportunities for a broader and more extensive understanding of Spanish cultures.

Course Goals & Objectives:

1. To develop further control of the language’s sound system

2. To continue the study of the basic structure of the language

3. To further train the students in patterns of intonation, auditory discrimination, and the relationships between sound and written symbols

4. To further increase aural comprehension by the use of an etended vocabulary

5. To train the students to read a variety of materials and understand the selections within the scope of the vocabulary study

6. To increase oral fluency in the language by expanding the vocabulary

7. to provide the opportunity to enjoy, to appreciate, and to understand another language, another people, and other places

8. To encourage the use of leisure time for enrichment by participating or attending activities related to this course

Materials: En Español IV Textbook, workbook, personal notebook

                 Videos

                  Computer

Realia: magazines, newspapers, yellow pages, posters, art,

music

Methods of Instruction:

                  Lecture, discussion, dialogue practice, role playing, paired               

learning, group work, language lab, videos

Evaluation Plan:

  Tests & quizzes                                  25%

  Homework, class work, & labs          40%

  Projects/Presentations                         20%

  Exams                                                 15%

  Total                                                  100%

General Classroom Rules and

Student Expectations for all Spanish Classes

1. Be in assigned seat before bell rings.

2. No loitering outside doorway, enter room immediately.

3. Bring needed materials to class every day.

4. Have only Spanish materials on desk.

5. Listen and follow instructions the first time they are given.

6. Stay in your assigned seat when using lab.

7. Show respect for the teacher and other students.

8. No food, gum or drink will be allowed in classroom.

9. Make up work is the student’s responsibility.  It must be completed within 3 days of returning to school. (first day back counts as 1).  Check the blue notebook where all work is entered daily.

10. Take pride in yourself, your work, school and classroom.  Only neat work will be accepted.  Double spaced, dark blue or black ink, or pencil.

11. Late work is never accepted.

All Textbooks are the student’s responsibility.  If lost or stolen, the student must pay the cost of the book in full.  When shown the receipt, I will issue a second book.  All Spanish textbooks cost $50.00 to replace.

 If the student damages the language lab., payment will be assessed by an administrator.

All Students must have a 3 ring binder for class with a sufficient supply of paper.

Español IV

1^st Nine Weeks

Week 1 Etapa Preliminar         Review all tenses, gender/number agreement of nouns,

and defininte & indefinite articles

Week 2 Unidad 1 Etapa 1        Use of “ser” & “estar”, descriptive adjectives, gain

                                                 Appreciation of Hispanic folklore & celebrities

Week 3 Unidad 1 Etapa 2        Use of stem-changing verbs, irregular verbs, spelling

change verbs, gain knowledge of current events              

concerning Puerto Rico

Week 4 Unidad 1 Etapa 3         Use of demonstrative adjectives & pronouns, using

comparatives & superlatives, gain knowledge of concerns

of Cuban-Americans

Week 5 Unidad 2 Etapa 1         Use of Preterite regular verbs, use & position of direct &

indirect object pronouns, use of the personal “a”,

appreciate Moorish influence on Spain

Week 6 Unidad 2 Etapa 2          Use of stem-changing & irregular verbs in the Preterite, 

use of “gustar” & similar verbs, notable Spanish figures

from Carlos I to King Juan Carlos

Week 7 Unidad 2 Etapa 3          Use of Imperfect Tense, review use of the infinitive, gain

appreciation of Spanish cinema, view Pedro Almodovar

Week 8 Cultural Capsule          Read La Casa de Bernalda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca

Week 9  Exam                             Review for exam

2^nd Nine Weeks

Week 1 Unidad 3 Etapa 1           Differences between Preterite & Imperfect Tenses,

possessive adjectives & pronouns, gain appreciation of

Meso-America & historical items of Mexico

Week 2 Unidad 3 Etapa 2            Use of indefinite & negative expressions, differences

between Preterite & Imperfect with simultaneous &

recurrent actions, socio-historical events in Guatemala,

Popul Vuh

Week 3 Unidad 3 Etapa 3             Differences between “por” & “para”, historical cite of

Teotihuacan , and human rights activist Rigoberta

Menchu

Week 4 Unidad  4 Etapa 1            Use of the past participle, passive constructions, 

Carribbean historical occurrences & figures

Week 5 Unidad 4 Etapa 2             formation of the Present Subjunctive & its usage in

main clauses, formal & familiar commands, historical

aspects of the Dominican Republic & dictatorship of

Trujillo

Week 6 Unidad 4 Etapa 3              Subjunctive noun clauses, causes of the Spanish-

                                                       American War of 1898, natural disasters (hurucán)

Week 7 Cultural Capsule               Students will read a Spanish theatrical work

Week 8 Cultural Capsule               Students will create & perform their own play 

Week 9 Readings                           Students will read a number of books in Spanish and                                                  

answer 5 questions concerning each one.

Georgia Performance Standards for Modern Language: Level IV

I. Communication

Interpersonal Mode of Communication (IP)

MLIV.IP1 The students exchange a variety of oral and written information and ideas in the

target language on topics related to contemporary events and issues, utilizing cultural references where appropriate. The students:

A. Express needs and desires.

B. Share emotions and preferences.

C. Elicit and express opinions and information.

D. Exchange personal reactions to spoken and written information related to the target

culture(s).        

MLIV.IP2 The students initiate, sustain, and close oral and written exchanges in the target language, applying familiar vocabulary and structures to new situations. The students:

A. Participate in extended oral and written activities reflecting the present, with some

usage of past and future tenses.

B. Exchange ideas clearly using level-appropriate material.

C. Use paraphrasing, circumlocution, body language, and other creative means to convey

and comprehend messages.

D. Use self-correction.

E. Demonstrate Intermediate-Low to Intermediate-Mid proficiency in oral and written

exchanges with respect to proper pronunciation, intonation, and writing mechanics.

Interpretive Mode of Communication (INT)

MLIV.INT1 The students comprehend spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials. The students:

A. Identify main ideas, supporting details and various elements, such as plot, theme,

setting, and characters, from a variety of texts.

B. Understand some subtleties of meaning, such as intent, humor, and tone, in a variety of

level-appropriate works in the target language that are culturally authentic, such as radio

and television segments or literary passages.

C. Comprehend and react to current events and issues presented through print and

electronic media.

D. Understand simple connected discourse.

           E. Demonstrate Intermediate-Low to Intermediate-Mid proficiency in listening and reading comprehension

Presentational Mode of Communication (P)

MLIV.P1 The students present information orally and in writing using familiar and new vocabulary, phrases, and patterns in increasingly complex sentences and strings of sentences. The students:

A. Summarize and communicate main ideas and supporting details from a variety of

authentic language materials.

B. Produce brief oral presentations (minimal errors in present tense, some errors with past

and future tenses), using visual and technological support as appropriate.

C. Write short, organized compositions (minimal errors in present tense, some errors with past and future tenses), using visual and technological support as appropriate.

D. Give prepared presentations (near full control of present, past and future tenses), using

visual and technological support as appropriate.

E. Demonstrate Intermediate-Low to Intermediate-Mid proficiency in oral and written

presentations with respect to proper pronunciation, intonation, and writing mechanics.

MLIV.P2 The students present student-created, as well as culturally authentic stories, poems, and/or skits in the target language. The students:

A. Prepare and present organized culturally authentic poetry, skits or stories.

B. Prepare and present original essays, poetry, skits or stories in the target language.

II.Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products (CU)

MLIV.CU1 The students understand, describe, and discuss perspectives, practices, and products of the cultures studied and how they are interrelated. The students:

A. Participate in real or simulated cultural events.

B. Discuss cultural patterns of behavior.

C. Research and report on some aspect of the history and development of the target

culture(s).

III.Connections, Comparisons, and Communities (CCC)

MLIV.CCC1 The students reinforce and broaden knowledge of connections between the target language and other subject areas including language arts, science, history, social science, mathematics, physical education, health, and/or the arts. The students:

A. Report on the role of major contemporary and historical figures and events from the

cultures studied.

B. Identify and discuss how topics studied in other subject areas relate to those studied in

the target language class.

C. Discuss how the viewpoints of people in countries where the target language is

spoken are reflected in their practices and products, such as political systems, art,

architecture, music, and literature.

MLIV.CCC2 The students investigate the similarities and differences that exist within and among the cultures studied. The students:

A. Discuss the influences of events and issues of the relationships between countries

where the target language is spoken and the students’ own culture.

B. Discuss how members of the target culture(s) view the United States.

C. Recognize and discuss local, regional, and national differences in the countries where

the target language is spoken.

MLIV.CCC3 The students expand knowledge of the English language through the study and analysis of linguistic elements of the target language. The students:

A. Recognize basic differences between target language pronunciation, vocabulary, and

colloquial usage in countries and regions.

B. Compare linguistic elements of the target language and English, such as the different

structures used to express time, tense, and mood.

MLIV.CCC4 The students apply language skills and expand cultural understanding by accessing information beyond the classroom setting for recreational, educational, and occupational purposes. The students:

A. Discuss information acquired through the use of media, entertainment, and technology

in the target language.

B. Locate and use resources in the target language, such as individuals and organizations

accessible through the community or the Internet, to reinforce cultural understanding.