Happy New Year! Bonne Année!!!! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you have all had a wonderful break. I have enjoyed some time with family and friends and am looking forward to seeing all my wonderful students again.

All classes have CRES speeches due on Monday or Tuesday. Students can email me at nissaquill@gmail.com if they need information about this assignment.

On Monday and Tuesday in class I will be providing review materials and assignments to help students prepare for our mid-term exam on Jan 13/14. We will be reviewing for the next two weeks and will start new chapters after the break for MLK weekend.

If students are interested, they are invited to make and bring in a King's Cake. Both French and Spanish cultures celebrate this Ephiphany tradition with slightly different recipes.

If they bring in a King's Cake or make a Powerpoint or poster about these celebrations, they can earn extra credit on their homework grade.

Here are some links to help them out:

King's Cake in New Orleans (French) http://southernfood.about.com/cs/cajuncuisine/a/kingcake.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_King_Cake (French)
history of the cake

Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Galette-des-Rois/Detail.aspx

Dia de los Reyes (Spanish)- includes a world-wide history of the celebration including Spanish-speaking countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_de_los_Reyes

Rosca de Reyes (Spanish King's Cake Recipe)
http://www.inside-mexico.com/cocinarosca.htm

(Don't forget Spanish classes- we get to have tamales in February!)

Joyeux Noel!

Feliz Navidad!

Spanish and French CRES Speaking Tests

Both Spanish I and French I classes will be doing a speech or Oral CRES test before Christmas break.

This is a VERY important assessment. Students are already in the beginning stages of preparation for the speech.

They will receive a checklist for the speech this week- detailing the grammar and vocabulary on which they will be tested.

All the writing for the speech will be done in class. Students are NOT to use computer translators or online translators to work on any assignments, especially not the speeches.

IMPORTANT DATES


Vocabulary tests will be given on December 13 and 14.

Pre-tests for Spanish I and French I Chapters 2a and 3 will be given on December 16 and 17.

Speeches will be presented in class on December 20 and 21.

Chapter 2A tests for Spanish I and Chapter 3 tests for French I will be given the last two days before winter break, December 22 and 23.