SPANISH 1 CP SYLLABUS

Northwest Middle School • 2026–2027 • 180 Classes • Full-Year Credit Course • 50 Minutes Daily 

Mr. Leonardo Sánchez-Palomino  |  Room A-120  |  (864) 355-6936
lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us  |  sites.google.com/greenvilleschools.us/lsanchez/home

Dear Parent or Guardian

Spanish 1 is an exciting opportunity for your child to begin earning high school world-language credit. Students will build confidence by listening, speaking, reading, writing, and learning about Spanish-speaking cultures. Consistent participation, organization, practice, and willingness to use Spanish are essential for success.

About the Teacher

My name is Leonardo Sánchez-Palomino, and I am from Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia. I began teaching in 2005 and have taught Spanish and English as a Second Language in Colombia, Virginia, and South Carolina. My teaching philosophy is based on love, empathy, high expectations, and the belief that every student can grow.

Course Description

Spanish 1 CP is a full-year, high-school-credit course for beginning learners. Students communicate about friends, school, food, home, community, and the environment. Spanish will be used progressively with visuals, modeling, gestures, word banks, and sentence frames that make meaning understandable.

Course Goals

• Interpret the topic and familiar details in short spoken and written messages.

• Exchange personal information, preferences, descriptions, plans, and opinions in simple conversations.

• Present familiar information through practiced phrases and emerging connected sentences.

• Investigate products and practices from Spanish-speaking cultures and interact respectfully.

Course Outline

• Course Launch (5 days): Routines, communication modes, baseline activities, and goals.

• Unit 1: My Friends and I (30 days): Personal information, descriptions, activities, and preferences.

• Unit 2: My School Life (28 days): Classes, schedules, time, supplies, places, and school activities.

• Unit 3: Let’s Eat! (28 days): Foods, meals, preferences, restaurants, and cultural practices.

• Unit 4: Home Sweet Home (28 days): Homes, rooms, furniture, family, pets, chores, and locations.

• Unit 5: My Community (28 days): Places, transportation, occupations, shopping, plans, and directions.

• Unit 6: Going Green (29 days): Weather, animals, habitats, threats, conservation, and solutions.

• Course Closure (4 days): Review, portfolio reflection, final exam, and preparation for Spanish 2.

Major Learning Tasks

• Short listening and reading activities

• Partner conversations and role-plays

• Speaking and writing presentations

• Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs), projects, and a final exam

Materials

There is no single textbook. Students must keep an organized composition notebook because lessons regularly review and reuse earlier language.

• Charged Chromebook every day

• Composition notebook used only for Spanish (not spiral-bound)

• Index cards/notecards, loose-leaf paper, and pencil or pen

Grades

 Minor Assessments    40%  IPA components, quizzes, classwork, participation, and homework when assigned.

Major Assessments   60% IPAs, tests, projects, presentations, and notebook checks.

Quarter grade: 60% major / 40% minor  |  Final exam: 10% of final course grade

Final grade = 45% Semester 1 + 45% Semester 2 + 10% final exam. Missing work in this high-school-credit course may receive a zero.

Classroom Expectations

• RESPECT yourself, classmates, the teacher, languages, and cultures.

• Take RESPONSIBILITY: arrive on time, bring materials, charge the Chromebook, study, and complete assignments.

• PARTICIPATE in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cooperative activities.

• Use Spanish willingly, take appropriate risks, and learn from mistakes.

• Follow all school expectations for cell phones and electronic/listening devices.

Important Policies

Make-Up Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Re-do Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Late Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Attendance: The school year consists of 180 school days. To receive credit, high school students or middle school students taking courses for graduation credit must attend at least 170 days of each 180-day course, as well as meet all minimum requirements for each course.

Seat Time Recovery

To receive high school credit after the 10th unlawful absence, “seat time recovery” is required for every subsequent absence that is unlawful. (Note: the 10 unlawful absence limit applies to each 180-day course.) A student may have up to 10 absences excused by a parent note in each 180-day course. Parent notes over 10 in a 180-day course will be considered unexcused unless accompanied by official medical documentation or otherwise approved by the principal as a lawful excuse. Students should schedule seat time recovery with their teacher.  Information will be forthcoming about middle school students needing seat time recovery.

Tardiness:

Students are expected to arrive at class on time, in accordance with school policy.

Classroom Rules:

Have RESPECT

-for yourself, for your classmates, for the teacher

Take RESPONSIBILITY

-arrive on time, come prepared, study, and complete all assignments

PARTICIPATE

-in all activities

¡HABLA ESPAÑOL!

ABSOLUTELY NO CELL PHONES!

No i-pods or other electronic/listening devices.

If you have any questions, concerns, advice, etc. please do not hesitate to contact me.  I think e-mail is the best way lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us  but you can call me before or after school. (864)-355-6936.

As a parent and an educator, I firmly believe that the learning experience is a partnership between students, teachers and parents.  Together we can help them succeed.

I think ¨All students can succeed, if they really want to, if they are willing to work and if they think positively. ¨

Leonardo Sanchez-Palomino (864) 355-6936

lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us