French

This course is for students beginning the study of French. Students will learn the basic vocabulary needed to have a conversation in French on a variety of topics including describing themselves, their likes and dislikes, their families and their classes. Students will work toward increasing proficiency in comprehension with short readings, and listening activities. Once students learn the basic grammar structures needed, they will start writing in French. Students will discover the importance of French culture in a variety of domains, such as food, fashion and film, and will learn about Paris and Quebec.

Students can anticipate daily homework, regular quizzes and 1-2 exams per quarter as well as a mid term and a final exam.

This course is for students who have successfully completed French I. Students will further develop their skills in speaking through participating in a variety of communicative activities, such as skits, dialogues and partner and small group activities in French. Students continue to develop their writing skills, adding the near future to their thorough mastery of the present tense. Students learn about and compare French culture to their own with topics such as the home, shopping, and meals. Students explore Chartres, the Chateaux of the Loire Valley and Martinique.

Students can anticipate daily homework, regular quizzes and an exam and a project per quarter as well as a mid term and a final exam.

This course is for highly motivated students who have the dedication and discipline to succeed in this fast paced Honors French class. The class is taught in French and the students are expected to use the French language in class as much as possible. Students are expected to participate in a variety of communicative based activities such as role play, dialogues, and oral presentations. The emphasis is on vocabulary building and language structures that advance competency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. French readings and songs will be studied. There will be further exploration of cultural topics involving cross cultural comparisons especially with the wide variety of Francophone countries.

This course is for students who have successfully completed French II. This class is held in French and students are expected to use their French in class. Students continue to gain competency in all skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening. They solidify their knowledge of the present tense and near future and learn the past tense. Writing is lengthier and more creative. Students read short fiction stories and poems, and listen to contemporary French music. Topics of study include exercise and nutrition and childhood events. The region of Provence is studied in depth.

Students can anticipate daily homework, regular quizzes and an exam and a project per quarter as well as a mid term and a final exam.

In French III Honors, students continue enhancing their listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills, acquiring essential building blocks for mastery of the language. Extensive vocabulary development, advanced grammatical structures, and cultural topics will be explored throughout the year. Authentic materials such as brochures, podcasts, videos, recipes, and fables, are presented and studied in conjunction with thematic units. By the end of the year, students can understand a variety of authentic texts, communicate in several tenses at a higher level of proficiency, and can produce lengthier communications.

This course is for students who have successfully completed French III. This class is held in French and students are expected to use French in the classroom. Students learn the future tense, exploring themes such as career opportunities, the conditional, si clauses and the subjunctive and advance their competency in all skills; reading, writing and speaking. Students read short stories, poems and lyrics in French as well as some news articles. Students learn about environmental issues and climate change in French. Students learn about the different regions of France, including their culinary specialties. Some aspects of French history are discussed through readings and film.

Students can anticipate daily homework, regular quizzes and an exam and a project per quarter as well as a mid term and a final exam.

French IV Honors is a prerequisite to French V AP. In other words, this course is Part I of the Advanced Placement Program. The class is conducted in French and students are expected to use only French. While grammar has been presented in previous years, students will review structures within the context of authentic texts throughout this year as well. Podcasts, literary works, articles, and music are integral parts of the curriculum. The level of listening and reading, as well as the requirement to use only French in multiple open-ended contexts, are challenging. With dedication and effort, students find this year a pivotal year in their level of overall competency.

By the end of the year, students can understand and communicate at an intermediate level of proficiency, produce lengthier communications, and work more independently and more in-depth in all skill areas. Please consult AP French for possible thematic units studied this year.

This course is for students who have successfully completed French IV. This class is held in French and students are expected to speak French in the classroom. Building on the skills acquired in French IV students will do more research projects and presentations in this class, will read a greater variety of texts, will write lengthier passages and expand their cultural studies to include the francophone African countries, with an emphasis on the Maghreb and current events and issues facing France today.

Students can anticipate daily homework, regular quizzes and an exam and a project per quarter as well as a mid term and a final exam.

This course continues to focus in depth on the acquisition of the French language, which enables the student to converse, debate, compare and contrast real life situations. Throughout the school year in French V Honors, there will be continued intensive periods of preparation specifically for the AP exam. These sections of preparation will be woven into the established curriculum. Early in the academic year, all students are re-exposed to the format of the exam and the language processes required as presented in French IV Honors. French V Honor students will not take the AP exam. Although the class focuses on preparation for the exam, French V Honor students will use the AP practice as a method to perfect their language skills. Grades will be adjusted to reflect an Honors course.