7th Grade Spanish (Period 2 period - 706D )

WHAT IS THIS CLASS ALL ABOUT?

Seventh graders will have the opportunity to learn Spanish for the first time. If they know Spanish,they will have the opportunity to extend their knowledge of this subject. Students will gradually develop their Spanish proficiency skills through extensive interaction in the target language. Grammar, reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are included. Cultural information is provided and taught throughout the duration of the course.  Emphasis is placed on conversation, vocabulary and correct usage of the language. The classroom experience will provide an appreciation and development of cultural awareness through various readings, media resources, and authentic materials. 

Another key component of Spanish is assessment through project based learning. Every student will complete three projects during this course. These projects will allow students to demonstrate their mastery of the Spanish language concepts taught in this course, as well as the cultural concepts, in a modality that is appropriate for their unique learning style. The projects that the students will complete in Spanish are: “All about me” (Todo sobre mi), “Create a restaurant and design your own menu” (Crea un restaurante y diseña tu propio menú) and the “Spanish Art Project”, where they will have the opportunity to study the life and work of an artist from a Spanish speaking country and make a poster or collage of his/her work along with a summary of the artist’s life.

UNITS OF STUDY

• All about me 
• Basic conversation activities

• The verbs “Ser y estar” (To be)
• Feelings/Emotions
• Me gusta/No me gusta (I like/I don’t like)
• Spanish Speaking Countries
• Hispanic Culture, Holidays and Celebrations

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

1.Work Effectively:

• Be here. Show up on time (online or at school). We want to see you and work with you :)
• Be prepared. Bring your materials.  A pencil, your HW, your planner and your notebook are MUST HAVES, every day.
• Be relevant.  Make sure what you say matters and helps our class move forward!

2.Think Critically:

• Thinking critically means:
• Learn new Spanish words and be able to use them; to put them into practice
• Ask questions and discuss ideas in Spanish and in English 
• Speak Spanish as much as you can! 
• Listen and follow directions
• Remember: “Success is dependent on effort”

3.Act Compassionately:

• Be your best version and help others when needed
• Be respectful in your interactions with teachers and classmates
• Learn from your mistakes

UNITS OF STUDY

Year Long Essential Question: How learning Spanish change who I am?

GRADING

Grading is the same in every class.  The three categories you have to pass are:

1. Work Habits and Practice: Warm ups, classwork, participation, group activities, etc. all show us that you can learn a new language and practice it outside of the school.  You must have a 3 or higher to be on track for promotion in each work habit category (Classwork and discussion).
2. Portfolio: Portfolio pieces are written evidence of your learning. It shows that you’ve learned new vocabulary words that you can use to elaborate a project in Spanish.  It also shows that you know how to make improvements based on feedback.  You must have a complete and passing portfolio at the end of the year to be considered for promotion.  You must be at MASTERY (3) in each standard by the end of the year to be eligible for promotion.

COMPONENTS OF OUR CURRICULUM:

• Reading: You are going to be reading short stories in Spanish and learning to interpret what they are saying, and at the same time, you will be answering questions in regards to the readings.
• Writing: You will learn to write simple sentences in Spanish to communicate basic needs or to have a small talk. 
• Speaking: You will learn to communicate in Spanish for basic every-day activities like greeting people,answering simple questions or describing something.
• Listening: You will be able to understand simple conversations in Spanish

WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM ABSENT?  If you are absent, you must call someone in the classroom or email me  to find out what you missed in class.  Even if you are absent, YOU are still responsible for ALL of the notes and classwork you missed.

WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?If you have any questions, you can always reach out to me via email. My email is: andreac@fannielou.org.