Celebrate Diwali: The Festival of Light

The first time that I experienced a Diwali celebration I was surprised to see fireworks and lanterns in the streets of an urban city during the autumn season. It was exciting to learn about the tradition of lighting diya oil lamps and gathering with friends and family to celebrate this festival of light. Students will enjoy learning about this cultural festival too. There are many visual arts activities that you can do to honor Diwali, including creating colourful rangoli designs, mehndi patterns, as well as designs for diya lamps. There is a film about Diwali from the National Film Board of Canada in both English and French here: https://www.onf.ca/film/des_lumieres_pour_gita/ 

 Check out this Madame Giraffe resource about Diwali in both French and English.

Orange Shirt Day September 30th

A very useful resource for Orange Shirt Day in French is the Chaque Enfant Compte magazine produced by Histoire Canada. This resource is based on the seven teachings of love, truth, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, and honesty. There are suggested journalling topics as well, to help both you and your students along a journey of reconciliation. 

I recommend the story book "I Am Not a Number" by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer as well. This narrative tells the story of a young girl who attended residential school and whose father tried to hide her so that she did not have to return. It details the conditions of the residential schools and tells about how she missed her life back on the reserve. In French the story is called "Je ne suis pas un numéro". 

Check out my lesson plans in English and French for this important story. I've included a KWL chart (SVA in French), analysis questions and a teacher's guide.

                                  

Back to School: Setting Up Classroom Rules and Routines

As a Core French teacher, one of my goals for the first few days of school is to begin the daunting task of learning over 200 students' names. I travel from class to class to teach a 45-60 minute lesson to five classes each day. Name tags can be a big help in the first few days of school. I would have students fold a piece of paper twice to form a triangle as a name tag. They can decorate their name tag on the front and on the back they can write 3-5 goals that they have for French class this term. Some goals might be to learn five new words each week, to write a journal entry every day, to attain a certain average grade in the class or to improve their reading level.

The first few days of school are crucial for setting up classroom routines and rules which are followed throughout the rest of the school year. I find it useful to write a poster of classroom rules with the class. They will offer suggestions for rules and I will write them on chart paper or a poster. 

Check out these back to school resources! 

Keep in mind that classroom management is key to success. Here is a free video with classroom management strategies: 

La Tour Eiffel

 

Whenever possible, I try to incorporate French culture into my lessons. A fun way to do this is to focus on famous French monuments and cultural activities in France as part of daily language lessons. I have recently taught a mini-unit on the Eiffel Tower. I taught a grammar lesson on the past tense using scenarios related to the Eiffel Tower and traveling to France.  I also did an art lesson where students were shown a picture of the Eiffel Tower and then sketched their own version in 3D. We outlined them in black marker and added sparkles to represent how the Eiffel Tower is lit up at night. To complete the unit students completed a quiz about the passé composé. There are some great books out there that feature the Eiffel Tower as well, including Un Jour avec la Tour Eiffel by Victor Simiane, Rendez-vous à la Tour Eiffel by Elzbieta and Le Grand voyage by Jean-Olivier Heron. 

C'est l'hiver!

Plan ahead for an exciting January in French class with some games that teach winter vocabulary. Check out this seek and find game in French where students learn words to describe winter settings, clothes and sports. It's called Cherche et trouve l'édition de l'hiver. 

Everyone is settling back into routine after a fun filled winter break. Yet there is still lots to celebrate! For example, you could celebrate Lunar New Year in your class. Learn about Lunar New Year with these reading comprehension resources in both English and French.

If it is too cold to take your class outside for DPA (Daily Physical Activity) then here is a way to get moving in class: a Winter Wonderland Exercise Circuit. This activity is available in both English and French. Students are guided through a workout routine involving winter themed movements like running through the snow, skating, and building a snowman. 

Make this a fantastic winter in your classroom! 

La rentrée: Back to School!

 As a Core French teacher, one of my goals for the first few days of school is to begin the daunting task of learning over 200 students' names. I travel from class to class to teach a 45-60 minute lesson to five classes each day. Name tags can be a big help in the first few days of school. I would have students fold a piece of paper twice to form a triangle as a name tag. They can decorate their name tag on the front and on the back they can write 3-5 goals that they have for French class this term. Some goals might be to learn five new words each week, to write a journal entry every day, to attain a certain average grade in the class or to improve their reading level.

The first few days of school are crucial for setting up classroom routines and rules which are followed throughout the rest of the school year. I find it useful to write a poster of classroom rules with the class. They will offer suggestions for rules and I will help them write them in French on a poster board.

Check out these back to school resources! 

Keep in mind that classroom management is key to success. Here is a free video with classroom management strategies: 

Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences

 I have begun a new journey in my career: upgrading my high school teachable subject to science. I have found that reaching out to organizations such as Mining Matters has been helpful in making the science curriculum achievable in a community where I recently taught. 

Here are a few environmental science related resources if this is something that you are teaching in your classrooms. 

An Inconvenient Truth is a great film to use in the science classroom to begin discussions around environmental issues and climate change. 

Stand Up If Earth Day Edition: a game to play in French class to teach vocabulary relating to environmental sciences in French. 

Black History Month

 It's Black History Month! Check out these Black History Month resources featuring prominent black Canadians who have really made an impact. 

Andre DeGrasse: Gold medal olympic athlete

Anderson Abbott: Canada's first black doctor

Michaëlle Jean: Former Governor General of Canada

Diwali, Halloween and Day of the Dead: Festivals of Light in Autumn!

The season of autumn is upon us and Madame Giraffe has many resources to share for this special time of year. Check out the Diwali slideshows with art lessons, as this celebration is a wonderful way to get students reading about different cultures, or even their own culture if the students are of Asian Heritage. Halloween is just around the corner, and there are several Halloween themed activities, games and slideshows for you. Finally, Day of the Dead is celebrated after Halloween and is a lively cultural event in South America. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-All-Saints-Day-and-The-Day-of-the-Dead-Traditions-ENGLISH-VERSION-7279649 

Check out the slideshows for the autumn season of celebration: celebrate light over darkness this fall and autumn season. Enjoy a pumpkin spice latte and cosy up with a warm sweater as we all settle into our colder weather routines in North America at this time. Cheers!

Celebrate Diwali: The Festival of Light

 The first time that I experienced a Diwali celebration I was surprised to see fireworks and lanterns in the streets of an urban city during the month of November. It was exciting to learn about the tradition of lighting diya oil lamps and gathering with friends and family to celebrate this festival of light. Students will enjoy learning about this cultural festival too. There are many visual arts activities that you can do for Hindu heritage month, including creating colourful rangoli designs, mehndi patterns, as well as designs for diya lamps. 

Check out this resource about Diwali in both French and English. 

Chaque enfant compte

We left off the school year with unsettling feelings due to the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves from children who attended residential schools in Canada. There were news reports of Canada Day events being cancelled and displays of solidarity being shown through pairs of shoes at the parliament buildings and at local landmarks to remember those children who died tragically. 

As we slowly start to gear up for back to school, Orange Shirt Day and the Every Child Matters campaign will be the main theme for my lessons in September. A very useful resource for Orange Shirt Day in French is the Chaque Enfant Compte magazine produced by Histoire Canada. This resource is based on the seven teachings of love, truth, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, and honesty. There are suggested journalling topics as well, to help both you and your students along a journey of reconciliation. 

I recommend the story book "I Am Not a Number" by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer as well. This narrative tells the story of a young girl who attended residential school and whose father tried to hide her so that she did not have to return. It details the conditions of the residential schools and tells about how she missed her life back on the reserve. In French the story is called "Je ne suis pas un numéro". 

Check out my lesson plans in English and French for this important story. I've included a KWL chart (SVA in French), analysis questions and a teacher's guide.

                                  

Le temps des cerisiers en fleurs

 

C'est le printemps, finalement !

This year I created a new reading comprehension resource :  Le festival de cerisiers en fleurs. It's an article to read about the cherry blossom festival in Japan, along with traditions, picnic foods and information about where the most cherry trees can be found. 

I read this article with a few of my French classes early this spring, as the cherry trees blossomed quite early this year in Southern Japan in places like Kyoto. Students enjoyed reading about Japanese culture and learning about the tradition of Hanami. 

I also found this painting tutorial online, which I plan to do with an eager group of students who are part of the French Club after school this year. This activity could tie in to school-wide activities for Asian Heritage Month celebrated throughout the month of May. 

Finally, tpt is having a Spring Sale April 6th and 7th. Enjoy 20% off. 

Joyeux printemps! 

C'est février !

Winter has set in here in Canada with a big snow storm the past week. We are moving into our sixth month of virtual learning for some students in Ontario, for those who chose that option in September. Some students are starting to lose interest in online learning and are growing tired of all the screen time for school. 

I will encourage students this month by using themes of celebration to break up the cold winter blahs and get them excited about virtual learning again (some students will be learning online until June!).

For February I am going to focus on Black History Month biographies, celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Valentine's Day and celebrating the Lunar New Year. 

I've posted a free article about Terms of Endearment in French for the upper middle school and high school crowd. For younger grades and Core French classes, I've added a Cherche et trouve game: Valentine's edition. 

How will you beat the winter blues and spark interest in virtual learning for your students this February? 

Flipgrid in French Class

One thing that I will take with me from emergency distance learning this past spring is Flipgrid. Some students did not feel comfortable speaking French on camera during synchronous learning sessions online. Others did not have access to a computer during lesson times. Flipgrid became a quick and easy way for students to present their work in French and receive feedback from their teacher. 

This September all students who have chosen to return to school in-person have to wear masks in the classroom. They also need to stay in their desks and not move around the class. This can make for muffled communication and difficulty presenting in front of the class.  I will continue to use Flipgrid as a way for students to practise speaking French and to present their work orally this year. Students can have the option to post a recording to Flipgrid or present in front of the class.

 I also used Flipgrid for school community building during the pandemic. I would post a topic on Fridays to discuss student wellness or topics that were important to them. This allows students to interact and express themselves while following physical distancing and not mixing their cohorts at school. What teaching methods or tools did you learn during the pandemic that you are making a part of your teaching practice this year? 

A Back to School Like No Other

While school re-opening plans are being shared and openly debated in the media, teachers are preparing for a return to school in uncharted territory. Some considerations I have been making while planning for back to school include physical distancing, limiting group work, not sharing materials among classes, and planning lessons which will help to close gaps in learning. I am also working on including themes of anti-racism and cultural diversity into my long range plans. 

As a core French teacher I will be travelling from class to class instead of having students rotate through my classroom during rotary. I am going to be using the AIM program to increase student comprehension using gestures because I will be wearing a mask and possibly a face shield during instruction. This will mean teaching raps and games the first few days of school and slowly introducing students to the vocabulary that will be used in a short play. Instead of having the students perform the play in groups they will record their parts using an app like Flipgrid and create a video to tell the story. 

In a school board in Toronto I couldn't believe that part of their school re-opening plan involved cutting out French classes altogether. This was so that class sizes could be smaller because having no French classes would free up more homeroom teachers. The plan was rejected by the government, but it left me thinking that it is important now more than ever to remind students why it is important to learn French (or any other subsequent language). 

One of the lessons I will be teaching the first week back will involve discussing ten good reasons to learn French based on an article from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. This will help answer that student question of "Why do we have to learn this?" and help to motivate students. Here is a link to this lesson on reasons to learn French. 

This will be a school year like no other, but it is important to embrace the new challenges and turn this into an opportunity to make lessons as engaging and culturally responsive as possible. 

Motivation for Language Learning

I came across this great blog for learning languages: https://blog.thelinguist.com

The creator of the blog, Steve Kaufmann, speaks at least 16 different languages and he is the founder of a language learning tool called LingQ. There are lots of great resources for language learning on his blog and I was drawn to this one because it is so motivational. I would love to share this blog post with my students in September to get them motivated to learn French.

Back to School: Icebreaker Games

One of the best parts about Back to School is getting to know your new students. I enjoy playing these icebreaker games to get to know my students.

Name Games

Have students come up with an action word or an animal that starts with the same letter as their name. For example, Sarah started with "S" and some action words in French that start with "S" are saute, serpent and ski. Once everyone has their action word chosen have students choose a physical action to do that shows what their word is. If Sarah chose saute, she could jump up and down. If she chose serpent she could slither like a snake. It might be useful to have an alphabetical list of example words to use handy so students don't spend a long time finding their word.

Once everyone has their word and action have students form a circle. The first person says their name and does their action. The next person in the circle has to first remember the first person's name and action and then say their own. For each turn, you first have to go through everyone else's name and action before you say your own. The repetition is great for remembering names!

The last person has the toughest job of remembering all the names and actions! This game can be just for fun so students can help each other remember the names and actions.

Human Bingo

Human Bingo is a little different than traditional bingo in that students are given a grid filled with spaces that need to be signed by other students in the class. For back to school you could use my human bingo card filled with icebreaker cues such as how many siblings someone has, their favourite sports and activities and best subjects in school. To win the game you have to be the first to get all the spaces filled on your card. You need to have a different student sign each space. It is a good idea to go over what the sentences mean in French first. Encourage students to only speak in French when playing this game. It is a fun way to get students up and talking.

Le chandail

It is hockey playoff season and many of my students really enjoy both watching and playing hockey. That's why I decided to do a mini unit based on Roch Carrier's short story Le chandail. I had my students watch this animated short film as part of the unit. To show understanding I had them complete comprehension activities. You can find my Le chandail questions for free at my TPT store. The questions include key vocabulary words, true and false questions, translations, short answer responses and a drawing activity. Enjoy!

Ratatouille

Have you watched the movie Ratatouille with your FSL or FI class? It is a great way to introduce the cultural component for the new French curriculum in Ontario. I have created Ratatouille : As-tu déjà? for you to introduce the vocabulary in the movie before watching it.You could print out one copy of it and show it up on the board and answer the questions as a whole class. This will help to preview the vocabulary in the film. You could also print a copy for everyone in the class and have them discuss their responses in partners or small groups. There is also a Ratatouille Graphic Organizer for getting to know the main characters. I think you will be able to fully engage intermediate and senior level students with these Ratatouille questions and ideas for assignments.   I also have a Ratatouille Paris themed colouring sheet to go with it if you are working with a younger crowd.  Ratatouille is such a fun movie to watch with your French class! Enjoy!

Grade Five Canadian Government Unit

I have created a unit for teaching the Grade Five Social Studies Canadian Government unit. It is an integrated unit which includes social studies, language arts and visual arts. I have taught this unit in an English-language Grade Five class, as well as in an Extended French Grade Five class. It has gone over really well in both years in which I taught it. If you have any questions about the unit feel free to comment. Here is some artwork produced by my Grade Five students: