Les quatre saisons Je

Part B: Talk about the seasons

Part B re-visits lots of familiar vocabulary from a range of topics in this new context. Children are encouraged to make simple statements about the seasons, and to describe seasonal events - including those portrayed by famous French and other artists.

Planning your lessons

In describing the seasons, children will need varying degrees of help with adjectives when creating French sentences.

Activities

Warm up

Before showing film B1, warm up by revising the French words for colours which can be used to describe seasonal scenes, e.g. point to different objects around the room and say, “C’est quelle couleur?”.

Watch film B1: describe a season

❑ Film B1 shows some things that happen in each of the four seasons, referring back to previous chapters.

NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

B1: Describe a season

Décrivez une saison

Describe a season

(En été) je vais (à la plage)

(In summer) I go (to the beach)

J’aime faire (de la voile)

I like to (go sailing)

Je mange (des glaces)

I eat (ice-cream)

Colours and seasons

Associez une couleur à une saison

Associate a colour with a season

Tout est... bleu

Everything is... blue

Ask pupils to think of any sentences they can say in French which start “in summer...”. As each phrase is heard, draw a quick picture to represent the phrase e.g n Encourage children to extend their sentences by using joining words like “parce que” and “et”, e.g. “En éte, je porte un short et un t-shirt parce qu’il fait chaud”.

“En éte ...il y a du soleil”; “...je mange des glaces”; “...je vais à la plage”; “...je porte un short et un t-shirt”, etc.

❑ The seasons in Art

Display the presentation, “The seasons in Art” which show a series of mainly French art-works initially with no title or identification - just the question, “C’est quelle saison?”

Film B1: ”...en été je mange des glaces.”

Film B1 includes lots of familiar vocabulary including references to food, clothing, weather and hobbies. Pupils are also reminded of words and phrases encountered in Ch.3.4, “Les petites bêtes” (dead leaves etc.) .

Respond with understanding

❑ Play “What shall I draw?”

Draw a large circle on the whiteboard and divide it into four. Label each quarter, “en été’”, “au printemps”, etc.

Extra Words

B1: Antonyms

Trouvez les antonymes

Find the antonyms (opposites) chaud / froid clair / sombre heureux / triste

- hot / cold - light / dark - happy / sad

Teacher instructions

Tapez les pieds quand vous entendez... un nom

Tap your feet when you hear... a noun

Tapez les mains quand vous entendez... un adjectif

Clap your hands when you hear an adjective n Associating seasons and colours

Ask the children, “C’est quelle saison?” - and probe their reasons, “Pourquoi?”. One example shows a train in a snowy landscape; some children may be able to say, “C’est l’hiver. En hiver il neige”. Others can say in English or your own language: ...what weather is shown? ...are trees or fields a clue to the season?

At any point, click on the “i” button for information about the work: it reveals the title and date of the painting, the artist and interesting background information.

Look through the seasonal landscapes, and ask children to find images that evoke adjectives such as: chaud/froid (warm/cold), clair/sombre (light/dark).

Ask them to identify warm colours (yellows, oranges, browns, yellowish greens, warm reds) and cool colours (blues, greens, pinks, purples, blue-greens, magentas, and purple-reds).

You could introduce the colour wheel.

Ask pupils to associate one or more colours with each season: “Quels sont les couleurs (d’hiver?)”. Make a table on the board, and ask: n Arcimboldo and the seasons

“Associez une couleur à une saison”.

Some pupils maybe able to explain their reasons in French, e.g. “parce que la neige est blanche”. Other children will need to use English (or their own language).

Pupils may be particularly interested to see the

Key Sounds

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

as in... décrivez, été heard before in vélo, pied, légumes, marché as in... printemps heard before in lancez, jambe, antennes, santé as in... juin, printemps heard before in train, main, lapin as in... printemps, hiver seen before in escargot, c’est pictures by Arcimboldo: this Italian artist created portraits made up of objects such as fruitincluding a series representing each season as a person: n Make statements about art: n Make statements, spot nouns, adjectives: Watch film B1 again, spotting either nouns or adjectives as they are spoken. n Say the opposite:

On first showing, ask children to work out what season is represented, and why.

Using the e-flashcards paintings as inspiration, ask children to make more statements about the seasons, e.g. “en hiver, il neige; tout est blanc”. You write the statements on the board for all to see. Then, as a class, read out loud each statement in turn - tell half the class to tap their feet when they hear a noun; the other half to clap hands when there’s an adjective. (see “Extra words” for teacher instructions in French). .

Look through the e-flashcards paintings to find pairs of images that evoke opposites such as: chaud/froid (warm/cold), clair/sombre (light/dark), heureux/triste (happy/sad).

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Art and design - “My favourite season”: Ask pupils to paint their favourite season, using some of what they have learned. They can then show their pictures to the class and describe what the pictures show. Alternatively, while the artist holds up the picture, the class describes what they can see and guesses what season is represented.

❑ Drama: Mime the season

Prepare a mime in groups, the rest of the class guess the season and describe what is happening e.g. “C’est l’hiver. Il neige; je porte un chapeau et des gants; je bois du chocolat chaud; il fait froid...”

Warm up

Before showing film B2, warm up by revising months and birthdays.

Watch film B2: birthdays & seasons

❑ Film B2 shows ways to say when children’s birthdays are; which month and season.

New Words And Phrases

B2: Birthdays and seasons

Les mois de printemps - mars, avril, mai Spring months - March, April, May

Les mois d’été - juin, juillet, août Summer months - June, July, August

Les mois d’automne: septembre, octobre, novembre

Autumn months: September, October, November

Les mois d’hiver - décembre, janvier, février

Winter months - December, January, February

Mon anniversaire est... (au printemps) My birthday is... (in spring)

B3: Preferences

Quelle est ta saison préférée? Which is your favourite season?

Remind pupils of the phrase used in film B2 to say which season someone else’s birthday is in. e.g. “L’anniversaire de (Justine) est en été”

❑ Birthday circle game 2: Each child writes his name and birthday month on a piece of paper. Put the papers in a box and mix them up.

The first child takes a paper and says which season the person’s birthday is in, e.g. ‘Sam/ octobre’ - “l’anniversaire de Sam est en automne”.

❑ Birthday circle game 3:

You start by saying your birthday just as the children do in the second part of film B2 e.g.

Film B2: Zélie-”Mon anniversaire est au printemps.!”

Respond with understanding

❑ You say, “Mon anniversaire est en automne” Move round the class asking individuals, “Quelle est la saison de ton anniversaire?”

Children reply “Mon anniversaire est... (en hiver)”.

❑ Birthday circle game 1: Children sit in circle, and go round saying the season of their birthday (or throw a ball); “Mon anniversaire est... (au printemps)”

“mon anniversaire est le 12 janvier”. The child sitting next to you in the circle says; “l’anniversaire de Mme Smith est en hiver Mon anniversaire est le 7 mai”.

The next child says; “l’anniversaire de (Lucy) est au printemps”; and so on round the circle. You may need to have a list of the seasons and corresponding months on the board.

Watch film B3: my favourite season

❑ Children in film B3 give reasons for their preferred season.

Respond with understanding

❑ Ask children “Quelle est ta saison préférée?” If the child answers “l’été”, you ask “Porquoi l’été?”.

The child might answer along these lines, e.g., ”...parce qu’il fait chaud” or “...parce que c’est la saison de mon anniversaire” - or anything else they want to add.

Another useful phrase is “pour” (for) which one child uses in her answer in film B3, e.g. “pour la neige et pour noêl”. For example, “Ma saison préférée est l’été - pour le soleil; pour la plage; pour la natation; “pour” would normally be used in conjunction with nouns in this context.

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ ICT: Do a survey

Pupils could do a survey using the phrases introduced in the previous section 3.7. Questions could be: “Quelle est la saison de ton anniversaire?” or “Quelle est ta saison préférée?” They can show the results as a graph.

Part C: Creative responses to seasons

This section looks at how you can respond creatively to the feelings and sensations evoked by the changing seasons.

You can write poetry: we look at a French poem, “C’est le printemps qui revient”, which celebrates the arrival of one season but can be adapted to be about another. You can create ‘pop-up’ figures like scarecrows to represent the spirit of the season; and you can cook with the best of what the season offers.

Planning your lessons

Children will be particularly motivated if they know they are creating works that will be appreciated by an audience.

Activities

Warm up

Before showing film C1, remind children of animals they know in French, and words for where they live; use e-flashcards from Ch.3.5 (Zoo) and 3.4 (Mini-beasts).

Watch film C1: Poem in class

❑ Watch film C1 which shows French children performing the poem, “Le retour du printemps”, in class.

Get used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Show the e-flashcards, selecting ‘the animals and where they live’ Children echo these words from the poem, taking care with “key sounds”.

Some extra seasonal animals and habitats are added for possible later use.

Get used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Show the e-flashcards,’read and hear the words’

Following the teacher’s example, different children read out each line, and perform the actions in the chorus - clapping hands and tapping their feet.

New Words And Phrases

C1: The poem - animals and habitats une hirondelle la prairie un écureuil la forêt une grenouille l’étang près de l’étang

- a swallow

- the meadow

- a squirrel

- the forest

- a frog

- the pond

- near the pond

C2: Adapting the poem

(a) change the season

L’été est sur le chemin

Summer is on its way

L’automne est sur le chemin

Autumn is on its way

L’hiver est sur le chemin

Winter is on its way

(b) change the animal / habitat d’autres animaux un caneton un canard une mouette

Get used to the sounds u swallows are again flying over the fields hunting for insects, having returned from their winter migration; u squirrels revive from winter hibernation; u frogs lay frogspawn in the ponds.

❑ Discuss with the class how the things shown might be signs that ‘spring is on its way’, e.g.

❑ Children rehearse performing their poem to an audience. Film this so the children can review their own performance and see how they might improve.

Respond with understanding

❑ Adapt the poem about another season: Look again at how the poem is structured; Ask children to identify in each verse elements they could change, such as: u the animal (e.g. “une hirondelle”),

- other animals

- a duckling

- a duck

- a seagull u where it lives (e.g. “la prairie”) and... u the season which is arriving (“le printemps”). Spotting the repetitive structure will help children manipulate the text to make their own version for a different season. n Ask children to work in groups, each contributing a new verse to adapt the poem for another season. Ensure the groups have a mix of abilities. Each group chooses an animal or mini-beast associated with seasonal change, and a location, e.g., “Sur la plage, ce matin, une mouette m’a dit l’été est sur le chemin” (On the beach this morning, a seagull said to me… summer is on its way).

❑ Children rehearse performing their new verses, to prepare for an audience. They can:

• use props such as masks;

• use actions, tone and facial expression to help emphasise what they are saying; n Film or take photos of the performance so

• add music from “The Four Seasons”.

Le retour du printemps

Dans la prairie, ce matin

Une hirondelle m’a dit:

“Viens, viens, viens, viens, Le printemps est sur le chemin.”

REFRAIN:

Tape les mains, c’est le printemps qui revient

Tape les pieds, c’est le printemps qui renaît

Dans la forêt, ce matin

Un écureuil m’a dit: “

Viens, viens, viens, viens, Le printemps est sur le chemin.»

REFRAIN:

Tape les mains, c’est le printemps qui revient Tape les pieds, c’est le printemps qui renaît

Près de l’étang, ce matin

Une grenouille m’a dit: “Viens, viens, viens, viens, Le printemps est sur le chemin.»

REFRAIN:

Tape les mains,c’est le printemps qui revient Tape les pieds, c’est le printemps qui renaît

In the meadow this morning

A swallow said to me: ‘Come, come, come, come, Spring is on its way.’

CHORUS:

Clap your hands, spring is coming again Tap your feet, spring is reborn

In the forest this morning

A squirrel said to me: ‘Come, come, come, come, Spring is on its way.’

REPEAT CHORUS

By the pond this morning

A frog said to me: ‘Come, come, come, come Spring is on its way.’

REPEAT CHORUS the children can review their effort and see how it might be improved. n Children can create a class multimedia presentation of their new class poem, using film, photos and sound recordings from their performance, together with pictures of the creatures and seasonal scenes depicted.

If this is the final version, post the recording on the school website, to celebrate their achievement and as evidence of progress.

Film C3 looks at a creative response to the season, where people make impromptu artworks and share them in a public display.

Warm up

Before showing film C3, write “épouvantail” on the board. Ask the class to work out how it might be pronounced using their knowledge of key sounds. (See “key sounds” box).

n When you think they are close, ask them to clap the four syllables, “é-pou-van-tail”.

Key Sounds

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

as in... écureuil, étang, heard before in décrivez, été, légumes, marché as in... étang heard before in printemps, jambe, antennes, santé as in...écureuil, grenouille but NOT hirondelle ; heard before in chenille, oreille as in... canard, animaux, printemps, hiver, forêt seen before in escargot

Watch film C3: Scarecrow festival

❑ In Film C3, the French village of Moringhem celebrates its annual scarecrow festival.

n what materials could be used?

n how will it stay upright in the garden? Look again at what the scarecrows in film B3 were made of; encourage children to think of alternative ways of making a “scarecrow”: n straw was used in many shown in the film, but might be difficult to obtain in cities; n other combinations of materials such as newspapers, bin bags, plastic bags could be used to stuff a scarecrow; n old, scratched CDs might be dangled; n it may include a device to make scary noises.

Adding a notice

Local children show us round their small rural community set in farmland in northern France near the Belgian border. Every spring for over 30 years, they have held a festival, in which each family makes a scarecrow. They display their creation on the roadside outside their house, often adding a caption in French or the local Flemish dialect. Even the village primary school has joined in! The school is named after Nobel Prize-winning physicist Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (1932-2007). People come from miles around, drive around the village admiring the scarecrows and join in judging which is best.

Respond with understanding

❑ Talk about the word “scarecrow” in English (see “Talking Point 2”) and look at other words starting with “épouvant....”: “épouvantable” (dreadful, terrible, appalling) “épouvantablement” (dreadfully, terribly); “l’épouvante” (terror, horror); “épouvanter” (to terrify; to horrify; to appal).

❑ Other seasons:

Discuss a possible creative response to other seasons, e.g. make a winter snowman; a summer sand-sculpture; an autumn Hallowe’en character or British Bonfire Night “guy”.

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Design & Technology:

Design and make a scarecrow for your school garden. It will need to be strong to withstand bad weather; it must scare birds without causing them harm. Pupils can discuss: n why are scarecrows needed?

Pupils can hang a notice in French on their scarecrow; if it is made to look like a person or character, the notice could include a message e.g. “Je m’appelle Harry Potter; je suis magicien”.

The notice could also name items of clothing and materials, e.g. “je porte des lunettes” (I wear glasses). Help children search a bi-lingual dictionary for words they don’t know.

New Words And Phrases

C3: Scarecrows l’épouvantail (m) la paille le fer

- scarecrow - straw - metal/iron l’épouvantail est fait en paille the scarecrow is made of straw l’épouvantail est fait en fer the scarecrow is made of metal la fête des épouvantails the scarecrow festival

Ton épouvantail est fait en quoi?

What’s your scarecrow made of?