Part

from F3.4 Mini-beasts v18 2023

4. Les petites bêtes

Part A introduces the forest of le Parc Départemental d’Olhain near Béthune , where the children go on their mini-beast hunt with an “éco-garde”.

Film A1 shows the habitat of the forest floor in autumn.

Film A2 shows some of the teeming life to be found amid the leaf debris on the forest floor.

Activities

Warm up

Before showing film A1 , ask the class to talk (in their own language) about what happens to woodlands in autumn.

If you haven’t taught this already, they could speculate about: n what happens to the leaves that fall to the ground every year? n what creatures might be found living on the forest floor?

Watch film A1: the forest floor habitat

❑ Watch film A1, which starts with the title song; children can sing along. It then introduces the forest floor habitat, where the French children are going on a mini-beast hunt to find some of the creatures that live there.

Film A1: The children hunt for mini-beasts in the forest.

Get used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Show the e-flashcards marked A1 ‘Forest floor’ and show initially with sound ON and text OFF (or use the activity sheet).

A1: NEW WORDS

Forest floor habitat la forêt un arbre une feuille le sol en automne les feuilles...

...tombent

...restent les feuilles mortes un champignon (ils) poussent

- forest - tree

- leaf

- soil / earth

- in autumn

- the leaves...

- ...fall

- ...lie

- dead leaves

- mushroom

- (they) grow

Questions

Qui habite ici? Who lives here?

Pupils echo the words, e.g. “une feuille morte”

Key Sounds

Listen and enjoy copying these typical sounds: where have you heard them before?

as in... champignon heard before in piscine, ville, six as in... champignon heard before in chat, chocolat, as in... champignon, tombent heard before in jonglerie, crayon as in... feuille heard before in oeil, yeux, bien as in... mortes, tombent seen before in fais, doigt

(Listen to the native speakers - try to copy their typically French sounds.)

Watch film A2: naming mini-beasts

❑ Film A2 shows and names the mini-beasts that the girls find on the autumn forest floor. Some small creatures are filmed close-up, others are animated drawings.

Respond with understanding

❑ Give each pupil one of the pictures from the activity sheet. You call out an item, e.g. “une feuille morte”; all the pupils with that card hold it up for everyone to see. Swap pictures every so often.

❑ Play “true or false?” 1

Show the e-flashcards with sound and text off. Alternatively, use the activity sheet pictures. You say, e.g. “un arbre”.

Children respond, “Oui” if it is the picture showing a tree. If it isn’t, pupils say “Non”.

❑ Play “true or false?” 2

Show the pictures again, but this time pupils only echo your phrase when it matchesotherwise they remain silent.

More getting used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Show the e-flashcards ‘A2. Naming mini-beasts’ (or use activity sheet) - start with sound ON and text OFF. Pupils echo the name of each creature, paying attention to “ key sounds” (p.4.3) e.g. “un escargot”

Key Sounds

Listen and enjoy copying these typical sounds: where have you heard them before?

as in fourmi, mille-pattes, chenille heard before in diabolo, facile, six as in... scarabée, araignée heard before in assez, ajouter as in... chenille, mouche heard before in chat, chinois as in...chenille but not mille-pattes heard before in feuille, oeil as in... araignée heard before in campagne as in... escargot seen before in tombent, bras

Respond with understanding

❑ Repeat the activities suggested for A1, using the activity sheet and the e-flashcards

❑ You can introduce some additional minibeasts that the children will know, using the e-flashcards. This will widen the scope of children’s later activities. Show the ‘Minibeasts' e-flashcards marked “EXTRA” with sound and text ON. Ask children to echo as they see each creature, e.g. “un pou de tête” (a headlouse features in this unit’s joke - see later).

❑ Repeat all the activities suggested for A1, using the activity sheet and the e-flashcards.

Watch film A3- SONG 1

❑ Film A3 shows a class of French children singing the traditional song, “Petit escargot” about a snail and its shell that likes the rain (see box, ‘Song 1’); children can sing along. The song lends itself to actions - make up your own with your class as you sing it!