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Spanish I

Spanish I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as home life, occupations, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the structures and uses of present-tense verb forms, imperatives, adjective agreement, impersonal constructions, formal and informal address, and reflexive verbs. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions and learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe.

The material in this course is presented at a moderate pace.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Spanish I Prescriptive

Spanish I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as home life, occupations, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the structures and uses of present-tense verb forms, imperatives, adjective agreement, impersonal constructions, formal and informal address, and reflexive verbs. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions and learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe.

The material in this course is presented at a moderate pace.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

AP Spanish

AP Spanish Language students practice perfecting their Spanish speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. They study vocabulary, grammar, and cultural aspects of the language, and then apply what they learn in extensive written and spoken exercises. The course addresses the broad themes of Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, and Beauty and Aesthetics. By the end of the course, students will have an expansive vocabulary, a solid, working knowledge of all verb forms and tenses, strong command of other language structures, and an ability to use language in many different contexts and for varied purposes. The equivalent of a college-level language course, AP Spanish Language prepares students for the AP exam and for further study of Spanish language, culture, or literature.

This course has been authorized by the College Board® to use the AP designation.

2 semesters, 1 credit

 

Spanish II Honors

Spanish II covers the five Cs of the ACTFL standard: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The instruction is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language.

Leveraging Spanish I concepts, Spanish II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves and their hopes and fears, as well as about topics beyond their own lives — both in formal and informal situations. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Students expand their vocabulary in cooking, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes verb forms, tenses, moods and uses, impersonal constructions, and reported speech. Students deepen their knowledge of Spanish-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. Students also are encouraged to consult materials outside the course, such as Web links, community resources, or other media, to better understand Spanish-speaking culture and people.

Spanish II is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Spanish I Honors

Spanish I covers the five Cs of the ACTFL standard: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The instruction is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. Spanish I students learn to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as ecology, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions, and they learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe. Web explorations give students further insight into the culture and people of the Spanish-speaking world, including the United States.

Spanish I is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

French II Honors

Building on French I concepts, French II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves, as well as about topics beyond their own lives — both in formal and informal address. Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms in cooking, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes verb conjugations and uses in the present tense, past tense, and imperative and conditional moods, as well as direct and indirect objects and personal, possessive, and relative pronouns. Students deepen their knowledge of French-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. To further connect to French culture and people, students are encouraged to view supplementary materials on the Web or to consult community resources or other media.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

French I Honors

Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, French I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as sports, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students also gain an understanding of the cultures of French-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe, as well as insight into Francophone culture and people.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Spanish III

In Spanish III, students build upon the skills and knowledge they acquired in Spanish I and II.  The course presents new vocabulary and grammatical concepts in context while providing students with ample opportunities to review and expand upon the material they have learned previously.

Students read and listen to authentic materials from newspapers, magazines, and television.  The content is focused on contemporary and relevant topics such as urbanization and population growth in Latin American countries, global health concerns, jobs of the future, and scientific advancements.  The materials engage students as they improve their command of Spanish.

Students review the formation and use of regular and irregular verbs in the present and future tenses, as well as the use of reflexive particles and infinitives.  They also expand their understanding of noun and adjective agreement, the comparative and superlative degree of adjectives, and the placement and use of direct and indirect objects and pronouns.  Students expand their vocabulary through exposure to word roots and families, popular slang, the correct use of words that are often confused for one another, and review of concepts such as proper placement of accents and stress.

Presentation of new materials is always followed by several interactive, online exercises, allowing students to master the material as they learn it.  Teacher-scored activities provide students with opportunities to use their new Spanish skills both orally and in writing.  Discussion activities allow students to interact with their peers in the target language.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

World History Prescriptive

In World History, students learn to see the world today as a product of a process that began thousands of years ago when humans became a speaking, travelling, and trading species.  Through historical analysis grounded in primary sources, case studies, and research, students investigate the continuity and change of human culture, governments, economic systems, and social structures.

Students build and practice historical thinking skills, learning to connect specific people, places, events and ideas to the larger trends of world history. In critical reading activities, feedback-rich instruction, and application-oriented assignments, students develop their capacity to reason chronologically, interpret and synthesize sources, identify connections between ideas, and develop well-supported historical arguments.  Students write throughout the course, responding to primary sources and historical narratives through journal entries, essays and visual presentations of social studies content.  In discussion activities, students respond to the position of others while staking and defending their own claim.  The course’s rigorous instruction is supported with relevant materials and active learning opportunities to ensure students at all levels can master the key historical thinking skills.

This course is built to state standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

U.S. Government & Politics Prescriptive*

In U.S. Government and Politics, students examine the history, principles, and function of the political system established by the U.S. Constitution. Starting with a basic introduction to the role of government in society and the philosophies at the heart of American democracy, this course provides students with the knowledge needed to be informed and empowered participants in the U.S. political system.

Through critical reading activities, feedback-rich instruction, and application-oriented assignments, students develop their capacity to conduct research, analyze sources, make arguments, and take informed action. In written assignments, students address critical questions about U.S. politics and the role of individual Americans in the politics and political organizations. In discussion activities, students respond to political opinions, take a position, and defend their own claims. Formative and summative assessments provide students — and teachers — with ample opportunities to check in, review, and evaluate students’ progress in the course.

This course is built to state standards and informed by the College, Career, and Civil Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards and the National Standard for Civics and Government.

1 semester, 0.5 credit