World Languages Course Descriptions

Middle School Spanish

Novice

At Meridian Academy, students begin their language-learning journey in an immersive project-based classroom with a focus on creativity and self-expression in speaking and writing. Instruction is almost entirely in Spanish from day one, and students are supported to begin producing language right away through interactive activities, collaborative games, and personalized individual and group project work. Through these experiences, students end the year with comfort in the present tense; an introduction to the future simple and present continuous tenses; fundamental building blocks such as gender, number, negatives, estar/ser, and others; and lots of vocabulary about themselves, colors, animals, greetings, actions, and much more. Novice Spanish readers and authentic sources such as poems, songs, and videos are used to provide more exposure to Spanish syntax, style, and vocabulary. Projects in this class can include a poster presenting students’ identity; a photo-video showcasing a stuffed animal doing things around the house; and a play written, produced, and performed by students featuring invented animals solving a problem together among others. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work.

Novice High

In this continuation of introductory Spanish, students will be expected to build upon the foundations from the previous year. The focus of this course is pulling the skills learned in Spanish Novice out of the classroom and into the home, their personal interactions and the community they live in. In the past, as part of a project, students have been asked to create posters or advertisements to promote organizations such as natün in Guatemala, Puedo Leer in Nicaragua, and REFORMA for children at the border. In another project, students studied the cultural impact of the Yipao in Colombia and then created their own versions, reflecting on their artistic choices, as well as the celebration of the Desfile de Yipaos. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to be able to communicate and interact with the target language on a basic level, using simple sentences both in oral and written expression. By the end of the year, students are expected to have a solid working knowledge of the building blocks of Spanish upon which they’ll expand in following years. At this level, students primarily Spanish readers such as La Bella Mentira, Peter va a Colombia and Las Lágrimas de Xóchitl.

Intermediate

Students will enter the intermediate level with a strong foundation of Spanish language skills. In this course, students will expand their knowledge to relate to a broader spectrum of topics, such as food, clothes, shopping, celebrations, body parts, and health. In one project, students learn about alebrijes and their creator Mexican artisan, Pedro Linares, prior to designing and creating their own using the technique of papier-maché. In conjunction with their sculptures students write their first lengthy piece of writing (a minimum of 500 words!), in which they interact with their alebrijes in a dream-like setting. By this point intermediate level students are expressing their ideas in the past tense, and employing complex grammar, such as the preterite tense, the imperfect tense, informal commands, and direct object pronouns. Students at this level are expected to be more comfortable using simple sentences in a variety of familiar contexts. Students will gain experience reading authentic texts from books, newspapers, and the Internet, and materials created for language learners at their level of proficiency.

Advanced

This class is designed for middle school students whose native language is Spanish, or for those who already have an advanced understanding of the language. Students will continue to develop their language skills through the study of history, culture, and literature of Hispanic countries. In particular, students will acquire and perfect the skills of reading and writing in Spanish. Students will gain experience reading authentic texts from books, newspapers, and the Internet. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to write for different purposes and audiences.

Middle School French

Novice

At Meridian Academy, our students begin their language-learning journey in an immersive classroom that focuses on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through a dynamic project-based system, students will approach each thematic vocabulary and grammar unit in a collaborative, creative, hands-on manner. In this year, students will learn basic greetings and elements of the language, how to describe themselves, and begin to learn to express themselves. In one project, students wrote short “Je suis…” chapters in which they introduced themselves using the verbs être and avoir in the present tense, as well as new adjectives and the vocabulary for family. In another project, students researched famous Impressionist paintings by various French artists. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students who complete this level are expected to have a working knowledge of basic words and phrases, both oral and written. At this level, students have used short French readers such as Les aventures d’Isabelle et Brandon Brown à la conquête de Québec, as well as many other resources.

High School Spanish

Novice

This class is intended for students joining Meridian for high school who have not previously studied Spanish. At Meridian Academy, students begin their language-learning journey in an immersive project-based classroom with a focus on creativity and self-expression in speaking and writing. Instruction is almost entirely in Spanish from day one, and students are supported to begin producing language right away through interactive activities, collaborative games, and personalized individual and group project work. Through these experiences, students end the year with comfort in the present tense; an introduction to the future simple and present continuous tenses; fundamental building blocks such as gender, number, negatives, estar/ser, and others; and lots of vocabulary about themselves, colors, animals, greetings, actions, and much more. Novice Spanish readers and authentic sources such as poems, songs, and videos are used to provide more exposure to Spanish syntax, style, and vocabulary. Projects in this class can include a poster presenting students’ identity; a photo-video showcasing a stuffed animal doing things around the house; and a play written, produced, and performed by students featuring invented animals solving a problem together among others. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work.

Intermediate I

This course is offered to students entering high school who have successfully completed novice Spanish levels or to new high school students who arrive at Meridian with an equivalent level. Students enter the intermediate level with a strong foundation of Spanish language skills. Throughout the year, students engage with collaborative and individual projects, creative expression, and increasingly complex conversation to gain familiarity with the preterite, imperfect, and imperative tenses. In addition, intermediate Spanish readers and authentic sources such as poems, songs, and videos are used to provide more exposure to Spanish syntax, style, and vocabulary. Units introduce topics such as health, units of measurement, and food. In the past, project work has included creating menus and inventing a restaurant; writing a recipe and preparing a simple traditional Latin American meal; becoming stylists and putting on a fashion show, and others. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work.

Intermediate II

By Intermediate 2, students have a broad working knowledge of grammar and vocabulary that permits them to express more advanced thoughts, opinions, and ideas. In this course, students will deepen their understanding and ability to make original, complex statements through interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication. Topics of study include travel, personal relationships, and celebrations. In one project, students are asked to plan a vacation to a Spanish-speaking country. In another project, will create memorials to represent the legacy of the Mirabal sisters and their fight against the dictatorial regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic during the 1960’s. Students at this level are expected to communicate more in-depth thoughts and opinions in the past, the present, and the future tenses. Students will gain experience reading authentic texts from books, newspapers, and the Internet, and materials created for language learners at their proficiency level.

Advanced 1

This level of Spanish marks the beginning of higher-level forays into cinema and literature, as well as more advanced grammar and style. Students will be expected to communicate their perspectives on cultural and political aspects of society utilizing the breadth of the language skills they’ve been acquiring up to this point to express a profound level of thought. Topics of study include: environment and climate change; theater, art, and entertainment; immigration; and Latin American and Spanish history. In the past, students interpreted poetrand performed a Spanish play for a younger audience. Students have also worked on translations of Pablo Neruda’s odes. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to sustain a complex conversation with greater comfort than in the past, as well as interpret and respond to a variety of forms of art and literature. Students at this level will continue to use short novels and other supplementary reading materials.

Advanced 2

Students at this level are expected to communicate about a variety of topics including current events, environmental issues, history and politics, and matters of public and community interest. Topics of study include: development of the Spanish language, history and politics of Spain and Latin America, notable works of literature and films in Spanish, and issues around the environment, civil rights, and popular culture. In one project, students spend ample time throughout two trimesters building a timeline of events connected with the oppressive regimes of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay. In another project, students learn about Taíno mythology prior to writing original myths, and working with the art teacher to create sculptures inspired by Taíno’s cemís. It is expected that students at this level feel comfortable using a variety of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures independently. Grammar and vocabulary will be reviewed as needed. The course will be enriched with the use of a number of authentic sources including newspaper articles, music, film, and literature from authors like Elizabeth Acevedo, Eduardo Galeano, LasTesis, Federico García Lorca, and Isabel Allende.

High School French

Novice

This first-year introductory French course is intended for Meridian students who are studying French for the first time. Students will begin their language-learning journey in an immersive classroom that focuses on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through a dynamic project-based system, students will approach each thematic vocabulary and grammar unit in a collaborative, creative, hands-on manner. This year, students will learn basic elements of French, such as greetings, numbers, and expressing basic opinions; they will also learn how to discuss their pastimes, and lives at home and in school. In one past project, students have studied the history behind Paris’ arrondissements system, and created their own interactive map of Paris to learn more about the different areas and monuments of this iconic city. In another project, students shared their video tutorials of traditional pastries and dishes such as the class French madeleines. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to be able to communicate and interact with the target language on a basic level, using simple sentences both in oral and written expression. At this level, students primarily use short novels such as Les aventures d’Isabelle and Brandon Brown à la conquête.

Intermediate 1

Students will enter the intermediate level with a strong foundation of French language skills. In this course, students will expand their knowledge to relate to a broader spectrum of topics, such as clothing, sports, household chores, urban transportation and travel, and ways to talk about our neighborhood. In one project, students will study the lyrics to various French (and québecoise) songs and make music videos. In another project, students will watch the film Amélie, and choose from a variety of nostalgia-centered projects, including the creation (and elaborate description) of their own childhood memory boxes. In the past, students have gone on a three-day trip to Québec to enrich their French education experience. They were each expected to take ownership over a specific destination or aspect of the trip, prepare a written guide to the site in advance, and give a brief “tour” of the site once in Canada. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to be more comfortable using simple sentences in a variety of familiar contexts. Students at this level will use classic French novels written in Français Facile, such as La Guerre des Boutons.

Intermediate 2

By French Intermediate 2, students have a broad working knowledge of grammar and vocabulary that permits them to express more advanced thoughts, opinions, and ideas. In this course, students will deepen their understanding and ability to make original, complex statements through interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication. In the past, topics of study have included holidays, cooking and French cuisine, computers and technology, daily routines, and advanced complaining. In one project, students learned about the French concept of ennui and worked together to create a short film in the film noir style. In another project, students prepared traditional French pastries and created satirical cooking show videos to accompany the desserts. Students have also watched Ma Vie en Rose, a movie about a young boy struggling with his gender identity, and wrote journals and response essays regarding the film. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to communicate more in-depth thoughts and opinions in a variety of time frames. Students at this level will use a variety of French texts, such as Le Petit Prince.

Advanced

French Advanced marks the beginning of higher-level forays into cinema and literature, as well as more advanced grammar and style. Students will be expected to communicate their perspectives on cultural and political aspects of society utilizing the breadth of the language skills they’ve been acquiring up to this point to express a profound level of thought. Topics of study include: Discussing the French political system; the impact of French colonialism; camping and the great outdoors; anatomy and health; entertainment; and travel. While studying the Algerian War, students will reflect on this conflict and research the timelines of other important colonial conflicts involving the French Empire. In another project, students will film a “survival guide” in the woods of Franklin Park. In this year, students have gone to Quebec City for, and were expected to help facilitate the trip, as well as prepare French Intermediate students for their voyage. Students will be assessed throughout the year based on their performance in class and project work. Students at this level are expected to sustain a complex conversation with greater comfort than in the past, as well as interpret and respond to a variety of forms of art and literature. Students at this level will continue to use a variety of texts, such as salon-era letters, Le Petit Nicolas, Le Petit Prince, and watch films such as Indigènes.