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!
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.
Because it's hard to find big, bright, text-rich, French motivational stickers, I have designed about fifty “reward cards” to encourage and congratulate my students. My kids like them and I like being able to update them as needed. Many sincere thanks to my (much) younger colleague, who gently suggested that I move into this millennium and label this file as “brag tags”!
HOW I USE THEM
1) AS COLLECTIBLES
They work as little giveaway rewards for good effort. (I’m from Canada, hockey trading card country. The best compliment I ever got was when one of my boys announced that he was trying to collect the “whole set”!)
2) AS CURRENCY
Students may trade in 10 cards for a package of gum or a dollar store /pound shop gift.
3) As a “bon point” incentive
A bon point is redeemable for “1 mark on our next test”. Even
high school kids love this little card trick. If you go this route,
reserve two or three styles (for example, the “vachement bien”
and the “de quoi être fier /fière” cards) as the bon point cards.
These printable games are self-correcting activities designed to help beginners master the verb endings for RE and IR verbs in the present tense.
To see if these games are right for your students, download the free resource, GET THE PICTURE? (Le présent des verbes ER): https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/get-the-picture-le-pr-sent-des-verbes-er-a-self-correcting-learning-activity-11342123
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.
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.
This bundle includes Scribblescrabbles for:
1 Halloween
2 Diwali
3 Eid
4 Remembrance Day
5 Kwanzaa
6 Christmas
7 Hannukah
8 The New Year
9 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
10 Chinese New Year
11 Valentine’s Day
12 Groundhog Day
13 Saint Patrick’s Day
14 Easter
15 Passover
16 Earth Day
17 Thanksgiving
This file includes English, French and Spanish versions for 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
2 Jeux de mots pour Noël (EN COMMENÇANT PAR LA FIN et MOTS COUPÉS)
EN COMMENÇANT PAR LA FIN
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 renne (m.)
2 neige (f.)
3 générosité (f.)
4 terre (f.)
5 réveillon (m.)
6 Noël (m.)
7 lutin (m.)
8 invité (m.)
9 étoile (f.)
10 lettre (f.)
11 rêve (m.)
12 vert
13 traîneau (m.)
14 auberge (f.)
15 église (f.)
16 étable (f.)
17 emballage (m.)
18 geler
19 roi (m.)
20 imagination (f.)
21 naître
MOTS COUPÉS
In this virtual race, players have to reconstitute and recopy words that have been broken down into syllables and scattered over the game grid. The words in this puzzle are:
vacances (f.pl.)
sapin (m.)
cadeau (m.)
étoile (f.)
église (f.)
chaussette (f.)
enfant (m.)
lutin (m.)
hiver (m.)
traîneau (m.)
jouet (m.)
grelots (m.pl.)
13. gui (m.)
SEE IF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR STUDENTS. TRY . . .
a free English version of “En commençant par la fin” :
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/i-know-these-words-backwards-and-forwards-thanksgiving-11424790
a free English version of "Mots coupés:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/chop-chop-a-hallowe-en-word-puzzle-11407269
This is a competitive, repetitive game that will help your students to listen “actively” and to familiarise themselves with a tricky grammar point through the process of osmosis.
Tobe sure that this activity is right for your class, try the free resource, Let’s get to the bottom (or top) of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/let-s-get-to-the-bottom-of-les-expressions-avoir-6451763
HERE ARE THREE SAMPLE SENTENCES FROM LGTTB(OT)OLVD&MV
• Ma grand-mère est allée chez un tatoueur / pierceur. Je me demande si elle
va rentrer avec un tatouage ou un piercing . . .
• Harry, Ron et Hermione sont montés dans l’express à destination de l’école
Poudlard (Hogwarts).
• Le train est parti le premier septembre de la voie 93⁄4 à la gare de King’s Cross.
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 small-group activity, Fate (the dice) will determine which Christmas character or icon your students will describe. A relaxed way to encourage students to use their best descriptive skills. If you'd like to extend the lesson to written work, just assign any dice coordinates (ie: •• x •••• or •••• x •)
To see if “Express Yourself! (Christmas)” is right for your students, download the free resource, “Express Yourself! (Clothing):
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/express-yourself-clothing-11459227
I've included PDF and PPT formats.
In all my “Où sont les trésors cachés?” games, students must speak in full sentences as they vie to find the treasure hidden in the grid. This edition features the verbs, “porter”, “essayer”, “enlever”, “mettre” and “s’habiller”
The file includes two game boards.
The first concentrates on the key verbs in the tense or mood of the teacher’s choice. Clothing vocabulary and descriptors are provided to allow students to focus on their conjugations.
The second game board does not provide the sentence conclusions - ie: the “vêtements” vocabulary. It’s for more courageous students who will now have to come up with their own descriptions.
To see if, “Où sont les trésors cachés? (Les vêtements)” is right for your students, download the free “Où sont les trésors cachés? (Les verbes ER)": https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/o-sont-les-tr-sors-cach-s-les-verbes-er-6438862
This file includes
• 3 motdoku6 (word sudoku) games
• Où sont les trésors cachés (Les expressions AVOIR)
• 1 powerpoint presentation illustrating
15 expressions
• an 8.5" by 14" poster of those same expressions
• the free game, "Let's get to the bottom (or top) of
LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR"
Originally designed as a Modern Language tool, this virtual scavenger hunt encourages even students who are usually reluctant to participate in class to jump right in and to speak in full sentences. You’ll 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, assign a handful of co-ordinates for an instant written assignment that will reinforce verb conjugations and vocabulary acquisition.
“Where are my Valentine’s gifts?” has been designed to review virtually any tense. I have appended answer keys for four of them: the present, the simple past, the simple future and the conditional perfect.
This file includes
• my Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp poster
• alternate Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp mnemonics
• a mini-lesson on verbs conjugated with être and their
agreement with their subjects
• Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp exercises
• The Transformers: a mini-lesson on “special snowflake”
van der Tramp verbs and when they revert to the AVOIR
auxiliary.
This resource will help visual learners master the following idioms:
aller droit au but
avoir du pain sur la planche
avoir la langue bien pendue
avoir le bras long
avoir le coeur sur la main
avoir une peur bleue
c'est dans la poche
c’est simple comme bonjour
ce n’est pas la mer à boire
ce n’est pas sorcier
connaître les ficelles
couper la poire en deux
coûter les yeux de la tête
en faire tout un fromage
faire la court échelle à quelqu'un
faire la pluie et le beau temps
faire la une
faire le pont
il y a quelque chose qui ne tourne pas rond
je suis un vrai tombeau
les doigts dans le nez
mettre la main à la pâte
parler français comme une vache espagnole
plier bagage
quand les poules auront des dents
un ours mal léché
If you like this resource, please let me know and I will make more like it.
Chaque phrase dans ces deux marelles comprend un participe présent.
Each sentence in these two hopscotch games includes a present participle.
Les phrases cachées dans cesmarelles sont:
The sentences hidden in these hopscotch games are:
• Je fais toujours mes devoirs en écoutant de la musique sur mon
téléphone.
• C’est en rappant qu’on devient rappeur.
• Normalement, ma famille et moi, nous mangeons le dîner en regardant
les nouvelles à la télé.
• Cet homme est devenu célèbre en mangeant un sandwich. Pour savoir
comment, regarde le clip à gauche.
• C'est en lisant le roman, The Hunger Games, que je suis devenu fan de la
science-fiction.
• Ma pauvre grand-mère s’est encore cassé la jambe en faisant du ski
acrobatique
• La talentueuse Béyoncé exécute souvent des danses compliquées tout
en chantant.
• Malheureusement, le parachutiste a oublié d’ouvrir son parachute en
descendant alors il est descendu TRÈS vite. SPLATTT!
• Moi, j’aime écouter de la musique relaxante en faisant du yoga.
• Rédige le brouillon de ton texte en t’aidant de tes notes préparatoires pui
demande à un camarade de classe de corriger ta copie.
• En marchant pendant trente minutes, vous brûlez environ 125 calories.
• Selon la police, le chauffeur de la voiture s’est retrouvé dans le lac en
suivant son GPS défectueux.
• Vous pouvez changer de mot de passe en cliquant ici.
• En mangeant un beigne glacé au chocolat, vous consommez 300
calories!
• Chaque matin, Maman boit son café en lisant le journal.
OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? works well as a full-class, teacher directed activity or as a small group game. After the fun of the oral treasure hunt, assign a handful of co-ordinates and, voilà, an instant written assignment that reinforces the correct spelling of the verb endings. You’ll find that even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully and the promise of “treasure” tends to generate enthusiastic oral participation as well. My answer key is for le présent, le passé composé and le futur simple but the game can be played in virtually every verb tense.
To see if this activity is right for your students, try the free, “Où sont les trésors cachés (les verbes ER):
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/o-sont-les-tr-sors-cach-s-les-verbes-er-6438862