Bringing French to Life

Creative activities for 5-11

Catherine Watts, Hilary Phillips

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781138795303
• eBook ISBN: 9781317636304
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Bringing French to Life provides an innovative and refreshing cross-curricular approach to teaching languages in primary schools, combining art, design and foreign languages with various aspects of the National Primary Curriculum such as Literacy, Numeracy and PE.

This unique practical resource comprises an engaging storyline about a day in the life of two French children and gives an opportunity for learners to re-enact their day, using finger puppets, handmade crafts and exciting games to practise new language. Each of the 14 sections begins with a short accessible dialogue in French and is followed by suggestions for using the new vocabulary in pairs, small groups or as a whole class.

The main story is accompanied by fun craft activities linked to the story (one for each section, ie 14 in total) for children to create in class using the templates and instructions provided. A wide range of further activities follows, consisting of lively games, songs and opportunities to communicate simple ideas. Language extensions are suggested, focussing on imaginative writing and reading ideas linked to the theme of each section.

Written to support the new foreign languages programme of study the book also includes:

* Cross-curricular links to numerous subjects including Literacy, Numeracy, PE and ICT

* Classroom games and activities

* Photocopiable resources and templates for fun classroom activities and projects

* Language extension activities.

Bringing French to Life can be read on three levels to suit a variety of classroom situations. First, the story can be told 'straight' with the whole class participating in the dialogues. Second, the story can be combined with the craft activities after each main section. 14 doing and making activities match the storyline and provide a colourful, eye catching display and learning focus in the classroom or for Open Days or Assemblies. Teachers can use as many or as few as they wish. The resultant crafts can be used for very effective classroom displays/open days/assemblies etc. Finally, the language extension activities can be used alongside the art/craft/design activities as desired. The aim of these activities is to extend the target language in a relevant context through a variety of methods such as songs, playlets, simple communicative exchanges, games with numbers etc.

Chapter 1 at a glance

Dialogue:	this introduces the two main characters, Sandrine and Louis Moreau, and their dog Coco, to you the readers. English translations of all the dialogues are included at the back of the book.
Language focus:	simple greetings and responses
Creative art:	make a paper bunting

Language activities

Activity one:	practising questions and answers the fun way
Activity two:	practising questions and answers with finger puppets
Activity three:	greetings in a moving circle
Activity four:	change your partner greetings
Activity five:	sing a family name song

1 Bienvenue à la famille Moreau !

Welcome to the Moreau family!

Sandrine:	Salut ! Je m’appelle Sandrine ! Comment tu t’appelles?
Louis:	Salut ! Je m’appelle Louis ! Quel âge as-tu? J’ai huit ans.
Sandrine:	Moi, j’ai neuf ans. J’habite en France avec ma mère, mon grand-père et mon frère.
Louis:	C’est moi ton frère ! Et ma sœur c’est toi, Sandrine !
Sandrine:	Oui, c’est moi ! Et notre chien Coco.
Sandrine:	Comment ça va? Moi, ça va très bien. C’est les grandes vacances.
Louis:	Et moi aussi, ça va bien. J’adore les vacances. Bienvenue à la famille Moreau !

Creative art: make a paper bunting/faire un bruant en papier

A string of bunting is always fun to make and makes a fantastic decoration in your room. Use one letter on each flag and encourage each child to create at least one flag to help form a word or phrase in the dialogue (or indeed any other word), which they then contribute to the whole bunting. In a classroom, each table could make their own favourite new word to hang from the ceiling. Here are some examples from the first dialogue: Salut !; Bienvenue !; Je m’appelle …; la sœur …; les grandes vacances. A completed bunting is in the colour-plate section.

Resources: coloured paper; scissors; glue; colouring pens/pencils; letter templates (optional as children can draw their own letters); bunting template; line of string; staples.

Figure 1.1 Letter template

Figure 1.2 Bunting template

Steps

1 Photocopy the bunting template onto coloured paper and cut out the shape.

2 Do the same with the letters, making sure that each child has a selection to colour in and create a relevant word. Children can draw their own letters too instead of using the templates.

3 When the letters are decorated, glue one onto each flag until you have the complete word.

4 Glue (or tape) the flags together, keeping the top line as straight as possible.

5 Fold the top of the bunting over along the dotted line to make a cover for the string. Thread the line of string through the top of the bunting, secure with staples and display prominently! A photograph of a finished string of bunting is in the colour-plate section.

Comment faire?

Here are the instructions again, this time in simple French. Use these if you are working with children in the target language.

1 Découpez les triangles.

2 Copiez les lettres.

3 Coloriez les lettres.

4 Collez les lettres.

5 Attachez la ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Introduction: getting started
• 1 Bienvenue à la famille Moreau! Welcome to the Moreau family!
• 2 Quelle heure est-il? What time is it?
• 3 Je me lève I get up
• 4 Le petit déjeuner Breakfast
• 5 Le pique-nique The picnic
• 6 Joyeux anniversaire! Happy birthday!
• 7 Les animaux Animals
• 8 Dans les bois In the wood
• 9 La cabane The shed
• 10 Les insectes Insects
• 11 Le sport Sport
• 12 Quel temps fait-il? What’s the weather like?
• 13 Les objets trouvés Lost property
• 14 Bon appétit! Enjoy your meal!
• Curriculum links
• Mini-puppet theatre
• Translation of dialogues