The Chicago High School for the Arts French III College Prep

Course Syllabus Instructor: J. Sigman Room: 210 Phone: 773-534-9710

Email: jsigman@chiarts.org Blog: http://chiartsfrench.wordpress.com Twitter: @MadameSigman Availability: By appointment or via email (please allow time for a response) Course Description: This course focuses on continuing the development of intermediate listening, reading, writing and speaking skills from French II College Prep. French III College Prep brings students to the Advanced Intermediate level of French through a focus on continuing the study of vocabulary, grammar and expressions in French. French III will center on thematic units that deal with issues of Francophone culture and current events in order to continue study of languages and issues surrounding French-speaking countries all over the world. The objective of this course is to lead students to communicate effectively in French through instruction in pronunciation, grammar, everyday vocabulary and authentic French-language literature. French III will stress development of reading and speaking skills through the analysis of texts and films, while utilizing writing and listening activities as compliments. French III will use the Holt Bien dit! level three textbook as well as other texts, CDs, videos, and Internet sites to further language learning and development. Prerequisite: French II College Prep or placement by teacher or principal Course Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Describe how learning French changes their relationship with the community in which they live

Utilize beginning intermediate French vocabulary in a variety of contexts

Understand oral and written commands

Understand intermediate-level written French

Utilize reading and writing strategies to compose short essays

Compare cultures in French

Describe aspects of your life in French, including: o ChiArts and your school day o hobbies o travel and professions and services o dating and relationships o news, media, weather o inventions, medicine, mechanics o the environment and natural phenomena o solutions to environmental concerns o foods, agriculture and farming o justice, politics, laws, rights o places

Express the following in French: o preferences o opinions o polite phone etiquette o polite requests o inquiries o hypotheticals o necessity, doubt, emotion o desire o idioms o make travel plans

Utilize intermediate vocabulary to begin learning intermediate-advanced vocabulary and other concepts

Communicate inside and outside of the classroom using French Instructional Materials: Our primary resource will be Holts Bien dit! level three textbook and workbook. Throughout the year, we will utilize a variety of supplemental materials including historical and cultural readings about several Francophone countries and cultures. Our primary supplemental text will be Better Reading French, which contains various stories written in French. Additionally, students will occasionally use the text Allons au-del, which will expose students to college-level grammar, reading and speaking activities. Students will read the novel Le fantme de lopra (abridged) by Gaston Leroux as well as several short stories and poems by authors like Guy de Maupassant, Antoine Saint-Exupry, etc. Students will encounter authentic French language literature in the form of news articles and videos pertaining to current French cultural, political and social issues. Lastly, students will embark on a research project in French at the end of the semester about a region in France. Research techniques will be stressed. Grading: The following is a breakdown of school-wide grading categories and weighting:

Performance Assessments 70%

Breakdown: 30% - Exams 20% - Quizzes

20% - Other Performance Assessments (exit slips, pre-tests, group/individual work, projects, oral and

written class participation, etc.)

Classwork & Homework 15% Breakdown:

10% - Homework 5% - Journals, general classwork (note-taking,

daily preparedness, etc.)

Final Exam 15%

All assignments are classified according to the following communicative classifications:

Interpretive Communication

This may include, but is not limited to:

written (multiple choice reading comprehension questions; vocabulary and grammar quizzes or tests)

oral (multiple choice listening comprehension questions; listening comprehension vocabulary and grammar quizzes or tests; aural dictation)

Interpersonal Communication

This may include, but is not limited to:

written (replies to emails or letters; replies to requests for information; written communication to another student; online discussions with teacher and other students)

oral (in-class whole-group discussions; conversations with a partner or small group; skits; conversations with teacher)

Presentational Communication

This may include, but is not limited to:

written (comparative essays; essays on a certain topic; essay analyzing presentations; visuals included with presentations)

oral (oral presentation of certain topic; description of skill or object; improvised speech)

Assignments and Attendance: Students are expected to submit assignments on a regular basis, adhere to deadlines and have a valid excuse for missing class. Missing work in the case of an excused absence must be submitted on the day after you return to class. It is your responsibility to contact Madame Sigman or a classmate for assignments when absent. Attendance is vital to this course. Missing more than 10% of the semester (5 classes) will result in an automatic deduction of one letter grade. Three tardies will equal one absence. Missing more than 10% of the semester may result in a meeting between Madame Sigman, the student, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and potentially Ms. Grube to create a specific attendance plan. Policy for staying on track if you miss class:

Check the class website for homework (http://chiartsfrench.wordpress.com)

If work is not yet posted, email a class member or Mrs. Sigman

If work was due when you were absent, attach a late work form to your assignment, then turn it in to the bin marked Late Work No late work will be accepted that does not adhere to this policy

Retake Policy: All Students may opt to complete test corrections within one week of return date and receive no more than 50% credit. These corrections are limited to 1 per semester, per course. The same option applies to GRASPS. Students must complete a reflection form prior to resubmitting corrections. Retaking/correction of quizzes is at the discretion of the individual classroom teacher. Late GRASPS will receive a letter grade deduction each day (50% maximum) and must be submitted prior to the end of the quarter in which the assessment was assigned. Late homework/in class assignments will require a late work reflection form to be completed and attached to the work when handing it. It is up to the teacher's discretion to accept the late work based on the student's reflection. Homework Policy: Students should complete late homework to receive feedback from Mrs. Sigman, but no late homework will be accepted for a grade. Hall Passes: Students may only leave the room to use the washroom or go to a locker if they have their ChiArts planner. Plagiarism Policy: The faculty at ChiArts is committed to teaching students to become ethical users of information and ideas. It is our responsibility not only to educate students in the research process of writing and proper documenting, but also to hold students accountable for submitting original work. Whether an assignment is in a visual, written or spoken format, students are expected to accurately reference all sources of information consulted for the project. Plagiarism is regarded as a serious offense and will not be tolerated by ChiArts or by any institution of higher learning. All departments must enforce and students must adhere to this policy. Consequences range from failing the assignment to failing the course, depending on the severity of the offense. The World Languages Department at ChiArts understands that online dictionaries and translators provide opportunities to explore languages in faster and easier ways than ever before. However, the WL faculty is committed to holding students accountable not only for learning a foreign language, but also submitting their own authentic work this language. In the World Language department, plagiarism may be defined as:

translating sentences or paragraphs from English to the target language with assistance (assistance may include but is not limited to: from a friend, website, translator, online dictionary, message boards, etc.).

copying/pasting target language information from any source (online or paper) and submitting as your own work.

School wide grading scale: A+ 100-98 A 97-95 A- 94-92 B+ 91-89

B 88-86 B- 85-83 C+ 82-80 C 79-77 C- 76 - 74 D+ 73 - 71 D 70 - 68 D- 67 - 65 F 64 and below

Materials and Supplies: The following materials and supplies will be needed daily:

daily planner (provided by ChiArts)

one 70-page, college-ruled notebook (kept in classroom)

ink pens and pencils (bring both each day) The following materials are optional:

French-English Dictionary (Harper Collins French-English Dictionary or similar no student editions please)

Dictionaries can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores, local bookstores or online at www.amazon.com, www.half.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and e-editions are available for Kindle and Nook.

index cards (for home use) to make flash cards

School wide Expectations and Standards: Placesbe on time to school and to class; come prepared with all materials, supplies, appropriate dress and attitude. Harmonyrespect each other and work together. Collageseek and receive wisdom; all voices complete the picture. Directionbe willing to lead and follow. Arrangementconsider the shared space. Leave things better than you found them. ** No food or drink (except bottled water) will be allowed in class at any time. **No gum chewing ** All electronic devices (cell phones, mp3 players, video game systems, cameras) must not be seen or heard in school at anytime. All electronic devices must be stored in your lockers. **Personal laptop or tablet use only permitted in the classroom while under the supervision of a teacher. Please see 2013-2014 Parent-Student Handbook for other school policies and more information.

Semester One Scope and Sequence: The semester will be divided into four units. The themes are as follows:

Unit Name Focus/Topics/EQs Major Assessments

Unit 1: Retour de vacances! (08/26/13 09/27/13)

How does learning French change your relationship with your community and the world?

How does a students daily routine in a Francophone country differ from yours?

How do attitudes toward education differ between your community and Francophone communities?

How do attitudes toward leisure and holiday activities differ between your community and Francophone countries?

Vocabulary and grammar quizzes

Partner conversations

Email reply

Oral presentation about a school in a Francophone country

Unit exam

Unit 2: Perspectives de travail (09/30/13 10/25/13)

How does learning French change your relationship with your community and the world?

Is work necessary?

What causes unemployment? What impacts do these causes have on society?

Vocabulary and grammar quizzes

Listening activities with comprehension questions

Phone call about a job opportunity

Survey of classmates about future plans

Presentation of a classmates future plans

Unit exam

Unit 3: Les generations qui bougent (10/28/13 11/22/13)

How does learning French change your relationship with your community and the world?

How do you spend your free time? Why is free time so important?

What would you do if you could change one thing about your life?

Why are relationships between people so important?

Vocabulary and grammar quizzes

Checks for understanding during listening activities

Survey about dating, free time activities and relationships

Email reply about weekend plans

Presentation of survey findings to class

Essay: If I were rich, I would Unit exam

Unit 4: Linfluence des medias (11/25/13 12/20/13)

How does learning French change your relationship with your community and the world?

What role does media play in society?

What is the difference between traditional and new media?

What is media bias? How do you choose which media you consume?

Vocabulary and grammar quizzes

Response to an announcement in a newspaper

Phone conversation with landlord about rental

Letter of advice to your favorite columnist

Unit exam

Please have this syllabus signed by both you and your parent by September 3/4, 2013. ___________________________________________ ________ ________ student signature date class period ______________________________________________________ ________ parent signature date ______________________________________________________ parent email address _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ parent phone numbers Parent Comments/Questions/Suggestions: