Comprehensive Spanish 1 Course Syllabus and Study Guide

Course Foundations and Philosophy

• Language and communication are viewed as the heart of the human experience, allowing people to relate meaningfully to one another.
• The acquisition of multiple languages is considered a critical skill for global citizenship.
• The specific goals of the world and classical languages department include:
  • Enabling students to communicate effectively in the target language (Spanish).
  • Understanding the cultures that support the language.
  • Recognizing connections between language study and other academic disciplines.
  • Appreciating the requirements of being college-, career-, and world-ready.

Instructional Methodology: Comprehensible Input (CI)

• Students acquire language most effectively when they understand the messages they hear and read.
• Vocabulary and grammar structures are taught inductively rather than through rote memorization.
• Instructional Materials:
  • Wayside Publishing’s Entreculturas textbook.
  • Carefully curated, level-appropriate videos, songs, stories, and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) materials.
• Daily Expectations: Students are challenged to listen, read, write, and speak in Spanish every day, following the principle of "learning by doing."
• Reference Material: For a deeper understanding of CI, the methodology refers to the work of Dr. Stephen Krashen.

Class Logistics and Assignments

• Daily Materials Needed:
  • A folder dedicated exclusively to Spanish materials.
  • Pens and pencils.
  • Highlighters.
  • Loose-leaf notebook paper or a spiral notebook.
  • Earbuds and a fully charged Chromebook.
• Agenda and Assignments:
  • All resources are linked on agenda slides.
  • Jefferson Junior High School (JJHS) slides: https://bit.ly/sraGslidesJJHS2627.
  • Kennedy Junior High School (KJHS) slides: https://bit.ly/sraGslidesKJHS2627.
  • Assignments are tracked via a section called "
    Haz tu tarea!" on the slides.
  • Work is assigned through paper, Google Classroom, and the online textbook.

Grading and Assessment Framework

• Formative Practice (10% of overall grade):
  • Includes classwork and homework.
  • Recorded in Infinite Campus as either "Complete" or "Missing."
• Summative Evidence (90% of overall grade):
  • Includes quizzes, tests, projects, and graded tasks.
  • Categories: Interpersonal Communication, Interpretative, and Presentational.
  • Scoring: Performance-based proficiency rubrics on a 4-point scale.
• Infinite Campus Calculation Scale:
  • Exemplary: Score of $4$, calculation range $3.75 - 4.00$, Grade: A
  • Secure/Exemplary: Score of $3.5$, calculation range $3.50 - 3.74$, Grade: A
  • Secure: Score of $3$, calculation range $3.00 - 3.49$, Grade: A
  • Approaching/Secure: Score of $2.5$, calculation range $2.50 - 2.99$, Grade: B
  • Approaching: Score of $2$, calculation range $2.00 - 2.49$, Grade: C
  • Beginning/Approaching: Score of $1.5$, calculation range $1.50 - 1.99$, Grade: C
  • Beginning: Score of $1$, calculation range $1.00 - 1.49$, Grade: D
  • No Evidence/Missing: Score of $0/M$, calculation range $0.00 - 0.99$, Grade: F

Interpersonal Reporting Standards and Rubric Example

• Standard: Communicates information and expresses thoughts about familiar topics using sentences and connected sentences through spoken language.
• Proficiency Levels for Unit 1 Chapter 2 (Interpersonal Speaking):
  • No Evidence ($0.0$): Even with assistance, the student cannot complete the task, or the work is not their own.
  • Beginning ($1.0$): Demonstrates limited understanding but provides relevant responses to at least two prompts. Uses limited memorized words, requires continual repetition, and shows frequent interference from the first language. Features frequent hesitation.
  • Approaching ($2.0$): Partially demonstrates understanding with responses to at least three prompts. Maintains limited simple conversations with hesitation. Makes limited inferences from cognates. Applies the cultural practice of using "usted."
  • Secure ($3.0$): Demonstrates understanding with relevant responses to all prompts (greetings, introductions, "ser," and identity vocabulary). Communicates with learned phrases and simple sentences. Participates in short social interactions. Uses some communication strategies and makes a few inferences from context/cognates.
  • Exemplary ($4.0$): Demonstrates understanding with detailed responses to all prompts. Applies knowledge of cultural products, practices, and perspectives to interact with respect and understanding.

Missing Work and Retake Policies

• Prerequisites: All assignments leading up to an assessment must be submitted before that assessment can be taken to ensure sufficient practice.
• Late Work: Accepted based on student needs in individual circumstances.
• Retake Eligibility: A student may request a retake if they score below "Secure" on an assessment, provided they have completed all preparatory assignments.
• Retake Timeline: Must be requested and completed within $5$ school days after the grade is posted in Infinite Campus.
• Absences: Students must schedule a makeup time for missed assessments. Incomplete assessments appear as "No Evidence" until submitted.

Supplementary Learning Resources

• Online Textbook Features: Nualang app and electronic flashcards.
• Classroom Media: Señor Wooly videos (requires a specific class join code).
• Self-Directed Practice:
  • Duolingo.com, Quizizz.com, and Gimkit.com for vocabulary.
  • Grammar review: StudySpanish.com, SpanishDict.com, and YouTube channels "Señor Jordan" and "Butterfly Spanish."
  • Contextual learning: Lingopie.com and SpanishCuentos.com.
• Prohibited Aids: Google Translate and ChatGPT are to be avoided to ensure meaningful interaction with the language.
• Teacher Support: Available before or after school by appointment via email.

Preliminary Linguistic Skills

• Cognates: Words that sound or look similar in two languages. Spanish has approximately $20,000$ cognates (e.g., elefante, montaña).
• The Super 7 High-Frequency Verbs:
  • $hay \rightarrow$ there is/there are
  • $está \rightarrow$ is (emotion and location)
  • $tiene \rightarrow$ has
  • $es \rightarrow$ is (descriptions)
  • $le\,gusta \rightarrow$ likes
  • $va\,a \rightarrow$ goes to
  • $quiere \rightarrow$ wants

Geography: Spanish-Speaking Countries and Capitals

• Question:
  De dónde eres tú? (Where are you from?)
• Response Format: Yo soy de ___ (I am from ___).
• List of Capitals and Countries:
  • Madrid, España; Caracas, Venezuela; La Ciudad de México, México; Bogotá, Colombia; La Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala; Quito, Ecuador; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Lima, Perú; San Salvador, El Salvador; La Paz/Sucre, Bolivia; Managua, Nicaragua; Asunción, Paraguay; San José, Costa Rica; Santiago, Chile; La Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá; Buenos Aires, Argentina; La Habana, Cuba; Montevideo, Uruguay; Santo Domingo, República Dominicana; Malabo, Guinea Ecuatorial; San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Alphabet spellings:
  • a: "ah"
  • e: "aye"
  • i: "ee"
  • m: "em-may"
  • b: "bay"
  • f: "ef-fay"
  • j: "hota"
  • n: "en-nay"
  • c: "say"
  • g: "hay"
  • k: "kah"
  • ñ: "en-yay"
  • d: "day"
  • h: "ah-chay"
  • l: "el-lay"
  • o: "oh"
  • p: "pay"
  • s: "es-say"
  • v: "vay"
  • y: "ee-gree-egg-ah"
  • q: "koo"
  • t: "tay"
  • w: "doblay vay"
  • z: "say-tah"
  • r: "ek-ees"
  • u: "ooh"
  • x: "ek-kees"

Numbers, Days, and Months

• Numbers $1-20$: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve, veinte.
• Tens and Hundreds: $30$ (treinta), $31$ (treinta y uno), $40$ (cuarenta), $50$ (cincuenta), $60$ (sesenta), $70$ (setenta), $80$ (ochenta), $90$ (noventa), $100$ (cien), $1000$.
• Days of the Week: lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo.
• Months of the Year: enero, febrero, marzo, abril, mayo, junio, julio, agosto, septiembre, octubre, noviembre, diciembre.
• Date format: Es el [number] de [month].

Unit 1: Hello! Nice to Meet You

• Greetings: Buenos días (Good morning), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon), Buenas noches (Good evening), Hola (Hello).
• Introductions:
  Cómo te llamas? (What is your name?); Me llamo… (My name is…); Mucho gusto (Pleased to meet you).
• Well-being:
  Cómo estás? (How are you?);
  Cómo está usted? (Formal how are you?); Estoy bien (I am well); Estoy mal (I am bad); Estoy regular (I am okay/so-so).
• Age:
  Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?); Tengo ___ años.
• Goodbyes: Adiós, Chau, Hasta luego (See you later), Nos vemos (See you).
• Identity Terms: artista, jugador/jugadora (gamer), atleta, músico/música, bailarín/bailarina, pintor/pintora, bilingüe, poeta/poetisa, ciclista, vegetariano/vegetariana, estudiante, voluntario/voluntaria.
• Activities: bailar, cocinar, comer, escribir, escuchar música, hablar, jugar videojuegos, leer libros, mirar videos, montar en bicicleta, pintar, practicar deportes, tocar un instrumento, vivir en dos culturas.
• Reactions: A mí también (Me too), A mí tampoco (Me either),
  Qué bueno! (Great!),
  Qué pena! (Too bad!).
• Question Words:
  Cómo? (How?),
  Cuándo? (When?),
  Cuánto? (How much/many?),
  Cuál? (Which?),
  Dónde? (Where?),
  Por qué? (Why?),
  Qué? (What?),
  Quién? (Who?).
• Formal vs. Informal Language:
  • Informal: Use for similar age/social standing. Keywords: tú, te, ti.
  • Formal: Use for strangers, elders, or social distance. Keywords: usted, se, le.

Unit 2: The School of Life

• Learning Locations: la biblioteca pública, la escuela restaurante (culinary school), el campo de fútbol, el laboratorio, la casa, en línea, el centro comunitario, el parque nacional, la clase, la piscina, el colegio (high school), la playa, el edificio, la universidad.
• Subjects: el almuerzo, las asignaturas escolares, el arte, la historia, las ciencias, la informática, la educación física, las matemáticas, la geografía, la música, el recreo.
• Time and Schedule:
  A qué hora? (At what time?), A la una (At 1:00), A las dos (At 2:00), …y media (:30), …y cuarto (:15), en la mañana, en la tarde, en la noche.
• Daily Actions: almorzar, necesitar, ayudar, participar, caminar, regresar a casa, cantar el himno nacional, terminar la tarea, dibujar, tomar el autobús, enseñar, trabajar en equipos, llevar uniforme, usar.
• Classroom Objects: el aula, el diccionario, el bolígrafo, el lápiz, la cafetería, el libro, la calculadora, la mochila, la cancha, el papel, la computadora portátil, el profesor/la profesora, el cuaderno, las tijeras.

Grammar: Gender, Number, and Articles

• Agreement (Acuerdo): Words describing a noun must match it in gender and number.
• Gender Rules:
  • Nouns ending in -o are typically masculine.
  • Nouns ending in -a are typically feminine.
  • Nouns ending in -s are plural.
  • Nouns ending in -sión, -tad, -ción, -tud, -dad, -umbre are typically feminine.
• Definite Articles (The):
  • Masculine: el (singular), los (plural).
  • Feminine: la (singular), las (plural).
• Indefinite Articles (A, An, Some):
  • Masculine: un (singular), unos (plural).
  • Feminine: una (singular), unas (plural).
• Exceptions: el día (masc.), la mano (fem.), el agua (masc.), la radio (fem.).
• Adjectives: Adjectives ending in -o change to match gender and number ($alto \rightarrow alta$). Adjectives ending in other letters (like $azul$ or $sociable$) only change in number ($azules$, $sociables$).

Grammar: Verb Conjugation Steps

• Infinitives: Verbs without a subject (e.g., hablar, correr, escribir).
• Step 1: Identify verb type (-ar, -er, or -ir).
• Step 2: Remove the ending to find the root/stem.
• Step 3: Add the correct ending based on the subject.
• Endings Table:
  • -AR: -o, -as, -a, -amos, áis, -an.
  • -ER: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
  • -IR: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en.

Unit 3: My Family, Home, and Leisure

• Family: abuela/o, esposa/o, hermana/o, hija/o, madre/padre, nieta/o, prima/o, sobrina/o, tía/o, mascota, gato/a, perro/a, pájaro/a.
• Descriptions: alto/a, bajo/a, joven, divertido/a, mediano/a, grande, pequeño/a, inteligente, simpático/a, viejo/a, muy (very), un poco (a little).
• Housing: el apartamento, el garaje, el baño, el hogar, el campo, el jardín, la ciudad, el patio, la cocina, el pueblo, el comedor, la puerta, el dormitorio, la ventana, la sala.
• Prepositions/Location: a la derecha de, detrás de, a la izquierda de, encima de, al lado de, enfrente de, cerca de, entre, debajo de, lejos de.
• Weekend Activities: asistir a un concierto, beber refrescos, correr, cuidar a los niños, hacer la tarea, ir al cine, ir de compras, jugar juegos de la mesa, lavar la ropa, limpiar la casa, nadar, preparar la comida, subir fotos.
• Frequency Adverbs: a veces (sometimes), nunca (never), frecuentamente, siempre (always).
• Grammar - The verb Estar: Used for location and temporary states.
• Grammar - Contractions:
  • $a + el = al$
  • $de + el = del$

Unit 4: Food and Market

• Meals: el desayuno, el almuerzo, la cena, el postre, plato de buen comer (healthy plate), comida chatarra (junk food).
• Common Food: brócoli, cebolla, maíz, lechuga, espinacas, coliflor, champiñones, pimientos, calabaza, pepino, tomate, plátano, manzana, sandía, limón/lima, fresa, uvas, cerezas, papaya, pera, aguacate (avocado), piña.
• Proteins and Grains: pollo, carne de res (beef), pescado, lentejas, frijoles, queso, nueces, mariscos, huevo, camarón, arroz, papa, pan, cereal, pasta, fideos.
• Descriptions: picante, agrio/a (sour), salado/a, amargo/a (bitter), asqueroso/a (gross).
• Market Phrases: Póngame… (Give me…),
  Cuánto cuesta/n? (How much cost?), comprar (to buy), vender (to sell).
• The Verb Gustar/Encantar:
  • Me/Te/Le/Nos/Os/Les gusta (singular item or verb).
  • Me/Te/Le/Nos/Os/Les gustan (plural items).
• Demonstrative Adjectives:
  • This/These (with t's): este, estos, esta, estas.
  • That/Those (without t's): ese, esos, esa, esas.

Unit 5: Having a Good Time and Travel

• Emotions: aburrido (bored), alegre, cansado (tired), ocupado, emocionado (excited), enfermo (sick), nervioso, confundido.
• Celebrations: cumpleaños, regalo (gift), baile, desfile (parade), disfraz (costume), fuegos artificiales, globos, luces.
• Transportation: a pie, en autobús, en avión, en barco, en carro, en bote, en ferri, en metro, en tren.
• Indefinite Pronouns: algo (something), alguien (someone), algunas personas, nada (nothing), nadie (nobody), todo (all), todo el mundo (everyone).
• Irregular Yo Verbs:
  • Poner: pongo, pones, pone, ponemos, ponéis, ponen.
  • Tener (e → ie): tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen.
  • Venir (e → ie): vengo, vienes, viene, venimos, venís, vienen.
  • Decir (e → i): digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen.

Unit 6: Walking Through the World

• Weather: Hace buen/mal tiempo, Hace calor, Hace sol, Hace frío, Hace fresco, Hace viento, Está nublado, Llueve (raining), Nieva (snowing), Hay tormenta, Hay niebla.
• Environments: costa, desierto, llano, mar, montaña, río, selva, valle.
• Reflexive Verbs (Getting Ready): prepararse, bañarse, secarse, vestirse, ponerse, quitarse, sentirse, protegerse, relajarse, divertirse.
• Clothing: abrigo, botas, bufanda, calcetines, camisa, camiseta, chaqueta, gafas de sol, guantes, pantalón corto/largo, sandalias, sombrero, suéter, sudadera, traje de baño, vestido, zapatos, bolsa, impermeable, paraguas.
• Adverbs: algún día (someday), ciertamente, lentamente (slowly), probablemente, rápidamente, usualmente.