an archive of lesson plans
French Conversation class
Activity 1: Pick a castle and in group gather information about it then share these information to the class.
Activity 2: Watch the video and answer the questions.
Activity 3: You are a tour guide, and you have to do the guided tour of one of the castles. Be creative and create a slideshow.
Activity 1: In groups, find information about Asterix and Obelix and tell the class about your findings. It will be useful for the next activity.
Activity 2: Game : I divided the class into two teams and ask them general questions about Asterix and Obelix (the questions are listed below).
Activity 3: In groups, create a new character that could be part of the comic book, explain your choice, the role of the character in the village etc.
Questions pour le quiz :
Activity 1: Do you celebrate Easter with your family? If not, can you talk about a family tradition that you celebrate.
Activity 2: Facts about Easter : True or False?
Activity 3: Pictionary: The students have to draw words related to Easter and Spring on the board.
The class went great, and the students really liked the activities !
Activity 1: What is your favorite painting? Explain why.
Activity 2: imagine you are an art critic in a museum and analyze the paintings displayed in the classroom :
Claude Monet, Les Nymphéas
Jean-Antoine Watteau, Le Pèlerinage à l’île de Cythère
Auguste Renoir, Les Deux Sœurs
Give your opinion and debate with the class!
Activity 3: Watch the following video and answer questions :
Activity 1: Watch this short biography of Molière and answer the following questions :
Quelle est le vrai nom de Molière ?
Sous quel siècle a-t-il vécu ?
Quel roi régnait sur la France au temps de Molière ?
Qui est Molière ?
En quelle année est-il né ?
Que faisait-il enfant ? Et qu’aimait-il ?
Quel est le métier de son père ?
Dans quel collège rentre-t-il ? Quel est le nom de ce collège aujourd’hui ?
Qu’étudie-t-il ?
En quelle année Molière rencontre-il la famille de comédiens ?
Quel est le statut des comédiens à l’époque ?
Quelle troupe fonde-t-il ?
Où part-il avec sa troupe ?
Combien de temps dure sa tournée ?
Comment les comédiens font-ils pour survivre ?
Qui sera le protecteur de Molière ? Et que fait-il ?
Quel autre personnage historique devient le protecteur de Molière ?
Que présente-il devant le roi ?
Quelle est la réaction du roi ? Que fait le roi ?
Quel est le type de pièce que Molière écrit ?
Citez des noms de pièces de théâtre écrites par Molière
Qui épouse Molière ? Qui est-elle ?
Comment s’appelle l’enfant de Molière ?
Que se passe-t-il pour sa troupe ?
Molière fait polémique, pourquoi ? Quelles sont les raisons ?
Quand est autorisé une nouvelle version de tartuffe ?
Quand meurt-il et dans quelles circonstances ?
Activity 2: Watch an extract from one of his famous plays Le Malade Imaginaire and get inspired! Create a short play in groups.
The main goal is to understand the significance of 80’s French music in France and its impact on French society.
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Activity 1: Discussion: What is your favorite French song from the eighties? (if you have no clue you can look it up on the internet) Make the group listen to your favorite song. Do you know any French artists from the eighties ? Explain the significance of this type of music in the French culture.
Activity 2: Listen to these three songs and debate with the others about which one is your favorite and why.
Song 1: Quand on arrive en ville by Daniel Balavoine
Song 2: Je marche seul by Jean-Jacques Goldman
Song 3: Capitaine abandonné by Gold
Activity 3: Imagine you are a famous singer. Try to create the lyrics of a song you would like to sing!
Level: Intermediate and advanced
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify and describe the main characteristics of the different political systems in French-speaking countries and their main differences.
Materials:
– PowerPoint presentation on political systems in French-speaking countries
– Handouts with vocabulary related to politics and government
– Audio recordings with native speakers discussing political systems in different countries
– Internet access for research
Warm-up activity:
Begin the class by asking students to brainstorm words related to politics and government in French. Write their responses on the board and review the vocabulary as a class. Then, divide the students into pairs or small groups of 3 and give them a list of French-speaking countries. Have them research the type of government each country has and write a brief description.
Activity 1:
Present a PowerPoint on the different political systems in French-speaking countries. Include examples of countries that use each system and the main characteristics of each system. After the presentation, divide the class into small groups of 2 or 3 and assign each group a different political system. Have each group research a French-speaking country that uses their assigned political system and prepare a short presentation describing the system and how it functions in that country.
Activity 2:
Play audio recordings of native speakers discussing political systems in different countries. Have students listen and take notes on the characteristics of each system. Then, ask them to work in pairs to compare and contrast the different systems and discuss which one they believe is the most effective.
To extend the lesson, you could ask students to research current political events in a French-speaking country and write a news report discussing how the political system is affecting the situation. You could also ask them to research political parties in a French-speaking country and create a presentation discussing their platforms and how they relate to the political system in that country.
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
This lesson can take between one to two hours depending on the activities you choose to do. It is better to take more time doing each activity and thus to dedicate 2 classes to this lesson
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to describe different French museums and their collections while learning French vocabulary related to art.
Materials:
– Computers or tablets with internet access
– Pen and paper
Warm-up
– The teacher introduces the topic of the lesson by showing pictures of famous French artworks or landmarks such as the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower, or the Palace of Versailles. The teacher asks the students if they recognize any of them and what they know about them.
Presentation / activity 1:
– introduce various French museums such as the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, and the Musée Picasso, and explains their collections and history. Show pictures of the museums and explain where they are located in France.
– introduce vocabulary related to art such as peinture (painting), sculpture (sculpture), exposition (exhibition), artiste (artist), and œuvre d’art (artwork), etc.
Activity 2:
– divide the class into pairs or small groups of 3 and assign each group a French virtual museum to explore. The museums can be found on websites such as Google Arts & Culture or the museums’ official websites.
– provide a worksheet with questions for the students to answer while exploring the museum. The questions should include specific artworks or collections to look for and descriptions to write.
– encourage the students to use the vocabulary they learnt in class to describe the artworks and to write short paragraphs in French.
Wrap-up
– ask each group to present their findings and to show pictures of the artworks they have explored.
– lead a discussion on the different museums and their collections, and ask students to share their favorite artwork or museum.
– review the vocabulary and encourage the students to continue practicing by exploring more French museums or by watching French documentaries or films about art.
Objectives:
– To introduce students to French literature and its cultural significance
– To improve students’ reading comprehension in French
– To expand students’ vocabulary and improve their language skills through games and activities related to French literature
Materials:
– Copies of short stories or extracts from French literature (in French)
– Vocabulary lists for each story/extract
– Whiteboard and markers
– French literature-themed games such as Scrabble, and French literature trivia
Introduction:
– Begin the class by asking students what they know about French literature, what books from French authors they know and/or like/have read before.
– Discuss the significance of French literature in French and global culture and education.
Activity 1: Reading Comprehension
– Hand out copies of short stories or extracts from French literature.
– Divide the class into pairs or small groups of 3 and ask them to read the stories/extracts and answer questions.
– Each group presents their answers to the class
The following activities are examples of games you can use in this class:
Activity 2: Vocabulary Building
– Provide the students with a vocabulary list related to the short stories/extracts they read in the first activity.
– Have them work individually or in pairs to create flashcards or a quizlet deck with the new vocabulary.
– Once the vocabulary list is complete, conduct a quiz or game to test the students’ understanding of the new words.
OR
Activity 3: French Literature Trivia
– Divide the class into teams and conduct a French literature trivia game.
– Questions can include famous French writers, their works, and their impact on French culture.
Activity 4: French Literature-Themed Games
– Play Scrabble with French literature-themed words.
– This activity can help students expand their vocabulary, practice spelling, and improve their understanding of French literature.
Conclusion:
– Recap the class by discussing the importance of French literature and its contribution to French culture.
Objective: To introduce French online influencers and improve French language skills through watching their videos and engaging in related activities.
Level: Intermediate and advanced
Materials:
– Access to the Internet and YouTube
– Activity sheets
Introduction:
1. Introduction of the concept of French online influencers, what they are, who some of the most popular ones are, and what they typically do (vlogs, gaming, comedy, etc.)
2. Present the influencers that will be focused on in this lesson: Squeezie, Mcfly et Carlito, and Le rire jaune, and make a brief overview of their content and why they are popular in France.
3. Ask students if they have heard of any of these influencers before, and if so, what they know about them. Encourage a discussion to get students engaged.
Activity 1: Watch a video by Squeezie
1. Have students watch a video by Squeezie on YouTube, such as his “Je teste des objets insolites” series or QUI EST L’IMPOSTEUR ? (ft Eric & Ramzy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Z1A46FknM .
2. While watching, have students take notes on any new vocabulary words or phrases they hear.
3. After watching, have students share some of the new words and phrases they learned. Create a vocabulary list on the board or in a shared Google doc online. What did they like/dislike about the videos?
Activity 2: Complete a listening comprehension activity with Mcfly et Carlito
1. Have students watch a video by Mcfly et Carlito, such as their CONCOURS D’ANECDOTES vs LE PRÉSIDENT DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE video ( this one is very long but you can show them just a part of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neqCdyadqFA&t=156s ).
2. After watching, provide students with a worksheet with questions related to the video
3. Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss their answers and ensure they understood the video/what was shown.
Optional activity if there is time left, or can be done in the next class:
Activity 3: Create a sketch inspired by Le rire jaune
1. Introduce students to Le rire jaune, a famous French YouTuber who creates comic videos.
2. Have students watch a few of his videos and identify common themes or elements (e.g. humor, sarcasm, pop culture references).
3. Divide students into small groups and have them create a short sketch inspired by Le rire jaune. Encourage them to incorporate some of the elements they identified in his sketches.
4. Have groups perform their sketches for the class, allowing time for feedback and discussion.
Conclusion:
1. Review the new vocabulary words and phrases learned throughout the lesson.
2. Ask students to reflect on what they enjoyed about learning French through online influencers. Did they find it engaging? Did they feel like they learnt anything new?
3. Encourage students to continue watching videos by these youtubers and other French influencers as a way to continue improving their language skills outside of class.
Goal of the Class: Students discuss on stereotypes they have on French people; they also learn about the various stereotypes existing in different regions of France and also different kind of expressions used in daily speech and referring to these stereotypes. Students practice their listening and speaking skills by watching videos in French on the topic, and then discuss about it both in groups and then with the whole class
Warm-up : 10/15 minutes
Intermediate and advanced : Par groupes trouvez 5 clichés que vous avez sur les Français (in groups find 5 clichés/stereotypes that you have about French people). I gave students 10 minutes to talk about it in groups and then I asked each group to share what discussed. Then I showed them a picture of different typical stereotypes existing about French people around the world with vocabulary included and further explanation of them if needed.
Input:
As a transition towards the first activity, I gave them three commonly used expressions in French that are related to stereotypical traits generally assigned to French people: Grande gueule (talk too much, is too direct), dragueur (flirty), nul en langues (bad at languages)
Advanced: for advanced I added more specific cultural input on various stereotypes depending on the regions in France:
Activity 1: In groups still I then asked them to discuss the following questions revolving around stereotypes on Americans:
After they discussed for about 10-13 minutes, we exchange as a class and then I gave them some stereotypes we have in France about Americans:
Activity 2: this second activity is centered on a video I showed them. One is on how Europeans living in France and speaking French fluently view French people, and the other one is similar but is an interview of non-European people living in France.
Intermediate:
Then I showed them some slides I created with photos on new vocabulary mentioned in the video, here is an example:
Advanced:
Quels sont les clichés que certaines personnes hors d’Europes ont sur les français?
Quelles sont les habitudes / les comportements typiquement français ?
Last activity : Les gestes et expressions typiquement francais – French also speak using gestures. This video is very funny and explains some of these common gestures used in the common speech in France:
1- j’ai les chocotes/ça fait peur/c’est flippant/j’ai peur
2- I’m drunk
3- j’en ai par-dessus la tête/j’en ai marre
4- ça m’énerve!
5- et toc! / dans ta face
6- les doigts dans le nez (it was easy)
laquelle intégreriez-vous dans votre vie de tous les jours ? (Which one-s would you incorporate in your everyday life?)
Est-ce que vous utilisez des gestes quand vous parlez? (do you use gestures when you speak?
Feedback/end of the class: give one or two words that you learnt today, how many times do you think people do ‘la bise’ in France to introduce themselves?
Ressources used: Powerpoint, Youtube videos, images
Reflection: This class went so well both in the advanced and intermediate classes. The students were participating a lot and we ended up having very interesting points and elements of discussions raised all throughout the class. These classes definitely showed that conversation classes are much more than just practicing the target language, they can also be an opportunity to learn and enlarge point of views, knowledge on various topics/issues, etc. This class led to deep and meaningful exchanges as a whole class.
Goal of the class: learn about a phenomenon/trend in France related to the increase production of eco-friendly clothes and the increase launching of eco-friendly brands. Learn vocabulary on ecology, fashion, and the environment.
Warm-up: Do you like fashion? Do you buy a lot of clothes in a year? Do you like buying specific brands of clothes?
Activity 1 : La mode eco-responsable
Some vocabulary was provided on colloquial words/expressions used in the videos
Activity 2: Débat – Quelles solutions pour créer une mode plus écologique ?
Students were asked in groups of 3/4 to draw a mental map with at its center : “la mode eco-responsable”. They have to find solutions to create more eco-friendly approaches to fashion and shopping. Then they make a presentation about it in front of the class, helped by the mental map they filled out with ideas and solutions:
Ressources : Powerpoint, Youtube, handout (mental map)
Reflection : This class went very well, the topic interested the students, the presentations were very resourceful and students came up with deep and smart solutions. We ended up the class prolonging the debate and extrapolating to other areas of societies and consumerism that could be improved in a more eco-friendly way. We also ended up changing topics towards the last 10 minutes of the class and talked about Cartoons, and I showed them the opening themes of one of my childhood French cartoons and we talked about it.
Goal of the class: learning about important figures and periods of French history
Warm-up: in pairs or groups of 3 they start discussing the following questions related to French history and historical figures
Activity 1: Les personnages clés de l’histoire de France
The main activity was a game I created for the students to learn about important figures of French history. I created 4 groups of students who had to work together and match different pictures/paintings of popular French historical figures with their main role in French history, their profession/main activity (what they are basically well-known for) and the century they lived in. (Associez les images des figures historiques françaises à leur nom, le siècle dans lequel ils ont existé et leur rôle/activité principale pour laquelle ils sont célèbres)
Activity 2: l’histoire coloniale de la France
This second activity was designed to conclude the class talking about a significant aspect/part of French history that is colonialism. I started by giving the students information and dates related to French colonies, etc. Then students watched the first 10 minutes of a documentary in French showing archive videos and images on this period of French history.
Ressources : Powerpoint, Youtube, a game that I created (matching photos of great figures from French history with their role in history/profession/main activity, and the century they lived in)
Reflection: This class was extremely interesting both for me and the students. It was challenging to match all the pictures/figures with who they were and when they existed, but it was fun, interactive, and instructive. This class opened further discussion on French history, history in general, and colonialism
Goal of the class:
Activity 1 : À quoi ressemblera la ville du futur ?
Vocabulary input following the videos on words/expressions used in it:
Activity 2: Construisez la ville de demain (imagine/create the city of tomorrow)
Ressources : Powerpoint, Youtube
© 2024 Language Residents
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
