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Copyright Wooster School 2005
Foreign Language
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KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIRST SEMESTER OF 6TH GRADE
THE SECOND SEMESTER
OF 6th GRADE AND THE FIRST SEMESTER OF 7th GRADE
All students study Latin in the second semester of grade 6 and the first semester of grade 7. The department believes that the study of Latin at the middle school level is essential in that it provides students with a grammatical base and a foundation to learn about language.
7TH GRADE THROUGH 12TH GRADE
A choice of Spanish, French, or Latin is given to students in 7th grade and continues through 8th grade. In Spanish or French this completes the first of three years needed to meet the three year modern language requirement for graduation.
The department believes that a three year minimum requirement in a modern language in the upper school is essential since traditionally by the third year students have generally successfully acquired the skills needed to communicate at a basic level in the language.
Upper level classes in Spanish and French in the
GOALS
In order to help students appreciate their membership in a global society, the foreign language department aims to educate students linguistically and culturally. The department supports and incorporates into our curriculum the goals and standards established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
To appreciate and to be exposed to a variety of languages from different perspectives
To develop an awareness of other cultures
To make connections with other disciplines such as history, literature, art, music, geography, gastronomy, current events, math, sciences
To appreciate the importance of learning a second language and the advantages it brings as a life long skill
National Goals and Standards established by ACTFL
Communication - Communicate in Languages Other Than English
Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
Students present information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Cultures - Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
Connections - Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information
Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
Comparisons - Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture
Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culture studied and their own.
Communities - Participate in Multicultural Communities at Home and Around the World
Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
PEDAGOGICAL METHODS
Overall, the department recognizes the shift in methodology from foreign language teaching to foreign language learning. Classroom activities focus on the teacher playing the role of facilitator in the language learning process. The teachers encourage students to take risks and to apply the language appropriately.
The language classes in each division are taught with age- and level-appropriate methods. Regular use of the target language in the modern language classes is essential.
Learning a language is best achieved by opportunities to use the language in simulated activities, in situations relevant to age level, and by repetition and memorization. This is accomplished through projects, skits, acting with puppets, games, songs, and role play. The Total Physical Response (TPR) method is an integral part of the lower school program. All of these activities help strengthen and reinforce vocabulary. Throughout the course, cultural awareness is increased and integrated at all levels through experiences with cultural materials and practices. The environment is one of positive reinforcement and each child is encouraged to participate to her/his fullest capacity. Study of the particular lower school thematic units is often reinforced in the foreign language classroom at each level.
Middle School
Middle school classes provide foreign language students a written and reading component as well as aural/oral practice. The approach taken with middle school learners tends to be participatory, encouraging the involvement of foreign language songs and games in addition to more formal learning techniques. Note-taking, memorization and study skills are reinforced in middle school foreign language classes. TPR continues at the middle school level as well.
Upper school foreign language classes focus on developing higher order thinking skills. Students are expected to think critically, synthesize, recall, analyze, reflect, respond, hypothesize, and integrate the material. More academic maturity is assumed for upper school students and thus more responsibility for learning the foreign language is placed upon them.
We recognize the difference in learning styles and try to
accommodate each student through different approaches. Classroom activities are varied and consist
of oral work, pair work, and collaborative learning, with a focus on writing
and speaking. Regular use of the target
language is expected from the teacher and the students in class.
ENGLISH FOR SPEASKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)
Wooster offers ESOL to students in all divisions whose native language is other than English and who need to strengthen their English skills.
Foreign language instruction begins in kindergarten. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade have Spanish class twice a week. In fifth grade, students are introduced to French, which they continue to study during the first half of sixth grade as well. The three areas of concentration in the lower school foreign language program are culture, geography, and communication. Activities are geared to the students' interests and developmental level. In the primary grades, kindergarten through second, learning occurs through the use of games, songs, stories, and experiences with arts and crafts. Props, visuals, and hands-on activities are important components of instruction at all levels. Culture is primarily learned through experiences with cultural materials and practices rather than discussion and reading.
THE SPANISH
CURRICULUM FOR KINDERGARTEN, FIRST AND SECOND GRADES
The classroom atmosphere in the primary grades is one of constant and positive reinforcement. It provides a non-threatening atmosphere where each child is encouraged to participate to the fullest. All work in kindergarten and first grade is oral/aural. Some writing is introduced in second grade.
THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE SPANISH
The Spanish classes in third and fourth grade include constant reinforcement of previously learned material. However, the language is dealt with in more complexity, such as the addition of adjectives, question formation, negative and comparative sentences, and simple grammar concepts. In fourth grade, the "-ar" ending verbs are part of the curriculum.
Homework is assigned once a week and written and oral quizzes are given on material learned. The students design and create projects that go with the lessons. Flags, cards, maps, and menus have been some of the most popular.
Culture is also very important. The students learn information through props
and visuals about countries and capitals of Spanish speaking countries and to
locate them on the map. The
Positive reinforcement and a non-threatening atmosphere are provided and each student is encouraged to participate to the fullest. The students feel comfortable yet challenged and enjoy learning for fun rather than a necessity.
FIFTH GRADE FRENCH
The fifth grade introduces the French language to the students through a variety of activities. The process of learning is accomplished through simulated activities and situations relevant to age level by repetition and memorization. The activities in class include special projects, acting with puppets, games, songs, and role-play.
The Total Physical Response (TPR) method is an integral part of this course. Throughout the course, cultural awareness is increased and integrated through experiences with cultural materials and practice. The environment of positive reinforcement encourages all the students to participate in class activities.
ENGLISH FOR SPEASKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)
GOALS (
To improve pronunciation and intonation skills
To develop writing proficiency
To improve spelling skills and basic grammar
To enrich vocabulary
To improve the student's ability to communicate ideas effectively in English, both in writing and speaking
To enhance reading comprehension skills
To exchange cultural experiences
KINDERGARTEN SPANISH
GOALS
To introduce the sounds of Spanish
To make students feel comfortable with the language
To teach a basic Spanish vocabulary of immediate use
To create a positive attitude about learning a second language
To foster beginning listening skills
To promote correct pronunciation
TOPICS
Daily greetings
Numbers to 50
Domestic and farm animals
Family members
Days of the week and months of the year.
Parts of the body
Weather expressions
Various foods, fruits and vegetables
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
End of year "fiesta" with a piñata
Story telling -
Authentic folklore and legends from
Authentic children's songs and games
1st Grade
FIRST GRADE SPANISH
GOALS
To review and reinforce vocabulary and units which were introduced in Kindergarten
To promote association made between Spanish and the object, action, or concept, rather than the English equivalent
Context based instruction is used to reinforce other subjects in the curriculum
RESOURCES
Audio, visual, and manipulative materials
Realia related to Spanish travels
Coloring books
TOPICS
Greetings
Feelings (happy, sad, sick,)
Domestic animals
Family members
Comparison using big and small (grande and pequeño)
Dates, weather
Simple commands (stand, sit, go left, right, run, jump, point to the window or door)
The human body as part of the thematic unit
Dinosaurs as part of the thematic unit
Rocks and minerals as part of the thematic unit
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
End of year "fiesta" with a piñata
Story
telling - Authentic folklore and legends
from
Authentic children's songs and games
Students will learn to locate
North, Central,
SECOND GRADE SPANISH
GOALS
To review and reinforce all previously learned material
To encourage group and individual repetitions of Spanish
To foster simple reading and writing skills
To learn to ask questions and make negative sentences
To increase awareness of Spanish culture
To encourage correct pronunciation
RESOURCES
A wide range of materials of instruction is used, including audio, visual, and manipulative
Maps and puppets
TOPICS
Reinforcement of all previously learned vocabulary
Classroom objects, comparison in size
Short sentences using yo tengo (I have) and me gusta (I like)
Clothes, animals, and family members
The Spanish alphabet
Date, including the year and weather temperature
Pledge of allegiance
Adjectives
The five senses
Mexican culture; hieroglyphics and pyramids
Simple directions such as turn left, turn right, go straight
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
Cooking - tostones, sopaipillas, and empanadas
Piñatas
Additional story
telling - Authentic folklore and legends from
Additional children's songs and games
Locate and name Spanish-speaking countries on the globe, including continents and oceans
THIRD GRADE SPANISH
GOALS
To review and reinforce all previously learned material
To continue simple writing skills
To work on oral/aural skills
To be able to role play in different situations (restaurant, doctor's office, school, etc.)
RESOURCES
Students will each be given a Spanish English/English Spanish dictionary for personal and assignment use
A wide range of materials of instruction is used including audio, visual, and manipulative.
TOPICS
Reinforcement of all previously learned material
Weather related expressions, the four seasons
Telling time
Solar system
Domestic and wild animals and their habitats
Additional foods; designing a menu; learning to set the table
Additional
history and culture of
Use of hay (there is/there are)
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
Cooking - tostones, sopaipillas, empanadas
Piñatas
Additional story reading - Authentic poems, legends, songs and games
Geography and
culture of
FOURTH GRADE SPANISH
GOALS
To review materials from all other levels
To introduce grammatical structures and the use of the "-ar" verb endings
To communicate on a basic level in Spanish
To interweave the cultural information with the teaching of the Spanish language
To have students feel comfortable yet challenged
RESOURCES
A wide range of materials of instruction is used including audio, visual, and manipulative
Students bring in many resources of their own, including post cards, money, clothing, menus, magazines, etc.
TOPICS
Reinforcement of all previously learned vocabulary
Conjugation of the "-ar" verb endings
Simple grammar concepts - masculine/feminine; singular/plural
Noun/adjective agreement
House plan, use of the metric system
South American countries
Performance of a short play presented to middle and upper school students
Short poems, riddles, tongue twisters and proverbs
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
Cooking - tostones, sopaipillas, empanadas
Authentic ingredients
Piñatas
Additional
information on Spanish speaking countries, including slides of
Research on an important Hispanic individual to celebrate The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). Students will design a tombstone citing this information, and will make an oral presentation in class.
Bullfighting. We will discuss the Spanish versus American approach to this "sport"
End of year visit to an authentic Hispanic restaurant
FIFTH GRADE FRENCH
Program Philosophy
This class provides exploration of the French language and culture designed to introduce students to a language they may wish to study in the middle or upper school. The class meets twice a week for 45 minutes. The Total Physical Response method ( James Asher) is an integral part of this class, as is the use of many varied props and manipulatives to enhance comprehension of the language. The main focus of the class is speaking and listening but students will also read authentic children’s poetry and sing songs from the target culture. They will write on the sentence level about familiar topics using language they have memorized largely through classroom exposure. An environment of positive reinforcement encourages all children to participate in all class activities.
GOALS
To foster awareness and
appreciation of the culture of
To familiarize students with French pronunciation
To develop vocabulary recognition in both aural and written forms
To encourage the students to use the new vocabulary and functions in speaking activities
RESOURCES
Films: Global Friends,
Authentic children’s books from the target culture
Poems, rhymes and songs from the target culture
LANGUAGE OUTCOMES
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY - ACTIVITIES
Various authentic French songs and games to reinforce outcomes
Learning about crêpe-making; how and when crêpes are made, and what cultural
perspectives they represent.
Mardi Gras project (research, mask making and celebration)
Project on Medieval times: Learn about La dame à la licorne tapestries, and create and describe a mythical beast composed of body parts of various animals.
Create a booklet entitled Mon Autoportrait to describe one’s self.
ASSESSEMNT
Assessment will be on-going through teacher observation of the students in
both whole
group and paired activities.
Students will be assessed at the end of each unit of study on their listening,
speaking, and word recognition. There will be an oral test at the end of the
second
semester.
The middle school foreign language program begins in sixth grade with a continuation of an exploratory French class begun in fifth grade. In the second semester of sixth grade and first semester of seventh grade, Latin is required study for all students. The program begins to describe how language works, using Latin as an example. It highlights the connection between Latin and English and other romance languages. Second semester seventh graders choose to either continue with Latin or select Spanish or French to pursue through eighth grade. While Latin is not offered in the Upper School, those studying French or Spanish can continue into the Upper School, thus beginning the process of fulfilling the upper school foreign language requirement. The three semester middle school program (equivalent to one year at the upper school level) that is allocated to the modern language provides more time to assimilate the language and to fortify the basics.
ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)
GOALS (Middle School)
To improve pronunciation and intonation skills
To develop writing proficiency
To improve the student's ability to communicate ideas effectively in English, both in writing and speaking
To support academic needs, especially in the content areas which require assistance in reading comprehension
To become culturally flexible
FRENCH 6
French 6 continues to acquaint students with the French language through a variety of topics. The curriculum includes vocabulary exercises, writing activities, and opportunities to develop oral skills in pairs or in group settings. Hands-on games and magnet boards provide additional opportunities for reinforcing/reviewing vocabulary previously covered in fifth grade.
GOALS
To establish a working knowledge of French vocabulary
To become comfortable expressing oneself in French
To develop elementary writing and listening skills in French
To practice pronunciation with vocabulary containing targeted sounds
To encourage conversational French in the classroom
To promote understanding/knowledge of the cultures in the French-speaking world
COURSE MATERIALS
Exploring French textbook and activity book
TOPICS
Review topics from fifth grade French which include: greetings, classroom objects, colors, time, weather, seasons, and dates
Classroom commands
Numbers to 1000
Geography of
Occupations
Art including Jacques Louis David, Eugène Delacroix, Èdouard Manet
Music including Jean-Philippe Rameau, Georges Bizet, Maurice Ravel
Literature including authors Pierre Corneille, Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire
Leisure and recreation activities using the verbs aller, faire, aimer
Shopping
Travel and transportation
LATIN 6
Using Cambridge Latin Course, Unit One, 6th grade Latin
focuses on grammar, syntax, and vocabulary building. Students also explore the cultural and
history of the city of
GOALS
1st, 2nd, 3rd, declension nouns and in the nominative, accusative, and ablative cases
Noun/adjective agreement
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th conjugation verbs in the present, imperfect and perfect tenses
The verb sum-esse in the present and imperfect tenses
Subject/verb agreement
Prepositions
Translating short stories without using notes or charts
Understanding of
the history and culture of
Working knowledge of Homer's Iliad
COURSE MATERIALS
Text:
Resource Books: Travels books from
various locations in the
General information books on Ancient Rome
Bullfinch's Mythology
Black Ships before Troy: the Story of the Iliad
Films: Great Cities of the World: Rome and
The Odyssey of Troy (a look at the archeology behind the lost city)
Clash of the Titans
Activity packets from the American Classical League
Class Website: www.quia.com/pages/wlatin6.html
TOPICS
Introduce nominative case
Nominative singular endings
3rd person singular verbs
Prepositional phrases
Word order
Vocabulary from translations
Introduce accusative case
Accusative singular endings
Superlative adjectives
Adverbs
Introduce concept of declensions
Differentiation of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, declensions
Accusative singular 4th declension
Introduce 1st and 2nd person singular verbs
1st and 2nd person singular endings
Accusative singular 5th declension
Introduce plural subjects and verbs
3rd person plural verbs
Nominative plural nouns
Introduce imperfect and perfect tenses
3rd person singular and plural imperfect and perfect verbs
Imperfect and perfect of sum-esse
Family life in Pompeii Houses in
The town of
A typical day: clothing, food
The Forum
The Theater
Slaves and freedmen
LATIN 7A
Students in the Latin 7A course will continue to study Latin using Unit One of Cambridge Latin Course. They will practice their skills reading increasingly more difficult stories from their text. They will continue their study of the city of Pompeii culminating with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The students will also work closely with Virgil's Aeneid in translation. The students will also watch Spartacus and discuss gladiators and slavery in context.
GOALS
Understand 1st, 2nd, and 3rd declension nouns in the nominative, dative, accusative, ablative, cases.
Study all verb conjugations in the present, imperfect, and perfect tenses
Learn the verb sum-esse in the present, imperfect, and perfect tenses
Master Subject/verb agreement
Learn how to ask questions
Learn prepositions
Translate longer passages without using notes or charts
Read a Latin passage and answer questions regarding content
Develop a working knowledge of Virgil's Aeneid
COURSE MATERIALS
Text: Cambridge Latin Course, Unit One
Resource Books:
Travel books from various locations in the former
General information books about Ancient Rome
In Search of a Homeland: the Story of the Aeneid
Bullfinch's Mythology
Films: Roman Slavery
Spartacus
Activity packets from the American Classical League
Class Website: www.quia.com/pages/wlatin7.html
TOPICS
Review grammar from Latin 6
Nominative and accusative case endings
Present, imperfect and perfect tenses
Word order
More verb tense endings and practice
Perfect tenses without v-stems
1st and 2nd person plural verb endings
Verb endings for the imperfect and perfect tenses
1st and 2nd person plural imperfect and perfect
The accusative plural
Accusative plural endings
The dative case
Dative case use and endings
Adjectives
Superlative adjectives
Comparative adjectives
Asking questions
Intransitive verbs
Vocabulary from the translations
Burial customs; beliefs about life after death
The eruption of Vesuvius
The amphitheater and gladiatorial shows
The Roman baths
The Roman education system
Government in
LATIN 7B
Students choosing to continue to pursue Latin in the Middle School will focus on increasing their vocabulary and building and reinforcing grammar skills. The students will learn new noun and adjective declensions, new verb tenses and the imperative mood. The students will become more comfortable with translating longer, more complex passages and will begin sight-readings. The students will continue their study of Roman culture and history by reading and translating myths and exploring Rome's provinces. The text for this course is Cambridge Latin Course, Unit Two. In addition to their work in the text, students do a term project translating and illustrating a children's story into Latin. The students also take part in the National Latin Exam.
GOALS
Learn 1st, 2nd, and 3rd declension nouns and adjectives in all cases
Master Noun/adjective agreement
Study 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th conjugation verbs in present, imperfect, perfect and pluperfect tenses
Understand imperative mood
Learn the verb Sum-esse in present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect tenses
Master subject/verb agreement
Translate long passages with somewhat complex grammar without using notes or charts
Read Latin passages and answer questions regarding content
Develop a working knowledge of classical Roman mythology
COURSE MATERIALS
Text:
Resource Books: Travel books from various cities in the
former
General books on Ancient Rome
Bullfinch's Mythology
Fairy Tales in Latin: Fabulae Mirabiles
Activity Packets from the American Classical League
Class Website: www.quia.com/pages/wlatin7.html
TOPICS
The present infinitive and more about irregular verbs
Present active infinitive
Perfect tenses for nolo, volo, and possum
The suffix -que
Noun adjective agreement and the ablative case
Noun/adjective agreement
Ablative singular and plural
Prepositions
Imperfect of possum
Relative clauses
Agreement of adjectives by gender
The pluperfect tense
Questions using 'num', '-ne,' and 'nonne'
The genitive case
Genitive singular and plural
All remaining declensions
4th and 5th Declension nouns
Neuter nouns
Vocabulary from translations
British tribal system, and the Romanization of Britain
Life in Roman Britain
Celtic chiefs and the Romans
The palace at Fishbourne
The city of
FRENCH 7
French 7 introduces students to the French language and the various cultures in the French-speaking world. The curriculum includes vocabulary and grammar exercises, reading and writing activities, and opportunities to develop oral/aural skills.
GOALS
To establish a working knowledge of French vocabulary and of elementary grammatical functions
To learn to express oneself effectively in French
To develop reading, writing and listening skills in French
To practice pronunciation with vocabulary containing targeted sounds
To comprehend the language through a video synopsis of each chapter
To conduct conversational French in the classroom
To promote understanding/knowledge of the cultures in the French-speaking world
COURSE MATERIALS
Allez, viens! - level 1 series
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
TOPICS
The importance of learning French
Conversation
Introducing yourself
Greeting people and saying goodbye
Asking how people are
Asking someone's name and age and giving yours
Things you like or don't like ; activities you like or don't like to do
Greetings and goodbyes
Hand gestures
Agreeing and disagreeing
Asking for and giving information
Asking for and expressing opinions
Getting someone's attention
Expressing thanks
Exchanging information
Question formation
Making, accepting, and turning down suggestions
Making and responding to requests
Asking others what they need and telling what you need
Expressing likes, dislikes and preferences about activities
School life
Understanding classroom instructions
French classroom expressions
School subjects and school-related words
Class times
Parts of school day
School supplies
Buying school supplies in French-speaking countries
Mechanics
Spelling
Counting
French alphabet, accent marks, and names
French gesture for counting
Numbers for telling time
Vocabulary
Colors
Weather expressions
Months of the year
Time expressions
Seasons
Celsius and Fahrenheit
Grammar
Ne…pas
The definite articles le, la, l', les
The connectors et and mais
Subject pronouns
Using si instead of oui to contradict a negative statement
The indefinite articles un, une, des
The demonstrative adjectives ce, cet, cette, ces
Adjective agreement and placement
De after a negative verb
The pronoun on
Adverbs of frequency
Verbs
-er verbs
The verb avoir
The verb aimer
The verb avoir
Expressions with jouer and faire
The verb faire
The verb aimer; regular -er verbs
Culture
The French-speaking world
Famous French-speaking people
Leisure time activities
The French educational system/le bac
L'heure officielle
Curriculum in French schools
The French grading system
Things you might buy for school and fun
Bagging your own purchases
French currency (euros)
Québec
Sports and hobbies
Old and new in
Sports in Francophone countries
Maison des jeunes et de la culture
SPANISH 7
Spanish 7 introduces students to the Spanish language and cultures in the Spanish-speaking world. The curriculum includes vocabulary and grammar exercises, reading and writing activities, and opportunities to develop oral/aural skills.
GOALS
To establish a working knowledge of Spanish vocabulary and of elementary grammatical functions
To express oneself effectively in Spanish
To develop reading, writing and listening skills in Spanish
To practice pronunciation with vocabulary containing targeted sounds
To comprehend the language through a video synopsis of each chapter
To encourage conversational Spanish in the classroom
To promote understanding/knowledge of the cultures in the Spanish-speaking world
COURSE MATERIALS
¡Ven conmigo! - level 1 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
TOPICS
Exploring the reasons for studying Spanish
Conversation
Introductions
Useful phrases
"Simón Dice" game to review commands
Greetings and farewells
Asking how someone is and saying how you are
Asking and saying how old someone is
Asking where someone is from and saying where you're from
Likes/dislikes
Hellos/goodbyes
Age expressions
"How are you?" and responses
Telling where you're from
Wants and needs
Describing your room
Telling time, being late, being in a hurry
Describing people and things you like
Tag questions
Describing people and things
Telling where people and things are
School Life
Classes and sequencing events
School classes
Grade scales in different countries
A typical school day
Student course loads
School-sponsored activities
Spanish punctuation marks
Mechanics
Definite articles
Accent marks
Indefinite articles
Plural definite articles
Forming questions
el/los + days of the week
tú and usted
Vocabulary
Telling time
Alphabet
Colors
Numbers
Sports
School items
Items in your room
Time expressions
Activities
Locations
Days of the week
Grammar
Subject pronouns: yo, tú
Noun gender/agreement
Plural nouns
Agreement of cuánto and mucho with nouns
Subject pronouns: él, ella
Subject pronouns: yo, tú
Forming questions with cuántos
Adjective agreement
Possession with de
Noun/adjective agreement
Present tense
Uses of que
Subject pronouns
Verbs
The verb ser
-ar/-er/-ir verb infinitives
Uses and forms of ser
tener
Necesitar, querer
-ar verbs
con, conmigo, contigo
The verbs estar, ir
tener
gustar
ser
Culture
Common Spanish names
An introduction to the Spanish speaking world, including famous Spanish-speakers in sports, the arts, science, and politics
First names and Saints' Days
Greeting customs
Spanish surnames
The school day in
Apartments in
Spanish currency
México
Free time activities: where you go/what you do
Sports in Spanish-speaking countries
Greetings in Spanish-speaking
countries
LATIN 8
In Latin 8 the students explore the more complex aspects of Latin grammar and syntax. They will learn continue to work with all five declensions and four conjugations. They will study different types of clauses as well as many pronouns. Translation skills, reading comprehension, and sight-readings are the focus of this class. They will also work closely with Homer's Odyssey in translation. The texts for this class are Cambridge Latin Course, Units 2 and 3. The term project is to create a game based on mythology or the Latin language. The students watch O Brother Where Art Thou? and compare it to Homer's Odyssey.
GOALS
Learn 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th declension nouns and adjectives in all cases
Learn 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd-io, and 4th conjugation verbs in the present, imperfect, future perfect, pluperfect, and future tenses
Learn Sum-esse in present, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect tenses
Understand the passive voice
Understand participles
Learn the imperative and subjunctive moods
Understand purpose, result, and conditional clauses
Master personal and demonstrative pronouns
Be able to translatie complex Latin passages
Be able to sight-reading Latin passages
Read Latin passages and answer questions based on content
Become familiar with Homer's Odyssey
COURSE MATERIALS
Text:
Resource Books: travel books from various cities in the
former
General books on Ancient Rome
The Children's Homer:
the Adventures of Odysseus and the Fall of
The Odyssey
Films: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Activity Packets from the American Classical League
Class Website: www.quia.com/pages/woosterlatin.html
TOPICS
Demonstrative pronouns and negative imperatives
Demonstrative pronouns, hic and ille
Negative imperatives
Vocative singular and plural
The present active participle
Demonstrative pronoun is-ea-id
Perfect passive participle
Perfect active participle
More uses for the genitive case
Partative genitive
Genitive of descriptions
Consolidations of participles
Comparison of adverbs
The subjunctive mood
Cum clauses
Pluperfect subjunctive
Imperfect subjunctive
Indirect questions
Imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive, remaining persons
Purpose clauses
Gerunds
Indirect commands
Result clauses
Ablative of means
Ablative of time
Accusative of time
Impersonal verbs
Present passive
Imperfect passive
Purpose clauses with qui and ubi
Perfect passive
Pluperfect passive
Vocabulary from the translations
The Egyptian goddess Isis
Science and medicine
Roman British town of
Magic, curses, and superstitions
Roman religion, astrology
Travel and communications
The Roman Army: legionary soldier and auxiliaries
Organization of the legion
The legionary fortress
Our knowledge of Roman Britain
The Roman Forum and
Roman engineering
FRENCH 8
This French course continues to develop a basis of the
French language. The class continues to
build upon the material and goals presented at the beginning level of language
learning. The French 8 course develops
listening and reading comprehension skills and starts to build the necessary
skills for speaking proficiency in French. The students are exposed to various
aspects of the culture of
GOALS
To improve the student's ability to speak the language
To begin to communicate ideas effectively in French
To improve the understanding of oral and written French
To foster writing proficiency through directed and creative writing
To use new vocabulary and grammatical structures in written and spoken French
To improve basic pronunciation and intonation skills
To understand
and develop an appreciation for the culture of
COURSE MATERIALS
Allez, viens! - level 1 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
French in Action video program (episodes 1-12)
TOPICS
Review the basics of French
Accent marks
-er verb
Demonstrative adjectives
The verb avoir
Adjectives agreement and placement
Vocabulary
Conversation
Accepting and turning down a suggestion
Arranging to meet someone
Asking for an opinion; paying a compliment; criticizing
Asking for and expressing opinions
Asking for and giving advice
Asking for and giving people's names and ages
Asking for, giving, and refusing permission
Au téléphone
Conversational time
Expressing likes and dislikes
Expressing need; inquiring
Extending and responding to invitations
Hesitating; making a decision
Information questions
Inquiring about and expressing likes and dislikes
Inquiring about and relating past events
Introducing people
Likes and dislikes
Making plans
Making suggestions, excuses and recommendations
Making, accepting and turning down suggestions
Offering, accepting, or refusing food
Ordering food and beverages
Paying a check
Responding to compliments
Sharing confidences and consoling others
Telephone call
Telling someone what to do
Mechanics & Usage
Avoir besoin de
C'est versus il/elle est
Contractions with à
De with expressions of quantity
Possession with de
The direct object pronouns le, la, les
The object pronouns le, la, les, lui, and leur
The pronoun en
Using le with days of the wee
Vocabulary
Activities
Adjectives to describe and characterize people
Articles of clothing
Chores
Clothing sizes
Colors
Daily activities
Days of the week
Describing and characterizing people
Expressions of quantity
Family members
Food and beverages
Food served in a café
Food vocabulary
Identifying people
Meals
Numbers 20-100
Places to go
Sports and hobbies
Things to do
Grammar
Adjective agreement
Adjectives used as nouns
Placement of adverbs with passé composé
Possessive adjectives
The imperative
The partitive articles
Verbs
Aller + infinitive
The future with aller
The -ir verb: choisir
The passé composé with avoir
The -re verb: repondre
The verb aller and aller + infinitive
The verb être
The verb pouvoir
The verb prendre
The verb vouloir
The verbs mettre and porter
Culture
Dating in
Family life
Fashion in francophone countries
Food of
Going out
History of
Mealtimes in francophone countries
Pets in
Québec
Shopping for groceries in francophone countries
Telephone habits of French-speaking teenagers
The French telephone system
The Ivorian market
The metric system
Tipping
Waitpersons as professionals
SPANISH 8
Spanish 8 continues the study of the Spanish language and cultures begun in Spanish 7, with increased emphasis placed on each skill: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Conversations in Spanish are encouraged in pair or group settings. Students practice their translation skills with frequent exercises requiring them to translate sentences from Spanish to English.
GOALS
To continue to build a working knowledge of Spanish vocabulary and of elementary grammatical functions
To express oneself more effectively in Spanish
To improve reading, writing and listening skills in Spanish
To improve pronunciation with vocabulary containing targeted sounds
To comprehend the language through a video synopsis of each chapter
To promote conversational Spanish in the classroom
To expand the understanding and knowledge of the cultures in the Spanish-speaking world
COURSE MATERIALS
¡Ven conmigo! - level 1 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
Destinos video series (episodes 1-6)
TOPICS
Review of Spanish 7
Punctuation marks
Subject pronouns
Ser, estar, tener,
ir, gustar
Interrogatives
Definite/indefinite articles (singular & plural forms)
Noun gender/agreement
Plural nouns
-ar/-er/-ir verb infinitives
Possession with de
Tag questions
Present tense -ar verbs
Con, conmigo, contigo
Uses of que
Subject pronouns
El/los + days of the week
Vocabulary review
Conversation
How often you do things
Today's date
Getting together with friends
Discussing problems and giving advice
Talking on the phone
Extending, accepting and declining invitations
Making plans
Telephone conversations
Declining invitations
Telephone expressions
Getting to know someone
Party invitations
Commenting on food
Making polite requests
Ordering dinner in a restaurant
Asking for/paying the bill in a restaurant
Polite requests
Paying the check in a restaurant
Expressing likes and dislikes
Discussing gift suggestions
Asking for and giving directions
Commenting on clothes
Making comparisons
Expressing preferences
Asking prices/paying
Asking for and giving an opinion
Asking for help and responding to requests
Telling a friend what to do
Mechanics & Usage
Negation
¿Quién/quiénes?
les, a ustedes, a ellos, a ellas
Frequency of activities
Gender
"personal a"
Diminutives
Hay
Forming questions
Future expressions
Use of estar to say how things taste
Comparisons
Gift suggestions
Describe past events
Informal commands
Direct object pronouns lo and la
Expressions for time in the past
Tú and usted
Vocabulary
Activities with friends
Weather
Activities
Dates, months, seasons
A typical week
Days of the week
Describing a family
Describing people
Family members
Household chores
Colors
Descriptions of people
Pastimes and hobbies
Personal chores
Talking about meals and food
Meals
Foods
Numbers (0-200,000)
Vocabulary for shopping
Clothing
Family terms
Preparations for a party
Celebrations
Grammar
Present tense
Subject pronouns
Possessive adjectives
Encantar + indirect object pronouns
Expressions with tener
Indirect object pronouns
Es/son de + material/pattern
Demonstrative Adjectives
Present activities
Present progressive tense
Verbs
-er,-ir verbs
Hacer, salir, deber, poner
e to ie stem-changing verbs
Pensar + infinitive
ir + a + infinitive
Reflexive verbs
Tener expressions
gustar
ser and estar
o to ue stem-changing verbs
Forms of otro
estar and ser
Locations
Preterit tense of ar verbs
Culture
Seasons in
What a family does together
Privacy in Hispanic culture
La familia
Traveling without a car
La comida de las Américas
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and table manners in Spanish-speaking countries
Common Andean dishes
Tortillas
Specialty stores in
Fashion
Tamalada
Currency
Festivals and holidays
Saints' Days
Quinceañera
Wedding Celebrations
Las Piñatas
The upper school foreign language program offers French and Spanish to students in grades 9 through 12. Students are expected to attain an adequate level of proficiency in the target language while meeting the three-year upper school graduation requirement. Through a proficiency-based curriculum, students are expected to develop the four central linguistic skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and to apply them with confidence. Also, students attain a cultural awareness and appreciation of the countries where the target language is spoken. Upper level courses serve to further develop language skills and to delve deeper into culture and literature. The department offers introductory courses in Japanese and Russian to juniors and seniors. In addition, the school's ESOL program continues in the upper school as well.
Students are also offered the opportunity to participate in
ENGLISH FOR SPEASKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)
This course is for students whose native language is other than English who need to strengthen their English skills. Individually and in small groups, students receive support in their academic subjects, study skills, organizational skills, and negotiating cultural differences. Depending on their needs, students also receive additional practice using the traditional four areas of language study: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In addition, upper school students receive help in preparing for the TOEFL and SAT tests.
Goals
To improve pronunciation and intonation skills
To develop writing proficiency
To improve the student's ability to communicate ideas effectively in English, both in writing and speaking
To support academic needs, especially in the content areas which require assistance in reading comprehension
To become culturally flexible
FRENCH I
This beginning French course starts to build a basis of the French language with a strong emphasis on communicative skills. The course starts to develop listening and reading comprehension skills, speaking proficiency, writing skills, and an appreciation for the culture of French-speaking countries.
The French I course demands constant and active participation from the students. The usage of the French language in class increases as the course progresses.
GOALS
To acquire the basic pronunciation and intonation skills
To acquire the ability to read and to understand basic French in spoken and written forms
To foster the elements of writing proficiency
To use new vocabulary and grammatical structures in written and spoken French
To begin to communicate ideas effectively in French
To encourage an understanding and appreciation for culture of France and other French-speaking countries
COURSE MATERIALS
Allez, viens! - level 1 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
French in Action video program (episodes 1-12)
Films: Cross my Heart, Touring
TOPICS
Conversation
Introducing yourself
Greeting people and saying goodbye
Asking how people are
Asking someone's name and age and giving yours
Things you like or don't like ; activities you like or don't like to do
Greetings and goodbyes
Hand gestures
Agreeing and disagreeing
Asking for and giving information
Asking for and expressing opinions
Getting someone's attention
Expressing thanks
Exchanging information
Question formation
Making, accepting, and turning down suggestions
Making and responding to requests
Asking others what they need and telling what you need
Expressing likes, dislikes and preferences about activities
Accepting and turning down a suggestion
Arranging to meet someone
Asking for an opinion; paying a compliment; criticizing
Asking for and expressing opinions
Asking for and giving advice
Asking for and giving people's names and ages
Asking for, giving, and refusing permission
Au téléphone
Conversational time
Expressing likes and dislikes
Expressing need; inquiring
Extending and responding to invitations
Hesitating; making a decision
Information questions
Inquiring about and expressing likes and dislikes
Inquiring about and relating past events
Introducing people
Likes and dislikes
Making plans
Making suggestions, excuses and recommendations
Making, accepting and turning down suggestions
Offering, accepting, or refusing food
Ordering food and beverages
Paying a check
Responding to compliments
Sharing confidences and consoling others
Telephone call
Telling someone what to do
School life
Understanding classroom instructions
French classroom expressions
School subjects and school-related words
Class times
Parts of school day
School supplies
Buying school supplies in French-speaking countries
Mechanics
Spelling
Counting
French alphabet, accent marks, and names
French gesture for counting
Numbers for telling time
Avoir besoin de
C'est versus il/elle est
Contractions with à
De with expressions of quantity
Possession with de
The direct object pronouns le, la, les
The object pronouns le, la, les, lui, and leur
The pronoun en
Using le with days of the week
Vocabulary
Colors
Weather expressions
Months of the year
Time expressions
Seasons
Celsius and Fahrenheit
Activities
Adjectives to describe and characterize people
Articles of clothing
Chores
Clothing sizes
Colors
Daily activities
Days of the week
Describing and characterizing people
Expressions of quantity
Family members
Food and beverages
Food served in a café
Food vocabulary
Identifying people
Meals
Numbers 20-100
Places to go
Sports and hobbies
Things to do
Grammar
Ne…pas
The definite articles le, la, l', les
The connectors et and mais
Subject pronouns
Using si instead of oui to contradict a negative statement
The indefinite articles un, une, des
The demonstrative adjectives ce, cet, cette, ces
Adjective agreement and placement
De after a negative verb
The pronoun on
Adverbs of frequency
Adjective agreement
Adjectives used as nouns
Placement of adverbs with passé composé
Possessive adjectives
The imperative
The partitive articles
Verbs
-er verbs
The verb avoir
The verb aimer
The verb avoir
Expressions with jouer and faire
The verb faire
The verb aimer; regular -er verbs
Aller + infinitive
The future with aller
The -ir verb: choisir
The passé composé with avoir
The -re verb: repondre
The verb aller and aller + infinitive
The verb être
The verb pouvoir
The verb prendre
The verb vouloir
The verbs mettre and porter
Culture
The French-speaking world
Famous French-speaking people
Leisure time activities
The French educational system/le bac
L'heure officielle
Curriculum in French schools
The French grading system
Things you might buy for school and fun
Bagging your own purchases
French currency (euros)
Québec
Sports and hobbies
Old and new in
Sports in Francophone countries
Arles,
Dating in
Family life
Fashion in francophone countries
Food of
Going out
History of
Mealtimes in francophone countries
Pets in
Québec
Shopping for groceries in francophone countries
Telephone habits of French-speaking teenagers
The French telephone system
The Ivorian market
The metric system
Tipping
Waitpersons as professionals
FRENCH II
This intermediate French course continues to develop a strong basis of the French language. The class builds upon the material and goals presented at the beginning level of language learning. The French II course is conducted primarily in French, which emphasizes the use of French as a means of communication. The course demands active participation from the students in a variety of ways such as dialogues, presentations, pair activities, and interviews. Several projects and presentations are included such as a unit on French food, a treasure hunt (giving and following directions), a presentation on Loire valley castles, and an awalé tournament.
GOALS
To improve the student's ability to speak the language
To improve the ability to communicate ideas effectively in French
To improve the understanding of oral and written French
To foster writing proficiency through directed and creative writing
To use new vocabulary and grammatical structures in written and spoken French
To recognize and understand the meaning of unknown words through context clues and cognates
To improve basic pronunciation and intonation skills
To continue to
develop an appreciation for culture of
COURSE MATERIALS
Allez, viens! - level 2 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
French in Action video program (episodes 13-25)
Film: Au revoir les enfants
TOPICS
Conversation
Describing and characterizing yourself and others
Expressing likes and dislikes
Asking for and giving advice
Relating a series of events
Welcoming someone and responding to someone's welcome
Asking for and giving directions
Paying and responding to compliments
Paying and receiving compliments
Making suggestions
Making purchases
Asking for, offering, accepting, and refusing food
Extending good wishes
Giving prices
Asking for information and describing a place
Asking for and making suggestions
Sympathizing and consoling someone
Giving reasons and making excuses
Congratulating and reprimanding someone
Asking for opinions Expressing enthusiasm, indifference, and dissatisfaction
Expressing disbelieve and doubt
Asking for and giving information
Formal and informal phrasing of questions
Expressing satisfaction and frustration
Telling time
Expressing concern for someone and complaining
Giving advice Accepting and rejecting advice
Expressing discouragement and offering
Encouragement
Telling how often you do something
Telling what or whom you miss Reassuring someone
Asking and telling how things were like
Reminiscing
Making and responding to suggestions
Describing places
Wondering what happened
Offering possible explanations
Accepting and refusing explanations
Breaking some news
Showing interest
Beginning, continuing, and ending a story
Explanations and apologies
Sharing a confidence
Asking for and granting a favor
Making excuses
Apologizing and accepting an apology
Reproaching someone
Apologetic actions
Talking about personal problems
Accepting and refusing advice
Mechanics and Usage
The adjective quel
Using tu and vous
Contractions with à
intonation
Contractions with de
Emphasizing likes and dislikes
The reflexive pronouns se and me
The relative pronouns ce qui and ce que
De with adjectives and plural nouns
The phrase c'était
The pronoun en with activities
Figures of speech
Si on + the imparfait
Avoir l'air + adjective
Pronunciation
Pronunciation: liaison
Pronunciation: e muet
Pronunciation: the nasal sounds
Pronunciation: [y] versus [u]
Pronunciation: the [r] sound
Pronunciation: the [e] sound
Pronunciation: the nasal sound [a]
Vocabulary
Travel items
Family vocabulary
Clothing and colors
Weather expressions and seasons
Furniture and rooms
Places in town
Places to shop
Food items to buy
Meals
Gift items
Special occasions
Expressions of quantity
Food vocabulary
Places, flora, and fauna
Vacation activities
School day vocabulary
Meals at school
Sports and leisure activities
Weekend activities
Health expressions
Parts of the body
Injuries
Staying fit
Childhood activities
Adjectives of physical traits and personality
Chores
Places in a city
Feelings
Personal happenings
Friendship
School-related mishaps
Accidents and injuries
Party preparations
Grammar
The imperative
Question formation
Prepositions of location
The object pronoun en
The partitive articles
The indirect object pronouns lui and leur
Recognizing reflexive verbs
Connectors for sequencing events
Introduction to the passé composé with être
Connector words
Question words
Formation of imparfait
Object pronouns and their placement
Direct object pronouns with the passé composé
Object pronouns before an infinitive
Verbs
The verbs avoir and être
Adjective agreement
Choisir and other -ir verbs
Future with aller
Regular -er verbs
Adjectives that precede the noun
Courses of a meal
The verbs pouvoir and vouloir
Reflexive verbs
Adverbs of frequency
Daily activities
The passé composé with avoir
The passé composé with être
The verb ouvrir
Verbs that use être in the passé composé
Reflexive verbs in the passé composé
The verb devoir
The verb se nourrir
The imparfait of avoir and être
The passé composé vs. the imparfait
Using être en train de and the imparfait
The passé composé of reflexive verbs
Culture
Travel documents for foreign countries
Studying abroad
Ethnic restaurants
French teenagers' bedrooms
Notre-Dame de Chartres
Houses in francophone countries
Neighborhood stores
Typical meals in the francophone world
The euro
La ville de Saint-Pierre
Places to visit in different regions
The Creole language
Carnaval
Music and dance in
Carnet de correspondance
French grades and report cards
School life in francophone countries
Types of châteaux in
Studying historical figures in school
Buses and trains in
Research and presentations on
Good and bad eating habits
Pharmacies in
Teenagers' exercise habits
Mineral water
Things to see and buy in
Village life in
Ethnic groups in
High school in
Félix Houphouet-Boigny
Game of awalé
The cours Mirabeau
Histoires marseillaises
Paul Cézanne
Roman ruins in
Provençale cuisine
SPANISH I
The Spanish I students are introduced to the four skills of
language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Beginning with this level of the Spanish, the
program places a strong emphasis on oral communication.
GOALS
To begin to build a strong vocabulary and grammatical base
To develop students' communicative skills
To encourage students' daily participation in class discussions
To develop writing proficiency by means of directed exercises, short dialogues on a variety of topics, and a daily journal
To develop pronunciation skills
To develop listening comprehension skills and ability
To introduce students to Spanish culture and to the Spanish speaking world
To develop in students an appreciation and understanding of Spanish culture through reading, watching videos, and listening to music
COURSE MATERIALS
¡Ven conmigo! - level 1 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
Destinos video series (episodes 1-6)
Short stories from Diálogos simpáticos, an introductory reader
Practice exercises from the website Learn Spanish (www.studyspanish.com)
TOPICS
Conversation
Introductions
Useful phrases
"Simón Dice" game to review commands
Greetings and farewells
Asking how someone is and saying how you are
Asking and saying how old someone is
Asking where someone is from and saying where you're from
Likes/dislikes
Hellos/goodbyes
Age expressions
"How are you?" and responses
Telling where you're from
Wants and needs
Describing your room
Telling time, being late, being in a hurry
Describing people and things you like
Tag questions
Describing people and things
Telling where people and things are
How often you do things
Today's date
Getting together with friends
Discussing problems and giving advice
Talking on the phone
Extending, accepting and declining invitations
Making plans
Telephone conversations
Declining invitations
Telephone expressions
Getting to know someone
Party invitations
Commenting on food
Making polite requests
Ordering dinner in a restaurant
Asking for/paying the bill in a restaurant
Polite requests
Paying the check in a restaurant
Expressing likes and dislikes
Discussing gift suggestions
Asking for and giving directions
Commenting on clothes
Making comparisons
Expressing preferences
Asking prices/paying
Asking for and giving an opinion
Asking for help and responding to requests
Telling a friend what to do
School Life
Classes and sequencing events
School classes
Grade scales in different countries
A typical school day
Student course loads
School-sponsored activities
Spanish punctuation marks
Mechanics and Usage
Definite articles
Accent marks
Indefinite articles
Plural definite articles
Forming questions
el/los + days of the week
tú and usted
Negation
¿Quién/quiénes?
les, a ustedes, a ellos, a ellas
Frequency of activities
Gender
"personal a"
Diminutives
Hay
Forming questions
Future expressions
Use of estar to say how things taste
Comparisons
Gift suggestions
Describe past events
Informal commands
Direct object pronouns lo and la
Expressions for time in the past
Tú and usted
Vocabulary
Telling time
Alphabet
Colors
Numbers
Sports
School items
Items in your room
Time expressions
Activities
Locations
Days of the week
Activities with friends
Weather
Dates, months, seasons
A typical week
Days of the week
Describing a family
Describing people
Family members
Household chores
Colors
Descriptions of people
Pastimes and hobbies
Personal chores
Talking about meals and food
Meals
Foods
Numbers (0-200,000)
Vocabulary for shopping
Clothing
Family terms
Preparations for a party
Celebrations
Grammar
Subject pronouns: yo, tú
Noun gender/agreement
Plural nouns
Agreement of cuánto and mucho with nouns
Subject pronouns: él, ella
Subject pronouns: yo, tú
Forming questions with cuántos
Adjective agreement
Possession with de
Noun/adjective agreement
Present tense
Uses of que
Subject pronouns
Present tense
Subject pronouns
Possessive adjectives
Encantar + indirect object pronouns
Expressions with tener
Indirect object pronouns
Es/son de + material/pattern
Demonstrative Adjectives
Present activities
Present progressive tense
Verbs
The verb ser
-ar/-er/-ir verb infinitives
Uses and forms of ser
tener
Necesitar, querer
-ar verbs
con, conmigo, contigo
The verbs estar, ir
tener
-er,-ir verbs
Hacer, salir, deber, poner
e to ie stem-changing verbs
Pensar + infinitive
ir + a + infinitive
Reflexive verbs
Tener expressions
gustar
o to ue stem-changing verbs
Forms of otro
estar and ser
Locations
Preterit tense of ar verbs
Culture
Common Spanish names
An introduction to the Spanish speaking world, including famous Spanish-speakers in sports, the arts, science, and politics
First names and Saints' Days
Greeting customs
Spanish surnames
The school day in
Apartments in
Spanish currency
México
Free time activities: where you go/what you do
Sports in Spanish-speaking countries
Greetings in Spanish-speaking countries
Seasons in
What a family does together
Privacy in Hispanic culture
La familia
Traveling without a car
La comida de las Américas
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and table manners in Spanish-speaking countries
Common Andean dishes
Tortillas
Specialty stores in
Fashion
Tamalada
Currency
Festivals and holidays
Saints' Days
Quinceañera
Wedding Celebrations
Las Piñatas
SPANISH II
The Spanish II students continue to develop the four skills of language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At this level, the program continues to develop oral communication and place a strong emphasis on vocabulary. Reading and writing skills continue to be developed and reinforced. Students are expected to prepare for various in-class presentations and dialogues. Reading short stories is introduced at this level, as well as more focused writing exercises.
GOALS
To continue to build a strong vocabulary and grammatical base
To further develop students' communicative skills
To continue to encourage students' daily participation in class discussions
To further writing proficiency through directed exercises, dialogues on a variety of topics, and a daily journal
To enhance pronunciation skills
To improve listening comprehension skills and ability
To continue to expose students to Spanish culture and to the Spanish speaking world
COURSE MATERIALS
¡Ven conmigo! - level 2 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
Destinos video series (episodes 7-18)
Short stories from Cuentitos simpáticos, an introductory reader
Practice exercises from the website Learn Spanish (www.studyspanish.com)
TOPICS
Conversation
Introducing yourself and others
Talking about what you and others do
Saying what you like and don't like
Description of appearance of Hispanics
Talking about how you're feeling
Making suggestions and responding to them
Saying if something has already been done
Asking for and offering help
Describing your city or town
Expressing feelings
Talking about your daily routine
Talking about responsibilities
Complaining
Talking about hobbies and pastimes
Saying how long something has been going on
Expressions of agreement
Asking for help and responding to questions
Giving explanations
Asking for and giving opinions
Giving advice
Talking about things and people you know
Making comparisons
Making plans
Talking about staying fit and healthy
Telling someone what to do and not to do
Informal commands
Asking for and giving information
Relating a series of events
Talking about what you used to do
Saying what you used to like and dislike
Describing what people and things were like
Using comparisons to describe people
Talking about likes and dislikes using the preterit
Describing a past event
Saying why you couldn't do something
Reporting what someone said
Describing what you did
Asking for help in a store
Talking about how clothes look and fit
Bargaining in a market
Giving directions
Setting the scene for a story
Continuing and ending a story
Talking about the latest news
Reacting to news
Mechanics and Usage
hace + quantity of time + que + present tense
deberías vs. debes
ser + adjective to describe people
para + infinitive
ser vs. estar
Comparisons: más...que, menos... que
ir + a + infinitive
Reflexives with verbs of emotion
Imperfect of ser to describe people and things
tan + adjective / adverb +
Comparisons: más/menos + adjective + que
Superlatives
Verbs with prepositions
Formal commands with usted, ustedes
ser + de + material
Vocabulary
Nationalities
Numbers
Colors
Family members
cafeterías
Calendar expressions
Places around town
Weather expressions
Clothing
Daily activities
Chores
Hobbies and pastimes
Household chores
Daily routines
Verbs of personal grooming
Vocabulary of household chores
Vocabulary for hobbies and pastimes
School and computer terms
Activities around town
After school activities
School subjects
Sports
Fitness activities
Health and fitness terms
Body parts
Injuries and explanations
Ordering in a restaurant
In the city
Places in the city
In the train station
In a restaurant
Birthday celebrations
Food vocabulary
Describing people and places
Conveniences
Descriptive adjectives
In the zoo, the amusement park, and movie theater
Running errands
At a festival
Describing things
In a clothing store
In a market
Clothing/shoe sizes
Expressions for shopping
Clothing material and pattern
Accidents, mishaps, and daily events
Science fiction and fairy tales
The latest news
Grammar
Indirect object pronouns with verbs like gustar
Reflexive verbs and pronouns
e to i stem change in vestirse
Direct object pronouns: lo, la, los, las
Question formation
Spelling changes in verbs that end in -car, -gar, -zar
Spelling change of o to u and y to e to avoid vowel repetition
Direct and indirect objects
Verbs
Present tense of tener
Adjective agreement
Present tense of regular verbs
The verb estar
Preterit of -ar verbs
Present tense of querer and poder
Adverbs ending in mente
estar + adjective to describe location
Present tense of the verb conocer
Preterit of the verb dormir
Preterit of regular -er and -ir verbs
Preterit of poder
Preterit of regular -ar verbs
Reflexive verbs
Present tense of saber
saber vs. conocer
Preterit forms of pedir, servir, traer
Poder
The preterit for listing events
The imperfect tense of -ar, -er, -ir verbs
The imperfect tense of ir and ver
The imperfect of hay
The preterit
Adjectives with -ísimo/a
Using mientras in the past
Preterit of decir
The imperfect tense
Imperfect of hay
The preterit vs. the imperfect
Preterit of oír, creer, leer, caerse
The preterit and the imperfect to tell a story
The preterit of tener
Preterit of ser
Culture
el euro
Planning evening activities in
Calendar
Extended family living together
Celsius vs. Fahrenheit
Popular free-time activities among teenagers
Valle de México
Classroom activities
School levels in
Cost of university education in
Who is an American?
Student responses about health habits in Spanish-speaking countries
Snack foods in Spanish-speaking countries
Childhood activities
Public services in Latin American cities
el merengue
El Yunque and el coquí
Holidays and festivals in Spanish-speaking countries
el mercado de Otavalo
Mural art
Weather map of
A Chilean folk tale
An Ecuadorean legend
"La Llorona"
(French 1, French 2, Spanish 1, and Spanish 2 course outlines can be found in the 9th grade Foreign Language Section.)
FRENCH III
This intermediate French course concludes
The French III course is conducted primarily in French, which continues to emphasize the importance of French as a means of communication. Active class participation is an expectation from all students. By the end of the course students are exposed to French literature and French film. Students do several class presentations in French including one on French films and one on French provinces.
GOALS
To continue to develop the basic language skills of reading, speaking, listening, and writing
To encourage more extensive writing
To use more complex vocabulary and grammatical structures in written and spoken French
To recognize and understand the meaning of unknown words through context clues and cognates
To improve basic pronunciation and intonation skills
To develop an
appreciation for culture of
To develop a sense of confidence in speaking French and to take risks with the language
To begin to think in French, rather than English
COURSE MATERIALS
Allez, viens! - level 3 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and Grammar Workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
French in Action video program (episodes 26-40)
"La Parure" by Guy de Maupassant
Films: Cyrano de Bergerac, Les Miserables
TOPICS
Conversation
Renewing old acquaintances
Exchanging information
Expressing indecision
Making recommendations
Ordering and asking for details
Asking for and giving directions
Expressing impatience
Reassuring someone
Expressing enthusiasm and boredom
Favorite comic book characters
Making, accepting, and refusing suggestions
Asking for, granting, and refusing permission
Expressing obligation
Forbidding
Reproaching
Justifying your actions and rejecting other's excuses
Complaining
Pointing out and identifying people and things
Paying and responding to compliments
Asking about and expressing intentions
Expressing conditions and possibilities
Asking about future plans
Expressing wishes and indecision
Requesting information
Writing a formal letter
Giving advice
Making a telephone call
Expressing likes and preferences
Making and accepting apologies
Showing and responding to hospitality
Quarreling
Expressing thanks
Making suppositions
Expressing doubt and certainty
Expressing astonishment
Cautioning someone
Expressing fear
Expressing relief
Asking someone to convey good wishes
Closing a letter
Expressing hopes and wishes
Expressing annoyance
Making comparisons
Agreeing and disagreeing
Expressing indifference
Making requests
Asking for and making judgments
Asking for and making recommendations
Asking about and summarizing a story
Favorite types of movies
Expressing opinions
Summarizing a story
Relating a series of events
Mechanics and Usage
Definite, indefinite, and partitive articles
Question formation
The future with aller
Ne …pas + infinitive
Negative expressions
Question formation with inversion
Using the subjunctive
Si clauses
Intonation
The expression ne…que
Vocabulary
French menu
Sports and activities
Food vocabulary
At the gas station
Adjectives
Household chores
Personal responsibilities
Social responsibilities
Chores
Describing clothing and hairstyles
Fashion and personal style
Clothing vocabulary
Adjectives referring to clothing
Family vocabulary
Future choices and plans
Careers
Planning for a career
Types of job training
Family relationships
Packing for a safari
Travel items
City life
Describing a place
Types of movies
Types of films
Grammar
The imperative
Pronouns and their placement
The interrogative and demonstrative pronouns
The conditional
Irregular subjunctive forms
The comparative
Adjective agreement
The relative pronouns qui, que, and dont
Relative pronouns
Verbs
The passé composé
The imparfait
The verb conduire
The subjunctive
The verb devoir
The causative faire
The future
Reciprocal verbs
The past infinitive
Reflexive verbs
Culture
Traditional regional clothing
Regional specialties
Regional foods
Languages in
Overview of
Swiss work ethic
Overview of
Environmental issues
La minuterie
Clothing and styles
French clothing stores
French sense of fashion
Careers and education in
Overview of
Bargaining in
Values of francophone teenagers
Overview of
Hospitality in
La République Centrafricaine
Rainforest and savannah
African animals
The
Stereotypical impressions of francophone regions
La Tunisie
Traditional life
Traditional and modern life and
dress in
Modernization in francophone countries
Le
Television programming
Multilingual broadcasting in
Overview of
The Canadian film industry
SPANISH III
This intermediate Spanish course concludes
Spanish III is conducted primarily in Spanish, which emphasizes the use of Spanish as a means of communication. The course demands frequent and active participation from students. There are many opportunities to speak Spanish in a variety of contexts.
GOALS
To improve the students ability to speak the language
To communicate ideas effectively in Spanish
To improve the understanding of oral and written Spanish
To foster writing proficiency through directed and creative writing
"To use new vocabulary and grammatical structures in written and spoken Spanish
To recognize and understand the meaning of unknown words through context clues and cognates
To develop a sense of confidence in speaking Spanish and to take risks with the language
To improve basic pronunciation and intonation skills
To understand and develop an appreciation for Spanish and Latin American culture
To begin to think in Spanish, rather than English
To follow a storyline in Spanish (Destinos series) and to be able to discuss and analyze the story
COURSE MATERIALS
¡Ven conmigo! - level 3 series
Student text
Practice and Activity Workbook
Vocabulary and grammar workbook
In class use of audio CD's, video segments
Destinos video series (episodes 19-36)
Films: Don Quijote, Romero, El Norte (varies from year to year)
TOPICS
Conversation
Expressing interest, indifference, and displeasure
Asking for information
Describing yourself and others
Asking for and giving advice
Talking about taking care of yourself
Talking about what has happened
Expressing and supporting a point of view
Using conversational fillers
Talking about future events
Talking about responsibilities
Talking about how food tastes
Talking about unintentional events
Asking for help and requesting favors
Ordering a meal
Giving explanations
Supporting opinions
Expressing qualified agreement and disagreement
Reporting what others say and think
Talking about hopes and wishes
Introducing and changing a topic of conversation
Expressing what needs to be done
Expressing an opinion
Making suggestions and recommendations
Turning down an invitation
Expressing happiness and unhappiness
Comforting someone
Making an apology
Describing an ideal relationship
Expressing doubt and disbelief
Expressing certainty
Talking about possibility and impossibility
Expressing surprise
Talking about your emotional reaction to something
Expressing disagreement
Expressing an assumption
Making hypothetical statements
Talking about accomplishments
Talking about future plans
Expressing cause and effect
Expressing intention and purpose
Grammar
Stem-changing verbs in the present tense
The present tense
The preterit
y and o before vowels
Adjectives
saber vs. conocer
Informal commands
Irregular informal commands
Reflexive verbs
The imperfect
Preterit vs. imperfect
The present perfect
lo que
The future tense
Object pronouns
todavía, ya, alguna vez
Affirmatives and negatives
Comparisons of equality and inequality
vamos a + infinitive
se with unintentional events
por and para
Commands
Pronouns with commands
The suffix -ísimo
Double object pronouns
Impersonal se
The subjunctive to express hopes and wishes
Subjunctive of ir, ser, dar, estar
Verbs followed by an infinitive
Gender of some words ending in -a and -o
The subjunctive after expressions of need
The subjunctive mood with recommendations
Nosotros commands
The use of the infinitive vs. the subjunctive
Formation of the subjunctive
dar, estar, ir, and ser in the present subjunctive
Comparisons
The subjunctive with expressions of feelings
Reflexive verbs for reciprocal actions
The present perfect subjunctive
The subjunctive with the unknown or nonexistent
The present subjunctive of saber
The use of vos
The use of the infinitive vs. the subjunctive
Irregular subjunctive
Past participle form
Affirmative and negative words
Subjunctive forms
The subjunctive after expressions of doubt and disbelief
por in fixed expressions
The subjunctive after impersonal expressions
Uses of se
More on preterit vs. imperfect
The preterit of estar, ponerse, querer, saber and sentirse
The subjunctive with expressions of denial and disagreement
The conditional
The subjunctive
The subjunctive with certain conjunctions
Verbs after prepositions
The subjunctive with para que
The present perfect
Reflexive pronouns
Vocabulary
Question words
Names of sports
Names of hobbies
Words and expressions to describe people
Expressions to tell how you are feeling today
Words and expressions to talk about stress
Expressions to talk about how to relieve stress
Words and expressions related to technology
Words and expressions to talk about changes in the city
Things that may protect the environment
Salads, meat, seafood, fruit, and desserts
Food stores
Repair shops
Words and expressions to talk about war and peace
Words related to the arts
Words and expressions to describe works of art
Words and expressions to talk about friendship
Things that friends might do
Words to talk about television
Words and expressions to talk about information
Sections of a newspaper
Words to describe people's behavior
Words and expressions to talk about prejudice and stereotypes
Words and expressions to talk about achievements and future plans
Words and expressions to talk about your background and ambitions
Culture
Vacation activities of students
Seafood in
Regional
languages of
Work schedules in
Health habits of
people in
Today's technology in the Spanish-speaking world
The role of oil in the Venezuelan economy
The benefits of
technology for
The sobremesa
Getting assistance from emergency service personnel
Foods of
Favorite foods
of typical students from
la "leyenda negra"
Aztec pictographs
The legends "La Llorona" and "La carreta sin bueyes"
The legend of Quetzalcóatl
The legend "El Quetzal"
The murals of Orozco
Murals in
Musical instruments
Mexican pop music star Luis Miguel
Life and works of Frida Kahlo
Cafés
The Organization of American States
The popularity of movies
The popularity of soccer
How Spanish -speaking teenagers solve interpersonal problems
The use of the Internet in
How commercials affect our attitudes and behavior
Newsstands in
Hispanics in the
Impressions
Spanish-speaking people have of the
Spanish language
media in
Hispanics in
How Spanish-speaking students view themselves
FRENCH IV HONORS
This honors level course builds upon the skills and knowledge
acquired by the students during the three years of required language study in
the
French IV is conducted almost exclusively in French. Students' willingness to participate in class discussions is crucial to their success in this course.
GOALS
To continue to build upon a strong vocabulary and grammatical base
To improve students' communicative skills
To encourage students' daily participation in class discussions
To further develop writing proficiency by means of directed exercises, essays on a variety of topics, and a weekly journal
To learn to read new texts more globally and understand new vocabulary through context and cognates
To improve pronunciation skills
To further develop listening comprehension skills
To have students become more confident and aware of their ability to communicate in French, orally or in written form
To continue to expose students to French culture and to the French speaking world
To develop in students an appreciation and understanding of French literature through reading and discussion of short stories, novels or plays and magazine or newspaper articles
To enable students to present a subject of their own choosing with an oral class presentation followed by a question and answer session from their classmates, and with a 2 page minimum essay on the same topic
COURSE MATERIALS
Trésors du temps, student text and workbook
Le Petit Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
Excerpts from Les Lettres de mon moulin (Alphonse Daudet) assigned as summer reading
French in Action video program (episodes 39-52)
Films: Ponette, Le Petit Prince, Jean de Florette, Manon des sources
Documentaries on
TOPICS
Grammar
Review fundamental verbs such as être, aller, avoir, faire
Present indicative with depuis, il y a, voilà
Pendant with expressions of time
Present and imperative of verbs of regular verbs in -er, -ir, -re, -oir
Verbs with spelling changes
Consecutive verbs with or without preposition
Position of adverbs
Usage of on
Past tenses of the three verb groups
Conjugation and uses of the imparfait and passé composé
The pluperfect
The passé simple
Verbs conjugated with être or avoir
Agreement of the past participle
Position of adverbs with compound tenses
Direct and indirect object pronouns
Accentuated pronouns
Verbs of communication
Imperative with object pronouns
Conjugation, usage, and meaning of various tenses of the verb devoir
Forms and uses of the future and conditional
The formation and uses of the present and past subjunctive
Formation and usage of reflexive verbs
Reciprocal verbs
Past participle agreement
Causative faire
Qualifying adjectives
Negations
Present participle and gerund
Pronouns: possessive, relative, interrogative, demonstrative
Verbs of communication and expression
Indirect discourse
Culture, Literature, and History
Prehistoric art
Les monuments
mégalithiques de
Salient facts of
the history of
Legends of the period
French geography and history from pre-historic times
The transition from the French provinces to today's departments
Cave art
De
Le Vase de Soissons (Grégoire de Tours)
Les Gallo-Romains
The Druids
Astérix
Early medieval literature
Medieval art and ideas
Salient facts of French history from 50 to 1066 A.D.
La Chanson de Roland
Tristan et Yseut
L'art autour de l'an 1000
The
Religious art
The goals and consequences of the Crusades
The construction of the first cathedrals
The Hundred Years War
Medieval literature
La Farce de Maître Pathelin
La Ballade des Pendus (François Villon)
Medieval and religious art
Gothic and romanesque cathedrals
Stained glass windows
La
The Great Discoveries (compass, printing press)
The Renaissance
The Reformation and its consequences
The reign of King Henri IV
Art and the
Excerpt from Pantagruel and Jehan le Fou (François Rabelais)
Essay, "Contre le colonialisme" (Michel de Montaigne)
"Ode à Cassandre" (Pierre de Ronsard)
The Art of the Renaissance
The Castles of the
Le Grand Siècle ou l'Age classique
Louis XIV
The
The Salons
"Le XVIIe Siècle"
Theater of the 17th century, excerpt from Act II of L'Ecole des Femmes (Molière)
Lettre à sa fille sur la mort de Vatel (Madame de Sévigné)
The architecture and painting of the 17th century
The furniture and
décor of
Le dix-huitième siècle
The Regency of Louis XV
The System of Law
The reign of Louis XV
The Age of Enlightenment
"Le XVIIIe siècle"
Excerpt from Candide (Voltaire)
Excerpt from Les Confessions (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
The architecture and painting of the 18th century
The furniture and décor of Le Palais de Versailles
Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette
France & America (War of Independence)
The taking of the Bastille
Excerpt from Voyages en France (Arthur Young)
Excerpt from Souvenirs (Mme Vigée-Lebrun)
La prise de la Bastille (Louis Deflue)
Art at the end of the Old Regime
Jacques-Louis David
Le Trianon
Art and revolutionary propaganda
The Great Fear
The abolition of privilege
The Constitution and the constitutional monarchy
War with
The Terror
What was brought by the Revolution
Les dernières heures de Louis XVI (Jean-Baptiste Cléry)
Art during the revolutionary period
L'Arbre de la liberté
The
Revolutionaries and Ancient
Napoléon et le début du XIXe siècle
Napoléon I, emperor
Napoléon as an administrator
Napoleonic Wars
Louis XVIII
The exile of Napoléon
Excerpt from Le Retour de Russie (Victor Hugo)
Excerpt from Les Mémoires d'outre-tombe (Chateaubriand)
"Le Lac" (Lamartine )
Art during Napoleon reign
Painting (David and Gros)
Furnishings: the Empire style
SPANISH IV HONORS
This honors level course depends on the skills and knowledge acquired by the students during the first three years of required language study in the Upper School. Students are expected to build upon their strong vocabulary, grammatical and communicative skills. Students are to develop greater self-confidence in expressing themselves orally. Students participate in class discussions based on the readings of authentic Spanish literature in the form of short stories, plays and poems. Writing skills are further developed as students express their ideas through creative essays and in their journals. The geography and history of several Spanish speaking countries are explored in this course. Spanish IV Honors is conducted exclusively in Spanish and students are expected to speak Spanish at all times. Students' participation is crucial to their success in this course.
GOALS
To continue to build upon a strong vocabulary and grammatical base
To enhance students' communicative skills
To further develop writing proficiency by means of directed exercises, essays on a variety of topics, and a weekly journal
To learn to read new texts and understand new vocabulary through context and cognates
To improve pronunciation skills
To further develop listening comprehension skills and ability
To have students become confident and aware of their ability to communicate in Spanish
To continue to expose students to Spanish culture and to the Spanish speaking world
To develop in students an appreciation and understanding of authentic Spanish literature through reading and discussion of authentic short stories, excerpts from novels or plays, and poetry
COURSE MATERIALS
Nuevas Vistas, curso uno
Student text and workbook, audio compact discs, and video program
Destinos video series (episodes 37-52)
Supplemental: Short stories from Album, an intermediate reader with authentic literary works.
Printed lessons, practice exercises, tests and quizzes from the website Learn Spanish (www.studyspanish.com)
Summer Reading - Historias de la Artámila (short stories), Ana María Matute
TOPICS
"Mis primeros versos" (autobiographical episode), Rubén Darío
"Primero de sucundaria" (autobiographical episode), Gary Soto
"Un cuentecillo triste" (story), Gabriel García Márquez
"La guerra de los yacarés" (story), Horacio Quiroga
de Platero y yo (prose poem), Juan Ramón Jiménez’
"Posada de las Tres Cuerdas" (folk tale), Ana María Shua
"La puerta del infierno" (legend), Antonio Landauro
"Mañana de sol" (play), Serafín y Joaquín Álvarez Quintero
de Paula (novel), Isabel Allende
de Versos sencillos (poem), José Martí
"La tortuga" (poem), Pablo Neruda
"El forastero gentil" (story), Sabine R. Ulibarrí
de "Valle del fuego" (essay), Alejandro Balaguer
de "Aydin" (story), Jordi Sierra i Fabra
"Romance sonámbulo" (poem), Federico García Lorca
Conversation
Expressing emotions
Talking about cause and effect
A past experience
Making a description
Making comparisons and contrasts
Talkng about what one should do
Presenting ideas and making connections
Expressing certainty and doubt
Talking about past evens
Asking for and clarifying an opinion
Talking about hypothetical situations
Expressing similarities and differences
Grammar
Nouns
Definite and indefinite articles
Adjectives
Accents (diacritical marks)
Narration (autobiographical episode)
Present tense
Preterit
Imperfect
Accents: the division of syllables
Present subjunctive
The subjunctive in nominal clauses
The subjunctive in adverbial clauses
Accents: the tonic accent
Imperfect subjunctive
Conditional
Future
Accents: syllables and accent placement
The infinitive
The gerund
Prepositions
Accents: dipthongs
Culture
Present perfect indicative
Present perfect subjunctive
Pluperfect indicative
Pluperfect subjunctive
The sequence of tenses
Accents: palabras agudas
Talking about poems
Presenting and supporting an opinion
Talking about someone in the past
FRENCH V AP
French V AP is an elective course offered to those students
who have successfully completed French IV Honors and to the students who are
returning from the Year Abroad Program in
The course is designed to refine and enhance the student's skills in speaking, writing, reading and listening comprehension to prepare them to understand and communicate effectively in any situation. Students' progress in those skills is due to the fact that they come to understand the interrelatedness of structure and functional communication and the importance of grammar to accurate communication. The course is also intended to prepare students for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination.
GOALS
To refine communicative skills in the four skill areas (speaking, writing, reading and listening comprehension)
To acquire a heightened understanding of Francophone cultures with an emphasis on the culture and literature of former French colonies
To enhance grammatical competence by reviewing previously learned structures and concepts and acquiring new structures and their uses
To be able to use basic thematic vocabulary and circumlocution to express complex ideas
To develop higher-order thinking skills and literary chronology, techniques, and interpretation
To speak French at all times and be able to discuss literature, newspaper and magazine articles, films, and videos
To be exposed to art and music and expected to share their views and ideas in class or in writing about these topics
To prepare for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination given in May
RESOURCES:
Une fois pour toutes (Longman)
Excerpts from The AP Student Book (Longman)
French literature (see below)
SPEAKING
Students are expected to speak French at all times from the moment they enter the classroom. Conversation and discussion are the backbone of the class and daily practice is imperative.
Discussions focus on literature, short articles, films/videos, and current events. The students should be able to discuss, express personal opinions, including hypotheses and conjecture, using the subjunctive and si- clauses appropriately and correctly. To prepare for the AP exam students practice answering short questions and interpreting a series of pictures that together form a narrative. Students are expected to relate this narrative within two minutes. The rubrics used to grade the students on the exam measure the ability to use a wide range of vocabulary, understand and use grammatical structures, and demonstrate fluency, accuracy, and comprehensible pronunciation. The student is also given twenty seconds to respond to each of six questions or statements.
LISTENING COMPREHENSION
The class is conducted entirely in French enabling the students to listen to their peers, the teacher, guest speakers, films, videos, and tapes that are used specifically to further develop listening skills and prepare for a listening section in the AP examination. On the Advanced Placement French Language exam, students are asked to listen to short dialogues, narratives, statements or remarks and are expected to answer multiple choice questions about what they just heard.
The students in this class are expected to be able to understand the general idea of each presentation but also to identify more specific elements such as inflection, tone, and tenor. They should have acquired the ability to follow the essentials of conversation between educated native speakers, even those who use familiar or colloquial expressions, understand standard French from tape recordings, records, the radio or the telephone.
WRITING
Students are expected to be able to describe and narrate, present and defend ideas and points of view, organize arguments and consider opposing points of view, provide appropriate examples and draw conclusions from them, and provide introductory remarks, transitions, and conclusions in an essay.
In order to be able to do this, students must have a good control of most grammatical forms and processes. Vocabulary should be extensive enough to cover most topics, although gaps in vocabulary can be filled in with circumlocutions. In addition to showing good control of grammar and vocabulary, the student's essay should be organized, to the point, and always understandable.
TOPICS
Grammar
Grammar chapters from Une fois pour toutes are regularly reviewed. Exercises are assigned for each chapter and students' knowledge of the various topics studied is tested in chapter tests and semester examinations.
Gender of nouns
Definite, indefinite, and partitive articles
Verbs: indicative present, imperative, passive voice
Past tenses: Recent past, passé composé, agreement of past participles with compound tenses, passé simple, imperfect, pluperfect, passive voice in the past
Future and conditional
The verb devoir
The subjunctive
Object pronouns and accentuated pronouns
Possessive and demonstrative adjectives and pronouns
Interrogative adjectives, pronouns, and expressions
Relative pronouns
Negations and indefinite expressions
Adjectives, adverbs, comparative and superlative
Prepositions and conjunctions
Infinitive, present participle and gerund, indirect discourse
Vocabulary
Students are asked to learn the vocabulary from the following sources:
reading selections
videos, films, tapes
notes on the board from the teacher
AP list of vocabulary presented by specific topic (trees, flowers, transportation, farm animals, etc.)
Students in this course should have the ability to read expository and narrative French prose with good overall comprehension, to separate main ideas from subordinate ones and to recognize hypotheses, supported opinions, and documented facts. This ability should extend to the reading of literary texts - novels, essays, short stories, plays, and poetry - in their original form. Students are also expected to discriminate between different registers of language, to recognize many of their important cultural implications, and to appreciate stylistic differences and humor. They need to be able to draw inferences from material read.
Students need to comprehend high-frequency idiomatic expressions and to develop strategies for successful interpretation of unfamiliar words, idioms or structures, based on a broad general vocabulary and solid knowledge of grammatical forms and structures.
Because the course does not focus on particular texts, the teacher has the freedom to tailor the content to the needs and interests of the students in the class; therefore the specific reading material varies from year to year.
Each year students read five or six works chosen by their teacher among the following list:
La Gloire de mon père (Marcel Pagnol)
La femme du boulanger (Marcel Pagnol)
Jean de Florette (Marcel Pagnol)
Bonjour tristesse (Françoise Sagan)
Un certain sourire (Françoise Sagan)
La symphonie pastorale (André Gide)
Vipère au poing (Hervé Bazin)
Thérèse Desqueyroux (François Mauriac)
Thérèse Raquin (Emile Zola)
Une vie (Guy de Maupassant)
L'Etranger (Albert Camus)
Le diable au corps (Raymond Radiguet)
Les mains sales (Jean-Paul Sartre)
Les mouches (Jean-Paul Sartre)
Huis-clos (Jean-Paul Sartre)
L'alouette (Jean Anouilh)
Le père Goriot (Honoré de Balzac)
Rhinocéros (Eugène Ionesco)
En attendant Godot (Samuel Beckett)
Le vieillard et l'enfant (Gabrielle Roy)
Contes d'Amadou Koumba (Birago Diop)
In addition, students read excerpts from various short stories, poetry, and selections on the history, culture, and geography of the French-speaking world and articles from magazines and newspapers such as L'Express, Le Nouvel Observateur, Le Figaro, Le Monde, France -Amérique, Le Journal français d'Amérique
Summer Reading
Students are assigned a work of literature to be read in the summer preceding their entry in this class. They are also given specific guidelines on what their reading notes should include. These notes are to be handed in at the start of the school year. Class discussion and appropriate written assignments are also part of this assignment.
The summer reading assignment may be one of the following:
Trois contes (Gustave Flaubert)
Bonjour tristesse (Françoise Sagan)
Le Colonel Chabert (Honoré de Balzac)
Films
Each year a variety of films are viewed and discussed in class. The teacher chooses from the following:
La gloire de mon père
Le château de ma mère
Chocolat
Jésus de Montréal
Le vieillard et l'enfant
L'Afrique francophone
La rue Case-Nègres
La haine
Madame Bovary
La symphonie pastorale
En attendant Godot
SPANISH V AP
Spanish V AP is offered to those students who have
successfully completed Spanish IV Honors and have demonstrated interest and
enthusiasm in continuing to study Spanish.
The course is also a requirement for those students who return after
having participated in
GOALS
To comprehend formal and informal spoken Spanish
To acquire necessary vocabulary and control of structures to allow for effective reading of periodicals and literature
To further develop adequate reading strategies to decipher meaning using context clues and cognate recognition
To express ideas orally with accuracy and fluency communicating with essential vocabulary and circumlocution to express more complex ideas
To be able to compose analytical, creative, and reflective written passages
To broaden the understanding and appreciation of Hispanic culture including its literature, art, geography, history, and music
To be aware of and able to understand and discuss current events related to the Spanish-speaking world
RESOURCES
The Nuevas vistas, curso dos series (text, workbook, ancillaries) is used as the primary material for the course, however it is supplemented when necessary. The text is divided into six units, each focusing on a particular universal theme, which provides the basis for the literature, discussions, and writing.
SPEAKING
Students are expected to speak Spanish at all times once they enter the classroom. Formal discussions on a variety of topics form an integral part of each unit. Informal conversations that are drawn from students' personal experiences are incorporated into the class as well.
LISTENING
As students speak, they also practice listening to one another and to the teacher. In addition, a variety of sources such as video segments, films, and recordings are used as students learn to comprehend a variety of accents. Occasionally, guest lecturers are asked to speak to the class on cultural topics.
WRITING
Paragraph topics throughout the year include commentaries and analyses of the literature, creative writing, and personal opinions and reflections. Students are expected to demonstrate proper style of writing including introductions, transitions, conclusions, and use of examples to support generalizations. Appropriate grammar usage and appropriate vocabulary are stressed and reviewed.
TOPICS
The core of the course is based on a variety of Spanish and Latin American works of literature. This includes excerpts from novels, short stories, poems, plays, and essays. Various cultural readings and selections from periodicals are used as supplements as well. A short novel is assigned as a "summer reading" assignment prior to the beginning of the course. The students are expected to take notes which they will use to discuss and write about the work during the first few days of class.
Summer Reading - Aura (short novel), Carlos Fuentes
"Trabajo del campo" (short story), Rose de Castillo Guilbault
"Soneto 149" (poem), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
"Lo que sucedió a un mozo que se casó con una muchacha de muy mal carácter" (story), Don Juan Manuel
"Cadena rota" (story), Gary Soto
"Naranjas" (poem), Gary Soto
"Una carta de Dios" (story), Gregorio López y Fuentes
"La muralla" (poem), Nicolás Guillén
"La fiesta
Gabriela Mistral
"Árbol adentro" (poem), Octavio Paz
"Paisaje" (poem), Federico García Lorca
"Meciendo" (poem), Gabriela Mistral
"Las abejas de bronce" (story), Marco Denevi
"Dicen que no hablan las plantas" (poem), Rosalía de Castro
El anillo
"Cajas de cartón", (story) Francisco Jiménez
"Los dos reyes y los dos laberinots" (story), Jorge Luis Borges
Elements of a drama
"La historia de Quetzalcóatl" (Aztec myth)
"El casamiento
"El corrido de Gregorio Cortez" (ballad), Américo Paredes version
"Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes" (story), Gabriel García Márquez
Don Quijote de la Mancha (excerpt), Miguel de Cervantes
"El libro talonario" (story), Pedro Antonio Alarcón
"El soneto" (poem), Lope de Vega
"El delantal blanco" (drama), Sergio Vodanovic
Conversation
Describing heroic acts
Discussing generous deeds
Grammar and Usage
Subject pronouns
Direct object pronouns
Indirect object pronouns
Prepositional pronouns
Reflexive pronouns
Possessive pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns
Uses of capitalization
Accents (diacritical marks, dieresis)
Adjectives
Adverbs
Comparatives
Diminutives and augmentatives
Accent (palabras agudas, llanas, esdrújulas, sobresdrújulas)
Uses of se
Passive voice
Diphthongs, hiatus
Poetry: sounds and images
Rhetorical devices and style
Relative pronouns
Verb review from worksheets: preterit, imperfect, present subjunctive, future, conditional, compound tenses, imperfect subjunctive, si clauses, sequence of tenses
Culture
Mexican-Americans
Environmental concerns
Current events
Mexican Revolution (film)
Muralism
Pre-Columbian civilizations
ADVANCED FRENCH
This course is intended for those students who are interested in continuing to study French beyond the fifth year. The format of the course is similar to that of the AP language course. Students will continue to broaden their knowledge of French and Francophonic literature. Students will respond to the literature within-class presentations and in writing, thus expanding their analytical and critical skills in French. With departmental approval, a motivated student may prepare for and take the AP French Literature Exam.
ADVANCED SPANISH
This course is intended for those students who are interested in continuing to study Spanish beyond the fifth year. The format of the course is similar to that of the AP course. Students will continue to broaden their knowledge of Spanish and Latin American literature. Students will respond to the literature with in-class presentations and in writing, thus expanding their analytical and critical skills in Spanish. With departmental approval, a motivated student may prepare for and take the AP Spanish Literature Exam.
BASIC RUSSIAN
This semester course introduces the students to the rich Russian culture and language. This course covers the basic vocabulary and grammatical structures that enable students to understand oral and written language, and to communicate in Russian in simple, every day situations.
An important component of this course is fostering interest
and appreciation of Russian culture. Through
class discussions, individual research and presentation, video clips, original
songs and films the students acquire a better understanding of the history and
culture of
GOALS
To familiarize the students with the Cyrillic alphabet
To develop an understanding of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures in oral and written forms through listening, reading and speaking exercises
To foster writing proficiency through directed and creative writing
To develop a sense of confidence in speaking Russian and to take risks with the language
To develop an understanding and appreciation of Russian culture
COURSE MATERIALS
Russian, Face to Face, level 1 textbook and workbook
Films: The Face of
TOPICS
Conversation
Greetings and personal introduction
To introduce oneself
To ask someone's name
Simple greetings
Familiar/singular and polite/plural
Personal introduction
Identifying people and things
Finding out about people and things
Talking about the family
Asking and telling about locations
Asking locations, giving directions
Asking where certain places are
Expressing plurality
Giving directions
Telling where someone lives
Talking about activities
Expressing the object of actions
Saying that you understand or do not understand
Likes and dislikes
Talking about studying
Expressing opinions about actions
Expressing likes and dislikes
My friend
Talking about possessions and relationships
Expressing alternatives
The expressions for playing sports and musical instruments
Vocabulary
Classroom objects
Places in school
Family members
Names of classroom objects
Places in town
Russian stores and their names
Activities
School subjects
Hobbies
English words in Russian language
Grammar
Cyrillic alphabet
Interrogative and personal pronouns
Negative answers
Gender of nouns
Possessive adjectives
Prepositional case to tell location
Present tense of first conjugation
The plural of nouns
Accusative case of inanimate nouns
Action verbs
Adverbs to evaluate actions
Genitive of personal pronouns
Genitive singular of nouns with negation
verbs with accusative and prepositional cases
Culture
Introduction to
the history, culture and language of
Importance of learning the language in order to understand the people
Russian first names and patronymics
Educational system
in
Grades in Russian schools
The Russian family
Women in
Streets and squares in cities
Homes and apartments in
Higher education in
The study of foreign languages
in
Popular music in
Program of studies in Russian schools
Student Exchange Program
Introduction of Russian poets: V. Vysotsky and B. Okudjava
LATIN II & LATIN III
Two Latin enrichment courses are offered in the
Text: Jenney’s Latin series.
Please note: Wooster’s
educational philosophy is centered on teaching children not course material.
Thus, while the topics of instruction included in these documents
represent the best estimate of the faculty about what subjects will be explored
in each class, some additions, subtractions, and changes are likely to occur
each year based on the interests and aptitudes of the unique group of children
who are being taught.
The information
contained in these documents is the intellectual property of Wooster School
and intended solely
for the use of current and prospective members of the Wooster community
to better understand
and anticipate course content.
Reuse, resale, or reproduction of
this material outside of Wooster School is prohibited.
Copyright Wooster School 2005