Grade 8 Curriculum

SPANISH

This class meets 4 times a week.

The major objective of this course is to continue the acquisition of the Spanish language, and for the students to practice communicating in the target language through the four basic learning skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading).

Students will continue to enhance their language skills using everyday speech, expressing themselves either in written or oral form.  Skits, songs and classroom activities will allow them to practice thier communication and pronunciations skills in the target language.


The 8th grade program continues with the use of a language program entitled:

En Español by McDougall/Littell

The text is accompanied by the following ancillaries:

• An Activity/Workbook ("cuaderno"), for homework and in-class listening activities
• A Video Program with native speakers introducing vocabulary in real-life context
• A Listening Program, allowing students to hear new words and expressions in context
• A Testing Program to assess language aquisition
• Additional materials such as readers, cultural books and videos on Hispanic Nations and customs, and Hispanic music.

The program will cover the following topics:

• Expressing comparisons
• Saying what you know using the verb "saber"
• Describing the weather, expressing how you feel using "tener"
• Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
• Saying what is happening using the Present Progressive
• Identifying places in a city, giving directions, choosing transportation
• Expressing location using prepositions
• More stem-changing verbs (o:ue and e:i)
• Ordering food in a restaurant
• Talking about things you like
• Affirmative and Negative words
• Past tense ("pretérito") of "ir/ser" and "hacer"
• Past tense of regular verbs

Culture:
This course continues with the study of Puerto Rico.  Students will also study the region of Oaxaca Mexico, including famous handicrafts, ancient culture/ruins, and bartering in a mexican marketplace.  In addition, students will study Spain, with a focus on the cities of Madrid and Barcelona.

Songs, readings and additional cultural materials are added throughout the entire course.  Students will also view two authentic Spanish-language films and will compare and contrast typical American-style films with those seen in class in order to gain an appreciation of the different styles.

Updated 4/30/08