Students will be presented with a variety of cultural themes during this intensive and investigate them through the lens of a specific country or region of the Hispanic world as a focus for their independent studies. Students will be documenting their findings in a blog, considering cultural comparisons, and recording themselves trying out some traditional practices like dancing, cooking, and artistic styles. They will set up and conduct an interview as a part of this discovery phase as well. We'll have some class visits with Hispanic Maumee Valley community members and make connections with Spanish-speaking organizations and professionals both domestically and abroad. We’ll also visit some local Hispanic restaurants and have a potluck or two to try some authentic dishes. Students will be doing some project-based learning (like a small, guided independent study) revolving around a topic of their choosing in their country or region of focus. While this intensive is for World Language credit, students do not need to be enrolled in Spanish courses to participate in this intensive and will be able to use English both in class and in their blogs. However, students who are studying Spanish will be encouraged to use the target language based on their level of proficiency when appropriate.

This course is comparable to a fourth-semester college/university courses in Mandarin Chinese. AP Chinese is conducted exclusively in Chinese. The course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and the five goal areas (communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities). In preparation for the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam in May, students will be engaged in performance-based activities within age- and level-appropriate authentic cultural context. As the exam is a paperless Internet-Based Test (iBT), students will use their laptop to process everything (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in the course.

The course provides students with opportunities to further develop language proficiency across the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students learn about language and culture through the use of authentic materials that are representative of the Spanish-speaking world. The themes focus on the following topics: personal and public identities, families and communities, contemporary life, science and technology, global challenges, and beauty and aesthetics. The course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills to communicate successfully in an environment where Spanish is spoken and as such, is an immersion experience requiring almost exclusive use of Spanish, a requirement which class grades reflect. By the end of the course, students will be able to engage with the language through different modes of communication to analyze information; exchange and support their opinions and perspectives on a variety of topics; write a cohesive and coherent analytical or persuasive essay in reaction to a text or on a personal, academic, cultural, or social issue with appropriate control of grammar and syntax; and describe, narrate, and present information or persuasive arguments on general topics with grammatical control and good pronunciation in a 5- to 10th Grade-minute oral presentation. Significant independent work outside of the classroom should be expected and might also be required over breaks in order to cover the content required by the College Board.

This course is an introduction to basic communication skills, grammar, and culture and is open to any non-native speaking students. Chinese characters are used extensively and are accompanied by Pinyin, which acts as a guide to pronunciation. Pinyin is gradually omitted as students become familiar with characters and vocabulary. Class work involves communicative activities, dialogues, music, and paired/group practice. A variety of materials is used to reinforce language skills. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to conduct short conversations with another speaker on a general subject (name, age, place of residence, likes and dislikes, sports, food, and family members). Students who have successfully completed the Chinese I course are expected to reach the Novice-Mid to Novice-High level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

This course is a continuation of Chinese I with the same techniques and goals to increase oral proficiency in situational conversations. Students learn more complex sentence structures, read simple articles, and write short compositions. Pinyin is gradually omitted as students become familiar with characters and vocabulary. Cultural aspects of the language are emphasized through video programs and projects. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to speak on topics within the range of their experiences, including their daily routine, clothing, shopping, eating at a restaurant, and the weather. The students who have successfully completed the Chinese II course are expected to reach the Novice-High to Intermediate-Low level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

This course builds on Chinese II, while allowing students an opportunity to review the basic skills to improve both oral and written proficiency. Students learn more complex sentence structures and expressions. In addition, to the basic textbook, students start to read more extensively on various topics. After eight lessons, students should be able to talk and write about their school lives, leisure lives, health conditions and traveling. The students who have successfully completed the Chinese III course are expected to reach the Intermediate-Low to Intermediate-Mid level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

This course includes frequent oral presentations and daily spontaneous conversation about various aspects of modern Chinese culture and life. Reading and discussion of Chinese articles and news and practice speaking Chinese in a variety of functional, everyday situations allow students to expand their vocabulary and solidify previously learned grammatical structures. Selections of Chinese videos and movies are used to reinforce the knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture the students have learned in class. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to talk and write about holiday activities, personalities, computers, internet, email, environmental issues, part-time jobs, and social issues. The students who have successfully completed the Chinese IV course are expected to reach the Intermediate-Mid to Intermediate-High level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

This course will focus on various aspects of English language acquisition to help our English Language Learners (ELLs) be successful in their content area classes and beyond. Students will continue to develop strategies and techniques for their writing, reading, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar skills, in order to be full participants in a multicultural and multilingual society. This class is open to our non-native English speakers by placement.

This course will focus on various aspects of English language acquisition to help our English Language Learners (ELLs) be successful in their content area classes and beyond. Students will continue to develop strategies and techniques for their writing, reading, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar skills, in order to be full participants in a multicultural and multilingual society. This class is open to our non-native English speakers by placement.

The Global Public Service Academies Guatemala program is an intensive healthcare experience for high school students with a passion for careers in medicine, nursing, global or public health, behavioral health, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, dentistry, or other health occupations. Pre-trip sessions will be co-taught by Maumee Valley faculty members and members of the GPSA faculty. Students will explore the community and social issues in Guatemala, develop cross-cultural understandings, and learn basic medical interventions like measuring blood pressure, blood glucose, heart rate, respiration rate, and temperature. On-site in Xela, Guatemala students will stay with host families, work in medical clinics, and receive daily language instruction in Spanish or a local language. This is a working, immersion experience. Living conditions will be basic and home communication will be in the evening only via Twitter. Participants must be mature enough to learn, practice, and pass the required certification and safety exams before they will be permitted to do some of the work. Spanish knowledge is preferred but not required. Students will be trained prior to departure. Since this is a clinical experience, full vaccination is required. Estimated cost $4,000.

This Intensive will give students an opportunity to connect with immigrant communities on the Southern US border. They will learn about contemporary issues of social justice for immigrants and the process and experience of those seeking citizenship or asylum. Students will join volunteers from life-saving coalitions to bring aid and water to relief stations in the Sonoran Desert, assist people, recently released from border enforcement detention, with their next steps toward citizenship and shelter, and hear from individuals who have experienced the detention systems as detainees and who have lived undocumented in the US. Emphasis will also be placed on understanding the economy of the area, the impact of NAFTA, and the work of the Sanctuary Movement. Vaccinations are required. Prerequisites: None. Estimated cost: $3,500 to 4,000 depending on the number of students attending.

By looking at different texts and media such as film, music, sports, songs, and newspapers, students will gain a critical awareness of narratives of cultural, political, and social issues in Latin America. Students will analyze and historically contextualize a variety of cultural forms created and disseminated by media industries in an effort to understand the ways in which they impact everyday life and contribute to shaping society. Some of the films include: Even the Rain, Crude, Landfill Harmonic, and Argentina 19th Grade85 among others. By the end of the course, students will have deepened their understanding of important social issues related to different Latin American nations such as government corruption, poverty, immigration, race, identity, and gender, and will have understood how those issues have shaped those countries. This class is conducted in English.

This introductory course is designed to expose students to the language and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will develop basic proficiency across the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. In structured and contextualized situations, students will ask and answer simple questions as they learn to communicate about themselves, their families, their friends, and the world around them. Students will respond to written prompts about their daily lives and responsibilities. They will be exposed to authentic material and various media sources in the target language. Spanish will be used as much as possible during classroom instruction. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to communicate orally and in written form on very familiar topics using a variety of words and phrases that have been practiced and memorized; present information about themselves, others, and various familiar topics; write short messages on familiar topics; and infer the main idea after reading authentic texts. At the end of Spanish I, students are expected to reach the Novice-Mid to Novice-High level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

Spanish II completes the students’ study of essential grammar and vocabulary. While the aim of this course is to develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, students will continue to participate in extensive oral grammar and pronunciation activities and participate in simple conversations to improve oral proficiency. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to ask and answer questions and write about topics within the range of their experiences, including the expression of personal opinions or ideas and talk about basic cultural similarities and differences between the United States and Spanish­-speaking countries. Readings, movies, conversations, and music will facilitate an understanding of the language. The class will also incorporate group activities and assignments requiring technology. At the end of the year, students will have a deeper understanding of the language and and culture of Spanish-speaking countries and students are expected to reach the Novice-High to Intermediate-Low level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

This course provides students with opportunities to further develop language proficiency across the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students learn about culture through the use of authentic materials that are representative of the Spanish-speaking world. Materials include a variety of different media such as journalistic and literary works, interviews, movies, short films, and infographics. Thematically, the focus is on personal and public identities, families and communities, and contemporary life. The course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills to communicate successfully in an environment where Spanish is spoken and, as such, is an immersion experience requiring almost exclusive use of Spanish, a requirement which class grades reflect. By the end of the course, students should be able to participate in oral and written exchanges on a variety of familiar topics using familiar vocabulary and learned grammatical structures; present in written and oral form on a variety of familiar topics using both high frequency vocabulary, new vocabulary, and learned grammatical structures; relate information acquired from authentic resources to their own perspectives and experiences; and infer the main idea and some supporting details after reading authentic text. At the end of Spanish III, students are expected to reach the Intermediate-Mid level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

In Spanish IV, students will engage in increasingly complex oral grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation activities, and participate in conversations to improve oral proficiency. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to speak Spanish with the facility necessary to participate in conversations about themselves, their immediate surroundings, and their community, support opinions, write organized compositions on chosen topics, and demonstrate some knowledge of geographical, political, religious, artistic, and economic aspects of Hispanic culture based upon class materials. Spanish IV readings will be selected by the instructor and may vary from year to year. Past selections include "Como agua para chocolate" by Laura Esquivel and "El beso" by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer as well as a wide variety of newspaper articles and current event publications. Other audiovisual sources will also be included. At the end of Spanish IV, students are expected to reach the Intermediate-Mid to Intermediate-High level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

The course provides students with opportunities to further develop language proficiency across the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students learn about language and culture through the use of authentic materials that are representative of the Spanish-speaking world. The themes focus on the following topics: personal and public identities, families and communities, contemporary life, science and technology, global challenges, and beauty and aesthetics. The course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills to communicate successfully in an environment where Spanish is spoken and, as such, is an immersion experience requiring almost exclusive use of Spanish, a requirement which class grades reflect. By the end of the course, students will be able to engage with the language through different modes of communication to analyze information, exchange and support their opinions and perspectives, and present information on a variety of topics.

This course provides students with opportunities to further develop language proficiency across the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. The goal of this course is to enhance communicative abilities through the examination of cultural topics of interest in the Hispanic world. Student projects may include presentations, in-class debates, journals, and a cultural portfolio among others. A big emphasis will be placed on the in-depth development of speaking and writing skills through cultural readings, group discussions, essays, and oral presentations on selected topics concerning the Spanish-speaking world. The study of cultural and literary texts (short stories, poetry, and novels) and audiovisual material (music, fine arts, and films) will help us explore many Hispanic historical periods and discuss the Hispanic presence in the United States.

This course offers a broad interdisciplinary introduction to the issues underlying the study of global cultures. It will address some of the forces that contribute to the shaping of different cultures by analyzing a variety of topics, including migration patterns, food, politics, religion, economy, human rights, the environment, literature, art, and music among others. This class will foster students’ cross-cultural awareness and intercultural competencies. It will strengthen their understanding of diversity and help develop an awareness of other people’s world views, of their unique ways of life as well and of contributions of other cultures to the world at large. Research, readings, films, and discussions will constitute integral components of the course. This class is conducted in English.