French I

School Year 2015-2016

Period 1 & 3
Instructor: Morgan Lilley
E-mail: mlilley2012@hotmail.com
Class location: Fort Collins High School, Room 103
Class Description
This class will incorporate the 5 Cs of language learning: communication (spoken & written),
connections, comparisons, culture, and community. As a beginning-level French class, we will
cover the basics of French grammar, including the use and conjugations of the present, future,
and past tense, agreement between nouns, articles, and adjectives, negation, prepositions of
place, formation of questions, and everyday vocabulary. By the end of the year, students will be
able to produce the French language in variety of ways, including describing themselves and
their hobbies, asking questions, talking about their schedules and their families, telling time,
giving directions, and expressing likes/dislikes. Students will also learn about the cultures of
several French-speaking countries.
Required Materials
Writing utensils (pens, pencils, highlighters)
3-ring binder
1 red folder
1 blue folder
1 composition book
1 spiral notebook
Laptop (charged)
Classroom Expectations
I expect our class to become a community characterized primarily by honesty and respect.
Students are to treat each other, their teachers, and the ideas/beliefs of the target culture(s) with
respect and civility. I expect each student to be open-minded as they learn about a new culture
and other parts of the world. Part of being respectful is being honest. Academic
dishonesty/cheating will not be tolerated. Students will be expected to be open and honest with
me as their teacher within this context of respect.
As your teacher, I am committed to being respectful of and honest with my students. In order for
students to make this class their own and to foster mutual respect, we will come up with a list of
expectations and norms for the students as well as a list of expectations of me as their teacher.
These lists will be hung up in the classroom and referred to throughout the year. Together, we
will create our classroom culture, though it will first and foremost be based on honesty and
respect. Non-negotiable expectations include the cell phone and language policies (see below).
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Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones are allowed in class. They will sometimes be used for class activities. HOWEVER,
when cell phones are not permitted in class, they are to be put away in the students backpack
(not visible) and turned to silent (not vibrate). If a student continues to use his/her cell phone
when not permitted, it will be taken and returned to the student after class.
Language Policy
Since this is a French class, I will be speaking in the target language at least 80% of the time, and
students are expected to at least try to speak in the target language as well. However, since this is
a beginner level class, English will be accepted outside of targeted speaking time in order to
make clarifications and ask questions. As students progress in their speaking skills, French will
be increasingly enforced.
Grading
Scale:
A+ = 97-100, A = 93-96, A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89, B = 83-86, B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79, C = 70-76
D = 60-69, F = 0-59
Grades are what you earn, NOT what I give you. They will be based on 5 different categories:
participation, homework, projects/presentations, quizzes/tests, and binder checks.
Participation (30%): Being present and taking part in our daily class activities is an essential part
of progressing in language learning. This will include many opportunities to practice speaking in
the target language. Students are expected to participate in all class activities and to speak in the
target language as much as possible. Participation also includes being on time, prepared for class,
and on-task.
Homework (25%): Homework will be posted on the board every day. Students are responsible
for knowing what is due and when. If you miss a class, you are responsible for finding out what
you missed and what handouts you need.
Writing assignments (15%): We will have several writing assignments throughout each semester.
Students are required to make corrections when the assignment is returned.
Projects/Presentations (15%): There will be several projects and presentations assigned
throughout the school year. Typically, the grade will be split up between the speaking part and
the written/project part.

Quizzes/Tests (10%): There will be a test at the end of each unit and several quizzes within each
unit. THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES! There will be no pop quizzes. What is on the test is
what we go over in class. Tests will consist of 4 parts: Listening, Reading Comprehension,
Writing, and Speaking. The speaking part will be an oral interview with me or a conversation
between you and another student.
Binder Checks (5%): Every quarter, there will be a binder check to make sure that the grammar
book and the verb sheets are up-to-date and that the binder is neatly and correctly kept.
Late Work/Make up Policy: For each day an assignment is late, 10% will be taken off. I would
rather you turn your work in late than not at all! All assignments will be posted on Blackboard.
- For excused absences, students have a day after the absence to turn in their work.
Tests, quizzes, and presentations must be made up within 3 days after the absence. If
you know you will be absent beforehand, be your own advocate and make
arrangements with me ahead of time.
- For unexcused absences, late work is due the day you are back. 10% will be taken off
each day after. Tests, quizzes, and presentations must be made up within 3 days after
the absence.
- Please email/communicate with me if you are going to miss class! We can sort out
when you can make up any tests/quizzes/presentations.
Revisions
Students can make corrections on returned homework, projects, quizzes, and tests for additional
credit. In some cases, such as on all writing assignments, I will require this. Corrections can be
turned in up until the end of the unit, unless otherwise informed.
Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in this class and will result in a reduced/failing
grade for the assignment. Cheating is the act of obtaining and using information that was not
produced by you (or helping others obtain information that is not their own) and that could affect
the resulting grade. In a foreign language class, the following are also considered cheating:
- Using a computer translator or other translation service.
- Turning in assignments that are (almost) identical to another students assignment.
Discussing with other students is acceptable, but the work must be your own.
- Getting help from foreign exchange students, other foreign language teachers,
siblings, parents, or anyone with a high level of language knowledge. The assignment
must be a true display of YOUR knowledge.
If you are unsure of what is considered cheating/plagiarism, ask me! Dont risk your grade!
Tardiness

If you are not on time and prepared for class each day, your participation grade will be penalized.
This is an issue of respect as well as a disruption to the class. After three tardies, you will meet
with me and we will figure out a plan for you to make it to class on time. If the tardies continue,
your parent/guardian will be contacted to find a solution to the problem. You are responsible for
making up whatever you missed during class.
Classroom Ambience
As your teacher, I need to help create a classroom culture that will make the ambience of our
class one that will encourage and help all of my students to succeed. Basing our class on respect
and honesty is the first step in making the class one in which students feel safe to be themselves,
safe to share their thoughts and perspectives, and safe to make mistakes. Mistakes are both
inevitable and essential in the foreign language classroom. The ambience of my classroom will
be one in which students feel safe to take risks, makes mistakes, and learn from those mistakes.
In order to start the year off in this way, the first week of class will be dedicated to getting to
know each other and making our list of expectations and norms as a class. Together, we will
create our classroom culture and ambience. The ambience of the class will also be one of openmindedness as we explore a culture that is different from our own.
Disrespectful and hurtful comments will not be tolerated and will result in a verbal reprimand. If
it happens a second time, there will be a discussion in the hall between myself and the student. If
the behavior continues, the parent/guardian of the student and the school counselor/dean of
students will be contacted to find a solution.
Managing Resources
Paper One of the required materials for class is paper, in order to complete assignments as well
as to take notes. If a student forgets his binder, writing utensils, notebook, or notebook paper, I
will have some available in the classroom. I will also have a binder of all of the printed class
handouts, notes, and worksheets for each unit in the back of the room. Next to the unit binder,
there will be a bin for each period to turn in their homework. In order to leave the classroom,
students will be required to give me an Exit ticket which will consist of a formative assessment
of the material covered in class or a question/wondering that they still have after that class.
Time It is essential that we manage our time in the classroom well in order to cover all of the
necessary material and to give students ample time to communicate and complete in-class
activities. I will use timers to do this. Also, I will continually be doing formative assessments in
order to determine whether more time needs to be spent on a certain area or not. In the foreign
language classroom, everything builds on itself in order to increase fluency. Because of this,
most of the material will be used throughout the year and will most likely require periodic
reviews.
Routines Each class will begin with a Do Now/warm-up that consists of an activity based on
the material from the day before or a question/activity to get students thinking of what will be
covered that day. After the warm-up, we will go over and discuss the Learning Target and the
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Success Criteria for the day which will always be written up on the board. Students can expect to
switch activities every 15-20 minutes, some of which will involve moving around the classroom
or working in pairs/groups. Students will keep a grammar book in which they will neatly copy
down notes on certain grammar points. They will also be given verb conjugation sheets which
they will be expected to complete as we cover each tense. In order to leave, students will
complete an Exit Ticket which will consist of a formative assessment of the material covered in
class or a question/wondering that they still have after class.
Physical Space of the Classroom
Students will be collaborating and working together in pairs/groups for many of the activities
that we will do in class. In order to contribute to this culture of collaboration and the valuable life
skill of being able to work well together, my classroom will consist of groups of four desks. In
this way, students will be grouped with their peers and will practice communicating in the target
language with each other. Students will be allowed to choose their own seats, as long as they
continue to pay attention and do their work. Every quarter, I will require students to switch it up
and to sit with at least 2 people that they havent sat with before. This will help my students to
get to know others in the class, to contribute to our classroom community, and to work with
students of differing strengths and weaknesses. I will also have a corner of the room with bean
bags/comfy chairs where a group can work as a reward. It will also add to the comfortable
atmosphere of the classroom.
My classroom will be full of posters, maps, pictures, etc. that reflect the culture of several
French-speaking countries. This will contribute to the cultural aspect of my class and make the
target culture more real to students. I will also have a stereo set up to play well-known French
songs, both classic and modern, when students are doing activities. Because students tend to not
like fluorescent lights, I will have lamps set up around the classroom to give it a more relaxed
atmosphere. It will be light enough for students to complete their work, but if there are issues, the
fluorescent lights will be used.

If you have any questions or concerns about anything covered, feel free to come talk to me or
email me. Parent/guardian and student, please sign and date below, stating that you have read the
entirety of this syllabus.

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Parent/Guardian

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Date

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Student

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Date