NAME:
Daniela Picciotta
SCHOOL:
La Habra High School
CLASS:
German 1, 2/2H, 3/3H, 4AP
SCHOOL PHONE:
(562) 266-5252
I am a German citizen who was born and raised in Germany and who has been
living in the United States since 1997. Growing up in a family of educators,
I developed an interest in school-related matters at an early age. Throughout
my schooling, I was fortunate to be taught by and to talk to a number of
teachers who clearly enjoyed their job. They strengthened my belief that
helping young people grow both intellectually and socially can be most
rewarding. I finally decided to become a secondary teacher when I first
discovered my love for foreign languages as a result of taking both English
and French for several years.
I graduated from the University of Kiel, Germany, in 1997 with the State
Examination Certificate for Secondary School Teachers (which is equivalent
to a BA in Secondary Education with teaching majors in English as a Second
Language and French), plus a MA in English and French Literatures. After
successfully completing the Single Subject Credential Program at UCI,
I received my credential for teaching German in the summer of 2000. I am
also qualified to teach introductory French and Freshman English classes.
The 2011/2012 school year is my 12th year here at La Habra High School. I am
teaching two sections of German 1, one section of German 2 and German 2H
each, and a German 3/3H/4AP combination class. My extracurricular assignments
include being in charge of the German Club at LHHS and sponsoring the German
National Honor Society. This is also my second year as Department Chair of
the World Languages Department.
My office hour for this school year is . Please contact
me in advance if you would like to set up a parent-teacher conference.
You can always leave a message at (562)266-5252 or send me an e-mail at
dpicciotta@fjuhsd.net. I will get back to you as soon as possible. I am
looking forward to working with you in a successful partnership this coming
school year.
German 1:
This course is designed as a beginning class in German. Students will
develop initial listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills with
emphasis placed on enabling students to function in practical situations.
Among other topics, they will learn how to talk about themselves, friends,
families, interests, and daily activities. They will also learn about the
culture and people of selected German speaking countries. Students who earn
a grade of A or B in German 1 are eligible to take German 2 Honors the
following year. A grade of C is the minimum requirement to move to the next
level.
German 2/German 2 Honors:
This course reinforces and further develops the skills acquired in German 1
while placing a continued emphasis on practical use of the language. After
extensive review of various grammatical concepts and important vocabulary,
students will learn to communicate about topics such as travel, food, health,
clothes and wishes. They will also read selected short stories and start
writing longer paragraphs. Through projects and interaction with authentic
materials, students will further develop their appreciation of German
speaking people and their cultures. German 2 Honors students will be exposed
to a more rigorous curriculum with differentiated/additional assignments and
assessments. Students who earn a grade of A or B in German 2 Honors are
eligible to take German 3 Honors the following year. Students in German 2
need teacher recommendation to sign up for German 3 Honors. A grade of C is
the minimum requirement to move to the next level.
German 3/German 3 Honors:
This intermediate course builds upon skills learned in German 1 and 2.
Students are expected to challenge themselves in increasingly complex
situations and to strive towards conversational fluency. Course work includes
selected reading materials, longer writing samples, oral presentations and
more challenging listening comprehension activities. These experiences
develop linguistic confidence and also enhance the understanding of cultures
of German speaking countries. German 3 Honors students will be exposed to a
more rigorous curriculum with differentiated/additional assignments and
assessments so that they will be ready to meet the demands of German 4 AP.
A grade of C or better is required for German 3 Honors students to move to
the next level. German 3 students also need teacher recommendation to sign up
for German 4 AP.
German 4 AP:
Students enrolled in German 4 AP are expected to speak German in a variety
of class situations. Stress is placed on development of oral fluency as
well as complex listening, reading and writing skills to prepare them for
the AP exam. They will review important grammar concepts and increase their
vocabulary knowledge through the use of diverse and challenging materials
that are linguistically and culturally relevant. They will also take several
practice AP tests to get familiar with the format and content of the exam.
For more information on the AP German Language Exam, please go to the "AP
German Language" page.
Recommended materials:
* 3 ring hard sided binder with lined paper (or section in a bigger binder)
* index cards (for studying and reviewing vocabulary)
* pen (no red please)
* # 2 pencil (for finals)
* a German-English dictionary (level 3 and 4)
