f1.14 days

- tsjuoj d e s daa eiisnn e 11.1114.4. LAeLsse u oo r ue s r usfr drsdeè?erlea ls a sesetem m e s

1.14 Les jours de la semaine Days of the week

Learning the days of the week is another step towards enabling pupils to say the full date in French. They can talk about the pattern of their weekly routine - in term-time and in the school holidays - and the days on which things happen.

If pupils are visiting France there will be many occasions when it is useful to be able to read the days of the week, e.g. to identify when shops are open or closed, bus and train timetables, TV listings.

Films to see A1. Days of the week A2. What happens daily A3. Song - “Quel jour sommes nous?”

Activities

Warm up

You could play one or two games to practise greetings, months and colours.

Talk about how days of the week are different from each other in your community, and what children think they might be like in France; see “talking point 1”.

NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

Quel jour sommes-nous?

What day is it today?

Literally: What day are we?

Aujourd'hui c'est ...

Today it is.... lundi - Monday mardi - Tuesday mercredi - Wednesday jeudi - Thursday vendredi - Friday samedi - Saturday dimanche - Sunday

Watch film 14: A1 Days of the week

see Talking Dictionary

❑ Watch film 14 A1, which introduces the names of the days of the week, with examples of what school-age children do in France each day that will be expanded on later.

Children say the days of the week from Monday to Sunday: lundi mardi mercredi jeudi vendredi samedi dimanche As they say each day, film A1 shows a variety of images of what children might do on different days of the week in term-time.

We see them attending school on Wednesday, but not on Saturday as they used to.

This section gives children seven words to learn, plus two new phrases, so they will need lots of practice.

It is a good opportunity to talk about what we do on different days of the week.

You could also talk with pupils about where you might see ‘Monday’ or another day written in your own language.

Film A1: “Aujourd’hui c’est lundi” - a day for schoolwork

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Planning your lessons

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The weekend: There's a Saturday market in Saint Omer,and we see girls at a Saturday ballet class.

“Aujourd'hui c'est samedi.”

“Aujourd'hui c'est dimanche.”.

HOW FRENCH WORKS 1: No capital for days of the week Children will notice when you show the e-flashcards that, in French, days of the week are written with NO capital letter.

14.1

1 4 . EA e s r ftr èFrrees n e a sr -l tyu Sd c th d1e s s to a eurs?

Pay attention to ‘key sounds’ and the connections between written words and pronunciation. Finally, say what day it is today, e.g. “jeudi.” Pupils echo the phrase. ❑ Everyone stands in a circle with you in the centre. Throw a soft ball to different pupils.

Each time you throw the ball, say a day of the week. The pupil echoes the day as s/he throws it back to you.

To begin with, it is best to say the days in order.

This will help establish the pattern and rhythm of the seven day sequence.

KEY SOUNDS

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

lundi Heard before in: un as in

lundi, aujourd'hui Heard before in: dix, gris as in

jeudi, jour, aujourd'hui Heard before in: joyeux, rouge as in

❑ Play “It’s that sound again” Now that the new words and sounds are familiar, pick out a “key sound” from this chapter’s new words. Ask children to suggest all the French words they know that also contain that sound. As the children’s vocabulary is expanding, you can repeat this with some of the other sounds. This will help them remember the French they already know. ❑ Play “Find the sound”where children find an example of a “key sound” in a number of word-cards scattered on the floor, and the whole class says that word.

vendredi, dimanche Heard before in: trente, blanc as in

as in

jeudi

Heard before in:

deux

These 2 sounds are very similar

as in

mercredi, vendredi

Heard before in: je, le, de, ne

samedi, dimanche Seen before in: salut

as in

Respond with understanding

(listen to the native speakers - try to copy their typically French sound. ) see Talking Dictionary

❑ Each day, ask pupils to say what day of the week it is. Say “Aujourd'hui c'est?” with a rising intonation and wait for pupils to reply. ❑ Sorting: play the online game ‘Sort Days’; pupils could work against a timelimit to sort the French days into order.

The days are presented in jumbled order on the whiteboard or screen.

Pupils take turns dragging them into order.

The bells of Saint Omer's Cathedral ring out on Sunday morning. We see families enjoying a meal at a local “estaminet” which is rather like a country pub where cyclists and horse riders can take a break. There are traditional games available for visitors to play.

Get used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Select ‘ 1 4 D a y s ’ on the e-flashcards ; show each picture and say which day is represented - initially with sound and text ON (or use the activity sheet).

Any dragged into the wrong position are returned to the left, with a "wrong!" sound.

This game helps children read the words, and recognise them out of order.

Pupils echo the words, e.g. “mardi”.

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- tsjuoj d e s daa eiisnn e 11.1114.4. LAeLsse u oo r ue s r usfr drsdeè?erlea ls a sesetem m e s ❑ Do a “Mexican wave” to practise the days of the week. Pupils form a circle with their chairs.

Beginning with “lundi”, each pupil says the next day one after another in rapid succession.

As they speak, they stand up and promptly sit down again as soon as they have said the day.

The “wave” can take place round each of the class tables if the children normally sit in groups.

See which table reaches “dimanche” first. ❑ Flashcards - reading out loud in order Make a set of enlarged flashcards for the days of the week using the activity sheet.

Attach the cards in sequence to the board in front of the class. Ask the class to read the days out loud. Then turn over one of the flashcards.

Pupils say the days again, including the one that is hidden.

Gradually increase the number of blank cards until there are no visible prompts left.

When you call out “Aujourd'hui c'est mardi” for example, the pupils with cards representing “mardi” swap places. As they do so, you run for an empty chair. The pupil left without a chair becomes the caller. ❑ In pairs or groups: play “snap”

Pupils cut up a copy of the activity sheet to make “snap” cards. Add several sets of cards, the game lasts longer. Laminate the cards or use thick card as a backing to stand up to repeated use.

Pupils play in pairs. They shuffle the cards and deal them into two piles. Pupils take it in turns to pick up a card. If two cards are the same, they call out the name of the day.

The player who says the day first takes the cards. The winner is the one with all the cards, or with most cards when time is up. ❑ In pairs: play “remember the day” Pupils work in pairs with two sets of shuffled cards. They set out all the cards on the table, face down.

Each player in turn picks two cards to turn over and says the day on each card. If the days are the same, s/he keeps the cards - otherwise they are turned over again and left in place.

The game continues until all the cards have been picked up. The winner is the one with most cards.

❑ Flashcards - word recognition Make enough enlarged copies of the cut-out days on the activity sheet so that each pupil has one card representing a day of the week.

You say each day of the week in sequence to the whole class. When you say “lundi”, for example, pupils with cards representing “lundi” hold them up for everyone to see.

As pupils gain confidence, speed it up - and try saying the days out of sequence. ❑ Activity sheet: sequencing Give each pupil a copy of the activity sheet.

Ask them to cut out the 7 cards quickly. They shuffle them and place them face down.

You say, e.g., “Aujourd’hui c’est mercredi”.

The children turn over the cards and put them into sequence beginning with “mercredi”. ❑ Play “swap days” Pupils arrange their chairs in a circle. Give everyone a card representing a day of the week, making sure that there are several children holding each day.

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1 4 . EA e s r ftr èFrrees n e a sr -l tyu Sd c th d1e s s to a eurs?

Watch film 14: A2 What happens daily

❑ Watch film 14 A2, which asks what day it is today, “Quel jour sommes-nous?”, with more of what happens daily for school-age children in France.

Monday and Tuesday are school days: Voice: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Child “Aujourd’hui c’est lundi”.

Voice: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Child “Aujourd’hui c’est mardi” On Wednesday these children* go to school in the morning and have fun at the circus school in the afternoon. * In some areas, they have school all day on Wednesdays.

Voice: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Child “Aujourd’hui c’est mercredi”.

Thursday and Friday are both school days.

Voice: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Child “Aujourd’hui c’est jeudi”.

Voice: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Child “Aujourd’hui c’est vendredi”.

later in this chapter). Invite children to discuss

what they see, and to record what strikes them on the “What I noticed” activity sheet. ❑ Classroom routine: Ask pupils to say what day of the week it is on a regular basis. You can simply say “Aujourd’hui c’est?” with a rising intonation and wait for pupils to respond with the appropriate day. Alternatively you can ask “Quel jour sommes-nous aujourd’hui?”

❑ Art and design: Pupils can design a frieze as a group, or make individual picture “diaries” showing aspects of their daily routines. Include pictures showing what they like to do at weekends. Label in French with each day of the week.

If you are linked with a school in France, these could be exchanged for pictures from their French counterparts. Pupils can then compare the similarities and the differences.

Film A2: “samedi” - this family has a fast-food lunch.

On Saturday we see children helping with the family shopping in the supermarket, followed by a quick lunch in a fast-food restaurant.

Saturday is also the day when families attend football matches. We see fans of Lens Racing Club - see this chapter’s “Talking Point”.

On Sunday we see children swim at the local pool. A family enjoys a drink in a café.

Lili and her mother visit her grandparents.

She asks viewers: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”.

CROSS CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Inter-Cultural Understanding: Show the presentation ‘What happens each day’; this repeats several short clips from film 14 A2, each showing what happens on a particular day. Some brief background information is displayed, including why there has been a Wednesday break in the school week (see “Talking Point 1”

❑ ICT: Pupils can word-process labels for their pictures. They could send them via e-mail to their exchange school.

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- tsjuoj d e s daa eiisnn e 11.1114.4. LAeLsse u oo r ue s r usfr drsdeè?erlea ls a sesetem m e s ity; their experience is that older children are happy to join in a “baby-ish” story because of the challenge and satisfaction of showing they can follow it in a foreign language.

Watch film 14: A3 Song

❑ Film 14 A3 shows French children singing the song “Quel jour sommesnous?”, with illustrations of what happens each day of the week in France.

Preparation

Storytelling is a good group activity, so seat the children around you. They need to see the illustrations, so use a “big book” or prepare your own powerpoints, or flashcards.

Be ready to use lots of mime, gestures and pointing to the illustrations to aid the children’s understanding.

We suggest aiming at a simple paraphrase of the main direction of the plot, using little more than the core vocabulary that children already know.

This is a nicely repetitive story, and children want to join in as the story progresses - especially in counting and days of the week. If they prefer to listen for the first time, they will probably want to join in next time.

For simplicity, teachers generally use the present tense to tell a story.

Before telling the story, you could introduce the three words for the life cycle of the caterpillar, perhaps using pictures. See if children can work out the meanings of other words from the context and the big-book pictures.

Film A3: the class sings, “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

The song lyrics are displayed on the karaoke versions - sing alongside the French children or try singing on your own to the musical accompaniment.

CURRACTIVI

CROSS CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Music: Pupils can sing the days of the week song from film A3.

SONG: “Les jours de la semaine”

Quel jour sommes-nous?

Quel jour sommes-nous?

Quel jour sommes-nous?

Aujourd'hui c'est ... <lundi> REPEAT verse with <mardi>, <mercredi>, <jeudi>, <vendredi>, <samedi>, <dimanche>.

Telling the story for the first time

Try telling the story in two voices: one suited to a caterpillar; the other, your normal voice as story-teller.

Point to the pictures: Caterpillar: “Je suis un oeuf... je suis petit. ” Then: “Je suis une chenille... je suis petite. ”

❑ Music: Pupils can compose their own tunes or chants for singing the days of the week.

STORY TELLING: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”

by Eric Carle (1)

EXTRA WORDS AND PHRASES: You could introduce these before:

This optional activity adds variety to your language lessons, and extends pupils’ experience of actively listening to the foreign language, giving further practice with numbers, days of the week and “ça va.”

It will also help develop children’s “gisting” skills. The storybook pictures and pupils’ familiarity with the classic children’s tale will help them “gist” the meaning of the few new words they have not yet encountered.

Many teachers have already used this activ-

un oeuf - an egg une chenille - a caterpillar un papillon - a butterfly

...to be used in telling the story:

j’ai faim - I’m hungry je mange - I eat je suis petit(e) - I am little / small je suis grand(e) - I am big see Talking Dictionary

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1 4 . EA e s r ftr èFrrees n e a sr -l tyu Sd c th d1e s s to a eurs? the words, especially for the days of the week Then we start looking at a week in the life and counting the holes. of a caterpillar: Story-teller: “Aujourd’hui, c’est dimanche.

More ideas on story-telling activities

Ça va, petite chenille?”

The idea for this activity comes from “Young Caterpillar: “Non, j’ai faim.” (mime“hungry”) Pathfinder: Are you sitting comfortably?

Then... ...telling stories to young language learners”, Story-teller: “Aujourd’hui, c’est lundi.

by Dan Tierney & Pat Dobson. This has many

Ça va, petite chenille?” more ideas on how to develop story-telling Caterpillar: “Non, j’ai faim. Je mange ... ” activities.

Then count the number of foods the caterpillar Note (1): “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, eats, as you put fingers in the holes: published Puffin Books © Eric Carle 1970, is widely available from book sellers and schoolbook suppliers “.....un, deux, trois,... etc.”

NOTE: children do not yet know the words for foods, but they can happily count up how many things the caterpillar has eaten.

This is repeated until Saturday, when ten things are eaten The caterpillar’s reply is: “Non, ça ne va pas. Je mange un, deux ... 10!”

(mime stomach ache!)

Storyteller: “Aujourd’hui, c’est dimanche.

Ça va, petite chenille?”

Caterpillar: “Oui, ça va bien! Je mange... ça!” (mime “happy”, gesture to the big leaf) “Je suis grande!” (gesture “B - I - G!”) Then caterpillar says: “Je suis un papillon!”

probably already in your school library.

Talking point

Everyday life in France: What French children do on different days of the week

The films show a typical week in term-time for some children in northern France.

It may be a good idea to talk with pupils first about what different days of the week are like in your community.

Yo u r c l a s s m i g h t h a v e p a r t i c u l a r school activities on a certain day.

Some children might have a regular afterschool activity, or a favourite weekly TV programme. Others might join in local sports clubs or visit a leisure centre or cinema at weekends.

Children probably have a very different routine in the longer holidays than during school term-time.

If you talk with the children about what they do on different days of the week, they would probably find it difficult to describe a very clear distinct character for each day.

Which days French children go to school For decades, French primary schools had a mid-week break on Wednesdays (all day or just the afternoon) so parents could send children to Church classes for religious instruction if they wished. There was school on Saturday mornings instead.

Follow-up games

❑ Whole class activity: Hold up a page from the big book for one of the days of the week.

Cover up the day, so the class has to guess what day it is from how much the caterpillar has eaten: “Quel jour sommes-nous?”

Then switch to calling out days of the week at random, ask children to say how much the caterpillar ate that day, e.g. “Aujourd’hui c’est vendredi. La petite chenille mange.... combien?”

Variations:elling the story for the firime ❑ Knock-out version: all children start by standing up, holding a set of day cards. They respond by holding up a card, and have to sit down when it is the wrong one.

The winner(s) are those left standing when you want to change the activity.

Re-tell the story

This time, the children will be ready to participate much more. Wait for them to supply

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- tsjuoj d e s daa eiisnn e 11.1114.4. LAeLsse u oo r ue s r usfr drsdeè?erlea ls a sesetem m e s Saturday football Football became an even more popular spectator sport in France since they won the World Cup in 1998. Many children join their families in supporting the local team - which in northern France is Lens Racing Club (LRC).

Talking Point: Wednesdays were for religious classes.

This dates back to the 19th century, when France introduced free compulsory primary schools with absolutely no religion in the curriculum.

Previously many schools were run by the Catholic Church.

In 2008, a government law banned school on Saturdays; the Minister of Education said, “Saturday is a day for families” - which was generally popular. There is some flexibility for local councils to decide school hours. Many had a “four-day week”, with classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - with very long days so children went home tired.

In 2013, the government started to encourage schools to have lessons on Wednesdays again - at least in the mornings. But spreading schoolwork over more days caused protests: some families were used to having a day for out-ofschool activities, coaching, music lessons, etc.

On Saturday afternoon, families support the local team.

Lens is the only town in the Nord-Pas de Calais region with a football team in the French First Division. They are known as the “sang et or” -“blood and gold” - because of the team’s red and yellow colours.

On Saturday afternoons, and some evenings, huge crowds come to its big new stadium to watch the home team play famous clubs such as Paris SG (PSG) , regional rivals Metz, Marseille, Le Havre, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse and Strasbourg - all in .

Supporters come from all over the North and the good-natured crowds include more families and children than is common in the UK.

Cultural awareness

■ Discuss and then make drawings to tell a French class the range of things different children do on different days of the week.

Then talk about what you know of the dayto-day lives of French children.

■ Does your area have a regular market?

■ Does your area produce any traditional products that it is famous for?

■ Do most of you support a local team?

Swap information with your French partners.

Saturday shopping Children may join in family shopping, which will probably be in the local big supermarket, but also at the local produce market.

Film A2 shows the Saturday morning market in Saint-Omer , which takes place in the Place Foche , in the town centre.

Like most markets, in Saint-Omer, stalls sell local produce and specialities: cauliflowers and chicory in season; and local poultry and cheeses - all from farms in the countryside around the town.

The stall-holders expect French shoppers to be quite fussy about picking out the fruit or other items they want.

They sometimes offer samples of their produce for customers to try before buying.

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Je m'appelle

This page may be photocopied for classroom use

Š Copyright 2018 Early Start Languages

Je m'appelle

This page may be photocopied for classroom use

Š Copyright 2018 Early Start Languages