Syllabus Fall Foreign Languages

Foreign Languages: Rosetta Stone & Global Voice Club Rainshadow Community Charter High School – Fall 2009 Course Syllabus Joe Ferguson *** [email protected] *** www.joerainshadow.weebly.com Course Description: This course is designed to give students an introduction to learning a foreign language at Rainshadow Community Charter High School. Students can choose to learn Spanish (level 1 or 2), Italian, French, Portuguese, Japanese, or Russian by utilizing the powerful Rosetta Stone software. By learning a foreign language, students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the diverse cultures that exist in our world. Students will also have the chance to work with local nonprofit group Global Voice to fundraise for and possibly go on a two-week field trip to a foreign country. Course Aims and Objectives for this Semester: Upon completion of this semester course of study, students will be able to… - engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in a foreign language. - understand and interpret spoken language on a variety of topics. - understand the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own. - use the language both within and beyond the school setting. - show interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and enrichment. - develop an interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and enrichment. - understand how diverse cultures and languages enhance our quality of life. - utilize computer programs, books, and native speakers to learn foreign language(s). - begin to plan and fundraise for a winter or spring field trip to Mexico. Requirements: -

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Participation in classroom activities every day. Completed portfolio of projects and assignments (see requirements below). Completion of major student-driven projects and presentations.

Week / Dates 1) Aug 31 - Sept 3 2) Sept 7-10 3) Sept 14-17 4) Sept 21-24 5) Sept 28 - Oct 1 6) Oct 5-8 7) Oct 12-15 8) Oct 19-22 9) Oct 26-29 10) Nov 2-5 11) Nov 9-12 12) Nov 16-19 13) Nov 23-26 14) Nov 30 - Dec 3 15) Dec 7-10 16) Dec 14-17 17) Jan 4-7 18) Jan 11-14 19) Jan 18-21

Monday - Thursday Welcome back to school! New rules and expectations. Intro to language project. Basic translating skills for foreign languages. No School Monday (Labor Day) Intro: Rosetta Stone & language learning. No School Monday (Professional Dev.) Intro to Global Voice and travel opportunities. Rosetta Stone language learning. Rosetta Stone language learning. How to learn language through immersion. Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Monday (Professional Development) Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check. Rosetta Stone language learning. Parts of speech and similarities between languages. Rosetta Stone language learning. Cultural aspects of foreign languages. Rosetta Stone language learning. Global Voice and travel updates. Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Wednesday (Veterans Day) Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check. Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Thursday (Thanksgiving) Rosetta Stone language learning. Developing cultural understanding. Rosetta Stone language learning. Developing fluency. Rosetta Stone language learning. Writing and translation. Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check. Rosetta Stone language learning. Coming near the end. How far are we? What’s next? Last class. Course reflection. Updating your Rainshadow Portfolio. No School Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), No Class Thursday (Half-Day)

Grading Policy and Assessment: This club course of study is worth approximately 1500 points. The points earned in this class will be averaged into your interdisciplinary (ID) project based class for the semester. Point Breakdown: Attendance and Participation – 1000 points Completed Additional Projects – 400 points Completed Rainshadow Online Portfolio – 100 points Portfolio Contents: You will submit components from this course into your Rainshadow portfolio that will showcase your work for the full semester course of study. Your portfolio will contain your best work from this class and will be a demonstration of your skills and growth as a Rainshadow CCHS student. It will be expected that your projects and other pieces of work from this class will be components of your portfolio.

Foreign Languages: Rosetta Stone & Global Voice Club Foreign Language Curriculum Standards: State of Nevada 1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. 2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. 3: Students present information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners 4: Students understand the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied. 5: Students understand the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied. 6: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. 7: Students understand the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own. 8: Students understand the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own. 9: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting. 10: Students show interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and enrichment. 11: Students develop an interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.