Course Syllabus
Overview
In German, we will be focusing on the following language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Within these larger areas, you will become familiar with new grammar and vocabulary concepts, cultural traditions and customs, and the “tricks” of learning another language more effectively. We will be using the textbook “Komm mit!”, the reader “Lies mit mir!” and supplemental materials such as magazines and songs. Throughout the course, you will be assigned activities such as journaling, reading, singing, role-playing, and projects to be completed alone, with a partner or in a group. There will be weekly vocabulary quizzes, along with oral and written quizzes throughout each unit. Upon completion of a unit, a test will be given. If you or your parents would like to discuss any questions or concerns, please either see me before or after school, send me an email, or call me. I will do my best to return all calls and emails within 24 hours.
Expectations
I believe that all of you can learn German, but it is your responsibility to complete assignments, pay attention, participate in all class activities, and study hard just as you would in any other class. Learning a language can be a difficult process, with lots of trying, making mistakes and trying again. Therefore, not only do I expect all of you to try your best every time, I expect that you will be respectful towards everyone and everything in the classroom. Laughing at, bullying, threatening, teasing, or humiliating anyone will absolutely not be permitted. On the other hand, learning a language can also be fun and full of exciting discoveries. Enjoy! I take a genuine interest in all of my students and am always available to talk about any concerns or triumphs you or your parents wish to share with me.
Materials
All students will need:
A three-ring binder for materials given in class (Do not throw anything away!)
A notebook for vocabulary (I recommend a stenographer’s notebook)
A notebook for journal writing (This notebook will be left in the classroom. Journal entries written on loose sheets of paper will not be accepted.)
A writing utensil
I will keep extra supplies in the classroom on the bookshelf. If you need a piece of paper or a writing utensil, please come get one. There is no need to discuss this with anyone else.
Homework
With the exception of long-term projects, homework is rarely assigned. Any work not completed in class is due at the beginning of the next class period. I am flexible with late assignments, so please see me if you need more time to complete an assignment. Written assignments must be typed in 12 point font and double spaced. Any assignments that are incomplete (including no-name papers) or sloppily done will be given a zero. If I can’t read what you have written, it is wrong. All homework must be turned in to the labeled bins in the back of the classroom by the door. I will do my best to return assignments the day after they are turned in.
Extra Credit and Retakes
I do not offer retakes on assessments, so you will want to do well the first time. I also do not offer extra credit points to individual students. However, there will be weekly opportunities to earn one extra credit point posted in the classroom. (This equals about 20 extra credit points over the course of the semester.)
Grades
I do not award grades, you earn them. Remember that you will need to earn a C- or better to continue on with German. If you received lower than a C- in your last semester of German, you will need to contact me immediately. Grades are based on the accumulation of points from quizzes, tests, oral work, homework, journals and projects. All work will be given a point value and final grades will be determined by the following percentage basis.
A = 96-100+ B = 83-86.9 C = 73-76.9 D = 63-66.9
A- = 90-95.9 B- = 80-82.9 C- = 70-72.9 D- = 60-62.9
B+ = 87-89.9 C+ = 77-79.9 D+ = 67-69.9 F = 59.9↓
Students can check their grades on Schoolview. I encourage you to do so weekly at least. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade, please see me before or after school or send me an email. There will also be some class time set aside at the middle and end of each quarter for me to discuss individual grades. Remember that midterms will no longer be sent home. Instead, I will be contacting your parents if you are earning an F at any time during the quarter.
Schedule
When you come into the classroom, please turn in all assignments and then sit down. The warm-up activity will be posted on the whiteboard. Some days there will be a journal prompt, some days there will be a sentence to translate, and some days there will be a question to answer. (This will be discussed in more detail the second week of school.) On Mondays, after the warm-up activity, we will translate the lyrics to a song and then listen to the song. Every other day of the week, we will just listen to the song. While the song is playing, you may listen quietly or sing along, This is not a time to be doing homework, chatting with friends, etc. I don’t often have to give song quizzes, but I reserve the right to do so if students are not paying attention. After the song, we will review the weekly vocabulary using a Google presentation. We will go through the flashcards twice. On Mondays, students will have extra time to write down the vocabulary. Then, we will begin our lesson. On Fridays, we will have a vocabulary test. I will give the word in English and students will write the word in German. Tuesdays will be known as "Grammar Fun Tuesdays" and we will discuss the new grammar for the week. Wednesdays, students will be given a "Lueckentext", which is a fill-in-the-blank practice sheet using the week's vocabulary. Assignments will be posted with the learning goal at the beginning of each class period as well as on the class website. I expect students to remain in their seats until I give them permission to begin packing up. Please clean up the area around your desk. Throw away or recycle all garbage, take all of your belongings with you, and pick up any crumbs and wipe up any spills. Stay in your seat until the bell rings, do not crowd the door. When I want your attention, I will ring a bell on my desk. Please stop what you are doing and look at me, so that I can make announcements, explain transitions, etc. When I say, “Los!”, you may begin working.
Policies
*No gum
*I have no problem with small snacks (no meals, no giant bags of chips, etc.) and beverages in class. However, I expect you to clean up after yourself and to be respectful of those around you, so please try to avoid loud or smelly items. If food and drink cause a problem, they will no longer be permitted.
*You should be working on German and only German. I will keep any work you do for other classes in my class.
*Many of the items in this classroom are my personal belongings. Some of them are valuable from a monetary standpoint and others merely from a sentimental one. I think an attractive classroom environment is important to the learning process and I expect you to be respectful of my and others’ possessions. If items go missing, get destroyed, or are otherwise tampered with, there will be consequences such as detention, parent contact, or “community service” (repairing/cleaning damaged items).
*I am required to follow through with disciplinary referrals for code of conduct violations as outlined in the Dragon Handbook (this includes, but is not limited to: dress code, excessive absences, threats, etc.).
Tardies and Absences
You will be marked “tardy” if you are not in your seat, ready to begin work, when the bell has finished ringing. Three tardies over the course of a semester will be equivalent to one absence. No passes will be given during the first and last ten minutes of class, so please use the restroom and gather all of your materials during your passing time. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to notify me as soon as possible and/or see me upon your return to discuss make-up work. I will not track you down to give you your make-up assignments. I am very flexible with late work and am willing to work with you if you need more time to complete an assignment. More than 12 absences per semester will result in a "no grade" for the course.
Cheating/Plagiarism
There is a zero tolerance policy towards cheating/plagiarism in this class. Cheating will result in a zero grade for the assignment. Your work should reflect what you know. All assessments and assignments are given to measure your progress and abilities at a certain time. Nothing will be assigned that you cannot complete on your own. Therefore, the use of 3rd party sources (including, but not limited to: native speakers, more advanced speakers, online translators/dictionaries. and electronic translators) is prohibited. A word of advice: use what you know! Don’t try to communicate with your head in a dictionary!
Electronic Devices
All cell phones, laser pointers, pagers, beepers, mp3 players, CD players, iPods, handheld games, radios, cameras, TVs, laptops, etc. should be turned off and put away during class. Unless otherwise instructed, school-issued iPads must be face down on your desk or the floor. If I see or hear any of the above, I will confiscate the item and you may pick it up at the end of the day. The second time, a parent must pick up the item. The third time, the item will be confiscated until the end of the term. However, during work time, permission may be granted to listen to music devices. This is a privilege, not a right, so please be sure you are listening to music, not watching videos, etc. Furthermore, if I can hear your music through your headphones, it is too loud and you will be asked to turn it down. You may not share music devices with other students. Failure to comply with these policies will result in a loss of music privileges for the whole class.
In German, we will be focusing on the following language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Within these larger areas, you will become familiar with new grammar and vocabulary concepts, cultural traditions and customs, and the “tricks” of learning another language more effectively. We will be using the textbook “Komm mit!”, the reader “Lies mit mir!” and supplemental materials such as magazines and songs. Throughout the course, you will be assigned activities such as journaling, reading, singing, role-playing, and projects to be completed alone, with a partner or in a group. There will be weekly vocabulary quizzes, along with oral and written quizzes throughout each unit. Upon completion of a unit, a test will be given. If you or your parents would like to discuss any questions or concerns, please either see me before or after school, send me an email, or call me. I will do my best to return all calls and emails within 24 hours.
Expectations
I believe that all of you can learn German, but it is your responsibility to complete assignments, pay attention, participate in all class activities, and study hard just as you would in any other class. Learning a language can be a difficult process, with lots of trying, making mistakes and trying again. Therefore, not only do I expect all of you to try your best every time, I expect that you will be respectful towards everyone and everything in the classroom. Laughing at, bullying, threatening, teasing, or humiliating anyone will absolutely not be permitted. On the other hand, learning a language can also be fun and full of exciting discoveries. Enjoy! I take a genuine interest in all of my students and am always available to talk about any concerns or triumphs you or your parents wish to share with me.
Materials
All students will need:
A three-ring binder for materials given in class (Do not throw anything away!)
A notebook for vocabulary (I recommend a stenographer’s notebook)
A notebook for journal writing (This notebook will be left in the classroom. Journal entries written on loose sheets of paper will not be accepted.)
A writing utensil
I will keep extra supplies in the classroom on the bookshelf. If you need a piece of paper or a writing utensil, please come get one. There is no need to discuss this with anyone else.
Homework
With the exception of long-term projects, homework is rarely assigned. Any work not completed in class is due at the beginning of the next class period. I am flexible with late assignments, so please see me if you need more time to complete an assignment. Written assignments must be typed in 12 point font and double spaced. Any assignments that are incomplete (including no-name papers) or sloppily done will be given a zero. If I can’t read what you have written, it is wrong. All homework must be turned in to the labeled bins in the back of the classroom by the door. I will do my best to return assignments the day after they are turned in.
Extra Credit and Retakes
I do not offer retakes on assessments, so you will want to do well the first time. I also do not offer extra credit points to individual students. However, there will be weekly opportunities to earn one extra credit point posted in the classroom. (This equals about 20 extra credit points over the course of the semester.)
Grades
I do not award grades, you earn them. Remember that you will need to earn a C- or better to continue on with German. If you received lower than a C- in your last semester of German, you will need to contact me immediately. Grades are based on the accumulation of points from quizzes, tests, oral work, homework, journals and projects. All work will be given a point value and final grades will be determined by the following percentage basis.
A = 96-100+ B = 83-86.9 C = 73-76.9 D = 63-66.9
A- = 90-95.9 B- = 80-82.9 C- = 70-72.9 D- = 60-62.9
B+ = 87-89.9 C+ = 77-79.9 D+ = 67-69.9 F = 59.9↓
Students can check their grades on Schoolview. I encourage you to do so weekly at least. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade, please see me before or after school or send me an email. There will also be some class time set aside at the middle and end of each quarter for me to discuss individual grades. Remember that midterms will no longer be sent home. Instead, I will be contacting your parents if you are earning an F at any time during the quarter.
Schedule
When you come into the classroom, please turn in all assignments and then sit down. The warm-up activity will be posted on the whiteboard. Some days there will be a journal prompt, some days there will be a sentence to translate, and some days there will be a question to answer. (This will be discussed in more detail the second week of school.) On Mondays, after the warm-up activity, we will translate the lyrics to a song and then listen to the song. Every other day of the week, we will just listen to the song. While the song is playing, you may listen quietly or sing along, This is not a time to be doing homework, chatting with friends, etc. I don’t often have to give song quizzes, but I reserve the right to do so if students are not paying attention. After the song, we will review the weekly vocabulary using a Google presentation. We will go through the flashcards twice. On Mondays, students will have extra time to write down the vocabulary. Then, we will begin our lesson. On Fridays, we will have a vocabulary test. I will give the word in English and students will write the word in German. Tuesdays will be known as "Grammar Fun Tuesdays" and we will discuss the new grammar for the week. Wednesdays, students will be given a "Lueckentext", which is a fill-in-the-blank practice sheet using the week's vocabulary. Assignments will be posted with the learning goal at the beginning of each class period as well as on the class website. I expect students to remain in their seats until I give them permission to begin packing up. Please clean up the area around your desk. Throw away or recycle all garbage, take all of your belongings with you, and pick up any crumbs and wipe up any spills. Stay in your seat until the bell rings, do not crowd the door. When I want your attention, I will ring a bell on my desk. Please stop what you are doing and look at me, so that I can make announcements, explain transitions, etc. When I say, “Los!”, you may begin working.
Policies
*No gum
*I have no problem with small snacks (no meals, no giant bags of chips, etc.) and beverages in class. However, I expect you to clean up after yourself and to be respectful of those around you, so please try to avoid loud or smelly items. If food and drink cause a problem, they will no longer be permitted.
*You should be working on German and only German. I will keep any work you do for other classes in my class.
*Many of the items in this classroom are my personal belongings. Some of them are valuable from a monetary standpoint and others merely from a sentimental one. I think an attractive classroom environment is important to the learning process and I expect you to be respectful of my and others’ possessions. If items go missing, get destroyed, or are otherwise tampered with, there will be consequences such as detention, parent contact, or “community service” (repairing/cleaning damaged items).
*I am required to follow through with disciplinary referrals for code of conduct violations as outlined in the Dragon Handbook (this includes, but is not limited to: dress code, excessive absences, threats, etc.).
Tardies and Absences
You will be marked “tardy” if you are not in your seat, ready to begin work, when the bell has finished ringing. Three tardies over the course of a semester will be equivalent to one absence. No passes will be given during the first and last ten minutes of class, so please use the restroom and gather all of your materials during your passing time. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to notify me as soon as possible and/or see me upon your return to discuss make-up work. I will not track you down to give you your make-up assignments. I am very flexible with late work and am willing to work with you if you need more time to complete an assignment. More than 12 absences per semester will result in a "no grade" for the course.
Cheating/Plagiarism
There is a zero tolerance policy towards cheating/plagiarism in this class. Cheating will result in a zero grade for the assignment. Your work should reflect what you know. All assessments and assignments are given to measure your progress and abilities at a certain time. Nothing will be assigned that you cannot complete on your own. Therefore, the use of 3rd party sources (including, but not limited to: native speakers, more advanced speakers, online translators/dictionaries. and electronic translators) is prohibited. A word of advice: use what you know! Don’t try to communicate with your head in a dictionary!
Electronic Devices
All cell phones, laser pointers, pagers, beepers, mp3 players, CD players, iPods, handheld games, radios, cameras, TVs, laptops, etc. should be turned off and put away during class. Unless otherwise instructed, school-issued iPads must be face down on your desk or the floor. If I see or hear any of the above, I will confiscate the item and you may pick it up at the end of the day. The second time, a parent must pick up the item. The third time, the item will be confiscated until the end of the term. However, during work time, permission may be granted to listen to music devices. This is a privilege, not a right, so please be sure you are listening to music, not watching videos, etc. Furthermore, if I can hear your music through your headphones, it is too loud and you will be asked to turn it down. You may not share music devices with other students. Failure to comply with these policies will result in a loss of music privileges for the whole class.