Learning Scenario
French: Familiar Animals
| Authors: Dorothy
Cox & Leah
Sequeira Level: Novice (Elementary School) |
 |
 |
In this scenario, students learn about familiar animals, how they are similar and different, and how to describe them. They learn vocabulary related to animals, write a “report,” and present the memorized report in class.
ACTIVITY SET 1: Learning Animal Names and Sounds
The topic of familiar animals is introduced to the class using a
French children’s story or picture book about animals. The
teacher reads the book, and—using the pictures in the book,
pantomime, and animal sounds—helps learners understand the
gist of the story or what is said about the animals, their names
in French, perhaps the French animal sounds, etc. Students then
repeat the vocabulary as they review the pictures in the book and
make animal sounds in “French.”
Learners continue practicing vocabulary for animal names in a variety of ways: using animal sounds (make the sound, say the name), pantomime (act like the animal whose name is drawn), a memory game (show 5 pictures, remove one, and children guess which one is missing), descriptions (using French words and gestures), playing Pictionary, etc. They also learn French rhymes and songs about animals and compare them to songs they know in English such as Old McDonald (see Expansion Ideas for other examples).
ACTIVITY SET 2: Imaginary Animals
Students are divided into teams, and each team draws and colors
an imaginary animal composed of 5 different body parts from 5 different
animals. They use a vocabulary list provided by the teacher to label
the parts (see Expansion Ideas for examples) and show their animal
to the class. Each team member participates in describing the animal
using French words from the vocabulary list or previously learned
vocabulary.
ACTIVITY SET 3: Animal Report
Students choose an animal they wish to learn more about from a list
provided by the teacher, or a list is compiled from the children’s
suggestions. They receive a teacher-provided word bank that includes
the following categories: parts of the animal body, numbers 1-5,
verbs describing animal actions (hop, fly…), adverbs related
to the verbs (slowly, silently…), colors, and adjectives (see
sample vocabulary list in Resources). Next, learners examine grade-appropriate
resource books on animals in English and in French if available.
They also visit Web sites on animals selected by the teacher to
learn about their animal. Finally, students receive a fill-in-the-blank
form that they complete for their “report.”
Sample Fill-in-the-Blank Report
________________
Animal Name
Il / Elle est
_____________________.
(circle)
color
Il / Elle est _____________________.
(circle) adjective
Il / Elle a _________
________________.
(circle) number
part of the body
Il / Elle _______________
________________.
(circle)
verb adverb
__________________ est
_______________.
animal
name
adjective
Students fill in the blanks with appropriate vocabulary of their choice. After their rough drafts are corrected, they copy the entire report to turn in. Students also memorize their report for an oral presentation in class. For the presentation, students bring their “animal” as a visual aid; it can be stuffed, plastic, real, or a picture if the other options are not available. Presentations are videotaped and shown on Parents’ Night. Written reports are displayed in the hallway, or a class animal book is compiled.
ACTIVITY SET 4: Field Trip to the Zoo
The class pays a visit to the local zoo. Students take their vocabulary
list and check off every item they find at the zoo, e.g., paws,
tiger, big, claws, stripes.
- Communication: Interpersonal, Interpretative, & Presentational Modes
- Cultures: Practices & Perspectives, Products & Perspectives
- Connections: Access to Information, Other Subject Areas
- Comparisons: Concept of Culture, Influence of Language & Culture
- Communities: Within & Beyond the School Setting, Personal Enrichment & Career Development
- Vocabulary list
- Fill-in-the-blank report
- Animal picture books or story books for children in French and English
- Video camera
Communication:
Interpretive mode is used in listening to the story and in researching
their animals. The interpersonal mode is used in vocabulary games.
Presentational mode is used when students recite their animal reports.
Cultures: Students learn about the culture of children in
France through their rhymes and songs.
Connections: Students use French to connect to science as
they read and learn about animals.
Comparisons: Students compare French children’s rhymes
and songs to the ones they know in English.
Communities: Students use the language beyond the school
setting during their trip to the zoo.
- Teach students French children’s
rhymes that are about animals. For example:
-
Une poule sur un mur
Qui picote du pain dur
Picote, picota,
Lève la queue et puis s’en va.
Petit escargot,
Porte sur son dos,
Sa maisonnette,
Et quand il fait beau,
Et quand il fait chaud,
Il sort sa tête,
Hourra!
L’araignée Gypsi
Monte à la gouttière;
Tiens! Voilà la pluie,
Gypsi tombe par terre.
Mais le soleil,
A chassé la pluie
- Teach students French children’s
songs about animals. For example:
-
Alouette
Une Souris Verte
La Famille Tortue
- Teach students French children’s
games about animals. For example:
-
Le Furet
Le Chat Perché
Books
Cronan, M. & Mahoney, J. (1985). Teach me French. Minneapolis, MN: Teach Me Tapes, Inc.
Delassus, S. (Ed.) (1998). Souvenirs d’école, jeux et comptines de la récré. Turin, Italy: Editions Mille et Une Nuits.
Garabedian, M. & Lerasle, M. (1999). Les comptines bleues des petits lascars. Paris: Didier Jeunesse.
Les Editions Didier. (1997). L’écho des colors. Paris: Author.
Mahoney, J. & Cronan, M. (1989). Teach me more French. Minneapolis, MN: Teach Me Tapes, Inc.
Marks, A. & Balayard, S. (1996). The Usborne French songbook for beginners. Tulsa, OK: EDC Publishing.
Ministre de l’éducation nationale, de la jeunesse et des sports. Les jeux du patrimoine tradition et culture (1989). Paris: Editions Revue E.P.S.
Simundson-Olson, M. (1993). Rhyme time, a global approach to enhance the learning of French. Palm Beach Gardens: Global Rhyme Time, Inc.
Valette, J.P. & Valette, R. (1990). Songs for French mastery. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Co.
Zovi, L. (1991). Cantiques rythmes et rimes chants. French adaptation by Virginia Voges. Albuquerque, NM: Vibrante Press.
Sample Vocabulary List
|
Les parties
du corps
|
Les couleurs (masc./fem.) | ||
| les pattes | the paws | brun/brune | brown |
| Les ailes | the wings | noir/noire | black |
| la queue | the tail | blanc/blanche | white |
| les griffes | the claws | vert/verte | green |
| les plumes | the feathers | gris/grise | gray |
| les rayeurs | the stripes | bleu/bleue | blue |
| la tête | the head | violet/violette | purple |
| le poil | the fur | rouge/rouge | red |
| la nageoire | the fin | jaune/jaune | yellow |
| les cornes | the horns | rose/rose | pink |
| les yeux | the eyes | ||
| les taches | the spots | Les adjectifs (masc./fem.) | |
| la bosse | the hump | gros/grosse | large |
| l'aileron | the fin (shark) | petit/petite | small |
| les oreilles | the ears | gentil/gentille | nice |
| la crinière | the mane | doux/douce | soft |
| le bec | the beak | long/longue | long |
| les écailles | the scales | court/courte | short |
| dur/dure | hard | ||
| Les verbes | féroce/féroce | ferocious | |
| marche | walks | amusant/amusante | amusing |
| court | runs | court/courte | short |
| saute | jumps, hops | dur/dure | hard |
| nage | swims | féroce/féroce | ferocious |
| grimpe | climbs | amusant/amusante | amusing |
| rampe | crawls | ||
| vole | flies | les nombres | |
| un | one | ||
| Les adverbes | deux | two | |
| vite | quickly | trois | three |
| lentement | slowly | quatre | four |
| bien | well | cing | five |
| beaucoup | a lot | ||
| en silence | silently | ||
