French+Immersion+classes

= **Core classes in French immersion** =
 * 6th grade Cultural Connections**
 * //One Country, Many Voices: Cultural Connections to our History.//** This class blends the study of French and social studies. Students will learn the story of peoples of different nations that came to America throughout its history. We will read about their struggles, their accomplishments, and their contributions. We will research their history and culture, and simulate some of their experiences through hands-on activities such as the Immigration Simulation. Students will also research and present a piece of their own family or community history through a cultural project. We will review basic grammar concepts and learn new ones. Students will be regularly tested to verify their language acquisition, and are expected to study regularly their conjugations, vocabulary lists and grammar rules. An important part of this class will be to develop strong study skills and organization skills to ensure academic success.


 * Histoire et Civilisations - World History part II - ** This year in the French Immersion World History class, **Histoire et Civilisation**s, students will study //Les Temps Modernes**.**// This part of history begins with the Renaissance and goes into the 19th century. Students will study the Renaissance and Explorations in the New World for 18 weeks; they will also study about The French Revolution, as well as the agricultural and industrial revolutions for another 18 weeks. During this year-long class, students will also study the French language in order to be more proficient in writing, reading, speaking and listening. They will study vocabulary, sentence structure, parts of speech, verb conjugations and other aspects of French grammar.

**Writing with a French twist**.
This writing class is designed for French Immersion students. Writing is an important part of our world. We text, take notes, write letters, keep journals, write stories, poems, essays, school reports. We need to think of our audience to choose the correct tone. Depending on the language we use, our approach to the writing will be different. However, our product must be grammatically correct, clear, thoughtful and to the point. //Writing with a French Twist// is a course designed with just that in mind. Reading will also play an important role in this class as a starting point for most writing assignments. Instruction will be delivered in French, but assignments will be assigned in both French and English in order to improve writing proficiency in both languages. State writing standards will be addressed in all formal class assignments.

= **Découvertes** = =Donna Heath= Base on the famous bike race, //Le Tour de France//, this course will be an imaginary voyage with the goals of improving your French ~ spoken and written ~ as well as discovering the geography, culture and festivals of the different provinces. Students will acquire vocabulary to deal with practical solutions to possible problems when indeed traveling by bicycle. Some of the activities will include creating keynote presentations, games [similar to LIFE] for classmates and simulations and role playing at the airport, police station, market, losing a passport, getting a flat tire and other real life situations. If possible, an actual bike tour of French locals with French speakers at each //étapes// (stations) will conclude this adventure.
 * Le Tour de France, First Trimester, 2010**

The readings and films for this term may be more enjoyed by the young at heart as the heros are //le Petit Nicolas// by René Goscinny and //the Adventures of Tintin// by Georges Prosper Rémi, aka Hergé. Vocabulary building and sentence structure will be the main task of the class as well as becoming acquainted with the French schools of the past and present. //Tintin// will take us to parts of the world we know as well as to the unknown universe. We will be looking at how similar our lives are to those of Nicolas and his friends and comparing Tintin to our favorite cartoon characters of our American childhood. Other films may include: //Rue Case-Nègre// and //Kirikou, la sorcière.//
 * Lecture et Cinéma 1, Second Trimester, 2010**

During the term, students will read abriged versions of //Les Misérables// by Victor Hugo written about the life of Jean Valjean during the harsh early nineteen century, and later //La Gloire de mon père// and //Le Château de la mère// by Marcel Pagnol set at the turn of the century. Students will be adding to their vocabulary base, discussing plot and character development before viewing the movies. Other films may include: //Jean de Florette// and //Les Choristes.//
 * Lecture et Cinéma 2, Third Trimester, 2011**

=**Rebecca Harlan**=
 * Le Dessin Fall term, 2010**
 * Description:** In this class students will learn drawing techniques, which will enhance their artistic abilities. We will produce drawings with different media, such as drawing pencils, colored pencils, charcoal and oil pastels. Students will practice and develop perspective, proportion and shading. Projects will include geometrical shapes, nature drawings, still life, hands and feet and face drawings. During the term students will also develop their French vocabulary by keeping a vocabulary notebook and having vocabulary quizzes. There is a $15.00 fee for art supplies.


 * Le français en action Winter term 2011**
 * Description: ** In this class students will work to develop their oral skills in French by giving presentations to the class on various topics and through different oral techniques, such as storytelling, interviewing, giving a how-to demonstration, reporting and debate. In addition to giving formal presentations, students will have “conversations” about topics which are relevant to adolescents their age. The second part of the term students will write a script and make an imovie in small groups. During the term students will work to increase their French vocabulary as well as their oral proficiency. Vive le français!

**Description:** This class will build on drawing techniques learned in the class of Le Dessin, but students don't need to have taken Le Dessin in order to be successful in La Peinture. This term the projects will focus on painting. We will mainly use water colors, although we may also do some painting with termpera paint. Projects will include still life and landscape painting. If weather permits, we will go outside from time to time to capture the beauty of nature on "canvas". During the term students will do a research paper on a French artist and will reproduce one of this artist's paintings. In order to increase vocabulary, students will keep a vocabulary notebook and will have vocabulary quizzes. There is a $15.00 fee for art supplies.
 * La peinture Spring term 2011**

=Catherine Wiebe= Music and songs are an important and dynamic part of culture. In this class, we will study and learn three different types of songs: traditional songs, songs with a social and political message, and songs from creative video clips. Throughout the class we learn and sing songs, listen to a wide genre of songs to analyze and discuss their messages, and view, analyze and create our own videos clips. In this class, students will improve their listening skills by completing lyrics and listening to interviews of contemporary singers. They will increase their knowledge of the French music scene by researching and presenting one contemporary singer or band. Students will be courageous and cooperative and sing as a group French traditional songs. Through a close study of French songs, they will find out if French people sing about the same themes, problems, issues as American people. Students will learn about rhymes and rhythm to create an original song. Last, students will study the aesthetics of video clips and learn how to create their own version of their favorite French song. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * Chansons et clips - Fall term 2010 (2 classes)**

Clothing and fashion have always been an important part of our society. What is cool to wear one year, is uncool the next. Lengths of shorts, dresses and skirts vary drastically from one generation to the next. Neon colors from the 70s are so unfashionable today. Technology has also a giant impact on fashion. Stinky animal furs, stiff linen, itchy wool and rough canvas were the main fabrics of the earlier centuries. Cotton and jersey brought softness to the mass. Wrinkle free polyester liberated women from their iron, and gave them more time to play, and finally polar fleece keeps us warm and so comfy. Today, high-tech fabrics are extremely light, yet waterproof and warm. In this class, we will study the history of fabric and fashion through paintings, photographs and movie clips. We will study and analyze how fashion via its fabric, style and convention impacts society. Students will have the opportunity to view past and current fashion shows, study a designer of their choice and design their own futuristic line of clothing. If time, supplies and abilities permit, students will design and display one original piece of clothing. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * A la Mode - Winter term 2011**

France is more than “bread, wine, cheese and crêpes.” A French-speaking person needs to know how the French might react to different situations involving politics and current issues. Geography, politics, transportation, the school system, art, food, table manners, and other topics will be studied and discussed. A French environment will be created through simulations, role-playing and hands-on activity such as cooking. Students will also write a journal of an imaginary trip to Paris, using information from the internet and from various reference books. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * Passeport** **(preferably 8th graders, no 6th graders) - Winter term 2011**

Fairy tales, stories with ugly monsters, stories from far away lands, from different era, fables telling us to work hard and to be kind will be the focus of this class. Students will read, be read to, analyze, listen to, retell and act stories from a variety of cultures and time periods. Students will learn to identify key elements in stories, learn to be good storytellers, and to appreciate believes from other cultures. As a final project, students will work in groups to write and illustrate (pencil or electronically) an original story using Google Doc. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * Contes et légendes - Spring term 2011**

Climatic changes resulting in habitat loss, agricultural threats and changes in water distribution, and efforts to reduce human impact are among the topics we will study and discuss in this class. The objective is to build scientific knowledge and vocabulary as a basis for understanding the challenge of climate change. Students will learn skills needed to inform themselves, to express their opinion and to communicate using scientific arguments and methodology. Students will study efforts to reduce global warming and review accomplishments in our community. They will also research and present a situation close to their heart where global warming causes a threat. Students will watch French news clips, read articles and reports on the subject thus increasing their proficiency in the French language. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * Changement climatique** **(7th and 8th graders) - Spring term 2011**

The purpose of this class is to develop students' confidence and fluency in speaking French. Students will read a variety of short, mostly comic, plays (saynètes) and put them on stage to be filmed or presented live. Students will also write scripts for advertising skits on products of their choice and will film the production. Last students will produce a documentary, including live interviews, on a subject close to their heart. Aside from improving their French language skills, students will improve their ability to work cooperatively, and to be more tech savvy by the end of the term.
 * Scène et film**

Do you know why there is a lively French Quarter in New-Orleans? Do you know where the Cajuns came from? And do you know why some Canadians speak better French than English? If you go to Haiti, you are bound to hear French, same in French Guyana (South America). We will learn all about these parts of the Americas where French is spoken, learn why, their history, some of their traditions, their tales, their food (Gumbo anyone?), and their music. In this class, aside from improving their French language skills, students will improve their mapping and research skills. As with all French Immersion classes, students must speak French with the teacher and their peers and actively participate in class discussions.
 * Le français en Amérique**