Teacher: Señora N. Woo

Email: nwoo@mountainsideschools.org

Room: Deerfield School  4                                               

Phone: (908) 232-8828 (Ext: 348)

Extra Help: OP Period, by appointment 

Course Overview:

Grade 8 Spanish is a full year academic course that focuses on developing a working vocabulary as well as the ability to produce meaningful communication.  The aim of this course is for students to develop skills in the three communicative language modes by being able to understand, converse, interact, and present oral and written products in Spanish.  Thematic-based vocabulary and grammatical structure will be spiraled through and expanded upon from previous year’s Spanish class. Opportunities to learn about and explore Hispanic culture are also emphasized throughout the course. 

Honors Spanish is a more rigorously paced class where students will move through content more quickly and are expected to work independently.  In addition to the regular eighth grade topics, honors students are exposed to a variety of examples of authentic literature in various genres. They are responsible for more outside of class prep. work and do not work with guided notes or prepared study guides similar to their 8th-grade Spanish peers but instead make these resources themselves.  Successful students are self-starters who are motivated and continue to explore, create, and ask questions beyond the classroom and beyond what is expected of them. 

Scope and Sequence: Students will continue to work with the ¡Así se dice! 1B textbook series published by McGraw-Hill.  An interactive online textbook with integrated audio and video programs will be utilized in class.  Each student will also receive a traditional workbook for classwork and homework.

         Capítulo 6 - El bienestar

          Students will learn to:

1. Describe people’s personality, conditions, and emotions
2. Explain minor illnesses
3. Talk about a doctor’s appointment
4. Learn about a literary genre - the picaresque novel
5. Use the verbs ser and estar
6. Use indirect object pronouns

         Capítulo 7 - De vacaciones

          Students will learn to:

1. Talk about summer and winter weather and activities
2. Discuss summer and winter resorts in Spanish-speaking countries
3. Use the preterite tense of regular -ar verbs
4. Use the preterite of ir and ser
5. Use direct object pronouns

        Capítulo 8 - En tu tiempo libre

         Students will learn to:

1. Talk about a birthday party
2. Discuss concerts, movies, and museums
3. Discuss Hispanic art and music
4. Use preterite of -er and -ir verbs
5. Use the verbs oír and leer
6. Use affirmative and negative words

         Capítulo 9 - ¡Vamos de compras!

          Students will learn to:

1. Talk about buying clothes
2. Talk about buying food
3. Compare shopping in Spanish-speaking countries with shopping in the United States
4. Use numbers from 1 to 1,000,000
5. Use the present tense of saber and conocer
6. Use comparatives and superlatives
7. Use demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

        Capítulo 10 - En avión 

         Students will learn to:

1. Talk about packing for a trip and getting to the airport
2. Tell what you do at the airport
3. Talk about being on an airplane
4. Discuss air travel in South America
5. Use the verbs that have g in the yo form of the present tense
6. Use the present progressive tense

Grades: Each student is advised to monitor their grades and missing work on Genesis on a weekly basis.  If there is a discrepancy with a grade on Genesis please contact your teacher via email. 

Classroom Materials: Each student is expected to come to class PREPARED with their materials.

Chromebooks: Students will be expected to bring their Chromebooks to class, charged, on a daily basis.  Student use of Chromebooks in the classroom is restricted to topics and materials which, per the teacher, further the implementation of the day’s lesson.  Students who are off topic with their Chromebooks risk negatively impacting their grade for the assignment and potentially face disciplinary consequences.

Google Classroom: Students will have access to classroom materials, homework, study guides, and other helpful resources via Google Classroom.   

Participation: Students are expected to actively participate in class in order to master the Spanish language. Class participation includes attendance, punctuality, preparation, participation in classroom activities, a cooperative and positive attitude, and the use of the language even if it’s mispronounced.

Homework/Daily Practice: Homework will be assigned from the online textbook/ workbook or on separate handouts.  Assignments will be posted daily on the classroom board and on the 8th grade Google Calendar.  All assignments are due at the beginning of class.   Late homework assignments will be accepted one day late for half credit.  

Absence:  Students are responsible for making up missed work, including tests and quizzes, on the day they return to school.  Exceptions will be made for extended illness or other extenuating circumstances that arise.

Classroom Rules:

1. Respect your teacher, your fellow classmates, and the contents of the classroom at all times.
2. Come to class prepared to learn.   Bring necessary materials and a positive attitude!
3. Ask for clarification the minute you are confused.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
4. Try your best! 

Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is highly valued in the classroom.  Cheating, copying,  allowing someone else to copy, plagiarizing (using someone else’s words or ideas without citation), and misusing online translators will result in a zero for the assignment.  When completing an assignment or project for Spanish class, it is acceptable to use on-line translators to look up a single word or a phrase, however, it is NOT acceptable to use it to write complete thoughts, sentences, or paragraphs.