2011-2012

Español I

Señora Sunquist

Room 212

 Bienvenidos – Welcome

This course is designed for first year students with limited exposure to Spanish. All four language skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – will be developed.
In addition, all lessons will relate to one or more of the Spanish Language Standards listed below.

I.                   Communication – All students will communicate in Spanish.
II.                Cultures – Students will gain knowledge and understanding of the target culture.
III.             Connections – Students will connect with other disciplines and acquire new information.
IV.             Comparisons – Students will develop insight into the nature of the target language and culture.
V.                Communities – Students will participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world.  

Our textbook is titled Avancemos.  We will also use an activity book which has grammar and listening activities designed to reinforce the concepts introduced in each chapter. The activity books will be kept in the classroom. Students may take their activity books home when necessary to make up assignments missed due to absences, or to prepare / review for a test.  This activity book is theirs to keep at the end of the year, and I encourage students to use them for review as they begin Spanish II.
 Students are required to provide a three ring binder with eight tab dividers for daily vocabulary and grammar notes. This notebook, along with the student textbook, student planner, and a pen or pencil should be brought to class every day.
Each unit of our book contains two chapters, and every unit focuses on a different country.  Our class will cover one chapter of Avancemos in approximately ten days. Short vocabulary and grammar quizzes will be given during the unit to measure student understanding and readiness to move on. We may need to allow for more than two weeks per chapter depending on the amount of research and cultural activities or projects that might be included. Our book also has a website that allows students opportunities for additional practice through games and review activities.  This website is www.classzone.com .
  The class will be conducted as much as possible in Spanish. However, most grammatical concepts will be explained in English.  
Grades will be based on daily assignments, notebooks, tests, homework, projects, and class participation. Extra credit will not be given but students will have the opportunity to earn one free assignment pass per semester. Grades are not weighted, but normally 50% of the overall grade will come from daily work and 50% from tests and quizzes.  Homework should not be extensive and will normally consist of studying the vocabulary and grammar introduced in each chapter.  There will usually be some time allowed in class for students to work on assignments.  If they are not able to finish during class, the assignment is considered homework and is due at the beginning of class the next day unless otherwise specified. Assignments turned in late, unless due to a student absence, will receive 50% credit.  Cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated.  The student will receive a zero for any assignment or project that has been copied. If another student’s paper has been copied, both students will receive zeroes. Any student caught cheating on a test will receive a zero. Translation programs used from the internet are not accurate or appropriate for first-year students.  Please do not allow your child to use these programs when completing assignments.
 If a student is absent, there is a calendar in the classroom listing daily assignments.  They should check that calendar first then confer with me if they have questions regarding the missed work or if they need additional handouts. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day after their return to class.  In the case of absences of more than two days in a row, I will work with the student to allow a reasonable amount of time for work to be turned in.  In this case, however, the student must talk with me on the day of their return so we can come to an agreement regarding the due date for all work missed.
 In order to keep students and parents informed, grades will be posted on Power School every week, normally on Thursday. A grade sheet will also be made available for students to look over during class on Thursdays. Parents are encouraged to access grades at home through Power School and discuss your child’s progress with him or her. I adhere to the BCCHS grading scale as outlined on page five of the student planner.
 I have very few classroom rules, and some vary according to the maturity of the students in each individual class. I will help every student understand the importance of maintaining a positive learning environment in our classroom.  We will respect ourselves, each other, and our school. I feel strongly that we can all learn and grow as long as we maintain these simple guidelines and give our best effort.   
I would like to ask each student to bring two items for our classroom from the following list: Kleenex tissues, glue, disinfecting wipes, markers, colored pencils, or construction paper. To clarify, the student need only bring two items of their choice not two of each item. In return each student will receive a free assignment pass to be redeemed for an A on a daily assignment of their choice.
I am available in room 212 from 7:15-7:50 in the mornings and from 3:15-3:45 every day after school. Please contact me at sunquistcolleen@bcchs.org or by phone at 722-2390 ext. 556 if you have any concerns or questions.  I know that we all want the best for your child, so please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s education.

 Señora Sunquist