FLES*
AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Reprinted from the AATF National
Bulletin, Vol. 26 No. 1 (September
2000)
Le Chronomètre
Purchase an inexpensive stopwatch—un chronomètre—for your classes (available for two or three dollars.) Choose a different student to be in charge each day. Set the goals with your students in advance, and keep a chart of your progress. The idea is to see how many minutes per class you can keep in your target language. For my fifth, sixth, and eighth graders our goal was 35 minutes out of a 45 minute class. Three days in a row of solid French earned ice cream for the class! I left 5 or 10 minutes in each class for clarification in English. It is painful at first, but soon the students fall into the rhythm and are quick to shout "Honte! Honte!" for a slip into English! The class will need a cheat-sheet (see below) to be successful.
L'Antisèche ("cheat-sheet")
Have your students tape this to the front of their cahiers as a resource to keep the flow in French. You may simplify or add as needed for the level of your students.
Le Professeur:
- Les devoirs pour demain...
- Où sont tes devoirs?
- En retard!
- Levez le doigt.
- Passez-les-moi.
- Toute la classe.
- Répétez, répondez; demandez; écoutez; écrivez; montrez; soulignez
L'Élève:
- Je ne sais pas; Je ne comprends pas.
- Je n'ai pas fait mes devoirs.
- Mes devoirs sont à la maison; dans mon sac-à-dos.
- Un monstre terrible a mangé mes devoirs.
- Comment dit-on ("help!") en français?
- Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire?
- Puis-je aller aux toilettes? Au petit coin? (J'ai envie de faire pipi.)
- Je suis malade.
- Puis-je tailler mon crayon?
Francofun
It's Francofun! A great idea for a unit
of study. Have your students begin with
the idea: Qui sommes-nous? Create
a small book including: Je m'appelle
_____. J'ai _____ ans. Je parle
français et _____. J'habite à
_____.
Then continue with: Où sont les francophones aux États-Unis? Be sure to include your state along with Louisiana and Maine. Discuss Acadiens and Cajuns. Then, expand your study with: D'où viennent les francophones aux États-Unis? Ils viennent du Canada. Discuss the story of Jacques Cartier. Then, complete your study with: D'où viennent les francophones au Canada? Obviously, you are now in France! Add other Francophone countries throughout the world. This is a fantastic unit to show how the U.S. is connected to France and has been throughout history! Amusez-vous!
Karen Campbell Kuebler
Wellwood International School (MD)
Reprinted from the AATF
National Bulletin, Vol. 26 No. 1
(September 2000)
Pamplemousse
Every teacher has a repertoire of number games, but no matter how much we think we overdo number drills, the inability to achieve instantaneous formation of numbers in French even as adults gives away the nonnative speaker. This is a game that can fill up an extra five minutes at the end of a class, provide a quick transition from English outside the classroom to the focus on French at the beginning of class, or rejuvenate a class that seems to be drifting into daydreams. We were playing this in English with exchange students from France, and they were the ones who provided me with the proper name. "Ah, vous voulez dire Pamplemousse," they cried when they finally understood what we were doing!
This is an old-fashioned game of "Buzz." You count around the room, and whenever the student whose turn it is has a predetermined number, instead of saying the number, he would say "Buzz." The French elementary school children are used to saying "pamplemousse." What a wonderful way to learn the vocabulary word "grapefruit" that is normally rather difficult to remember! (Actually, any difficult vocabulary word could be substituted for additional reinforcement.) The class decides in advance what number will be chosen. If 3 is decided, the students will count: "Un, deux, pamplemousse, quatre, cinq, etc." 13 is pamplemousse, 23 is pamplemousse, 30 -39 are all pamplemousse, with 33 becoming pamplemousse-pamplemousse. More advanced math students also apply the concept of multiples, but we found that too difficult at the elementary level.
Once the students are comfortable with the concept, tell them "C'est maintenant sérieux" and an error in counting or missing a pamplemousse opportunity will result in elimination. All students stand and an error brings on a chorus of "Assieds-toi" from the rest of the class. The last student still standing is the winner. For the more lazy types (usually sixth graders!) try the counting seated, and the errors elicit "Lève-toi!" from the class. The students will work harder to remain in the comfort of their chairs!
- Elizabeth Miller
- Crystal Springs Uplands School Hillsborough (CA)
Need a fun, kinesthetic approach to vocabulary review? This works for any level. Put vocabulary words on pieces of 12x18" paper and then also write each letter of the vocabulary word on individual index cards. Students need to match the index card letters to the word on the large paper.
R O U G E
Put one large sheet of paper with its index cards on each desk, or depending on the age level and space, put word papers with letters on floor. Students move from card to card spelling word after word and thoroughly enjoying vocabulary acquisition, review, and retention! You can also add music as the children move to each new word to really tap a variety of learning styles!
- Karen Campbell Kuebler
- Wellwood International School (MD)