Middle+School+Academic+Overview

** Middle School **** Spanish Academic Overview **
 * Cornerstone Schools of Alabama 2011-2012 **
 * Want to know the key to success in Spanish class? Thoughtful participation in the learning process.** The learning environment in the Spanish classroom is very interactive. You have to be here to participate, so come to class every day and don’t miss a minute by being late! I want you to learn by trying, making some mistakes, learning from those mistakes, and refining as you achieve more and more. You will need to engage, take some risks, grow, act, and reflect. And I’ll help you along the way! Enter in to this process, and you succeed!

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 * **__ Participation __**** (20%) ** – Participation will count for 20% of your overall Spanish grade. This grade will be based on //consistent and productive// participation in large and small group activities, completion of non-graded group and individual work, keeping up with your //Cuaderno Interactivo//, and coming to class prepared.
 * **__Student Work__ (20%)**– Student work includes graded group work and graded individual classwork/ homework.
 * o **__Group Work__** – We will work in groups very often in Spanish class. You will be expected to be a contributing member of __any__ group you are in, and to put effort and care into your role in the group. When you receive a grade for group work it will be graded with a checklist or rubric, and you will always know what is expected of you. Each student will be given and //individual grade// for group work. At times, self and peer evaluations will contribute to a portion of your grade.
 * o **__Individual classwork/Homework__** – All of your individual classwork and homework will be kept in your //Cuaderno Interactivo// (CI). When your work will be graded for quality instead of completion you will be told ahead of time and given a rubric or checklist that outlines the grading expectations.
 * **__Projects and Portfolios__ (30%)**– At the end of every unit you will put your learning into action by completing projects. At least one of these projects for every unit will contribute to a portfolio that you will build over the year to be shared with an audience at the end of the year. Projects will always be graded with a rubric that you will be given when the project is assigned.
 * o **__6th Grade Portfolio: Autobiografía__** – The year-long project for 6th grade will be a showcase of their lives and perspectives through a unique autobiography that will demonstrate how students have learned to describe and express themselves in Spanish. The autobiographies will be shared with families and peers in a live audience at the end of the year.
 * o **__7th Grade Portfolio__**:**__El Mundo Hispanohablante__** – 7th graders will become virtual world travelers and build an in-depth tour of the Spanish-speaking world to be shared with families and peers at the end of the year.
 * o **__8th Grade Portfolio__**: **__ePal Intercambios__** – 8th graders will actually communicate with Spanish-speaking students across the globe in an interactive ePal exchange. As they practice communicating in Spanish with native speakers and gain different perspectives, they will also play a part in helping those students practice English and learn more about American culture. 8th graders will share a reflection of this experience with families and peers at the end of the year.