Part B: The story of Cinderella

Planning your lessons

Children explore this simplified version of the ‘Cendrillon’ story in six scenes, looking at how the narrative structure develops through ‘beginning’, ‘middle’ and ‘end’. They will not know all of the narrative, but there are plenty of familiar phrases - which, together with the pictures, make it possible to follow and enjoy the story. Activities are suggested to explore the language and themes of each scene.

Activities

Warm up

Before watching film B1, ask pupils to listen out for any words and phrases they recognise. Watch film B1: “Chez Cendrillon”

❑ Watch film B1 which starts with Clara in the Château d’Olhain imagining she is Cendrillon 300 years ago. She sees the step-sisters in Cendrillon ’s household; the relationships between them are the dynamic of the plot.

New Words And Phrases

les cendres la cheminée

- cinders

- chimney

Key phrases in scene 1 après le travail elle travail elle s’assoit elle se couche

- after work

- she works

- she sits

- she sleeps tout en haut de la maison right up high in the house

Pupils echo the phrase describing the relationship between those characters, e.g. “le père de Cendrillon” where ‘père’ is arrowed.

Respond with understanding

❑ Give the class other examples of using “de” in French to indicate “belonging”, using examples to hand, e.g. children’s pictures:

“le chateau de Cendrillon”;

“le frère de (name of child in class)”;

“la soeur de ... ”;

“le chien de ... ”;

“le sandwich de ... ”, etc. “

You could do this with classroom objects, e.g. walk round the room “Qu’est -ce que c’est?”; “C’est le crayon de (Daniel)”; “C’est le stylo de (Daisy)”; etc.

❑ Disscuss “Who likes whom?”

Film B1:Clara at the château, imagines she is Cendrillon. Get

Used To The Sounds

❑ Echoing: Select “ Relationships ” on e-flashcards; each shows 2 characters

Remind the class of how to say like/dislike, e.g. with food: “J’aime les chips”, “Je n’aime pas le fromage” (see Pack 2, Ch.2.10).

Select “Relationships” on e-flashcards again; for each pair, ask the class if one character likes the other, e.g. “Cendrillon aime son père?”, “La belle-mère n’aime pas Cendrillon?”.

Suggest using other words, e.g. “X déteste Y”

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ History: Domestic chores and servants

Ask pupils what they noticed about household tasks at the château (see “Talking point 1”).

Why were the pump and the oven needed? How did they work?

❑ History: Rich and poor

Show the presentation “B1. Rich and poor” ; use this presentation to show children the main ideas in “Talking point 1”.

Talking point 1

EVERYDAY LIFE IN France

Step-families, rich and poor Step-families n In what ways did rich people use the poor to make their lives better? n What modern inventions might have made housework easier for Cinderella?

Why did Cendrillon have a step-mother?

Around the start of the 18th century, infectious diseases like smallpox spread to rich and poor alike - amongst adults as well as children. As a result, the situation of having a step-parent was very common.

A baby’s average life expectancy in Cendrillon’s day was just 25 years. It rose to 37 years by 1810, partly thanks to smallpox vaccination, and continued to increase slowly during the 19th century, passing 45 years in 1900. French babies can now expect to live into their 80s, due to progress with heart diseases and cancer. Child and baby deaths are much rarer. Many women used to die in childbirth.

Charles Perrault’s own experience

The author of “Cendrillon” lived until age 75, but his younger wife died aged 25 after only 6 years of marriage, leaving Charles to bring up a girl and 3 boys; he did not re-marry.

Rich and poor n Why were people less likely to live long in then? Why is vaccination so important?

❑ Literacy: Start making a ‘story board’ Ask the children to work in pairs: each pair re-tells each scene of the story in a French comic strip. Start with one picture with French speech bubble(s) to sum up this scene - possibly reusing drawings from work in Part A. They can create the story board on a large sheet of paper or on the interactive whiteboard; share with the whole class when complete.

What happens next?

❑ Before you show film B2, ask the class what they think of Cendrillon’s situation. It’s a bit sad and hopeless, isn’t it?

Unhappy home life, nobody to stand up for her - what hope has she got?

There was great inequality in France before the 1789 Revolution. The King had absolute power, and amassed huge wealth from taxes and rents on all his lands, which he squandered on the Palace of Versailles and on costly wars.

The aristocracy (including most bishops) lived in luxury compared with the grinding poverty of most other people. Aristocrats dressed in fine clothes adorned with lace, a fiddly trimming that took skilled workers long hours to make. They also had servants toiling for small wages to keep their clothes smart, clean their houses, groom their horses and make their food. Millions more peasants worked on the land producing food. In a bad winter there could be famines in the French countryside

Lace-making

One step-sister wears “la garniture d’Angleterre” (English lace) to the ball, but this probably came from Brussels or northern France (there was an English ban on lace imports in Stuart times, so Brussels lace was sold with a false description as “made in England”).

Watch film B2: “L’invitation” n How would you prepare for a party today?

❑ Film B2 opens with a family gathering in the living room of the Château d’Olhain. An invitation arrives from the royal palace.

In his story, when preparing for the ball, the sisters add accessories rather than buy new dresses. One will trim her red dress with lace (“garniture d’Angleterre”), and the other will add a “golden flowery coat” and diamonds. See presentation “B1. Step-families, rich and poor”, especially where it shows rich people’s clothes, poor lace-makers, and the jobs that servants did.

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Design an invitation

Children can design their own French invitation to an event; it could be a royal ball!

Film B2: The invitation to the ball; Cendrillon is not going.

❑ Talk about French author Charles Perrault’s version of the story (see “Talking point 3”). He adapted plots from familiar folk tales, rewrote them with literary style and a clear moral. He set the stories in his own time, around the beginning of the 18th century.

New Words And Phrases

Give date, time and place, and who to reply to. Explain ‘RSVP’ (‘répondez s’il vous plaît’=’ please reply’).

Choose fonts that add the right ‘royal’ style.

❑ Literacy: carry on making a ‘story board’ Children are working in pairs to re-tell the story in a French comic strip. They add Scene 2‘s picture with speech bubbles to their story board, to share with the class when complete.

What happens next?

- invitation

- ball

- my English trimmings refers to lace collars and cuffs from England* (see talking point 1)

- golden flowers

- diamonds

B2: Scene 2: The invitation une invitation un bal ma garniture d’Angleterre fleurs d’or diamants impossible

- impossible

Key phrases in scene 2 le prince envoie une invitation the prince sends an invitation je vais porter ... (ma robe rouge)

I will wear ... (my red dress)

... dit une des demi-soeurs

...says one of the step-sisters

Cendrillon veut aller au bal Cinderella wants to go to the ball tu ne vas pas au bal you are not going to the ball

❑ Before you show film B3, ask the class why they think the young women are so keen to go to the ball? What is so special about the chance to meet and marry the Prince?

Key Sounds

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

as in invitation, impossible heard before in prince, insecte as in invitation, impossible, cheminée, garniture, diamants heard before in Cendrillon, famille as in...invitation, heard before in Cendrillon, fille, pied as in invitation heard before in Cendrillon, attraction

Watch film B3: “La bonne fée”

❑ Film B3 starts with the darkest point of the story. Cendrillon’s spirits are very low; ...

NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

B3: Scene 3: The fairy godmother

(la citrouille)...se change en...(un carrosse) (the pumpkin)...changes into...(a coach) une citrouille un carrosse une souris (revision) un cheval le rat un cocher des lézards

- pumpkin

- coach

- mouse

- horse

- rat

- coachman

- lizards

The intervention of the fairy godmother brings about the possibility of change. Magic gives Cendrillon the basic equipment so she appears to be a well-born lady, making it possible to go to the ball and meet the Prince after all.

Get used to the sounds

❑ Echoing: Show the e-flashcards des serviteurs une robe...(revision)

“B3. Transformations”, starting with the first set. Pupils echo the word(s) for each object and creature Cinderella brings from the kitchen garden. They then echo the words for what Cendrillon needs to be a grand lady.

...d’argent une pantoufle de verre la magie la baguette magique il est minuit (revision)

Click on wand to transform

Now select the second set of transformation flascards. Ask children to predict what each garden object will change into, e.g. “la citrouille se change en...?” n Add adjectives: switch OFF sound and text; ask children to add commentary to what they see, describing the objects as in film B3, e.g.: une grande citrouille un beau carrosse six beaux chevaux un gros rat un gros cocher la bonne fée une magnifique* robe d’or et d’argent

Offer suggestions, e.g. “un carrosse ou un cocher?”.

Then click on the magic wand and see if th eguess is correct.

- servants

- dress...

- (made of) silver

- slipper

- (made of) glass

- magic - magic wand

- it’s midnight

Key phrases in scene 3

Cendrillon est triste

Cinderella is sad elle pleure she cries

(sa marraine) apparaît (her godmother) appears apporte-moi ... (une citrouille) bring me ... (a pumpkin)

Cendrillon trouve ...(un gros rat)

Cinderella finds ...(a big rat) elle agite sa baguette magique she waves her magic wand

*NOTE:if “magnifique” were the only adjective, you would say “une robe magnifique”)

You could also ask children to choose between alternatives relating to the adjective used e.g. “Cendrillon cherche une grande citrouille ou une petite citrouille? Un gros rat ou un petit rat?”

Key Sounds

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

as in magique, magie, argent, agite, heard before in jalouse, gentille, janvier as in pantoufle, argent, heard before in Cendrillon, balançoir, panda-roux, France as in pantoufle, citrouille, trouve heard before in couscous, genou, tous, nous as in citrouille heard before in Cendrillon, vanille as in...souris, rat, lézard, argent, minuit seen before in bras, serpent n Add objects: ask children to draw some more flashcards on paper of other objects Cendrillon could find useful at the ball, e.g. a mobile phone, watch, handbag, hankie...; together with things she might find in the garden for the Fairy Godmother to change into these things. They could perform their suggestion to the class, who select the best addition to the story, e.g. “la feuille (leaf) se change en un mouchoir (hankie)” .

❑ Using “de” meaning “made of”: Give the class examples of using “de” in French to mean “made of” rather than “belonging to”: “le pantoufle de verre” (glass slipper); “la robe d’or et d’argent ” (gold and silver dress); “mon manteau à fleurs d’or” (gold flowery coat); You could do this with other objects, e.g. “chemin de fer” (railway - LITERALLY: “way of iron”).

❑ Literacy: carry on making a ‘story board’ Children are working in pairs to re-tell the story in a French comic strip. Now they add Scene 3‘s picture with French

HOW FRENCH WORKS 2: French adjectives 3

Children know that French adjectives change to match the noun they describe e.g.:

“Je vais porter ma petite robe noire.”

(I’m going to wear my little black dress.) Children know most French adjectives come AFTER the noun (not before as in English) but that a few come BEFORE, like grand/ petit, beau/belle.

They also hear another type of description: “Cendrillon porte des pantoufles de verre”, (“Cinderella wears glass slippers”) (LITERALLY “slippers of glass ) speech bubbles to their story board, to share with the class when complete.

What happens next?

❑ By the end of Scene 3, a previously hopeless situation for Cendrillon has been transformed. Ask children what they think could happen at the ball?

They know the story, but what would happen if...?

...Cendrillon couldn’t dance?

...the Prince thought she was boring?

❑ Before you show film B4, ask the class what skills do they think the young women will need to be successful at the ball?

Dancing? Interesting conversation? Attractive dress and appearance? What about the young men?

Watch film B4: “Le bal”

❑ Film B4 moves the action to the King’s Palace, which we’ve based on the Palais de Versailles. Cinderella arrives at the ball as a ‘mystery lady’, having been miraculously enabled to go to the ball against the wishes of her step-mother.

B4: The ball tout le monde content(e) - everyone - happy (m/f)

Key phrases in scene 4 il tombe amoureux he falls in love elle tombe amoureuse she falls in love elle oublie l’heure she forgets the time

Film B4: Cendrillon has to flee at 12 midnight.

Respond with understanding

❑ Play “I went to the ball and ate...” n You could also try this with other phrases: Je suis allé(e) au grand bal et j’ai bu ...

The children sit in a circle. You begin by saying, for example, “Je suis allé(e) au grand bal et j’ai mangé... (une glace)”.

The next person repeats your sentence and adds another food item and so on (refer to Ch.3.1).

The children can name any food item they like regardless of whether or not it is really suitable for fine dining at a ball!

J’ai vu ...(le Prince, Cendrillon, un beau carrosse, Mickey Mouse)

J’ai entendu ... (la musique; minuit)

❑ Talk about the past:

The story is told in the present tense but it provides a great opportunity to practise talking about the past using language learnt in chapters 3.9 and 3.10.

Ask pupils to describe the ball after the event:

Le grand bal était... (super)

Cendrillon était... (belle)

Le prince était... (beau)

Le dîner était... (bon)

La robe de Cendrillon était... (magnifique)

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ History: Palaces and castles je dois partir I must leave elle court she runs elle perd un pantoufle she loses a slipper

Show the presentation “ B4. Palaces and castles”, and talk about grand palaces and old medieval castles - see “Talking point 2”.

Key Sounds

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

as in monde, content(e), tombe, heard before in Cendrillon, crayon, combien, as in...amoureux, court, tout heard before in pantoufle, genou, mauvais as in...amoureux, trop, marie, heard before in Cendrillon, rouge, reptile, présent as in...amoureux, heard before in euro, yeux, bleu as in...amoureux, chez, trop seen before in dangereux, nez, beaucoup n Ask children what other palaces and castles they know, e.g. Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London... What are they used for today? n Challenge children to model a 4-wheeled coach with 6 horses that can turn corners, using Lego or similar construction kit. n Could Cinderella “google” the Prince and send him an email? n Could he post a message on Twitter or Facebook?

❑ Literacy: carry on making a ‘story board’ Children are working in pairs to re-tell the story in a French comic strip.

Now they add Scene 4‘s picture with French speech bubbles to their story board, to share with the class when complete. What happens next?

❑ The Ball has created a new problem situation: the Prince is in love with the mystery lady, (and Cendrillon with him) - how can he find her?

Before you show film B5, ask children what they think the Prince could do if this situation arose today? ...are there other ways to identify who wore a shoe? Is there anything Cinderella can do?

Talking point 2

EVERYDAY LIFE IN France

The old castle and the grand palace

In this version of ‘Cinderella’, her family lives in an old medieval castle, like the Château d’Olhain where it was filmed.

In Perrault ’s lifetime the Château was still involved in fighting; French forces captured it from the Spanish in 1641 as Louis XIV brought this border area into France; in 1710 the castle and nearby towns were briefly captured by the Dutch.

Palace of Versailles

Far from the Château d’Olhain and the northern borders of France, King Louis XIV was building an extravagent palace at Versailles, just outside Paris. This was not a defensive fort, but to show off the power and wealth of the King. It was new when ’Cendrillon’ was published.

Palace of Versailles: interior courtyard today

Here the Royal Family lived, held court and could accommodate hundreds of guests. Louis made his Palace a centre of culture, and lavished money on entertainments like ballet, opera, music and literature as well as painting. sculpture and architecture.

The stone walls and moat of the Château d’Olhain. Castles like this were built with high stone walls surrounded by a flooded moat, to withstand attack by medieval weapons and fighting tactics. In the Hundred Years’ War (1337 to 1453) castles were places of safety where people could seek shelter from marauding armies such as the English.

Balls were held in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

Charles Perrault, author of ‘Cendrillon’, was one of the officials in charge of the royal building works. He helped choose artworks to decorate the Palace and Gardens, where he suggested having a Maze based in Aesop’s Fables

Grand events (like Cendrillon’s fictional ball) would be held in the newly-built Hall of Mirrors, or (in summer) out in the Gardens.

Perrault would have seen the Queen and important guests arrive in gilded, decorated covered coaches, like Cendrillon’s.

Watch film B5: “La pantoufle”

❑ In Film B5 the slipper becomes the key to finding the mystery lady, as the Prince scours the country looking for a woman it fits.

NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

B5: The slipper chez Cendrillon trop petit(e) c’est parfait(e)

- Cinderella’s house - too small - it’s perfect

Key phrases in scene 5 il cherche la belle fille he looks for the beautiful girl je me marie avec elle I marry her elle essaye (de mettre) la pantoufle she tries (to put on) the slipper

Children may be interested in looking at old folk-tale versions of the story (which Perrault “borrowed” and adapted), which also feature the slipper plot.

Respond with understanding

❑ Interviews

Do “interviews” as if they are the characters e.g. an interview with the prince: Prepare them beforehand in pairs. e.g.

Bonjour, ça va?

Oui ça va bien merci.

Comment t’appelles-tu?

Je m’appelle /je suis le Prince

Ou habites-tu?

J’habite dans le palais

Quel âge as-tu?

J’ai 25 ans elle perd une pantoufle she loses a slipper n You could do this as multiple choice. Present pupils with two contrasting choices e.g. “Le grand bal était ‘super’ ou ‘horrible’?”

Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire?

J’aime faire de la danse au grand bal.

J’aime l’equitation aussi.

Est-ce que tu as un animal?

Oui, j’ai un cheval.

Qu’est-ce que tu aimes manger?

J’aime les glaces.

Qui est ton père?

Le roi.

Est-ce que tu aimes Cendrillon?

Oui!

Merci Prince....

You could put some key questions on the board or give them some suggestions as a framework for the interviews. Ask them to take on the personality of their character.

❑ Literacy: carry on making a ‘story board’ Children are working in pairs to re-tell the story in a French comic strip.

Now they add Scene 5‘s picture with French speech bubbles to their story board, to share with the class when complete.

What happens next?

❑ The proper end of the story is the moral, (and the marriage)...

Before you show film B6, ask children what they think the happy couple will do about Cinderella’s step-sisters, who have been rather cruel to her up until now?

New Words And Phrases

B6: The wedding le palais heureux / heureuse - palace - happy

Key phrases in scene 6

Cendrillon épouse son prince

Cinderella marries her prince je me marie (avec elle)

LiterallyI’m getting married (with her) la fin de l’histoire the end of the story

Watch film B6: “Le mariage”

❑ In Film B6 the Prince marries Cendrillon and they live happily ever after...

Key Sounds

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

as in heureux heard before in amoureux, bleu, queue, euro as in... épouse heard before in lézard, fée, vélo, est né(e) as in...f in, heard before in prince, train, insecte as in... heureux, palais, seen before in train, amoureux, Calais, souris

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Literacy: the “Moral” of the story n Pupils may like to discuss what they thought might (or should) have happened to the stepsisters after all they had done. Perrault ’s Cinderella is very forgiving; she invites them to live in the palace and finds “great lords” to be their husbands. In other versions, the outcome for the step-sisters is not so fortunate. (Your class could read Angela Carter’s English version of the Perrault tale). n Compare with Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhyme” version of “Cinderella”. Dahl suggests a modern moral; this might prompt more ideas on how an updated version of the story might end.

Film B6: The couple are married in the Royal Palace Film B6 doesn’t say what happens to the stepsisters when Cendrillon goes off with the rich and powerful Prince.

The audience for Perrault’s stories expected a moral. Show presentation “B6. Charles Perrault”; use this presentation to show children about the man who wrote “Cinderella” and who he wrote for (see “Talking point 3”). What is the moral of the story? Charles Perrault draws two morals: n Beauty is a blessing but graciousness is priceless; without it nothing is possible, with it we can do anything. (Note that Perrault had Cendrillon be nice and generous to her step-sisters when her luck turned, not spiteful). n You need luck or magic to succeed; whilst it’s a great advantage to have intelligence, courage, good breeding and common-sense, these may not bring you success unless you have a fairy godmother.

❑ Literacy: Aesop’s Fables

Well-read aristocrats in the court of Louis XIV enjoyed short stories with moral messages. The presentation tells howPerrault, as an expert in classical literature, inspired a Maze with statues and fountains based on Aesop’s Fables in the Gardens of Versailles.

The Fox and the Stork

Talking point 3

EVERYDAY LIFE IN France

Charles Perrault and Louis XIV

Use the e-flshcards to re-tell Aesop’s fable of the Fox and the Stork; ask children what is the moral of the story?

One statue showed the fable where the Fox plays a mean trick on the Stork. Fox invited Stork to eat a supper of soup, but served it in a flat dish so it just slipped out of Stork’s long bill. A second statue showed Stork getting his own back, by serving supper in a long narrow jug that Fox couldn’t get into. The improving moral?

“Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.”

Discuss with the class: n Was the Fox being a bad host? Why do you think that he was doing this? n How should a good host behave? n Was the Stork’s behaviour acceptable? n What does the moral ‘Do as you would be done by’ mean? n Invite pupils to think of other morals or proverbs that could apply to this story, e.g.

‘An eye for an eye’;

‘Turn the other cheek’;

‘Two wrongs don’t make a right’; n What sort of character is the Fox? Compare with foxes in other fables you know. man” could find the right way. At the entrance, there were statues of Aesop (Greek story-teller) and Cupid (Greek god of Love).

‘As you sow, so shall you reap’. Children could also make up their own, e.g.

‘One bad turn deserves another’.

You might have a debate between those who favour the moral ‘Do as you would be done by’ and those that prefer ‘The trickster must expect trickery in return’.

❑ Literacy: Complete the ‘story board’ Children are working in pairs to re-tell the story in a French comic strip.

Now they add Scene 6‘s picture with French speech bubbles to complete their story board. In Part C they will share their work with the rest of the class as they look at the whole story.

Charles Perrault lived from 1628 to 1703. He made a career as a civil servant, working for Louis XIV, in the office of a leading minister, in charge of works on “the King’s buildings”. The King wanted to build a maze in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles that would be educational for his young son. As an expert on ancient literature, Perrault suggested a series of statues with fountains, each representing one of Aesop’s Fables.

Cupid carries a ball of string; Aesop warns not to rely on the “flimsy thread” to find their way - “it could break”. A plaque bears the moral, “There is no secret in getting out (of the maze) as long as Love is accompanied by Wisdom, of which Aesop’s Fables teach the path.”.

King Louis XIV

Louis XIV lived from 1638 to 1715. He was the longest reigning king in European history, ruling France for over 72 years, starting when he was five (but he took over power in 1661). During his long reign he fought several wars which extended the boundaries of France to the north and west, bringing Lille and most of Nord Pas-de-Calais into France that were previously part of the Netherlands and ruled by Spain. During this period, Britain was weakened by the effects of civil war between cavaliers and roundheads.

Perrault’s books

As an author and leading intellectual, Perrault published some books and essays which were much talked about. In 1671, he was elected to the prestigious Academie français

In 1695, when he was 67, Perrault lost his government jobs and decided to do more writing. In 1697 he published a slim volume of short stories supposedly for children but really read by adults: “Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals” (Histoires ou Contes du Temps passé) subtitled ‘Tales of Mother Goose’.

Perrault helped design Latin inscriptions for medals to flatter the King; this celebrated towns siezed from Spain. He consolidated France’s position as the largest, strongest and richest country in Europe; building the magnificent Palace and Gardens of Versailles as a symbol of French power and culture.

He was a patron of ballet, opera, music and literature as well as painting, sculpture and architecture, all of which flourished at his court which was a centre of fashion across Europe (see also Ch.3.8 about French cooking, and 3.2 about ballet).

Based on some well-known folk tales handed down by oral tradition, and some stories from older authors, Perrault re-wrote them in modern literary form, adding poetic descriptions and transformed them to present morals about the behaviour of aristocrats facing the thorny issues of the day.

Its publication made him suddenly widelyknown beyond his own circles and marked the beginnings of a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with many of the most well-known tales, such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.