A few years ago, I retired from my position as head of Modern Languages, a bit fearful of the "R" word. But to date, it has been nothing but fun! Canadian law requires school-aged actors to study with a qualified teacher when they’re off-camera. Many of our young actors are in immersion French so I've found a happy little niche, teaching a few days a week as an on-set tutor and moving in inspiring and creative circles! Furthermore, I get to share resources here! Vive la retraite!
A few years ago, I retired from my position as head of Modern Languages, a bit fearful of the "R" word. But to date, it has been nothing but fun! Canadian law requires school-aged actors to study with a qualified teacher when they’re off-camera. Many of our young actors are in immersion French so I've found a happy little niche, teaching a few days a week as an on-set tutor and moving in inspiring and creative circles! Furthermore, I get to share resources here! Vive la retraite!
The 15 avoir; expressions illustrated are;
to be thirsty - avoir soif
to be hungry - avoir faim
to be cold - avoir froid
to be hot - avoir chaud
to be wrong - avoir tort
to be right - avoir raison
to be sick - avoir mal
to be x years old - avoir x ans
to need - avoir besoin de
to be ashamed - avoir honte
to be sleepy - avoir sommeil
to be afraid - avoir peur
to be slap happy - avoir le fou rire
to be lucky - avoir de la chance
to feel like, to want - avoir envie de
The free activity, Let’s get to the bottom of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR, should solidify the concept in an entertaining way:
http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Les-expressions-avoir-a-review-game-6312195/
This triangle puzzle can be used as a co-operative activity or as an enrichment puzzle for individuals. Students have to match the edges of the triangles that ask and answer questions or begin and finish sentences .
If possible, laminate the puzzle sheets. Then cut up one puzzle for every two or three students. Put the 12 triangles into an envelope. Et à vos jeux.
Is this grammar activity for you? See for yourself by trying the free resource, Le futur simple (a triangle puzzle): http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Le-future-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469/
It includes thematic puzzles for Hallowe’en, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hannukah and
• full colour copies and B &W copies of each puzzle • a thematic vocabulary for each theme • answer keys • a “how to play” guide
Try the free TES activity, “Hippity Hoppity, Easter’s on its Way” to see if this activity is for you:
https://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Hippity-Hoppity-Easter-and-39-s-on-its-way-boggle-6194577/
In this co-operative review activity, students who have studied the Scottish play are asked to match the text on the edges of 16 triangles to reconstitute the following quotes:
-But screw your courage to the sticking place . . .
-Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it.
-Let not light see my black and deep desires.
-False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
-There’s daggers in men’s smiles.
-The attempt and not the deed confounds us.
-Present fears are less than horrible imaginings.
-Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn, and
cauldron bubble.
-Give sorrow words.
-Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts
and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard
no more.
-Look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent
under ’t.
-Out, damned spot!
-What’s done cannot be undone.
-The instruments of darkness tell us truths . . .
-By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked
this way comes.
-Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
All nauseatingly fawning feedback gratefully accepted.
Thanks to Diana Martínez, a brilliant young colleague from Mexico, here is a ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! game that concentrates on SER and ESTAR. This resource works both as a teacher-directed activity and as a small group game. Even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully and the promise of “treasure” generates enthusiastic oral participation as well. After the oral treasure hunt, assign a handful of co-ordinates for instant written conjugation practice. The answer keys are in the present and past tenses but the game can be played in virtually every verb tense.
Please note that we have opted to use Mexican Spanish wherever possible.
T
To see if this activity is right for your students, download its freesister resource, ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! (AR-ending verbs)
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-busquemos-el-tesoro-escondido-ar-ending-verbs-2-0-11522811
This triangle puzzle requires students to work in the past tense with verbs conjugated with ÊTRE (or the DR. and MRS. VAN DER TRAMP verbs). To solve the puzzle co-operatively, they will have to match the snippets of text to form sentences like, "J'ai quitté FB le jour où mes parents en sont devenus membres!"
If you are not sure if this activity is right for your students, have a look at another triangle puzzle, the free futur simple activity:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-futur-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469
This self-correcting game pinpoints the Times Tables from 2 through 12. Each deck is comprised of 28 cards. Your students will, literally, "get the picture" by multiplying correctly because after they’ve paired up the factor and the product cards, they can turn them over to check their results. Pairs of pictures that don't match flag those operations that need to be tried again.
Because Taming the Times Tables without Tears (GET THE PICTURE?) lends itself to individual practice, it’s ideal for learning centres and for home play. However, once your students have improved their multiplication skills, they can play with two or more decks at once. Or, they can challenge a friend to a multiplication race.
Print the sheets on card stock.
Merry multiplication mastery.
Are you a fan of Taboo®? Then YOU DON’T SAY! is the game for you. And it can be played in two different ways.
If your students are confident and articulate, have them play YOU DON’T SAY! like traditional Taboo®. If, however, you have students who are uncomfortable speaking in public, turn the rules upside down. Tell them to use some or all of the words beneath the green and red banner in their descriptions! This topsy-turvy approach encourages and empowers everyone to participate. You won’t believe what a positive game-changer it is.
This package includes 36 Christmas-themed cards and a template for students to make their own YOU DON’T SAY! deck.
Merry Christmas!
"A triangle puzzle: Le Petit Prince (JUNIOR version)" is a co-operative activity. Students are asked to match the text on the edges of the 11 triangles to answer and complete the following Q & A and quotes from Le Petit Prince.
Quelle est la profession du narrateur du Petit Prince?
• Il est pilote.
Quand on veut faire de l’esprit . . .
• il arrive que l’on mente un peu.
Selon le renard, pour voir l’essentiel . . .
• il faut regarder avec le coeur.
J'en ai fait mon ami, et il est maintenant . . .
• unique au monde.
Mon dessin numéro 1 était comme ça.
• (dessin d’un chapeau)
On est responsable de . . .
• ce qu’on apprivoise.
Si tu m’apprivoises . . .
• nous aurons besoin l’un de l’autre.
Qui aide le Petit Prince à regagner sa planète?
• Le serpent.
Un astronome turc avait fait une grande démonstration . . .
• Mais personne ne l'avait cru à cause de son costume.
Dessine-moi . . .
• un mouton.
Comment le Petit Prince a-t-il quitté sa planète?
• Grâce à une migration d'oies sauvages.
Try the free future simple triangle puzzle to determine if this kind of activity is right for your students:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-futur-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469
Il y a 8 phrases cachées dans chaque marelle.
There are eight sentences hidden in each of these two hopscotch games.
Le début de chaque phrase est signalé par un petit numéro qui indique le nombre de cases dans la phrase. Toutes les cases qui forment une phrase se touchent. C’est la logique qui détermine l’ordre à suivre.
The beginning of each sentence is marked with a number in a circle. This little number also tells you how many boxes make up the sentence. All the boxes that form a sentence are connected. You may move up, down, left, right and diagonally. Let logic guide you to the end of each sentence.
Download the free resource, "Une marelle pour accompagner Le Gruffalo” to see if this game is suitable for your class.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/une-marelle-pour-accompagner-le-gruffalo-11288270
As you can see from the illustrations for the cards, “prof de français” and “cheveux”, the ostensible goal of this game is to guess the mystery word(s) given the fewest number of clues possible. In point of fact, however, it is to motivate students to talk about their immediate environment in the target language. The focus of the deck is the world of school but there are just enough cards on more general topics to keep things interesting.
EXTENDING THE LESSON
There are 120 cards in this deck. To extend the lesson and to create a new deck, distribute two or three blank cards to each of your students and challenge them to write in their own “mots devinettes”.
NOTES
1
Although I designed these cards on a printable business card template - 10 per sheet - you can also run them on card stock and cut them along the guidelines.
2
Tailor the deck for use by younger or less advanced students by culling the more abstract concepts like “avenir” and “style”.
3
I’ve offered a handful of expressions in both European and Canadian French. The Canadian French vocabulary is marked with a small maple leaf.
Challenge your students to use their words with these puzzles for Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter, Passover and Earth Day.
Unlike Scrabble players, Scribblescrabblers can choose which letters to use for each of their turns. As in Scrabble, however, they will score the most points with the strategic placement of those letters.
You may ask your students to incorporate a thematic vocabulary list or to play using general vocabulary only. Either way, they will be engaged! In fact, very competitive students tend to want to play every possible open square.
This file includes English, French and Spanish versions for of each grid and a blank grid for those of you teaching other languages.
You’ll find two new word work puzzles in this file.
1 I know these words backwards and forwards (CHRISTMAS)
The end of every word in this circular puzzle is also the beginning of a new word. The words embedded in the puzzle are:
1 rejoice
2 celebration
3 Noel
4 list
5 stocking
6 gift
7 trim
8 imagine
9 newborn
10 ornament
11 tree
12 eggnog
13 gingerbread
14 advent
15 tinsel
16 elves
17 sleigh
18 holly
19 yuletide
20 decorate
21 eating
22 guest
23 star
24 reindeer
2. Broken Words! (A CHRISTMAS word puzzle)
In this virtual race, players have to reconstitute and recopy words that have been broken into syllables and scattered over the game grid. The words embedded in this puzzle are:
1 chimney
2 stable
3 magi
4 angel
5 holly
6 stocking
7 advent
8 carol
9 manger
10 tinsel
11 infant
12 present
13 joy
N.B. Try before you buy.
Be sure that these activities will be right for your students by downloading their free sister resources:
I know these words backwards and forwards (THANKGIVING) at:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/i-know-these-words-backwards-and-forwards-thanksgiving-11424790
and
Chopped Up Words (A Hallowe'en word puzzle) at:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/chopped-up-words-a-hallowe-en-word-puzzle-11407269
As students solve this MOTDOKU (SUDOKU) du SUBJONCTIF they inadvertently “write out” the following verbs. (Yes, it’s manipulative! Mea culpa.)
1 que je vienne
2 que je doive
3 que je prenne
4 que je voie
5 que je veuille
6 que je puisse
7 que j’aille
8 que je sache
9 que je fasse
To be sure that this kind of activity is right for your students, download the free MOTDOKU du subjonctif (vouloir):
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-sudoku-du-subjonctif-vouloir-6160677
IMHO, the old-fashioned practice of writing out conjugations for verb mastery still works academic wonders. But it is a much maligned approach so I’m always looking for ways to camouflage it as fun. This “MOTDOKU (sudoku) du subjonctif" is a review of the formation of the present subjunctive of DEVOIR dressed up as a sudoku puzzle.
To be sure that it’s the kind of thing you want, download the free MOTDOKU du subjonctif (vouloir):
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-sudoku-du-subjonctif-vouloir-6160677
Originally designed for Modern Language classes, “Where are my Christmas gifts?” is a virtual scavenger hunt that encourages even reluctant students to participate enthusiastically in class. It works well as a full class and as a small group activity. You’ll be astonished to experience the phenomenon of an entire class listening “actively” because no one wants to waste a guess choosing a square from which the gift has already been claimed. After the oral treasure hunt, you can create an instant written assignment by assigning a handful of co-ordinates.
I’ve included answer keys for the present and the future tenses but “Where are my Christmas gifts?” works well for almost all verb tenses.
Please note that there are two versions of the game to accommodate those who know that the name of the one and only jolly old elf is “Father Christmas” . . . or “Santa Claus”.
If you’d like more resources on this theme, just type “Christmas” into the search window of my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/Carlav
In this co-operative review activity, students who have studied Hamlet are asked to match the text on the edges of sixteen triangles to reconstitute the following quotes:
- This above all: to thine own self be true.
- There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
- Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.
- To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream . . .
- There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt
of in your philosophy.
- Brevity is the soul of wit.
- I must be cruel only to be kind; thus bad begins, and worse remains behind
- Get thee to a nunnery.
- The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
- O that this too too solid flesh would melt …
- Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
- When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions.
- Madness in great ones must not unwatched go.
- One may smile and smile and be a villain
- Happy in that we are not overhappy; on Fortune's cap we are not the very button.
- Neither a borrower nor a lender be: for loan oft loses both itself and friend.
Thanks to Diana Martínez, a brilliant young colleague from Mexico, here is a ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! game that concentrates on verbs like gustar. This resource works both as a teacher-directed activity and as a small group game. Even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully and the promise of “treasure” generates enthusiastic oral participation as well. After the oral treasure hunt, assign a handful of co-ordinates for instant written conjugation practice. The answer keys are in the present and past tenses but the game can be played in virtually every verb tense.
Please note that we have opted to use Mexican Spanish wherever possible.
To see if this activity is right for your students, download its free
sister resource, ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! (AR-ending verbs)
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-busquemos-el-tesoro-escondido-ar-ending-verbs-2-0-11522811
Thanks to Diana Martínez, a brilliant young colleague from Mexico, here is the second Spanish game in the ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! series. The focus in ¿Dónde están mis regalos de navidad? is self-explanatory. This resource works both as a teacher-directed activity and as a small group game. Even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully and the promise of “treasure” always generates enthusiastic oral participation. After the oral treasure hunt, assign a handful of co-ordinates for instant written conjugation practice. The answer keys are in thebpresent and future tenses but the game can be played in virtually every verb tense.
We have used Mexican Spanish wherever possible.
To see if this activity is right for your students, please download this free sister resource, ¡Busquemos el tesoro escondido! (AR-ending verbs):
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-busquemos-el-tesoro-escondido-ar-ending-verbs-2-0-11522811
In this co-operative review activity, students who have studied ROMEO AND JULIET are asked to match the text on the edges of sixteen triangles to reconstitute the following quotes:
Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
A plague o’ both your houses.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, or never after look me in the face.
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone till Holy Church incorporate two in one.
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life…
Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.
Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
Your lady mother is coming to your chamber: the day is broke; be wary…
O true apothecary, thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
Tempt not a desperate man
My only love sprung from my only hate!
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
O happy dagger, this is thy sheath. There rust and let me die.
For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.