Bienvenue! Welcome to French Culture class! This elective is designed to introduce middle school students to many aspects of French culture. We will be looking at modern French culture, the various French speaking countries, and the history of France, seen through art, architecture, and literature. Couse Outline & Content : Units Unit 1 : Qui parle français? Who speaks French? Unit 2: La Belle France Beautiful France Unit 3 : Les premiers français- L homme de cave aux Carolingiens The first French people- Caveman to the Carolingian Kings Unit 4 : Les temps des rois: Le moyen âge, la Renaissance, et la Grande Siècle The Time of Kings : Middle Ages, The Renaissance, and the Great Century Unit 5 : Révolution, l âge de Napoléon, et les problèmes après! Revolution, the age of Napoleon and the problems after! Unit 6: Le 20e Siècle et Aujourd hui! The 20th Century & Today! Topics Ø Discuss who speaks French throughout the world. Ø Students will choose a francophone country and create a poster, then present info to class Ø Learn about the government, currency, and geography of France Ø Research French regions Ø Look at French gestures Ø Examine what holidays are important to the French people and how they are celebrated Ø Learn about cave paintings and old stone displays Ø Understand how the Roman Empire shaped the French language Ø Learn about the first kings of France Ø Read an excerpt from The Song of Roland Ø Understanding how monarchy changed and shaped France Ø Learn about the Battle of Hastings & the Bayeux tapestry Ø Discover changing architecture Ø Examine France s role in chivalry and the Knights of the Roundtable Ø Talk about the Enlightenment Ø Examine the art of the Renaissance Ø Evaluate the problems leading up to the fall of the monarchy Ø Question the role Napoleon played in the post revolution France Ø Research life in the Reign of Terror Ø See how Revolution changed art in France Ø Examine Impressionism Ø Understand the impact of the two world wars on France Ø Discuss the struggle to find a workable government system in France Ø Look at life in present day France
Classroom Expectations Be respectful and responsible Please arrive every class with your materials and be ready to learn! Participate! Grading Policy: Your grade is broken down into the following categories and weighted accordingly. 10% Homework (formative) 25% Projects (summative) 25% Assignments (summative) 40% Quizzes & Tests (summative) A 93-10 A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79% C 73-76 C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% D 63-66% D- 60-62% E 50-59% Missing Work & Absences: Missing assignments will not be accepted for students who were present on the day the task was assigned. If you are absent, you will have one day for every day you were out to make up the work. Required materials: 3 Ring Binder 5 dividers Lined paper (wide or college rule) Pen or pencil 2 dry erase markers 1 Roll of paper towels (extra credit) Before we begin to learn French, let s examine the three Rs Responsabilité Respect Résultats!
As your teacher, it is my RESPONSIBILTY to... Behave in a way that shows RESPECT for myself, others, the Environment, property, time, and rules. Behave in a way that encourages positive RESULTS. Provide a physically and emotionally safe learning environment. Design appropriate academic tasks. It is your RESPONSIBILITY to behave in a way that shows RESPECT for Yourself Be intellectually honest Do quality work Speak up if you have concerns or needs Others Honor diversity Honor space Time Honor yours, mine, and ours Property Take care of things (whether they belong to you, to your neighbor, to me, or to our school) Our Group Agreement Know and respect the needs your classmates and teacher The Environment Reduce, reuse, and recycle Keep your desk and the area around your chair clean. It is your RESPONSIBILITY to behave in a way that encourages positive RESULTS by... Participating in class activities and on the class website Managing your time wisely Being an effective team member for group and partner projects Bringing the materials you need to do academic work
Your RESULTS will be reflected in a quarter grade that is based on: Débuts, Classwork & Projects Débuts are designed to wake up your brain and get you in the best frame of mind to learn Classwork is any activity completed in class. Class participation- Tracked through Class Dojo Be prepared, attentive, responsive, and respectful in class. Any useful contribution to class earns points even asking a question about something you don t understand. Speak up! Have your textbook, supplies, and binder every day. The class website is also available for earning participation points. Students are expected to participate in group discussions or online quizzes. Quiz and test grades We will have at least one quiz once a week and a test about once a month. We may have more quizzes when we have a large amount of material to cover. Although I try to enter grades in as I receive them, I may not always have time. It is my responsibility to have grades updated weekly on Wednesdays. You may check your grade as often as you like. See me immediately if you have any questions or concerns about your grade. Final Noted: Movies in Class In French classes, I find it especially helpful to use film to introduce students to not only the French language, but also the culture. Students often have trouble visualizing the reality of France or other French speaking countries. Film is an excellent way of making language and culture come alive. Students will watch both authentic Francophone films, as well as well known American films depicting important events in French history. I would like to advise parents we may view movies that are rated PG-13. Any movie chosen has very limited objectionable content. I have chosen movies with limited violence and no nudity. Ratings often are a result of strong language. That said, prior to any film viewing, I will post a note on the class website () 2 weeks in advance. I will also send out an e-mail to parents that indicate an interest on the syllabus signature form. I encourage parents with concerns to preview movies. If you prefer your student not see a particular film, I will provide an alternative activity for those individuals.
s French Class Syllabus Signature File Copy Student s Name (printed) Class period After the course syllabus has been read and understood, please sign on the lines provided below to indicate that the information made it home. Please return this page (completed) to class as a homework assignment. The syllabus should remain in the student s binder. Student Signature: Parent/Guardian Name (printed) Relation Parent/Guardian Signature Date: Would you like to be informed via e-mail regarding movies to be shown in class? Yes No If YES, please note the best e-mail address to contact you at: @ Is there any other information you feel I should know about your student?