A Teacher Resource Guide

Transcription

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Teaching French
through Songs & Games
…even if you can’t sing...or don’t speak French!
•includes an Audio-CD of all the songs and poems
•activity sheets to reinforce language learning
•includes non-musical games that encourage the use of oral French
•beginner level French suitable for: French Immersion – Division One
French as a Second Language – Division Two
A Teacher Resource Guide
written and performed by Denise Gagné Williamson
illustrated by Linda Bunn
Listening Voice Media ltd
Teaching French through Songs and Games
© 2004 Denise Gagné Williamson First Edition
© 2007 Denise Gagné Williamson Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
2008 Reprinted
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise — without
the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests for permissions should be addressed to the Permissions
Department at the address below.
For teaching purposes, limited permission is granted to purchasers of this book to make photocopies of all
activity sheets found on pages 43 – 81 to share with their own students only.
Listening Voice Media
PO Box 75032, Cambrian RPO
Calgary, Alberta t2k 1p0
Phone: (403) 220•1166
Fax: (403) 220•1162
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.listeningvoice.com
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Gagné Williamson, Denise, 1961–
Teaching French through songs and games [kit]: …Even if you can’t sing … or don’t speak French!:
a teacher resource guide / written and recorded by Denise Gagné Williamson ; illustrated by Linda Bunn.
--2nd ed., revised & expanded.
Accompanied by a CD
ISBN: 978-0-9736911-6-0
1. French language — Study and teaching (Elementary) — English speakers. 2. Children's songs, French. 3.
French language — Sound recordings for second language learners. I. Bunn, Linda II. Title.
pc2112.7.g33 2007
448.3'421
c2007– 900317-6
Technical Credits:
Illustrations: Linda Bunn
Second edition cover design and layout: Sue Impey, By Design Desktop Publishing Inc.
Printed by Blitzprint, Calgary, Alberta
PRINTED IN CANADA
ii
Denise Gagné Williamson
Contents
Dedication.......................................................................................................................................v
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................ vii
Foreword....................................................................................................................................... ix
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1
How to Use this Book and CD............................................................................................3
Tracks: 1 –3
Tracks: 4–5
Tracks: 6–12
Colour Vocabulary Track: 13
Track: 14–15 Track: 16 O Canada.............................................................................................6
Pomme de reinette...............................................................................8
Bonjour................................................................................................9
12
Rouge, rouge, rouge...........................................................................13
L’oiseau bleu......................................................................................14
La poulette grise................................................................................16
Counting Songs ..........................................................................................................................17
Track 17 Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept...............................................18
Track: 18
Trois petits pigeons............................................................................19
Tracks: 19–20 Mon merle..........................................................................................21
Body Part Vocabulary ...............................................................................................................22
Track: 21
J’ai dix doigts.....................................................................................23
Track: 22
Je frappe mes mains...........................................................................24
Track: 23
La tête, les épaules.............................................................................24
Tracks: 24–26 Savez-vous planter les choux?...........................................................25
Days of the Week ........................................................................................................................26
Tracks: 27–28 Lundi matin........................................................................................26
Hallowe’en Vocabulary .............................................................................................................27
Track: 29
La belle citrouille...............................................................................28
Tracks: 30–31 Vieille sorcière...................................................................................29
Track: 32
Ah! c’est l’hallowe’en!......................................................................30
Traditional Songs .......................................................................................................................31
Tracks: 33–35 Au clair de la lune..............................................................................32
Tracks: 36–38 Frère Jacques.....................................................................................33
iii
Christmas Songs . .......................................................................................................................34
Track: 39–40 Le père Noël......................................................................................35
Tracks: 41–43 O nuit de paix....................................................................................36
Tracks: 44–46 D’où viens-tu, bergère?.....................................................................37
Challenging Songs . ....................................................................................................................38
Tracks: 47–48 La chanson du loup (Promenons-nous dans le bois).........................39
Track: 49
L’arbre est dans ses feuilles...............................................................41
Track: 50
La chasse aux lions............................................................................42
Tracks: 51–53 Napoléon............................................................................................44
Games that encourage the use of oral French .........................................................................45
1. J’ai ----, qui a -------?.....................................................................................................46
2. Dix.................................................................................................................................47
3. Qui suis-je?....................................................................................................................48
4. Charades........................................................................................................................49
5. Qu’est-ce qui est changé?..............................................................................................50
6. Je m’assois.....................................................................................................................51
7. La boîte à trésor.............................................................................................................52
Activity Sheets ............................................................................................................................53
Sheet: 1 L’oiseau bleu......................................................................................53
Sheets: 2a–b
La poulette grise................................................................................55
Sheet: 3
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept...............................................57
Sheets: 4a–b
Trois petits pigeons............................................................................59
Sheets: 5a–b
Mon merle..........................................................................................63
Sheet: 6
Savez-vous planter les choux?...........................................................67
Sheet: 7 Lundi matin........................................................................................69
Sheets: 8a–c
Au clair de la lune..............................................................................71
Sheets: 9a–b
Frère Jacques.....................................................................................77
Sheet: 10
D’où viens-tu, bergère?.....................................................................81
Sheets: 11a–d
La chanson du loup (Promenons-nous dans le bois).........................83
Sheet: 12
L’arbre est dans ses feuilles...............................................................87
Sheet: 13
La chasse aux lions............................................................................89
Sheet: 14
Napoléon............................................................................................91
List of CD Tracks..........................................................................................................................93
Order Form....................................................................................................................................95
iv
Dedication
This resource guide is dedicated to Liz Ball, my last and best principal.
Liz gave me room to be the teacher I wanted to be,
and encouraged me to be the person I dreamed of.
v
vi
Acknowledgments
My heartfelt thanks are extended to the following people who helped me bring my dream to life.
Music Credits:
The simple unison and echo songs were sung by, in alphabetical order: Elizabeth Duke, Bailey GingrasHamilton, Sonia Gomes, Hailey Mizera, Sara and Michelle Pijanowski, and J.T. Rice. Drum and triangle
were played by Hailey Mizera and J.T. Rice. All these students had completed Grades One, Two or Three
by June of 2004.
The songs requiring part singing or harmony, or with more challenging lyrics were sung by, in
alphabetical order: Christina Chumak, Elisea DeSomma, Victoria Duke, Catarina Fonseca, Charlotte
and Holly Forbes, Melissa Forsyth, Joanna Kocot, Caterina Migliarese, Alicia Predy, Cheylene Sullivan,
Gabrielle Taylor and Maggie Young. The bass xylophone and drum were played by Leigh Nielsen. Other
Orff instruments were played by Christina, Melissa and Joanna.
Most of these students had completed Grade Six by June of 2004. Charlotte and Gabrielle had
completed Grade Three. Holly had completed Grade Five.
Judy Buzogany of Angel Music arranged and performed the piano solos of “O Nuit de Paix” and “La
chanson du loup.”
Patty Shortreed arranged and performed all other piano solos.
All songs were recorded and mixed by Chris Daniels and Leif Gilbertson of The Audio Lab, in Calgary
with the exception of “O Nuit de Paix” and “La chanson du loup”, which were recorded and mixed by
Peter Buzogany at Angel Music in Calgary.
All Solo and lead parts were sung by Denise Gagné Williamson.
Technical Credits:
The skills and abilities of the following people are gratefully acknowledged. Their combined efforts
helped me to publish this resource guide: Linda Bunn contributed the wonderfully simple and touching
illustrations; Sue Impey of By Design Desktop Publishing created the stunning cover for the second
edition, as well as handling all the layout revisions. Proofreading of the English text was meticulously
handled by Bert, Anne and Paul Gagné , Shannon Strong; and Edna Gilbert; Proofreading of the French
text and scores was done by Bert Gagné, Aliette Bouchard and Gérald Lévesque. My sincere thanks to
you all.
Calgary, Alberta
December 2006
vii
Foreword
When I first wrote my book “Teaching French through Songs & Games” in the Fall of 2004, I was
basing my ideas and strategies on my many years of experience teaching in schools in Calgary,
Alberta. After almost twenty years in the classroom, I could see the end of that era approaching and I
wanted to leave a legacy of some of the best, and most fun, things I’d ever done as a teacher.
Since this book was published, I have had the opportunity to speak at many teacher’s conventions
both in this province and elsewhere in Canada. I have developed a different appreciation for the
common challenges of second language teaching. Other provinces have different curriculums, teacher
training standards, and student expectations. However, all teachers want to see their students using
the language as soon as possible. Most recognise that this is best accomplished in a relaxed, engaging
atmosphere.
That is really the point of this book and CD. It’s subtitle could have been “How to have fun with
your students in your French classroom”. Curriculum standards come and go. Required content
changes. Of course, as professionals, we do our utmost to teach the subject as set out by our
provincial authorities. Of course we will maintain a safe and disciplined environment. But it boils
down to this. French, unlike Math or Science, is not a mandatory subject throughout all grade levels. At some point, students choose whether or not they wish to continue. If your students enjoy learning
French, and find it useful, they will want to persevere at it. Promoting the love and continued study of
this magnificent language is a very worthy goal, and just as important as other curriculum objectives.
What has changed in the Revised Edition?
Most of the songs from the first edition have stayed the same. There have been 2 additional songs
included and several of the pre-existing ones are presented in slightly diffferent ways. Most of
the xylophone only accompaniement tracks have been replaced with piano only accompaniement,
as piano is easier to follow along to. Two new activity sheets have been added. Two have been
removed. Overall, the book has gone from 84 pages to 94 pages.
The biggest change however, is the addition of a section of 7 non-musical games that promote
the use of oral French. Most of those games are highly adaptable and so are not identified with any
particular theme or topic. I personally have used all of these games with various grade levels, from
Kindergarten to Junior High. I hope you will find ways to integrate them into your lesson plans.
Let the singing begin!
ix
Introduction
This book and the accompanying CD are intended for all those dedicated elementary school teachers
who teach French in any capacity and whose first language is not French, and to those who are fluent in
French, but not so fluent in singing!
My goal is meant to support those brave souls who would like to build an interesting, fun FSL program,
but don’t know where to start looking.
The problem with a lot of French music resources is that they’re meant for a francophone audience.
This means that the level of language is too difficult for students just being introduced to French. I’ve
spent most of my 20 years as a French Immersion teacher (10 of those in kindergarten) and I know how
difficult it is to find resources at an appropriate language level for beginning students. The materials
coming out of Quebec or France are, generally, too difficult for elementary Immersion or FSL students.
Add to this the challenge of addressing those materials to non-French speaking teachers, and you can
begin to see the difficulties that arise.
Many teachers who are perfectly at ease in French and see the educational value of using song as a
teaching method, are not comfortable singing. This is where my love of and experience with voice can
help. It all comes down to listening attentively and using appropriate modeling. The resource package
you hold in your hands does exactly that. It provides you with clear, simple arrangements of accessible
vocabulary songs to guarantee successful classroom use.
For this reason, most of the songs on the CD are first sung accapella (no instruments). Suggestions
are made for integrating beat or rhythm on some of them. Piano accompaniment, suitable for use during
presentations or special events, is included for a select number of the songs.
The songs on this CD are organized roughly in chronological order, beginning with songs you could
use in September and carrying through to June. Suggestions for how to present the songs and activities
to support the vocabulary are included. This includes black line masters for single coloring sheets as
well as booklet-making activities for the longer songs.
Basically I have two goals in preparing this resource. First, to make French language instructions less
intimidating. Second, to support music learning. These two aspects are weighted equally. It’s always fun
and effective to teach your students French through songs. It’s also just as important to help them learn
to sing well; to develop their pitch awareness, listening ability and singing voices.
Another important aspect is that the activities be fun. I believe that everyone learns best when they’re
relaxed and happy. So, I warn you now, your students are likely to enjoy these songs! Sometimes
“enjoyment” may translate as “giddiness” or “goofiness.” If that’s something that concerns you, I would
suggest saving some of the more rambunctious songs for Friday afternoons, or just before recess or
lunch. Alternately, you could plan to have a “settle down” song follow a very active one. It’s good to
prepare for how to best channel the higher level of energy some of these songs will stimulate, and not
to be surprised by it.
The material contained in this resource package is quite eclectic. There are some traditional folk songs,
a few camp songs I’ve translated myself and even a couple of favorite songs from my own childhood. My
primary criterion for choosing to include a song is that it fully engages the students body, mind and heart.
After all, our job is not only to teach the French language, but also to teach the children to love French.
Adding fun, easy games and songs to your FSL program can go a long way in achieving that goal.
1
2
How to Use this Book and CD
It’s important to point out that, with a few notable exceptions, this book and CD package is intended to
be a teacher resource, and not a classroom resource. In other words, it’s primarily something for teachers
to read and listen to before taking the material into the classroom. There are however, selections on the
CD that you may wish to record for a “listening center” resource, or that you may want to share with
your students. I strongly encourage you to sing with your students, whether or not your voice is “perfect”.
Singing with or for others is a gift you offer them. The sound of your voice “resonates” in the bodies and
imaginations of your students, and calls out a response from them, on an entirely non-academic level.
As teachers, we all know that a student’s ability to learn or study is directly proportional to the
amount of attention they’re willing to give a task. This is true for ourselves as well. My best suggestion
to you is to fix yourself a nice cup of tea or coffee and settle into a comfortable chair within arms’ reach
of your CD player. It’s important to read along in the manual to have a clear idea of how each track on
the CD might be used in your own classroom situation. Learn one song at a time. The tracks are very,
very short; many are less than a minute, and you may want to replay the track several times to be sure
it makes sense to you. Be patient with yourself. It is not uncommon to have to hear the same melody 10
or more times before you can begin to reproduce it yourself, particularly if you’re learning unfamiliar
words at that same time!
Here are some general guidelines in teaching French through songs and games. First, if your goal
is only to teach your students to sing a song, it will take 5 to 10 minutes and you’ll need a lot of them
in order to fill up your class time. Most of the songs in this book have suggestions to support language
learning, and to extend the activity. As teachers, we know that children have different learning styles.
Some are auditory learners and will pick up the songs quickly and easily simply by listening to them a
few times. Others need visual support, and will appreciate the pictures included in this manual. Although
most of the students will benefit from seeing the words of the song, along with the pictures as they are
singing or playing the games, don’t rush into presenting the written words to the songs. Give your students
the opportunity to experience the pleasure of the songs and games through their bodies, their ears and
their imaginations BEFORE reducing it to an intellectual exercise. Once they’ve learned a song and
are comfortable with it, the activity sheets will provide them with written or visual reminders of their
learning, and something concrete to share during student-led conferences or parent-teacher interviews.
Most of the songs or poems in this resource can be taught at either the Division 1 level of Immersion
or the early Division 2 level (grades 4 & 5) of FSL. However, although these two types of learners are
similar in level of language acquisition, they are very different in learning style, simply because of their
respective ages. How can you make a song or game with very simple vocabulary applicable to nine, ten
or eleven year olds, without teaching down to them?
I don’t believe you need a whole different repertoire of songs, but you do need to modify or adapt
the activities to accommodate the students. Here are some general guidelines for adapting songs to older
children:
1.Have them write more. A grade four or five student would have no difficulty copying out all
the lyrics for most of these songs. Although it’s so simple for teachers to photocopy everything
and hand it out, many students benefit from the physical act of copying out information for
themselves. The brain engages as the hand moves across the page. This means covering up the
3
lyrics on the activity sheet before photocopying it. In some case, it may also mean reducing the
size of the illustration (very simple with today’s photocopiers) in order to have enough room
for all the lyrics on a page.
2.Let them work in partners or groups. Divison Two students need and enjoy working with
their peers. They are less teacher-centred than their younger school mates. Their groups could
be behavior or co-operative groups you already have set up in the classroom, or you could allow
them to choose their own. From my own experience, I consider letting the students choose their
own groups a privilege, and not a right. Personally, I would not allow them to choose their own
groups right from the start, because that makes it harder to take back control when you see that
their groups aren’t working.
3.Give them movement, dramatic or musical challenges, and have them present their work. As
soon as students know they will be presenting their work, their level of responsibility increases.
They care what their peers think of them! Some examples of these types of challenges are:
•Hand-jives in groups of two. The term hand jive refers to two people who invent more or
less complicated ways of clapping their own and each others hands in rhythm.
•Bring in some simple percussion instruments. Most of the songs in this book are in 2/4 or
4/4 time. That means the total number of beats are easily divisible by four. With instruments
as simple as drums, sticks or triangles, in groups of four, students can invent a pattern to
accompany a song. You as the teacher do NOT have to have a musical background to allow
your students to explore this. All you need is the ability to keep a steady beat and count to
four or to eight.
•Have them dramatize or arrange the song or poem in small groups, rather than the large group
activity suggested in this book. Students this age have lots of creative ideas and usually have
acquired enough social skills to be able to organize themselves. Let them have the chance
to do that. It may be a little unpredictable, but in the long run, they’ll probably learn more.
Remember the goal is to get them using the French language. If the way to encourage that
is to let them perform “Frère Jacques” as a rap, then so be it.
Many of the activities presented throughout this manual are suitable for all age groups. However,
activities that are specifically for Divison Two students are identified by the words “Division 2
Challenge.”
4
Keeping French in the French Classroom
One teaching technique that is very well-understood in the Immersion context is that it is very important
that we NOT translate new vocabulary for the students. It is essential to provide enough visual support,
so that the students can associate the French word directly with the image, or the action, without adding
the unnecessary step of translating. If you repeat everything you say first in French, then in English, you
are really teaching your students that they don’t need to listen attentively to the French, because if they
wait a bit they’ll get the “easy” (English) version.
The same applies to students who repeat, or re-label things in English. It’s important to discourage
that habit. This can be a difficult concept for strong students who think they are helping their classmates
by translating the teacher’s instructions. They need to understand that, by translating aloud, they are
depriving their classmates of the opportunity to learn for themselves. I have found that a gentle one-on-one
discussion of this problem, outside of normal class time, is usually enough to help these students (who
just want to show their peers how good their own French is) why translating is not the best strategy.
Singing is a perfect solution to the problem of translating, because the beat, words and actions are all
learned together as a unit — the students cannot translate and still make it sound like a song. Also, the
rhythmic nature of a song or poem helps to break down difficult French syllables, making the language
more accessible. And, as we all know from songs that stick in our brains all day, singing makes language
easier to retain. So, come on, try it! Let’s teach French through songs and games.
5
O Canada
he variations of O Canada on the CD are examples of songs you’ll want to play for your students.
T
During my years as a teacher, I was often in schools where our national anthem was either played over
the intercom system, or where the teacher next door would play a recording for the children to sing
along with. I have been consistently appalled at how poor these recordings were as musical models. O
Canada is a difficult song for children. That difficulty is increased when the recording they’re exposed
to is of a male baritone voice (too low for them to match pitch), or of a children’s four-part harmony
choir (generally too high and too hard to hear the principal melody). Add to that the issue of learning
it in a second language, where it is so important to clearly hear the enunciation of each word, and you
might understand why improper modeling of our national anthem creates unnecessary obstacles.
On my CD, there are three versions of O Canada for you to choose from as models for your classroom.
If you are teaching beginner singers or students new to French, I would suggest using the first version
(solo voice, no accompaniment), until the students achieve a rough approximation of pitch and words.
(Of course, as a “best practice” teacher, you’ll also have the words written out on chart paper for them
to read along with, whether or not all the students in your class are able to read!)
The second version, children’s unison voice with simple accompaniment, would be a step more
difficult for clarity of language. It would be better suited to students once they’ve had some exposure
to the song being sung in French. The very simple accompaniment is something that older students will
immediately want to try for themselves. All that’s required is a handdrum and a few rhythm sticks.
The piano version can be introduced once the students have mastered the melody and the language.
It’s also handy to have a piano-only version for celebrations and assemblies.
Track 1: Solo voice – A capella.
Track 2: Group unison voice with hand drums.
Track 3: Piano solo.
NB:The term “unison voice” refers to a group of people singing the same thing at the same time.
6
O Canada
O Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi, trempée,
protégera nos foyers et nos droits,
protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
7
Pomme de reinette
This song doesn’t fit with any particular vocabulary theme, but is such a useful thing to know that it
deserves to be presented here.
This is the French equivalent of “Eeny-meeny-miney-mo”. It is used in all the same contexts. Children
catch on to the purpose of this right away, and because it’s so easy, can show off their prowess in many
different situations. “Pomme de reinette” is a type of apple found in Western France. “Pomme d’api” is
a small white and red apple, also native to France. But, really, the meaning of the words is unimportant.
This is less of a vocabulary song and more an excuse to get your students using French!
Pomme de reinette et pomme d’api,
Petit tapis rouge.
Pomme de reinette et pomme d’api,
Petit tapis gris.
Track 4: Solo voice – chanted version.
Track 5: Solo voice – sung version.
NB:Normally, the “e” at the end of a word is ALWAYS pronounced when sung or chanted, even
when it’s not normally pronounced in the regular spoken French. (A very clear example of this
rule is Track 16: “La Poulette Grise”). Exceptionally, when the “e” is not being pronounced,
it is often seen written as follows:
Pomm’ de reinett’ et pomm’ d’api,
Petit tapis rouge.
Throughout this book, I have chosen to write out the lyrics of songs in their proper form, as a clear
example of the correct French, whether or not the final “e” is pronounced.
8
Bonjour
Everything begins with “Bonjour”. It is how one says “hello” in French. Although this may appear
extremely simple, I cannot emphasize strongly enough the benefits of singing “Bonjour” to your students. If you want your class time to begin on time and on task everyday, I highly recommend that
you begin with song. “Bonjour” is something your students can learn quickly and it establishes the
French speaking parameters for your time together. I have many suggestions for how to sing “Bonjour” with your students, depending on their age, singing ability, the time of year and the classroom
context.
“Bonjour” as a signal that French has begun
If you are the travelling French teacher for several classes within an English school, or if you only
teach French to your own students for a few periods a week, you need to have a signal that it’s time
to change gears, take the “English hat” off and put your “French hat” on. Saying to your students
“OK, get your French duo-tangs out” just doesn’t do that. Singing is a very clear signal that does not
require any other classroom management techniques to be effective. You may still have 1-2 students
who don’t want to sing, but you’ll also have the majority of your students getting on board and singing along with you. This instantly creates a focused context.
The easiest and best known “Bonjour” song is as follows:
Bonjour les amis, bonjour!
Bonjour les amis, bonjour!
Bonjour les amis, bonjour les amis, bonjour les amis, bonjour!
C’est le français!*
*This last line could be replaced with other words, such as “Comment ça va?” I have heard many
different versions of this, so just choose what you like best.
Track 6: Solo voice
Once you have sung this greeting, you simply go on with the rest of your lesson plan. There
doesn’t need to be any specific follow-up. The purpose of singing this is to get your students prepared for learning. It is not a lesson in itself.
This song works well with any elementary grade level new to the French language. It allows them
to immediately be successful in “speaking” French, but since they sing as a group, it does not put any
one person in the limelight. As the school year progresses, you may notice, however, that students become too familiar with this simple greeting. Your cue that it’s time to change is when there are fewer
of them singing, and more of them that continue to chat with their friends.
A form of “bonjour” that is a bit more challenging, and requires more attention on their part is the
following “Question-Response” greeting. The teacher (or other leader) sings the first phrase, and the
students respond with the second phrase, which is slightly different. (Of course, you would use your own name, or simply “Madame”/”Monsieur” in the second line!) 9
Track 7: Group question-response.
Depending on the interests and abilities of your students, and your own comfort level with music, a
further challenge would be to add simple percussion instruments as musical support. Division 2
students love this! It will take quite a few classes before everyone gets a turn to try it. (If you’re not
sure how to introduce this to the group, ask 2 of your stronger students to learn a percussive pattern
with you during recess or lunch time. This way, you do not need to provide complicated instructions
that would require English translation for the group. The example of the students will speak volumes
for you.)
Track 8: Group question-response with simple percussion.
“Bonjour” as a way of taking attendance
Taking attendance is a responsibility teachers cannot ignore. You may not have to take attendance with
every group you teach, but you will have to do it sometimes. In my experience, if you take attendance in
exactly the same way everyday, not requiring anything more from your students than a simple, mindless
“Here” (or “ici” in French), those first few minutes of class time carry the potential for students goofing
off or disconnecting. Don’t waste their time or yours! Create a challenge for them, right from the first
second of class, something they need to actively listen and respond to. I sing “bonjour” to my students,
whether in Kindergarten or Grade Six, adjusting the degree of difficulty for the level of the class. Most
students enjoy this. It draws everyone’s attention to me and creates a learning mood in the classroom.
According to the Orff method of Music pedagogy, our very first step towards singing involves two
notes; Sol- Mi or G–E.
Think back to a time when you stood at your back door, calling your child or sibling in for supper.
Your voice would take on a particular cadence, somewhere in the vicinity of these two notes. For that
reason, the Sol-Mi combination is often referred to as the “calling voice”. If you need to take attendance
with beginner singers, or if you want to sing to them individually, perhaps to learn their names, this is
where you begin. Sing “Bonjour” followed by each student’s name and ask that they sing back to you
in echo.
10
“Echo” is a form where the leader sings something and the student repeats exactly the melody that
was sung.
Track 9: A cappella voice two-note echo, steady pitch.
Once your students can respond on pitch, the next degree of difficulty would be to use a two-note
echo where the pitch changes, going progressively higher or lower.
Track 10: A cappella voice two-note echo, varied two-note pitch.
The last degree of difficulty, using an echo, is to create a more complicated melody. You don’t need
to create an opera on your first day out! It’s enough to add one or two notes at a time. This is something
that will grow over time with your students.
Track 11: A cappella voice, simple melody echo.
The “Question-Response” form can also be adapted for attendance taking, using any popular melody.
NB: The students must know the song melody before you can do this! Begin with something very simple,
such as “Happy Birthday.”
Track 12: A cappella voice question-response using known songs.
Once your students are familiar with this format, you can use any melody to create more and more
challenge. The important thing is that you choose songs they will be familiar with. O Canada, your
school anthem, Christmas songs (e.g.: Jingle Bells, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer) or other very wellknown songs (ie: Frère Jacques) are all very good choices. Once you’ve chosen a song, continue to
sing it until the verse is finished before jumping into a second choice. I usually don’t announce my song
choice before beginning, although I will tell the students whether we’re using an “echo” or “response”
form. This method is very challenging, but a lot of fun!
11
Colour Vocabulary
Grammar Tips
When colour words are used as nouns, they are always in the masculine.
•Example: J’aime le bleu. (I like blue.)
When colours are used as adjectives, they must agree with the gender of the noun they are describing.
NB: Not all colours have a feminine form.
•Example 1: La table est verte.
“Table” in French is feminine, so “verte” is written in the feminine.
•Example 2: Le chandail est blanc.
“Chandail” is masculine, therefore “blanc” is written in the masculine.
Les couleurs: (masculine/feminine, when applicable)
Blanc/blanche
Noir/noire
Jaune
Orange
Rouge
Violet/violette
Bleu/bleue
Vert/verte
Gris/grise
Rose
white
black
yellow
orange
red
purple
blue
green
grey
pink
A darker value of a colour is “foncé.”
•Example: Sa robe est rouge foncé. (Her dress is dark red)
A lighter value of a colour is “pâle”
•Example: Mon pantalon est bleu pâle. (My pants are light blue)
12
Rouge, rouge, rouge
This is a wonderful song to teach children in the first week of class. It is very, very simple and it helps
you to learn all their names!
The idea is that anyone wearing the specified colour (red, in the example) would stand up. In the
second part, the teacher sings the name of each child standing.
Besides reinforcing vocabulary for colours, the students also need to respond to simple directions:
“lève-toi” (stand up) and “assois-toi” (sit down). Students love to hear their own name being sung…for
some it’s the only word they understand in French!
Track 13: Solo voice.
(Insert the colour of your choice…)
Rouge, rouge, rouge, qui porte le rouge?
Si tu portes le rouge aujourd’hui,
Lève-toi maintenant.
Rouge, rouge, rouge, lève-toi!
Jaune, jaune, jaune, qui porte le jaune?
Si tu portes le jaune aujourd’hui,
Lève-toi maintenant.
Jaune, jaune, jaune, lève-toi!
Ashley, Kaylee, Michael, Ben
Portent le rouge aujourd’hui.
Rouge, rouge, rouge, assois-toi!
Yvonne, Alex, Laura, Katie,
Kirby, Jordan et Marika
Portent le jaune aujourd’hui.
Jaune, jaune, jaune, assois-toi!
Division 2 Challenge
Once you’ve gone through this song once or twice, have the students sing back their own names.
Introduce this new step with 1–2 who you know will enjoy the challenge trying it on their own, and
singing in front of their classmates.
13
See Activity Sheet #1 on p. 53
L’oiseau bleu
This is a well-known Orff song.
I have adapted it both as a game and as a listening activity. Unlike the first colour song (“Rouge, rouge,
rouge”), only children who are wearing mostly the colour named get to stand up, and become the birds
of the song. In other words, either most of their pants or their shirts must contain the colour specified.
As the song progresses the standing students follow the instructions. This requires comprehension of
the terms “garcon” (boy), “fille” (girl) and a variety of body parts. To encourage even greater listening,
the instruction to tap her on the shoulders may change to rub him on his back, tap him on his hands, etc.
When the verse ends, the “birds” fly back home to their original spots.
To use the Activity Sheet, have students colour their picture, each choosing their favorite colour for
the bird. Once you have collected a few of these samples, with a variety of colours for the birds, use
these as visual support for the song.
(Insert the colour adjective of your choice…)
L’oiseau bleu, l’oiseau bleu
à ma fenêtre,
L’oiseau bleu, l’oiseau bleu
à ma fenêtre.
Prends une petite fille, tape-lui sur les épaules. Prends une petite fille, tape-lui sur les épaules.
Ah! Je retourne chez nous!
(…you can also change gender, if desired)
(…and pick a different body part)
Here’s an example of how all those changes can be incorporated.
L’oiseau jaune, l’oiseau jaune
à ma fenêtre
L’oiseau jaune, l’oiseau jaune
à ma fenêtre
Prends un p’tit garçon,
frotte-lui le dos.
Prends un p’tit garcon, frotte-lui le dos.
Ah! Je retourne chez nous!
14
L‘oiseau bleu
L'oiseau
bleu
Traditional
Voice
¡ ¡
L'oiseau
¡ ¡ ¡
bleu, l'oi-seau
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
fe - nê
-
tre.
Prends
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
fille,
ta - pe
lui sur les

¡ ¡ ¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡ ¡
bleu, à
ma fe - nê - tre,
l'oi-seau bleu,
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
l'oi-seau bleu,
¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
une pe-tite
¡ ¡
é - pau
-
fille, ta - pe
Ì
les

lui sur les é - pau - les.
Ì
Ah!
¡ ¡
je
Prends
¡
¡
re - tourne chez

à ma
¡ ¡¡
une
pe-tite
Ì
nous!

15
See Activity Sheets #’s 2a & b on p. 55 & 56
La poulette grise
This song reinforces the grammatical concept of agreement between feminine noun, la poulette (the
hen) and feminine adjective.
There are many different versions of this song around, some with music, some not. My favorite musical
version is by Connie Kaldor and Carmen Campagne on their “Lullaby Berceuse” album. However, the
following chanted version is how my grandfather taught it to me.
“Coco” is a common word for “egg”. “Dodo is a common term for “sleep” or “nap.”
C’est la poulette grise,
Qui a pondu dans l’église.
Elle va pondre un beau petit coco
Pour son petit qui va faire dodo.
C’est la poulette brune ,
Qui a pondu sur la lune.
C’est la poulette blanche,
Qui a pondu sur une branche.
C’est la poulette verte
Qui a pondu sous la couverte
Elle va pondre un beau petit coco.
These are not all the possible verses, but I caution you, particularly with Division 2 students, against
teaching them all the possible rhymes and depriving them of the opportunity to create their own. As
more and more research indicates, the ability to understand and create rhyme is essential for supporting
one’s ability to read and write. This is an excellent “comptine” (nursery rhyme) to encourage students
to invent their own rhymes, where only two words in the poem would need to change.
To Use the Activity Sheet
Photocopy back-to-back copies of the 2-sided activity sheet for each student. Fold first along line “A,”
then along line “B.” Staple the center spine and cut open along the top fold.
Students colour the first two pages, and fill in the blanks. They then invent their own rhyme for the
third page, filling in the blanks with appropriate words. Finally they draw the place where the little hen
will lay her egg.
Track 16: Solo voice – chanted version.
16
Counting Songs
Grammar TIps
All numbers are masculine, except for any containing “un” (one), which could be either masculine or
feminine.
• Example: Un garcon/une fille
Un/une
Deux Trois Quatre Cinq Six Sept Huit Neuf Dix one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
Onze
Douze
Treize
Quatorze
Quinze
Seize
Dix-sept
Dix-huit
Dix-neuf
Vingt
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
When numbers are used to describe multiple objects, the object and any adjectives, must be written
in plural form.
• Example:
Une belle fleur, deux belles fleurs.
Un petit oiseau, trois petits oiseaux
17
See Activity Sheet # 3 on p. 57
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
violette, violette
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
violette en bicyclette
This is a song that francophone children usually learn at their mother’s knee, much like “Pat-a-cake”
or “This Little Piggy Went to market” in English. It’s charm lies not so much in the vocabulary it
teaches, as in its adaptability to a wide variety of situations.
With very young children, one could act it out, by clapping one’s hands during the counting part,
and cycling in the air while lying on one’s back during the “violette en bicyclette” part.
Also with younger children, this can be used for body percussion activities. (“Body percussion”
refers to creating a pattern of clapping and tapping one’s own body.) An example of this would be
to clap your hands, then tap your knees, then touch your shoulders. Activities that integrate body
percussion support body awareness, eye-hand co-ordination, and the concept of patterning within a kinesthetic framework. Begin with only two actions, and gradually build more complicated patterns
s your students become successful with the easier levels. Over and above all those pedagogical
concerns, body percussion is fun!
With Grade 4 and 5 students I have used this song as a replacement for singing “Bonjour”. It still
fulfills the same purpose of gathering everyone’s attention, and starting French class quickly and
efficiently, but it has different challenges.
For Division 2 students, I present this rhyme as a hand jive (“Hand jive” differs from body
percussion in the sense that it refers to creating a pattern of clapping and tapping various body parts
with a partner.) To begin with, I ask everyone to be my partner simultaneously. This means that
everyone is facing me and acting as though they are clapping my hands.
Once they are able to keep up with me, usually after a few days, I ask them to try the same pattern
with a partner. Those who can sucessfully do that are invited to present in front of their classmates. Once everyone is comfortable with that degree of difficulty, the next step is to get them to invent their
own hand jive with a partner, with the goal of presenting their pattern to their classmates. With these
daily or weekly adaptations, including the showing of their work, this simple rhyme can easily be
used for several weeks!
N.B. As with the “Bonjour” songs, this is not meant to fill an entire class period. It is a five minute activity
to establish the language parameters and to remind the students how much fun learning French is!
Track 17: Solo voice-chanted-sung.
18
Trois petits pigeons
This is my own translation of a song my favorite Auntie sang to my siblings and me, when we were
young children. As far as I know she invented “Three Blue Pigeons.” I’ve never met a child aged three
to eight who didn’t love this song. It is a sure-fire attention getter! It is dedicated to Clara Bryce and 128
foster children her life touched.
This song may not be appropriate for children older than Grade Three, but that depends on your
students.
It begins with three pigeons sitting on a fence. This could be illustrated either by holding three fingers
upright, with a finger from the other hand horizontally beneath to act as the fence. Alternatively, make
one copy of the Activity Sheets and hold it up for the appropriate verse. At each verse one pigeon flies
away. When there are no more left, the pigeons return one by one.
Trois petits pigeons, trois petits pigeons, trois petits pigeons
Assis sur la clôture.
Oh! regarde! Un s’est envolé!
(Our voice is a little bit sadder)
Deux petits pigeons, deux petits pigeons, deux petits pigeons
Assis sur la clôture
Oh! regarde! Un autre s’est envolé!
(Now we’re quite sad.)
Un petit pigeon, un petit pigeon, un petit pigeon
Oh! regarde! Il est parti aussi!
(Our hearts are really broken.)
Pas de petits pigeons, pas de petits pigeons, pas de petits pigeons
Assis sur la clôture!
(Suddenly, our spirits are lifted a bit!)
Oh! regarde! Un est revenu!
Un petit pigeon, un petit pigeon, un petit pigeon
19
(Our voice becomes even happier!)
Oh! regarde! Un autre est revenu!
Deux petits pigeons, deux petits pigeons, deux petits pigeons
(Finally, joy of joys! Our three little pigeons are reunited once more!)
Oh! regarde! Le dernier est revenu aussi!
Trois petits pigeons, trois petits pigeons, trois petits pigeons
20
Mon merle
In Division One, the Activity Sheets are intended to create a teacher-made product. Colour and laminate
the bird (you could add some kind of background as well) and each of its five feathers individually. Glue
Velcro tabs on the back of each feather and near the bird’s rump. Either the teacher or chosen helpers
could remove one more of the feathers as the song progresses. If numbers are written on each feather,
the child holding it could hold the feather up again in reverse order through each verse.
Mon merle a perdu une plume
Mon merle a perdu une plume, plume, plume
Il ne chantera plus, mon merle
Il ne chantera plus.
Mon merle a perdu deux plumes
Mon merle a perdu deux plumes, une plume, plume, plume.
Il ne chantera plus.
Mon merle a perdu trois plumes,
Mon merle a perdu trois plumes, deux plumes, une plume, plume, plume.
Il ne chantera plus!
Mon merle a perdu quatre plumes,
Mon merle a perdu quatre plumes, trois plumes, deux plumes, une plume, plume, plume.
Il ne chantera plus!
Mon merle a perdu cinq plumes,
Mon merle a perdu cinq plumes, quatre plumes, trois plumes, deux plumes,
une plume, plume, plume.
Track 20: Piano solo
Have the students work in groups, with each one creating their own bird puppet and tail feathers.
The activity would culminate in each group presenting their song. Caution! This song is trickier than it
appears, particularly when you’re using manipulatives and trying to maintain the order of it!
21
Body Part Vocabulary
La tête
Les yeux
Le nez
La bouche
Les dents
La langue
Les oreilles
Les cheveux
Les épaules
Le cou
22
head
eyes
nose
mouth
teeth
tongue
ears
hair
shoulders
neck
Le dos
Les bras
Les mains
Les doigts
Les fesses
Les hanches
Les jambes
Les genoux
Les pieds
Les orteils
back
arms
hands
fingers
bum
hips
legs
knees
feet
toes
J’ai dix doigts
This is just a little poem to get everyone’s attention. The diagram illustrates the hand movements that
accompany it.
J’ai dix doigts, ils sont tous à moi.
Je les ouvre, je les ferme, et je les cache.
Je les mets en haut, je les mets en bas.
Je les croise comme ca.
1.J’ai dix doigts
(I have ten fingers)
2. Ils sont tous à moi
(They all belong to me)
3.Je les ouvre
(I open them)
4. Je les ferme
(I shut them)
5.Et je les cache
(And I hide them)
6.Je les mets en haut
(I put them high)
7.Je les mets en bas
(I put them low)
8.Je les croise comme ça
(I fold them just so!)
23
Je frappe mes mains
This is another poem I use as an attention-getter. Its advantage is that it can smoothly shift the students
from standing and milling about to sitting down quietly.
Je frappe mes mains, je touche mon nez, je saute au plafond.
Je frappe mes mains, je touche mon pied, et je tourne en rond.
Je frappe mes mains, je touche mon nez, je m’assois tout seul.
Je frappe mes mains, je touche mon pied, je ne fais plus de son.
I clap my hands, I touch my nose, I jump up from the ground.
I clap my hands, I touch my toes, I turn myself around.
I clap my hands, I touch my nose, I sit myself back down.
I clap my hands, I touch my toes, I do not make a sound.
La tête, les epaules
This song is very easy. To create challenge for your students once they’ve learned it, I like to do it faster
and faster. It’s a good song to energize your students on one of those “blah” days. Please note, the melody
for this song is slightly different from its English counterpart, which your students may be familiar with.
Once again, this difference in rhythm and meter help to avoid the translation trap. The song is performed
standing up. NB: We touch each body part as we sing it.
La tête, les épaules, les genoux, les pieds.
Les yeux, le nez, la bouche, les oreilles.
24
Savez-vous planter les choux?
This traditional song can be approached in several ways. It’s an excellent tool for teaching body part
vocabulary. Furthermore, I often use it to explore vocal dynamics with young singers.
Teaching Vocabulary:
Refrain:
Savez-vous planter les choux, à la mode, à la mode,
Savez-vous planter les choux, à la mode de chez nous?
Verse: On les plante avec les mains, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec les mains, à la mode de chez nous!
For each successive verse, the highlighted word is replaced by the name of a different body part. I usually
have the students make the suggestions, as long as they say the word in French. (With early Kindergarten
or Grade One, I may allow them to make the suggestion in English, and then repeat it for them in French,
asking them to also repeat it after me. However, by the fifth or sixth time we’ve done the song, I would
insist that they say the word in French.)
Depending on your level of comfort with movement, and the age of the student, the singers could
indicate the body part named using their hands only, for instance by tapping their head in beat while
singing “on les plante avec la tête,” etc. For those braver souls, and for younger students, I suggest using
the named body part to tap on the floor directly. In this instance, of course, in order to tap one’s head, it
would mean being somewhat upside down!
Teaching Vocal Dynamics:
Vocal dynamics refers to everything that is not strictly pitch-related. It can refer to volume, key, style, etc.
The importance of varying vocal dynamics is that it encourages singers to exercise their vocal chords,
and to explore the potential of their voices in different ways. It also adds interest to the song.
Exploring one’s vocal dynamics is the opposite of the monotone.
Savez-vous
planter les choux?
Track 25: Group
echo.
Voice
¡ ¡
Sa - vez
G
vous plan-ter les
D
K ¶
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
choux,
à
la

D
G
K ¶
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
mo - de de chez
G
choux,
à la
Ì
nous?

mo-de, à la

mo-de? Sa-vez
Traditional
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
vous plan-ter les

25
Lundi matin
This is a song to teach the days of the week.
Lundi matin, le roi, sa femme et son p’tit prince,
Sont venus chez moi, pour me serrer la pince.
Mais, comme j’etais pas là
Le petit prince a dit “Puisque c’est comme ça, nous reviendrons mardi!”
With each verse, the word in bold italics changes to become the next day of the week, so the second
verse becomes:
Mardi matin, le roi, sa femme et son p’tit prince,
Sont venus chez moi, pour me serrer la pince.
Mais, comme j’etais pas là
Le petit prince a dit “Puisque c’est comme ça, nous reviendrons mercredi!”
The way I introduce this song to students is to first to do a review of the days of the week:
Lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi, dimanche.
Usually I would have this vocabulary written out on a chart or on flash cards.
When the song begins, I stand alone and sing, illustrating the song with hand signals.
At the phrase “pour me serrer la pince” I would shake hands with someone, who would then stand
and join me in singing. Each time the phrase “pour me serrer la pince” comes around, everyone standing
chooses one person to shake their hand, causing them to stand up and join the song. Depending on the
number of students in the class, usually by Friday or Saturday, everyone is standing and singing. At that
point we just march around the classroom, shaking hands with whomever we like, and trying to end up
back at our own spot for the last line of the song, which ends:
“Puisque c’est comme ça, nous reviendrons jamais!” at which point everyone sits back down.
You see, since the king, queen and prince had tried to come visit every single day of the week, on the
last day they’ve given up and decided to never come back again!
Track 28: Voice crescendo (voices progressively added on).
26
Hallowe’en Vocabulary
La sorcière
La citrouille
Le fantôme
La chauve-souris
Une araignée
Le monstre
Le chat noir
Le squelette
Les bonbons
Le costume
Le hibou
Le maison hantée
La lune
Le sac
Quêter
the witch
the pumpkin ( also jack-o-lantern)
the ghost
the bat
the spider
the monster
the black cat
the skeleton
candy
costume
the owl
the haunted house
the moon
the bag
to trick or treat
27
La belle citrouille
(Sung to the tune of “Alouette”)
Build a large pumpkin head with removable parts (eyes, nose, mouth), out of paper, felt or some other
material. As the song progresses and we “eat” the various parts, we remove them from the pumpkin
head.
Refrain:
La citrouille, la belle citrouille
La citrouille, je vais la manger!
The verses are done in echo. This is indicated by parentheses.
Je vais lui manger les yeux, (je vais lui manger les yeux.)
Et les yeux, (et les yeux),
La citrouille (la citrouille) Oh!
Refrain:
Je vais lui manger le nez (je vais lui manger le nez)
Et le nez, (et le nez)
Et les yeux (et les yeux)
Refrain:
Je vais lui manger la bouche (je vais lui manger la bouche)
Et la bouche, (et la bouche)
Et le nez, (et le nez)
Et les yeux (et les yeux)
Refrain to end.
Track 29: Group echo.
Have the students work in groups to create, out of construction paper, their own pumkin with removable
eyes, nose and mouth, or any other appropriate body part they choose. Have each group present the song
for the class, using their pumpkin to illustrate it.
28
La citrouille
Vielle sorcière
(Sung to the tune of “Frère Jacques”)
Vieille sorcière, vieille sorcière
que fais-tu ? que fais tu?
Je mange une citrouille, je mange une citrouille.
Cric, crac, croc! Cric, crac, croc!
For suggestions on how to make this song more challenging, please refer to “Frère Jacques” on page
33.
29
Ah! c’est l’hallowe’en!
(Sung to the tune of “London Bridges”)
This is an action song, performed standing. When the skeleton dances the twist, so do we!
Le squelette danse le twist, danse le twist, danse le twist.
Le squelette danse le twist.
Ah! C’est l’hallowe’en!
(The ghost raises his arms above his head each time he says “Ooouu!)
Le fantôme fait “Ooouu! Ooouu! Ooouuu!”
Le fantôme fait “Ooouu!”
(The black cat washes his whiskers each time he says “Meeow”)
Le chat noir fait “Miaou, miaou, miaou. Miaou, miaou, miaou. Miaou, miaou, miaou.”
Le chat noir fait “Miaou, miaou, miaou,”
(The witch climbs onto her broom and flies through the air)
La sorcière sur son balai, son balai, son balai.
La sorcière sur son balai.
Ah! C’est l’halowe’en!
Once I’ve taught this song to a class, and they understand the concept, I will have them suggest their
own Hallowe’en characters, which we also act out. Of course, you never know what they’ll come up
with!
Have each student draw a Hallowe’en character. When complete, each student would present their
character and suggest actions or sounds appropriate to the character that would fit the song. If they don’t
know how to name their character in French, they would need to find the word in a French-English
dictionary, and write it on their picture.
30
Traditional Songs
The traditional songs included in this book are songs that, very often, existed for two or three hundred
years in the oral context before being written down. It is important to realize, because of the oral history,
that many traditional songs have several versions. As an example, I have three separate and distinct
version of what I call “La Chanson du Loup” (“The Wolf Song”) in my personal music collection. Some
have different words, some have a different melody, some have a different title. I have made choices
regarding which version of a song I would include, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only choice.
It is possible, as you teach your students a song, that one of your colleagues, or a parent helper, will
say “I learnt that song differently”. There’s nothing wrong with that! I know how intimidating it is, when
you’re learning any new skill, to have someone say “That’s not how I learnt it.” Just as we understand
and tolerate that not every student will paint their sky blue, we need to understand and tolerate that
songs arising from an oral tradition may exist in more than one form. A francophone coming from New
Brunswick may know a version of “L’arbre est dans ses feuilles” (“The tree leaves are in blossom”) that
is different from the one presented here. Not better or worse, just different.
31
See Activity Sheets #’s 8a, b & c on p. 71, 73 & 75
Au clair de la lune
I first saw the idea of supporting the vocabulary of this song with pictures in the book Ma Chanson, Ma
Musique, by Sr. Thérèse Potvin. This is an excellent resource for people with a good mastery of French
and familiarity with Kodaly music pedagogy.
There are many ways to incorporate the pictures and lyrics on the Activity Sheets in your teaching.
With younger children, I spread the pictures out in a jumbled-up order. As we sing the song, I stop at each
line and ask a child to find the picture needed. This is good for associating a picture with vocabulary.
You could also photocopy these sheets, and have each child produce their own copy of the story, either
leaving the words printed in their entirety, or blanking out some of them and having them choose from
a list.
With older children, I would have them work in groups, working to see who can put the correct
picture with the proper words first. Alternately, I would write the lyric model on the blackboard or on
an overhead, give the groups only copies of the illustrations, and have them copy out the song and put
the pictures in order.
Au clair de la lune,
mon ami Pierrot,
Prête-moi ta plume,
pour écrire un mot.
Ma chandelle est morte,
je n’ai plus de feu.
Ouvres-moi ta porte
pour l’amour de Dieu.
Track 34: Group unison voice.
Track 35: Xylophone solo
32
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques is probably one of the best known traditional folk songs in the world. It is very easy to
learn. Because of its musical simplicity, it is a good choice for adding an instrumental beat to, or for
arranging as a canon. Also, the tune of this song is often borrowed to create other simple vocabulary
songs. (See “Veille Sorcière” on page 28.)
Frère Jacques, frère Jacques
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines.
Ding-Dang-Dong, Ding-Dang-Dong.
The vocabulary of this song is a bit antiquated, as it refers to a monk who has forgotten to wake up
in time to ring the bells for morning prayers.
For each student, photocopy separately both of Activity Sheets. NB: Do NOT photocopy back to
back! Students colour and cut out pictures from Activity Sheet #9a and glue them in the correct order
onto Activity Sheet #9b. They also print in the repeated words for each picture.
Division 2 Challenge – Musical Options
This is one of the songs that works well with the 4/4 beat introduced in Track 9. Three steady drumbeats
followed by one triangle tap on the fourth beat.
This song also works well as a canon. (A “canon” is a song form where one group begins the song,
with a second group beginning the same song a little bit later.) Be sure that your students can all sing
this song well in unison, before attempting part-singing!
The easiest form of canon involves having two groups of children. I find it works well to have one of
the stronger children take the role of student-leader for each group. This frees me up to help whichever
group needs it and to keep things flowing. The first group begins singing the song. The second group
begins singing, from the beginning, when the first group reaches the end of the first line.
If you’re working with an older group, or one that is musically strong, you can increase the level of
difficulty by having more groups perform the canon, or by having each group create different instrumental
support. Each CD track 31–34 increases in difficulty.
Track 37: Two part vocal canon.
33
Christmas Songs
Le père Noël
Le père Noël
les cadeaux charmant Santa Claus
presents/ gifts
charming
O nuit de paix
la paix
le ciel
l’astre luit
les champs
tout repose
l’air pur et frais
le brilliant choeur des anges
aux bergers apparaît
peace
the sky
the star is shining
the fields
all is calm
the pure, crisp air
the bright choir of angels
appears to the shepherds
D’où viens-tu, bergère?
D’où viens-tu?
bergère
l’étable
la crèche
la paille fraîche
chantant les louanges
34
where are you coming from?
shepherdess (a female shepherd)
the stable
the manger
clean (fresh) straw
singing the praises of
Le père Noël
This song borrows a very old melody called “Cadet Roussel” that was a song meant to inspire soldiers
during the building of the Republic of France. The original song was rather long and silly and had
quite difficult lyrics that told the story of “Cadet Roussel” having three houses, three suits of clothing,
three hats, three wives, etc. However, the new lyrics are easy enough for this song to be used by very
young Division One students at Christmas time.
Three of the lines are repeated in this song. One way to add interest musically would be to divide
your students into two groups and have one group sing each of these lines the first time, and the second group sing the “echo” of them.
Le père Noël a trois cadeaux,
Le père Noël a trois cadeaux.
Un grand et deux petits cadeaux
Un grands et deux petits cadeaux.
Le grand cadeau et pour Papa,
Et les deux autres pour Maman.
Ah! ah! ah! oui vraiment,
le père Noël est bien charmant!
Ah! ah! ah! oui vraiment,
le père Noël est bien charmant!
Voice
D
Traditional
K
D ¡ ¡ ¡K ¡ ¡ ¡
Le Père No - ël
K ¡
¡ ¡ ¡
Un grand et deux
K
¡ ¡
pe - tits
K¡
K
D
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Le grand ca - deau
D ¡ ¡ ¡K ¡
D
Le Père Noël
ah! oui vrai-ment,

est pour
K
¡ ¡
a trois
ca - deaux,
K
¡ ¡
ca - deaux,
K
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
le Père No - ël
K
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
un grand et deux
K
¡ ¡ ¡K ¡
a trois
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡K ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡K ¡ ¡ ¡
,
,
pa - pa
-
et les deux
K
K
¡
¡
¡ ¡ ¡
¡
le Père No - ël
est bien

ca - deaux.
K
¡ ¡ ¡K ¡
pe - tits
char-mant!
ca - deaux.
¡ ¡ ¡
au - tres pour ma - ma - an.
K
¡ ¡

Ah! ah!
35
O nuit de paix
Silent Night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
O nuit de paix! Sainte Nuit
Dans le ciel l’astre luit.
Dans les champs tout repose en paix
Mais soudain dans l’air pur et frais
Le brillant choeur des anges
Aux bergers apparaît.
I have often had my Christmas choirs perform this song with three verses, with either the first or the
third being an entire verse of “Oouu.”
Track 41: Solo voice – French verse only.
Track 42: Group unison voices – 3 verses, English and French.
Track 43: Piano solo – 3 verses.
36
Soloist:
Group: D’où viens-tu bergère?
D’où viens-tu bergère? D’où viens-tu?
D’où viens-tu bergère? D’où viens-tu?
Je viens de l’étable, de m’y promener
J’ai vu un miracle, ce soir arrivé.
S: Qu’as-tu vu, bergère? Qu’as-tu vu?
G: Qu’as-tu vu, bergère? Qu’as-tu vu?
J’ai vu dans la crèche un petit enfant.
Sur la paille fraîche, mis bien tendrement.
S: Rien de plus, bergère? Rien de plus?
G: Rien de plus, bergère? Rien de plus?
Y a trois petits anges descendus du ciel.
Chantant les louanges du Père éternel.
S: Est-il beau, bergère? Es-t-il beau?
G: Est-il beau, bergère? Es-t-il beau?
Plus beau que la lune, aussi le soleil
Jamais dans le monde, on vit son pareil.
S: Allons-y, bergère. Allons-y
G:Allons-y, bergère. Allons-y
Portons-lui des langes, aussi des drapeaux
Et pour sa couchette, un petit berceau.
Track 44: Group unison voice with xylophone.
NB: See Christmas Songs on page 34 for an explanation of the vocabulary.
37
Challenging Songs
If working with Division 1 students, the last three songs are better suited for after Christmas either because
of their theme or because of their degree of difficulty. Division 2 students would be ready to try them
much earlier in the year, as long as they’re up for a challenge. All four of these songs have a lot of words.
For the song La chasse aux lions, children are required to invent their own obstacles, something that
requires a certain vocabulary base as a prerequisite, or the ability to use a French-English Dictionary.
However, once your students have learned these songs, they can be revisited throughout the year. For
example, when I have students create their own maps for La chasse aux lions, I would keep those, choosing
one or two maps to use each day that we sing the song. In an average class of 30 students, this means it
would take at least 15 days in order to allow everyone to present their map!
38
See Activity Sheets #’s 11a, b, c & d on p. 83, 84, 85 & 86
La chanson du loup (Promenons-nous dans le bois)
This is a traditional folksong and several variations in both words and melody exist for it. It is a song
that reinforces “clothing” vocabulary.
Refrain:
Promenons-nous dans le bois, pendant que le loup n’y est pas.
Si le loup y était, il nous mangerait.
Si le loup n’y est pas, il nous ne mangera pas!
We’re walking through the woods, while the wolf is not there.
If the wolf was around, he would surely eat us.
But since he’s not, he cannot eat us.
Loup y-es-tu?
OUI
Loup que fais-tu?
1.Je me réveille
2.Je mets ma chemise
3.Je mets mes pantalons
4.Je mets mes souliers
5.Je mange!
(I’m waking up)
(I’m putting on my shirt)
(I’m putting on my pants)
(I’m putting on my shoes)
(I’m eating!)
Playing the Game
The way I organize this game depends on the space available and sometimes on the character of the
group I am teaching.
In a large, open space (the gym or the music room), I’ll choose three to five of the students to be
wolves. They lie down, pretending to be asleep, while the others form a standing circle around them.
During each refrain the standing group dance in a circle around the wolves. I often vary the speed of the
song and means of locomotion for interest and to maintain class control. So, sometimes we gallop and
sing with full voices, sometimes we walk on tippy-toe and whisper.
After each refrain, the circle stops in order to ask the wolf: if he’s there (Loup y-es tu?) and what he’s
doing (Loup que fais-tu?). The wolves respond with the answers (1–5) indicated above. In Kindergarten
and Grade One it may take a while before the children remember the vocabulary, so until then, I may
give the responses and the students repeat them after me. Having the students create their own storybooks
of the song will help.
When we get to the fifth response (“je mange!”) each of the wolves is allowed to catch one of their
classmates who, in turn, become the new wolves. The original wolves return to the circle with their
classmates.
39
Game Variations
In smaller spaces, or with older groups that are too rambunctious, playing the game as described above
is not feasible, unless you decide to let them play it outside as a special activity. An alternate way to play is
to have the wolves move around, while the other children stand still as the trees in the forest. In this case,
the “trees” remain in a circle while the “wolves” weave in and out around them.
Finally, if you’re teaching this song in a regular classroom with desks, the wolves could remain seated
at their desks, while the rest of the class goes up and down the rows. When it comes time to “eat”, the
wolves would tag the person, either to their right or their left, who is standing closest to their desk.
Creating the Book
Photocopy each of the sheets as back-to-back copies, like the originals. Each student will need both
pages. They will fold each page individually first along line A, then along line B. Staple along the inner
spine. Cut the upper folds of each page.
The pages reproduced here have some words left blank throughout the book. This enables students
to fill in the blanks and associate the correct word with the corresonding image.
40
L’arbre est dans ses feuilles
This song is very similar to the English song The Green Grass Grew All Around. After each of the verses,
which are done as echoes, you go through the entire song cumulatively. With Divison 2 students, this
is a great song to add spoons to, as instrumental accompaniment. Even soup spoons from the staffroom
will work.
The words “maridon, mariden” do not mean anything. They are musical “filler,” just as singing
“shooby-doo” would fill an English song.
Refrain: L’arbre est dans ses feuilles, maridon, mariden
L’arbre est dans ses feuilles, maridon, don, den.
(The tree leaves are in blossom)
1. Et dans l’arbre, il y a une branche (echo)
La branche est dans l’arbre!
1. On the tree, there’s a branch.
2. Et dans la branche il y a un trou (echo)
Le trou est dans la branche,
La branche est dans l’arbre.
2. In the branch, there’s a hole.
3. Et dans le trou, il y a un nid (echo)
Le nid est dans le trou,
Le trou est dan la branche,
3. In the hole, there’s a nest.
4.
Et dans le nid, il y a un oeuf (echo)
L’oeuf est dans le nid
Le nid est dans le trou
Le trou est dans la branche
4. In the nest, there’s an egg.
5. Et dans l’oeuf, il y a un oiseau (echo)
L’oiseau est dans l’oeuf,
5. In the egg, there’s a bird.
6. Et dans l’oiseau il y a un coeur (echo)
Le coeur est dans l’oiseau,
6. In the bird, there’s a heart.
7. Et dans le coeur, il y a de l’amour (echo)
L’amour est dans le coeur,
7. In the heart, there’s love.
41
See Activity Sheet # 13 on p. 89
La chasse aux lions
This is my own translation of the popular camp song “Goin’ on a lion hunt.” I introduce it to my students
the first few times without visual support, but acting out the song. Once they’re familiar with how the
song works, I show them how we can create a map using a spiral shape. We encounter dangers along
the way to find the lion, but we need to retrace our footsteps to get back home, so we go through all the
dangers again! The suggested “dangers” listed below are to illustrate how the song and the picture go
together.
Depending on your comfort level with noise and movement, you could have the children act out
the obstacles using only their hands and arms, while sitting. Or, if you have access to a large space
(gym or music room), you could lead the children in acting out the song using their whole bodies, in
movement.
Professor: Je chasse des lions
Elèves:
(je chasse des lions)
P:Moi, je n’ai pas peur
E:(Moi, je n’ai pas peur)
P:J’ai un beau fusil,
E:(J’ai un beau fusil)
P:Et des balles à mon côté
E:(Et des balles à mon côté)
P:Oh! Oh!
E:(Oh! Oh!)
P:Qu’est-ce que je vois?
E:(qu’est-ce que je vois?)
1.Je vois un grand lac.
2.Je vois une montagne.
3.Je vois des grands arbres.
4.Je vois une caverne
(where the lion is hiding).
Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dans la caverne?
Je ne peux rien voir, car il fait trop noir.
Je vais allumer une allumette….Aie!
42
Any dangers or obstacles can be used in this song, and the children love creating their own maps.
With some groups, I allow whoever made the map to be the leader. This really encourages them to use
their oral French in front of the class. Even the shyest child will want to be the leader of this song. With
Kindergarten or Grade One students, I would write the French words for their obstacles for them. With
older students, they need to label the map themselves. This gives Division 2 students the opportunity to
use their French-English dictionaries.
lake
trees
lion
mountains
grass
43
Napoléon
(Napoléon Bonaparte, Emperor of France 1804-1815)
The words of this song are very easy to learn. It talks about Napoleon marching off to war with his 500
soldiers, who are all walking in perfect step.
Napoléon avait cinq cents soldats.
Napoléon avait cinq cents soldats,
Marchant du même pas. Tra-la-la!
The challenge of the songs involves physical co-ordination. Once your students can sing the song,
have them stand. This will work even if done in a classroom with desks. Everyone marches in place,
keeping a very steady beat with their feet. (This is indicated by the drum on the CD). The song is sung
repeatedly, but with each successive verse, we replace one word, beginning at the end with “soldats”,
with clapping. Now, the hands are keeping the rhythm of the song while the feet keep the beat.
Track 51: Solo voice – 1 verse only.
Track 52: Group unison voice, with drum and clapping.
Game Variations
Depending on the space you’re working in, I often ask for the front row of students to walk around
to the back of their row during the phrase “marchant du même pas. Tra-la-la!” and for everyone else to
advance one step. What this does is allow me to observe all the students, but focusing only on the four
or five at the head of each column for each verse.
With older students this could be done as an elimination game. Those that are at the head of their
row are observed to ensure that they can coordinate their feet and hands and march in synch with their
hands clapping in rhythm. If they can’t do that or lose their rhythm, they’re asked to sit down. Eventually
you’ll end up with only a few who are declared the winners.
44
Games that encourage the use of oral French
Introducing New Vocabulary
The games included in the following section are games to practise familiar vocabulary, not to present
new vocabulary.
There are many ways to introduce unfamiliar vocabulary without relying on translation.
I often bring in either items or illustrations of the items or actions, and present them initially in a very
systematic and straight forward way. For instance, if we were working on “winter clothing”, I may
bring in a tuque, mittens, boots and a coat. Or, I may have illustrations of these same items with the
words written on them.* I would hold up one item at a time and say “Voici une tuque”, then ask the
students to repeat that phrase after me. After going through all of the new words (not more than 5-8 at a time), I would ask individual
students “Montre-moi la tuque”. After reviewing the new vocabulary, we may do a variety of things
to reinforce the concept; read a story that targets the vocabulary, watch a video or a DVD, learn a
song. Older students may be asked to write out the words and illustrate them, younger students may
have a modified version of that activity. Initially the teacher is doing most of the modelling of the pronunciation and use of the words. Eventually, though, you will want the students to begin using the target language. Structuring that requirement within the context of a game goes a long way in getting past self-consciousness and shyness,
particularly with Division 2 students.
You will notice that the games are not presented according to theme. That’s because they are easily
adaptable to support the practise of ANY theme.
*There are several factors to take into consideration before deciding whether it’s more appropriate
to use real items or illustrations. • Are you teaching younger or older students?
• Are you staying in one classroom and having students come to you for instruction, or are you a
“travelling” French teacher, pushing a cart from one classroom to the next?
• Do you have an available bulletin board consecrated to French?
Each teacher is in the best position to understand the opportunites and restraints of their own teaching
situation, and to know the developmental levels and interests of their students.
In any case I would always eventually have flash cards, posters, photographs or other illustrations that
include the written words. It is nice however, to sometimes to catch students off-guard a little by using real items.
N.B. I do not claim to have invented these games. Usually, I learned these by playing them myself. Some are adaptations of Drama games I learned as part of my degree. When possible I noted the
source.
45
J’ai -----, qui a -------I was first introduced to this game by my good friend Diane Martel, who used it with her Grade 7
late immersion students in order to have them practise saying their numbers. Although I will describe it here with the example of number words, it can be adapted for other types of vocabulary.
Materials: Cards prepared in advance, one for each student. Each card has the words “J’ai (a number). Qui a (another number)? written on them. (See example below) It’s important that the numbers
do not follow the normal counting order. Not knowing the next number to be called helps to keep
students on their toes!
J’ai 1
Qui a 23?
J’ai 23
J’ai 7
J’ai 15
Qui a 7?
Qui a 15?
Qui a 3?
Making the cards can be a little tricky. Here’s one technique that works well. Write the first part
“J’ai---” for all the numbers, in order, of your targetted range (ex: 1-20, 1-30). Spread them out, in
order, on a table. As you pick up one, finish writing the question “Qui a ----?” and then immediately
complete that card next, placing it in a spearate pile as each is finished. In this way, you won’t repeat
any numbers or skip any. For the last remaining card, you could either write “J’ai fini” or “qui a 1?”
for the second phrase.
Playing the game: Shuffle the cards and deal out one for every student. The person holding the card
that says “J’ai 1” will always be the first person to start. The person stands up and reads the statement
and the question, then sits down. Whoever has the card with the requested number stands up and
reads their statement and question. This continues until everyone has had a chance to read their card.
Alternate ways to play:
Small group: This game could also be played within a smaller group of 4-6 students. In that case,
every person would have more than one opportunity to read a card, and they would need to listen
more attentively for all the numbers they hold in their hand.
Using other vocabulary: Rather than numbers, you could create sets of cards that reinforce any other theme vocabulary your students are learning; food, clothing or animals all work well. With those
types of themes I always include an illustration of the word on each card, as well as the written words.
Note: When making number cards, because of the mixed up order, each time you want to expand the
range, you’ll need to create a new set. Ex; 1-20, 1-50, etc.
46
Dix
This game is deceptively simple. There is a certain amount of strategy involved, so it is best suited to
Division 2 students, although younger students enjoy the more straightforward versions.
Materials: None
Playing the game: Students are invited to either stand beside their desks, or to actually sit on top of
them. As they are eliminated, they will take their seat.
The goal is to be the last person standing, and to help your friends remain standing as long as possible.
One after the other, following a pre-established order (easiest to accomplish if the students are in
straight rows), each student counts upwards from 1. They may say either 1-2 numbers at a time. The
person whose turn it is at the number ten (“dix”) is eliminated. As the year progresses and students
become familiar with more number vocabulary, they can also be eliminated at any multiple of ten. At
the beginning, it’s acceptable to count from 1-10 over and over.
Alternative ways to play:
•Students may work in partners or teams, the goal then becomes to be the last team standing.
•You may choose to work with multiples of 5. The games becomes much faster with this adaptation.
• Replace the number words for multiples of 5 or 10 with nonsense words. Example: any multiple
of 5 is replaced by the word “flûte”, and all multiples of 10 become “poof”. In this version, students
are only eliminated if they make an error. It requires full attentiveness and is very challenging, but a
lot of fun!
(My thanks to the anonymous teacher participant who demonstrated this variation at the 2007
Mighty Peace teacher’s convention.)
N.B. Whatever version of this game you choose to explore with your students, it is absolutely
imperative that the order of players be pre-determined and does not change over the course of
the game. That is relatively straightforward if your students are in rows, but will need to be
discussed and clarified if your students are in groups.
47
Qui suis-je?
Materials: Cards with pictures of familiar people glued onto them, and labelled with appropriate
descriptive vocabulary. These cards could be created by students or by the teacher. Photographs cuts
out from magazines work well for famous people. Using photographs of school personnel would be
another option, depending on the theme being explored.
Playing the game: Each student out of a small group get one randomly chosen card, but is not allowed to look at it. If the cards are pre-threaded on strings, the students hang the card on their back
in such a way that everyone else can see the picture. Their job is to try to guess the identity of the
person whose picture they’re wearing.
Version One: The person wearing the card (“the player”) asks questions that can only be answered
by “Oui” or “Non”
Ex: Est-ce que je suis une fille?
Est-ce que je suis canadien?
Est-ce que je suis chanteur?
Est-ce que je suis politicien?
Version Two: The player askes questions that have to be answered in complete sentences. Ex: Est-ce que je suis un garçon ou une fille?
Réponse: Tu es un garçon.
Ex: Quelle est ma carrière?
Réponse: Tu es comédien. (You’re an actor)
Ex: Qu’est-ce que je fais?
Réponse: Tu travailles dans un bureau.
With beginning students, it might be a good idea to prepare a list of questions with them ahead of
time, appropriate to the theme you’re learning together. This activity would work well with themes
relating to family members, school personnel, careers, or simply to reinforce descriptive adjectives.
The first time you introduce this game you may wish to have only one student demonstrate in front of
the class. Once the game is understood, it can be structured in many different ways.
• in partners, where one person is the player or where both people are simultaneously the player.
• give only half the students cards. Each subgroup will get to be a player in turn.
Instead of putting the pictures on strings, each student could wear a simple paper headband and tuck
the picture into the front of it. In this way each student can see the picture of the person standing
before them.
This game also works well with animal vocabulary.
48
Charades
This is an adaptation of the popular, traditional game that integrates very strong visual cues and can be
added to, or made more challenging as the the school year progresses.
Materials: Cards with images that reinforce current vocabulary and are divided into piles of nouns,
verbs and adverbs or adjectives.
Family theme: La maman, le papa, la fille, le bébé, la grand-maman, etc.
Winter sports theme: faire du ski, patiner, jouer au hocky, faire du luge, etc.
Creating the cards for this game is a good task for students. Provide them with magazines, and precut out construction paper cards, and a list of vocabulary they need to find. Each card may only
have one image on it. Students should label the image so the intention is clear. Teachers may need to
supervise that part of the activity as clarity is important. Playing the game: Divide the cards into piles of nouns, verbs and adjectives or adverbs, or subject,
verb, object. A student ( “the player”) picks one from each pile and has to act it out in such a way that
their classmates can guess the sentence. Each time someone guesses correctly, that card gets turned
over to show the image and word. The player is not allowed to speak at all. the audience members
must guess in French. Whoever can say the entire sentence in French at the end becomes the next
player.
To introduce this game, or with younger students, it may be best for one player to act out the charade
for the entire class. When the students are more familiar with how the game works, they could play in
teams; with each person of the team getting a turn to act out a charade regardless of who guesses the
sentence.
As you work through various themes, it is easy to create more cards and add to the vocabulary bank
available for the cards. If you prefer, you could keep each theme separate. Ex: one sports theme, one
food theme, one school vocabulary theme, etc.
49
Qu’est-ce qui est changé?
This game is an excellent way to get students practising using descriptive language dealing with
posiThis game is an excellent way to get students practising using descriptive language dealing with
position, simple objects and body parts.
Materials: 3-5 chairs and whatever objects (“props”) are part of the vocabulary you wish to reinforce. You will also require a number of volunteer students (“statues”) equal to the number of chairs
being used.
Playing the game: The student volunteers place themselves in positions relative to their chair and
their prop. Example 1: a female student stands to the right of her chair, holding an open book in her left
hand. Example 2: a male student may sit on his chair, with his legs crossed, writing in a duo-tang
with a pencil, while wearing glasses.
All the statues freeze in their position for 1 minute. The other students simply observe them and
take note of their posture. These observers then turn their backs, or cover their eyes, while the statues change something about their stance. In our first example, the girl could now stand on the other
side of her chair, OR she could close her book OR she could hold her book in the other hand. In the
second example, the male student could exchange his pencil for a coloured marker OR he could cross
his legs the other way, OR he could remove his glasses. These changes should not take more than a
minute to perform. Finally, the other students turn around again to face them and try to identify what
has changed. They need to describe the changes in French.
Depending on the composition and age of your group, there are many variables that may change the
way you structure this game. The teacher may wish to make the changes to the statues. There might
be a rule about how many changes are allowed at one time. Whoever guesses the changes becomes
the next statue. Other students could be the “sculpters” of the statues. This means that they get to
initially place the volunteer in a particular position, and then make the changes for the second part of
the game.
This game can be simplified for younger students by having 4-5 players hold a prop or wear a
clothing accessory in front of the class, then step out of the classroom in order to exchange these items
amongst themselves.
As always, teachers are in the best position to discern the interests and abilities of their students. Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the procedure that works best for your group.
50
Je m’assois
This game is best suited for younger students. I have used it for Kindergarten to Grade 3. It is a very
silly game, but it catches the students off-guard and so is an excellent way to bring everyone’s attention back to you. Young children need to move, so it’s also a good way to wake everyone up, if
they’ve been concentrating and/or sitting still for an extended length of time. The objective of this
game is to practise position or body parts.
Materials: None. Can be played either at the carpet area, or at student’s desks.
Playing the game:
Version One: At the carpet area. The teacher gives suggestions for how to “sit”, which the students act out. Ex; Je m’assois.......
• sur mes genoux
• sur mes genoux et je place mes coudes par terre
• sur mon dos
• sur mon dos avec mes pieds dans l’air.
Version Two: with students at their desks. The teacher gives suggestions for how to “sit” in relation to one’s desk. Ex: Je m’assois....
• sur le haut (en dessus) de mon pupitre
• en dessous de mon pupitre
• avec mes mains sur ma chaise
• avec mes pieds sur ma chaise
51
La boîte à trésor
This is another game that has many, many applications. I originally used it with Kindergarten students
while teaching a “5 Senses” theme, but found it so adaptable that I have since used it in many different contexts, and with all elementary grades. Students who are primarily visual learners find this game
extraordinarily difficult.
Materials: A shoe box with holes cut at either end, large enough for a hand to fit in. To discourage
peeking, glue a piece of black fabric over the inside of the holes. If you want something sturdier, you
could attach 3-4 inch lengths of socks to the holes, so that students slip their hands through the socks
to reach inside the shoebox. You will also require a variety of objects related to your unit of study.
Since your students are working “blind”, it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure the safety of
these objects. Materials with sharp edges or those containing common allergens should not be
used!
Playing the game: Each student takes a turn placing their hands inside the box and trying to guess the
identity of one object found within.
Version One: The player responds to questions asked either by a partner, a small group,or the entire
class, depending on how independently your students can work.
Version Two: The students describe their object to a partner, small group or entire class, without
prompting.
Factors to consider:
• Do you begin with several objects in the box and have students remove the one they’ve chosen after
describing and guessing its identity? In this case be sure to place more objects in the box than the
number of students playing. In this way, even the last player will have a choice of objects.
• Do you place a new object in the box for each turn? This may be good when you introduce the game to your entire class, but it can also be more time consuming.
• Do you require that each player make a minimum number of descriptive statements before guessing what their object is? In this way, you ensure that students use the target vocabulary.
• Do you provide students with sentence stems to complete (Ex: Mon objet est… Il a…)
• If working with older students, it can work well that one person write down their partner’s description to later share with the entire class.
Suggestions for objects:
• Animal toys, whether plush or rubber, are good to use either for practising "body part" vocabulary,
or for an actual animal-related theme (ex: the jungle, the farm, etc.)
• Start collecting a box of objects of interesting textures. Things like seashells, rocks, sturdy dried
flowers, natural sponges, etc. force the students to stretch their descriptive vocabulary skills.
52
© 2004 • Denise Gagné Williamson
Activity Sheet # 1
L’oiseau
53
Line B
55
La poulette grise
Ecris par
Line A
.
Qui a pondu sur
,
C’est la poulette
Activity Sheet #2a
Activity Sheet #2b
Qui a pondu
C’est la poulette
Line A
C’est la poulette
,
Qui a pondu dans
.
56
Line B
Activity Sheet #3
57
Activity Sheet #4a
Oh! regarde! Un s’est envolé!
trois petits pigeons, trois petits pigeons
Trois petits pigeons,
Oh! regarde! Un autre s’est envolé!
Assis sur la clôture
deux petits pigeons, deux petits pigeons
Deux petits pigeons,
59
Activity Sheet #4b
un petit pigeon, un petit pigeon
Un petit pigeon,
pas de petits pigeons, pas de petits pigeons
Pas de petits pigeons,
Oh! regarde! Il est parti aussi!
61
Activity Sheet #5a
63
Activity Sheet #5b
65
Activity Sheet #6
67
Activity Sheet #7
Lundi matin
__________ matin, le ______ , sa __________ et son p’tit prince,
Sont venus ________ ______ , pour me serrer la ____________.
Mais, _____ j’etais pas là
Le __________ ____________ a dit
“Puis que c’est comme ça, nous reviendrons __________ !”
69
Activity Sheet #8a
71
Activity Sheet #8b
73
Activity Sheet #8c
Pour l’amour de Dieu.
Je n’ai plus de feu.
Ma chandelle est morte,
Ouvres-moi ta porte
Prêtes-moi ta plume,
Au clair de la lune,
mon ami Pierrot,
pour écrire un mot.
75
Activity Sheet #9a
77
Activity Sheet #9b
Frère Jacques
dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines
Ding, dang, dong.
79
Activity Sheet #10
D’où viens-tu bergère?
81
Activity Sheet #11a
il nous mangerait!
Si le loup y etait,
Line A
Line B
La chanson du loup
83
Je mets mes ________
Activity Sheet #11b
pendant que le loup n’y est pas.
Je mange!
84
Promenons-nous dans le bois,
Line B
Line A
Activity Sheet #11c
Je me ________
Loup, que fais tu?
Oui
Loup, y es-tu?
Je mets mes __________
Line B
Line A
85
Activity Sheet #11d
86
Si le loup n’y est pas,
Line B
Line A
Je mets ma _______
Activity Sheet #12
87
Activity Sheet #13
89
Activity Sheet #14
Napoléon Bonaparte est né en 1769.
Il etait empereur de la France de 1804 à 1815.
Le grand amour de sa vie etait sa première femme, Joséphine.
Napoléon est bien connu pour ses stratégies militaires géniales.
En 1808, tout l’Europe etait sous son contrôle.
Il a finalement été vaincu à Waterloo en 1815.
Il est mort en prison en 1821
Napoléon avait cinq cents _____________.
Napoléon avait cinq _______ _____________.
Napoléon _________ _______ _________ _____________.
_______________ _________ _______ _________ _____________
.Marchant du même pas, tra la la!
91
List of CD Tracks
O Canada Track 01: Solo voice – A capella.
Track 02: Group unison voice with hand drums.
Pomme de reinette Track 04: Solo voice – chanted version.
Track 05: Solo voice – sung version.
Bonjour Track 06: Solo voice.
Track 07: Group question-response.
Track 08: Group question-response with simple percussion.
Track 09: A cappella voice two-note echo, steady pitch.
Track 10: A cappella voice two-note echo, varied two-note pitch.
Track 11: A cappella voice, simple melody echo.
Track 12: A cappella voice question-response using known songs.
Colour Songs
Rouge, rouge, rouge Track 13: Solo voice.
L’oiseau bleu Track 14: Solo voice.
La poulette grise Track 16: Solo voice – chanted version.
Counting Songs
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Track 17: Solo voice-chanted-sung.
Trois petits pigeons Track 18: Solo voice.
Mon merle Track 19: Solo voice.
Body Part Vocabulary
J’ai dix doigts Track 21: Solo voice.
Je frappe mes mainsTrack 22: Solo voice.
La tête, les épaulesTrack 23: Solo voice.
Savez-vous planter les choux?Track 24: Solo voice.
Days of the Week
Lundi matinTrack 27: Solo voice.
Track 28: Voice crescendo (voices progressively added on).
93
Hallowe’en Vocabulary
La belle citrouille Track 29: Group echo.
Vieille sorcièreTrack 30: Solo voice.
Ah! c’est l’hallowe’en!Track 32: Solo voice.
Traditional Songs
Au clair de la luneTrack 33: Solo voice.
Track 34: Group unison voice
Track 35: Xylophone solo.
Frère Jacques Track 36: Solo voice.
Track 37: Two part vocal canon.
Christmas Songs
Le père Noël Track 39: Solo voice.
O nuit de paix Track 41: Solo voice – French verse only.
Track 42: Group unison voices – 3 verses, English and French.
Track 43: Piano solo – 3 verses.
D’où viens-tu, bergère?Track 44: Solo voice.
Track 45: Group unison voice with xylophone.
Challenging Songs
La chanson du loup Track 47: Group echo.
L’arbre est dans ses feuilles Track 49: Solo voice.
La chasse aux lions Track 50: Group echo.
Napoléon Track 51: Solo voice – 1 verse only.
Track 52: Group unison voice, with drum and clapping.
94
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ISBN 0-9736911-0-7