Extra Credit is available in all my classes.  Please note that SEHS teachers are not required to offer extra credit, but because I have a strict policy on homework being completed before class in order for it to count, and because life happens, I offer 100 points of extra credit.  This equates to between 2 and 4% of a student's grade depending on how many points there are in the term and what grade the student has.  

It is meant to help students raise their grade a little, like going from a B+ to an A-.  It is not meant to go from a B- to an A-.

ALL EXTRA CREDIT IS DUE TWO WEEKS BEFORE 

THE END OF THE SEMESTER

I tend to look at how much extra credit is worth in relation to homework.  Each homework assignment is worth 1/2% of the total and typically takes 15-30 minutes to complete.  Students are also expected to study 15 minutes on nights they don't have homework to complete, for a total of 30-45 minutes or so per two day homework period.  Therefore,

12.5 points of extra credit = approx. 1/2% = .75-1  hour of work     

25 points of extra credit = approx. 1% = 1.5-2 hours of work     

50 points of extra credit = approx. 2% = 3-4 hours of work         

75 points of extra credit = approx. 3% = 4.5-6 hours of work   

100 points of extra credit = approx. 4% = 6-8 hours of work

This is meant as a guide to help you know when to stop.  Putting in more hours is fine, and may be necessary for you to complete your project depending on what you’re doing, but it won’t get you any more than 100 points.

Talk to me about your project before you do it so we can agree on what it is worth.  You may think it’s worth 100 points and be disappointed that I only think it’s worth 50.  In addition, I may have some specific requirements for certain projects such as written reports.

In my ideal world, extra credit is an extension of what you are doing in class.  So do a project on something that interests you about France’s history, culture or language.  Don’t expect extra credit for making flashcards on the lesson we’re learning.  That’s regular credit.  However, you could make flashcards for new vocabulary that is of interest to you.  Choose a suggestion below or think of your own.  Have fun with this!

Warning!

Don’t even think about giving me something of poor quality.  I will seriously consider penalizing you--like lowering your grade if you give me something to spend extra time grading and it takes me more time to grade than you put in to working on it, or you clearly learned nothing, or you committed plagiarism.

Ideas for Projects that usually earn 25-50 pts each

• Draw, paint, or sculpte a copy of a French aritist’s masterpiece.

• Do an original work in the style of a French artist.

• Write a short paper describing the style and the artists place in history/life (See below for requirements).

• Write a story, skit, song, or poem using the vocabulary and grammar we are learning.

• Illustrate a story.

• Write a song with original lyrics to a familiar tune.

• Write a song with original lyrics and original tune.

• Create a musical accompaniment to a French song/s, or songs we sing in class.

• Create a dance to a song.

• List French expressions we use in English.

• Prepare a French dish and report on it.

• Make a music video/slide show of a French song, or lip sync it yourself.

• Make a video of you speaking French to strangers, or using a French accent.  Video projects can easily be made into group projects worth 100 points. 

• Make a poster or montage.

• Plan a trip to France.

• Watch a French film and list the words you recognize, a few you learn, and use some of them in some original sentences.  Films can be borrowed from my classroom library, but you must leave a $10 deposit and parents must approve because there are some R rated films and I have not personally watched each one of them.

• Written report.  Write a minimum of two pages about a French scientist, mathematician, philosopher, politician, military leader, writer, poet, artist actor, book. song, film, city, region, food, colony, designer, architect, historical figure or event.  

• Papers can be written in French or English.  I am more concerned about the content than the language and don't want to be wondering what you are saying or distracted by excessive vocabulary and grammar mistakes.  On the other hand, a well-written paper in French will definitely carry more weight because it demonstrates your level of language skills and obviously takes more time to write.  On the other-other hand, I can spot a translation program's fingerprints on a paper immediately.  Don't be tempted to take that shortcut.

How to write a paper for extra credit

Papers should be typed, double spaced, with a 10 question test at the end made up of true/false, multiple choice, or short answer questions.  Put the answers to your test on a separate sheet, or on the back, or upside down on the bottom.

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE.  

I don’t need your paper to be in a formal style.  I don’t care about dates and names of people unless you care about them or they are integral to understanding an event.  Make your paper personal and only tell me about the stuff that interests you.  It is extra credit for something that enhances your life.  Make your test questions relevant.  If you ask the date of someone’s birth or death, it should be important to you and you should remember it.  Otherwise, ask a different question.  Be ready to take your own test months later.  If you fail, expect to lose some points.  But don’t make the test so easy that it appears you learned nothing.  

I often suggest you do your research without taking notes and then just sit down and start writing about what you remember.  The stuff you remember will be the stuff that's most important to you.  If you need to go back and check on one or two things that's okay, but don't get stuck in the details and don't get tempted to copy and paste from the internet.  I can tell when your writing style and voice change.  Remember, this is for your personal enrichment so it should be exciting to you.  I want you to be able to say, years from now, "Oh yeah, I did a report on that in high school.  Here are 3-5 things I remember about it!"