HOLA

Welcome/welcome back to Countryside!

If you are in one of my Spanish classes this semester, you will need a blue or black pen, your Spanish textbook, your red workbook, and some kind of pocket-folder to keep your tests and homework in.

Scroll down and click on my games and activities.

You can e-mail me at: dibam@pcsb.org

To see our Senior Slide Show 2009, go to cnmcountryside.com/live

WELCOME TO ALL MY NEW STUDENTS!

All Spanish I and II students at Countryside High School are using the Spanish textbook Expresate. These textbooks cost 62.20 each. Keep them safe! You need to cover them with a paper bookcover or an XL stretchy fabric bookcover. At CHS, you will also be getting the red workbook "Vocabulario y Gramatica" which will be used for your written homework. In class we will be doing activities in the "silver workbook" out loud (but you won't write in that workbook). We will keep the silver workbook under the desks.

FREE RICE

Want to help feed the world? Rice is donated when you answer questions correctly on freerice.com Click Spanish and you will get Spanish vocabulary words with four choices of what the word means in English. Try it!

COUNTRYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION

Zoned School Assignments for Next School Year - Anyone wanting information on what's going to happen next year regarding this, go to www.pcsb.org or send me an e-mail and I'll forward you the details.

Cougar Closet - The Cougar Closet is a closet for CHS students in need of new or slightly used clothing. Go halfway down A-wing - it's down a little hallway on the left. See a teacher there for access. Donations are accepted!

National Honor Society is offering free tutoring by students on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm in Room E-3.

The Homework Helpline is now open Monday through Thursday from 5:00-8:00 pm. Call either 727-547-7223 or 727-442-3226 if you need help on homework in any subject and they will try to help you.

If you need to talk to the School Psychologist Katie Henson, she is here on Wednesdays and on Fridays after 10:00 am. Her phone number is 727-725-7956 x 2081.

If you would like to talk to our Social Worker Jennifer Carter, she is here all day Tuesdays and Fridays. Call her at 727-725-7956 x 2081 to talk.

Remember, if you'd like to talk with Officer Cavaliere about anything, please slip a note under his door or knock. You know where to find him. And he says thank you for all your notes!

CONVERSATION FILLERS...

Ever wonder how to add a little to the conversation, how to fill those awkward pauses, but continue speaking Spanish? Here are a few words you can say:

Oye (Hey!), Mira (Look!), Este... (Umm...), Fijate (Imagine that!), Disculpa/Perdon (Excuse me!), Bueno/Pues... (Well...), Es que... (It's just that...), Tu sabes (You know), Que te iba a decir? (What was I going to say?), Lo que pasa es que... (What's going on is...), Lo que paso fue que... (What happened was that...), Que bueno! (That's great!), Ay ay ay/Ay, dios mio (Oh, my gosh!), Como yo te decia... (Like I was saying...), O sea... (In other words...), Entonces... (So...), No me digas! (No way!), De veras? (Really?), Ay, caramba/Ay, caray (Oh, shoot!), No lo puedo creer! (I can't believe it!), De acuerdo/Vale/Bueno/Esta bien (Okay).

SOME COOL VIDEOHITS ON WWW.YOUTUBE.COM

Gerardo Mejia - Rico Suave

Bebe - Malo

Jerry Rivera - Puerto Rico

Jennifer Lopez - If You Had My Love

Ricky Martin - I Don't Care, Que Mas Da, Tu Recuerdo, Maria

Daddy Yankee - Oye Mi Canto, Llamado de Emergencia

Wyclef Jean - Guantanamera

Shakira - Bonita, Hips Don't Lie

Santana - Oye Como Va, Put Your Lights On, Smooth, Maria Maria

Mana - Corazon Espinado, Bendita tu Luz

Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos

Jarabe de Palo - Bonito, La Flaca, El Lado Oscuro

Rakim y Ken Y - Tú no estás

SPANISH FLAMENCO GUITAR

Chords are Am, Dm, G, Cmaj7, FMaj7, Dm, E7, Am. Check out the two youtube videos called Complete Rumba Flamenca and Re: Complete Rumba Flamenca and learn how to play flamenco guitar, including an upclose view of how to strum. I challenge you to learn how to do this! Totally awesome.

SPANISH FLAMENCO DANCING

Check out the youtube video of Silvia Moreno (a five year old girl who dances flamenco) and many, many others. Then watch clips on youtube of a dance instructor giving step by step instructions of how to hold yourself, how to move your hands and arms, and how to step. Extremely cool.

COURSE OUTLINE

SPANISH I - We will be learning geography, culture, vocabulary and grammar regarding the following topics:

CH 1: Spain, greetings and good-byes, pronouns, verb ser (to be - description), numbers 0-31, telling time, days of weeks, months of year, alphabet.

CH 2: Puerto Rico, adjectives used to describe friends, numbers 32-100, verb ser (to be), gender and adjective agreement, "Me gusta" (likes and dislikes), interrogatives (question words).

MID-TERM EXAM

CH 3: -ar-er-ir verbs in the Present Tense; Texas, sports and leisure activities, verb gustar (to like), verbs querer (to want), ir (to go) and jugar (to play a sport), weather expressions.

CH 4: Costa Rica, school supplies, classes, indefinite articles, verbs tener (to have) and venir (to come), school events and places, ir + a - three-part-future (going to).

CH 5: Chile, family members, more adjectives, possessive adjectives, stem-changing verbs, rooms in the house, furniture, chores, places where people live, verb estar (to be - location, health, emotion), affirmative and negative words, me toca (It's my turn, I have to) and me parece (It seems to me).

FINAL EXAM

SPANISH II - We will be learning geography, culture, vocabulary and grammar regarding the following topics:

CH 6: Mexico, food, restaurant vocabulary, table settings, difference between verbs ser and estar, restaurant verbs pedir (to order), traer (to bring), servir (to serve), verbs preferir (to prefer), poder (to be able to, can), probar (to taste), direct object pronouns, affirmative informal commands.

CH 7: Argentina, daily routine, personal items, parts of the body, reflexive verbs, telling how you feel, healthful advice, verbs estar, sentirse (to feel) and tener, negative informal commands, reflexive pronouns.

CH 8: Florida, clothing, colors, cuesta (it costs), hundred, thousand, million, demonstrative adjectives, comparisons and superlatives, "me queda" (it fits me), stores.

MID-TERM EXAM

CH 8-9: Preterite past tense of -ar-er-ir verbs.

CH 9: Dominican Republic, holidays, holiday activities, verb pensar (to think), party foods, party activities, verb conocer (to know a person or a place).

CH 9-10: Present progressive tense of -ar-er-ir verbs.

CH 10: Peru, airport, travel terms, preterite spelling change in the yo form with verbs ending in -car (que), -gar (gue) and -zar (ce), preterite of verb hacer (to make, do), vacation activities, transportation, irregular informal commands.

FINAL EXAM

If you'd like to see what kinds of words you will be learning in Spanish I and II this year, scroll down to the bottom and click on any game called EXPRESATE Vocabulary.

SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY
If you are in Spanish III or above, taking Spanish either this fall 2009 or else in the spring 2010, with a 3.5 average or higher in Spanish and 3.0 overall GPA, we would love to see you. Dues are $20.

This is the only site where you can find up-to-date info on our meetings and on upcoming Hispanic events. If you need to e-mail me about anything, contact me at dibam@pcsb.org and I'll answer you directly.

FLAMENCO SHOWS AT SPANISH RESTAURANTS

CEVICHE TAPAS BAR - 10 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg (near Bay Walk), 727-209-2302, over 100 hot and cold tapas (small dishes from N-NE Spain) $3-11 and entrees $7-24, outside on the front porch and inside dining; Over 21 Flamenco Bar: Tues-Wed-Thurs 9 pm flamenco guitarists, Fri-Sat 8 pm flamenco guitarists and 11 pm live flamenco band/packed crowd on the dance floor; last Thurs of the month 9 pm flamenco dancers.

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT - 2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa (Ybor City), 813-248-4961, Cuban and Spanish food, from salads to expensive entrees, inside dining, fountain in center patio, beautiful old Spanish tile and Don Quijote/Sancho Panza tiled pictures throughout; Two Flamenco Shows nightly (except Sunday) $6 cover charge, Early Show: 5:30, 6:00, 6:30; Main Show: 8:30-9:00 pm.

RECIPES

Easy Rice Pudding - Arroz con leche

Half gallon whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 quart cooked Chinese white rice, 1 cup sugar. Bring milk to a boil in a smooth stainless steel pot (not a Teflon pot!). Add vanilla. Pour in rice slowly. Pour in sugar. Reduce to low and stir constantly, for about an hour, until it thickens. Pour into serving dishes or one large serving bowl. Powder with cinnamon. Refrigerate.

Cheesecake Flan - Flan de queso crema

Half cup sugar - use to carmelize, if desired, 1 can evaporated milk, 2 eight oz. packages cream cheese, 4 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla. Carmelize the half cup of sugar, if desired, by melting slowly in an 8 inch square pan. Blend other ingredients. Pour into the pan. Set pan in large baking pan containing 1 inch of water. Cook 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool, cover, set in refrigerator.

SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM

On the water, near Baywalk in downtown St. Pete, this museum full of paintings by Spanish artist Salvador Dali is well worth the visit. So is the gift shop. Come in for a tour! 1000 Third Street South, St. Petersburg, 727-823-3767. Call to find out which night is half price, for tours in Spanish or for directions. www.salvadordalimuseum.org

PARENT CONNECT

What is this? It's a computerized system by which you can find out your current grades in all your classes.

How does it work? You go to the Parent Connect website www.parent.pinellas.k12.fl.us and click "register." You complete the Parent Info and the Student Info screen. You click "submit." It takes three workdays for the info to be verified.

Then what? Then a PARENT needs to bring a picture ID to the Guidance Department at CHS, see Pat Korcak, and get your user ID and password. This will allow you and your parents to view your grades and school information.

Why do I need it? Parent Connect is the way you can find out EXACTLY what kind of numerical grade you have. You can also see what tests you missed and need to make up (within a week). You can see how many days you've been absent.

SUMMER TRIP TO SEVILLA, SPAIN

Living with a Spanish family, excursions, outings, studying, being immersed in the culture... If this is for you, you may be interested in spending the month of June or July in Sevilla, Spain! Exact dates are: June 9-July 6 and July 1-27.

Every year a group of about 20 St. Pete High School students spend the summer in Spain with host families. This year they are going with a new program called Student Voyage. You are invited to join them.

The 27-day trip to Spain includes classes on language, grammar, conversation and culture at Universidad Menendez Pelayo in Sevilla and staying with a host family (two students per host family). Price is close to $4,000 plus airfare. You fly into Madrid and then take either a bus or a train to Sevilla. Trip includes lots of excursions and fun (horseback riding, etc.)

Hope you can go next summer on the trip! Check out www.studentvoyage.com for more information. Questions can be directed to: info@studentvoyage.com or call 727-490-4289.

FINANCIAL AID FOR COLLEGE

Want to know about college scholarships, Federal Grants and Loans, Florida Bright Futures, Talented 20, Education Foundation, Scams, etc.? Contact the Pinellas County Schools Financial Aid Office at 727-588-6013.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED:

paper bookcover (or XL stretchy fabric book cover) for your brand new Spanish textbook
Blue or black pen (Write in pen only!)

LATE TO CLASS?

If you are late to class without a pass, you MUST go to the Tardy Office and get a yellow slip.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

To be able to communicate in Spanish!

GRADING SCALE:

A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = 0-59

YOUR ASSESSMENT:

Map Test of Hispanic Countries
One Geocultura Test per chapter (Geography and Culture of Hispanic Countries)
Part 1 Vocabulary-Verb Tests
Part 2 Vocabulary-Verb Tests
Verb Tests
Chapter Speaking Tests (Essential Learnings Oral Assessment)
Classwork/Homework: Expresate NEW Vocabulario y Gramatica Workbook and occasional handouts such as Geocultura Paragraphs.
Class Participation Grade (you start out with 100 points; points are deducted for not having your Spanish textbook, not being on task, not attempting to answer a question at all, not going on the computer at the media center when we go, not participating in a class game)

CLASS RULES:

1. Be in your correct seat.
2. Be respectful.
3. Participate - Stay on task.
4. Bring your Spanish EXPRESATE textbook to class.
5. You get three bathroom passes every nine weeks.
6. Second Tardy = Teacher Detention same day or next day (your choice).
7. You have ONE WEEK to come after school to take a test or hand in homework if you were absent.

CLASS PROCEDURES:

1. If I notice a problem, I'll speak to you directly about it.
2. If the problem continues, I'll change your seat.
3. If you are disrupting the class, I'll move you to the table at the Quiet Zone.
4. If the problem persists, I'll e-mail your parents and then send you up on a referral.

EXTRAS

DIBA DOLLARS - If you get a "In Diba We Trust" Diba Dollar taped to your test, that means you must have gotten 100. You can use this Diba Dollar for ANY workbook page or any homework you are assigned, and it will count for full credit for that page, front and back.

PRIZES - If you win a game such as Candilandia, for instance, you can pick a prize from the Pirate Chest or prize drawers!

WANT SOME PRACTICE?

Go to our textbook's website: go.hrw.com, Keyword: EXP1 CH1, Online Edition

WANT EVEN MORE PRACTICE?