French+I+Syllabus+2014-15

Syllabus – French I 2014-15 Dave Smith e-mail dsmith@ysschools.org school phone: 767-7224

Beginning French: We’ll stress reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as general and specific aspects of French and other Francophone culture. Text: __Allez, Viens, level 1 (Holt, Rinehart and Winston) - books will be in the classroom, but all the content is online__ We’ll cover about 6 chapters this year, plus the pre-chapters Your notes in class will supplement what the text presents us! We’ll really stress pronunciation and correct grammar and spelling, along with the skills already stated above.
 * __ What we’ll cover __**

During the quarter, points will be given for homework, quizzes, dialogs, and tests. **PBL projects** will happen throughout the year, and will incorporate our learning standards. Points will be awarded for various parts of each PBL, including each product that is designed to demonstrate student learning.
 * __ How your grade is determined: __**
 * Homework ** (when assigned) is usually worth 5 points unless it’s really a big assignment, where it will be worth 10 points. It is worth full credit the day it’s due. I’ll take it one day late for partial credit (usually a maximum of 60% of the full amount), but you’ll have to remember to bring it to me if it is late! I won’t remind you to show me late work most of the time!
 * Quizzes ** are usually worth between 15 and 25 points, and we have them about once per week. You must spell vocabulary correctly, have the correct determiner, and correct accent marks (if any) to get a full point for a new vocabulary word. Grammar questions vary in points depending on how involved they are, and you may receive partial credit for them. I will allow you to retake a quiz during academic lab if you aren’t happy with the grade you received, and I’ll input the higher grade. (I don’t want this to be a crutch to allow you to not stay in the habit of studying regularly, so I reserve the right to take away the retake option if I think you’re abusing it! I’ll warn you first, though!) I want you to be able to demonstrate mastery, and sometimes this is in a different time frame for different learners!
 * Dialogs ** are assigned at least once per quarter, and are to be memorized and presented to the class! The more creative they are, and the better the props you bring, the more points you can earn! They are worth 20 points, usually.
 * Tests ** are given at the end of each chapter, and are worth 100 points. You can’t //retake// a test like you can a quiz, although I will allow you to do a test re-write within an announced time period to earn back additional points you missed, depending on how well you apply yourself to the re-write and demonstrate mastery of what you first missed.
 * At the end of the midterm or quarter ** your grade will be based on the total number of points your earned divided by the total points possible during that grading term.
 * How to get help ** : Come see me! I’m available in the classroom during academic lab and at other times you need to arrange. You can ask in class //any time// as well as before or after class, too.
 * You should plan ** to study (besides homework time) 20 to 30 minutes per night to master what we’ve covered in class. You may require more or less time depending on your learning style and speed of acquiring and mastering new information and concepts.
 * French Café! ** Saturday, April 11, 2015, from 5 to 7 pm in the high school gym, all the French classes will put on our French Café, a fun evening of food, song, poetry, and other entertainment. The public is invited, and of course we want your family to come! We raise money, too, from donations to fund scholarships for students at the École des Sciences Byimana in Rwanda, a school with which Yellow Springs High School has had a relationship for the last several years. It is a fun evening, and all students are encouraged to take part!