Bienvenidos a la clase de AP! Sra.

Comito 2013-2014
Contact Information: If you need help at any time or need to make up work, please come to see me and we can arrange a time before or after school to meet. If you need to contact me for any reason you may call the school at (410) 313-2856 x 247. If you prefer, you can reach me by e-mail at myriam_montanez-comito@hcpss.org. You can also check: http://sracomito.weebly.com/ for updates and information. Your Spanish grade: Your grade will be based on a total point system. You will have a variety of assignments and plenty of opportunities that will determine your final grade such as classwork, participation, tests, quizzes, projects and homework. Classwork and participation You are required to participate fully on all activities in class (speaking, class discussions, dialogues, skits, writing) In addition, students are expected to use the target language in the classroom; therefore Spanish is to be spoken at all times. At the end of each quarter you will fill out a self-evaluation to determine your participation grade. I reserve the right to make any changes based on data collected during each marking period. Tests, quizzes and special projects You will have a test per chapter studied; these will be announced with plenty of time for you to prepare or seek help if needed. Tests will be in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Tests can not be retaken. Quizzes may or may not be announced in advance. Projects will be assigned throughout the year. Projects not turned in at the due date will be lowered one letter grade for each additional day that is late. Homework When homework is assigned, it will be checked at the beginning of class. You will receive a zero for any incomplete assignment. Homework can not be made up. Students who are illegally late will not receive credit for their assignment. Procedure for inquiring about grades: If any parent or student questions or would like to review work completed by the student, it must be done within three weeks of the day that the report card is issued to the student for that specific marking period. Getting Help: Help is available to you after school upon request. Absences: I ALWAYS encourage students to make up work in a timely fashion. You will be given the number of days that you were absent to check with me and to make up missing work. Attendance is mandatory! Lateness: Lateness is not tolerated. Lateness means you are not in the class when the bell rings. If you enter class late, you must have a pass at that moment, not later in the day or at any other time. Without a note, your lateness is unexcused. Find the white lateness binder, find your page, and sign where indicated. The consequences for unexcused lateness are set forth in your Student Handbook. Missing class to conduct other business in school: If you think you have a valid reason to miss more than five minutes of class, obtain my written permission beforehand. Asking for approval after the fact is unacceptable and will be considered a serious offense Dismissal from Class: I dismiss you, not the bell. The bell means class should be ending; it is not a signal for students to get up and leave.

Cheating: No cheating will be tolerated. The proper school disciplinary procedures will be followed. You are expected to follow the CHS Honor Code and Student Code of Conduct as set forth in your student handbook. Any student who submits work that is copied from another student or another source, all or in part, plagiarized, or completed through any form of cheating will receive a ZERO for the work in question. This includes receiving help from a native speaker. On-line translation sites are NOT TO BE USED and will be considered cheating as well. There will be certain assignments or projects that will allow for collaboration, but you will be told in advance and should assume that all work is to be completed individually unless specifically instructed otherwise. Food and drink in class: You are not permitted to have any type of food, snack items, or chew gum in the classroom. You are permitted to have water in a clear container only. Cell phones: Phones should not be out during class, they are to be in silent or off while in the classroom. Book policy: Take care of your book and make sure that your name is on it so that it can be returned to you if misplaced. If you lose your book you must pay the full cost of replacing it before a new one is issued to you. The cost to replace most books is $85

World Language Honor Societies: Students may be eligible for the Spanish Honor Society. Please note the following eligibility requirements:

The student has completed three semesters of Spanish. The student has attained an A average in Spanish during the past semester. The student has maintained an averaged cumulative grade of A for all work awarded secondary school credit in Spanish. The students grade point average for all coursework is at least 3.0. The student is in 10th grade or above. Please note the following application deadlines: For work completed last semester (Spring, 2013) October 7 by 2:10 For work completed this semester (Winter 2013-14) February 7 by 2:10 Have your parents/guardians sign the back of this sheet for your first homework assignment. By signing this paper and returning it to school, they are acknowledging that they have looked carefully over my procedures with you and have read and understood this document. I look forward to a great year with you! Sincerely, Seora Comito

I have read the document and understand the policies and procedures of Seora Comitos Spanish class. Student Signature ___________________________ Parent Signature __________________________

Modern Language Pledge As a member of this class, I will do whatever I can in my power in order to make continuous and positive progress over the course of the academic year. This includes, most specifically, the need to contribute in class by using the target language. I hereby pledge the following: I will use the target language to communicate in this class, whether with my teacher or with members of the class. I understand that through constant practice, I will improve my skills using this second language. Should I choose to use a language other than the foreign language, I understand that I am contributing to the inefficiency of my skills as well as the skills of my classmates. The degree to which I use the target language in this class will be reflected in my participation grade.

Student signature Parent/Guardian signature Teacher signature

AP Spanish Language and Culture 2013

Howard County Public School System
Course Overview The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is a rigorous course taught exclusively in Spanish that requires students to improve their proficiency across the three modes of communication [CR1]. The course focuses on the integration of authentic resources including online print, audio, and audiovisual resources, as well as traditional print resources that include literature, essays, and magazine and newspaper articles with the goal of providing a rich, diverse learning experience. Students communicate using rich, advanced vocabulary and linguistic structures as they build proficiency in all modes of communication toward the pre-advanced level. When communicating, students in the AP Spanish Language and Culture course demonstrate an understanding of the culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (connections), make comparisons between the native language and the target language and between cultures (comparisons), and use the target language in real life settings (communities). Organization The course is divided into thematic units which are further based on recommended contexts and guided by essential questions. Corresponding cultural elements are integrated into the study of the units, and activities are directed with those cultural connections in mind. Discussion of the topics completely in Spanish is a requirement for this course. It is assumed that students have previously been exposed to advanced language structures in the courses leading up to the AP Spanish Language and Culture course; however, review of the mechanics is done within the contextual framework of each unit as needed. Daily/Weekly/Monthly Activities to address Learning Objectives La palabra del dastudents explore a word a day, analyze its meaning, find root words, synonyms and antonyms, and make linguistic comparisons. [CR8] Mi propio diccionario--each time students encounter or discover a word that is new to them, they record it and its definition on a notecard. All note cards are kept in their own personal box and are kept alphabetically. Each week, students choose 10 of their words on which they will be quizzed.

La noticia del daonce a week, students take turns giving a short presentation about a relevant news story, summarize it for the class, and ask questions to create opportunities for open-ended discussion. [CR3a] & [CR5a] El diario de las noticiasstudents keep a journal of the daily news presented in class with new vocabulary and reactions. [CR5b] La discusin de la semanaat various times during the year, students are responsible for posting a link to a news article, video, or podcast to the class blog, and creating a discussion question for all in class to participate in an online discussion. [CR3b] Noche de pelculaonce every quarter, the class hosts a night where students watch a movie from a Spanish-speaking country. Cultural and historical relevance will be considered when selecting these films. As an alternative to Noche de Pelcula, the class can host a Noche de Cultura where students can show their projects and/or invite a guest speaker, either a member of a consulate or a member of the Spanish-speaking community. [CR9] Every Wednesday in the language lab, students participate in AP practice activities such as recording a simulated conversation and a cultural comparison. [CR8] All samples are assessed using the AP scoring guidelines for this assignment. Sometimes the teacher scores the work and other times the students and their classmates score each other. This is an excellent way for students to internalize and understand the scoring guidelines. Writing: approximately every three weeks, a formal, well-organized, synthesized, analytical or persuasive essay on an appropriate topic in reaction to a text or information is discussed or viewed in class. The essay is evaluated for its content,organization, cultural relevancy, range and appropriateness of vocabulary, and grammatical accuracy. [CR5b] Writing journal entries, letters, e-mails, poems, abstract writing, creative writing, or writing reactions to articles and lectures through an interactive social network and/or blog on topics/themes. [CR3b] Every 2-3 weeks, a new theme is introduced; however, interconnectedness of themes is expected and encouraged. Within the basic theme, students work on all aspects of communication: Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational. In lieu of a test for each theme, students are evaluated based on various assignments graded according to the AP World Language and Culture Scoring Guidelines available in the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description. Real-Life Language and Culture [CR9] Students are required to engage in real-life activities outside the classroom to enrich their Spanish language and culture experiences. They complete entries that interest them throughout the year for their Language and Culture Portfolio. Options include but are not limited to: attending an art exhibit, musical show or play; preparing a meal while following recipes written in Spanish; regular correspondence through email, Skype or FaceTime with

heritage speakers in a Spanish-speaking country; viewing of important events involving target language speakers, such as a presidents acceptance speech or a national celebration of a countrys independence; and visits to university campuses for special events, hosting a student from a Spanish-speaking country; visiting area businesses and learning about opportunities with Spanish; teaching Spanish to area EMS/firefighters as part of their service for the Sociedad Honoraria Hispnica, and more.