Yay! Winter Break!

Finish up your skits over winter break.  They are due Thursday after we get back.  Have fun with it.

I'm worried that you might now understand how hard I will be grading these.  From what I've seen so far, we'll probably have some B's and C's, so you don't want that to happen.  Take a look at this example again to get some ideas of what you need to do to get a strong "A."

Restaurant Skit on YouTube

A Great Example Restaurant Skit

Here's a Google Doc with the vocabulary from the skit
and This Restaurant Skit is a Cartoon
Here's a video showing how an adult would order a meal in France:
Eating Out


One of your requirements is to use at least 5 vocabulary words from lessons 5-8.  Take a look at this list of words and the pages they are found on.  I think that you'll see that you will be able to fit these words into the small talk that you engage in at the dinner table (or any other place, if you've got a creative presentation, like a dinner cruise on the Willamette Queen when someone falls overboard!).

Words and Phrases from Lessons 5, 6, 7, and 8

Be sure to take your textbook home!
If it turns out that you're unable to get together with your group, you'll need to figure out a way to do a skit on your own.  Here are a couple of ways that it could be done:

• PowerPoint or Prezi presentation where you use slides
• Comic Book (there are apps on the Internet that will do it)
• Xtranormal video

December 17th

If you're doing your own presentation (without a group), you might consider doing an Xtranormal.com video.

12/12/12

December 10

To help you know whether a word is masculine (le or un) or feminine (la or une), I've given you a handy chart that summarizes the rules.  It's best just to memorize the gender when you learn the word, but this might help a bit.

Before I give you the table, here are the most basic rules (but there are many exceptions!):

le    English  words are usually masculine (un sode; un hamburger)
le    Words that end in consonnants are masculine
la    Words that end in "e" are usually feminine  (but feminine if "é")

Here's the set of rules:

        LE                  UN                            LA                       UNE

Nouns ending in: -age(exception!) -ment -il, -ail, -eil, -ueil -é (but not -té) -eau and -ou -ème, -ège -i, -at, -et and -ot -er -oir -isme(exception!) -ing -ard Words ending in other consonants (in the spelling).

Nouns ending in: -tion, -sion and -son (exception!) -ure -ude, -ade -ée -té -ière Consonant followed by -ie -euse -ance, -ence Most other endings consisting of Vowel + Consonant + e: -ine, -ise, -alle, -elle, -esse, -ette etc

And here's a complete list of rules: When to use "le" and when to use "la"

December 10th

UNIT 2 TEST  TOMORROW!

Christmas caroling Thursday, December 13th.  We will meet in Mrs. Wiltbank's room, room 271 at 5:00PM.  Should be a LOT of fun.


SUB FOR SANTA
4 YR OLD BOYWii

• Nerf Gun  
• Hungry Hippos
• Legos
• Wii game(If Wii Appe  
• Wii Controller

10 YR OLD BOY

• nerf footballs
• Comic books
• Candy
• Coupon for Pietro's Pizza 

19 YR OLD BOY

• Snap back
• V-Neck/s

Wii

10 YR OLD GIRL

• Clothes (Dress, Shirts, Scarfs, Purse)
• Games (Uno, Monopoly, Guess Who)
• Uggs generic brand)
• Toms
• 
  

MOM

• Shoes
• Gloves
• Spa Day Coupon

DAD  

Guitar from Max Normandy (Normandy Guitars)

DAD

November 29th

Here's the Google Doc with the Dictée we did.  Dictée

You will also find a homework translation assignment there.  Hand in Monday for 5 pts.

November 15th

A Great Example Restaurant Skit

Here's a Google Doc with the vocabulary from the skit
and This Restaurant Skit is a Cartoon
Here's a video showing how an adult would order a meal in France:
Eating Out


Bring your $18 Monday for sweatshirts.  You can only do this if you KNOW that you'll be ordering one.  (I'd loan you the money since we have to pay for them today)

Review #s and basic French with whiteboards.  1-100
WB listening comprehension pp 38. 42. 45. 47
WB in class exercises 1-4 on pages 53, 54

SKIT
Don't start filming your skit until winter break.  We still need to learn quite a bit before you will be able to do it right :~}

Start writing skit
Restaurant Scene--3-5 minutes

• Enter restaurant
• Discuss food
• J'ai faim.
• J'aime       Je préfère    
• Ordering from waiter
• Discuss another issue or two with your dinner partner.
• Family, ages, preferences
• Movies
• The weather
• What you like to do (sports, etc.)
• Maybe talk about age and where you're from if it's a date or something
• Maybe you could meet a friend at the restaurant
• Pay the bill

November 13th

French Club 

Sweatshirts for $18, $20 hoodie
Bring money tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday.  We will order the shirts Friday.
Make out check to SSHS



WB homework check, pages 40, 44, 218

Quiz Tuesday: page 366 in the textbook vocabulary
Setting the table
WB 34, 36,
Review 45, 49, and 53.

Learn how to set the table

Check out this awesome vacation spot!  La Cote d'Azur

November 2

Extra credit quiz Monday

Today we will be in Mrs. Wiltbank's room learning about foreign exchange opportunities.  Should be great!

I highly recommend that you consider spending some time abroad--anywhere from two weeks to a semester to a full year.

Halloween

This website has some great learning games for Halloween vocabulary and phrases
Halloween

Halloween flashcards

October 23 French Club

FRENCH CLUB TODAY!
 at 2:30 in room 270.

We will be voting on our club tee-shirt design for the year, so be sure to come and bring your design.

We'll spend just 10 minutes sharing shirt designs.  We will also brainstorm to see what kinds of activities you guys would like to do for French Club and add them to this blog.

After this we will spend a bit of time reviewing numbers and colors. 
Tomorrow you will have a short quiz (2 pts only!) over colors and numbers, focusing on the numbers 80 through 100.

And finally, we will move on to learning the vocabulary and phrases you'll need to enjoy France's culinary offerings. 








Here are some sites with ideas for French Club shirts:
https://www.imagemarket.com/Templates#!52
http://www.customink.com/design_ideas/search/french
Not that this has anything to do with our class, per se, but who wants to order a Gryffindor Quiddich tee shirt? 
Order Quiddich shirt

October 19--Tintin

Friday's HOMEWORK.  5 points, due Monday

Write a letter to someone introducing yourself.  Include most of the things below, but don't just copy what we already did.  Think what you would really want to say.  You'll probably realize that there are things you want to say that we've studied but which are not listed below.
At the end of each sentence below you will find page numbers in parentheses.  These are the pages in the book that deal with the necessary concepts.

QUIZ --Letter of Introduction

 6 points, 1/2 point each,  One small spelling error allowed for each line, but if you have two words that are misspelled, that's minus 1/4 point.  If a word is wrong, that's minus 1/2 (zero).

Pretend you're writing a letter, and translate these sentences into French:

Dear _______________:

Cher Pierre/ Chère Stephanie

My name is _________________.  I'm 15 years old.  (15)

Je m'appelle ____________.  J'ai quinze ans.    quatorze, treize, seize(19, 21)

My sister/brother's name is _______________.  He (or she) is cool/weird/nice. (35)

Mon frère s'appelle ______________/ma soeur.  Il/elle est chouette/bizarre/gentille

What's your name?  How old are you? 

Comment t'appelles-tu?  Quel âge as-tu? (37)

Are you French, Canadian, or English?

Tu es français, canadien, ou anglais?/Tu es française, canadienne, ou anglaise?

Do you like ____________ ? (food item, but not ice cream)

Tu aimes ____________/Est-ce que tu aimes _____________?

Do you have a pet?  A dog, or a cat?  

Tu as un animal domestique?  Un chien?  Un chat?

Do you have a pal? 

Tu as un copain?/Tu as une copine?

Who is it? 

Qui est-ce? (27)

Thank you.  

Merci

Good-bye

Au revoir

Sincerely/warmly ___________________

Amicalement/Amitié

* Extra words you need to know to write this letter:

Dear = Cher (boy); Chère (girl) 

or = ou

cool=chouette   weird=bizarre   nice=gentil (boy) gentille (girl)

Do you like ice cream = Tu aimes la glace? (You like the ice cream?) 

Thank you = merci

Good-bye = au revoir

Sincerely = Amicalement

With friendship = Amitié

October 19th--Tintin

QUIZ --Letter of Introduction

 6 points, 1/2 point each

Pretend you're writing a letter, and translate these sentences into French:

Dear _______________:

My name is _________________.  I'm 15 years old.  

My sister/brother's name is _______________.  He (or she) is cool/weird/nice.

What's your name?  How old are you? 

Are you French, Canadian, or English?

Do you like ____________ ? (food item, but not ice cream)

Do you have a pet?  A dog, or a cat? 

Do you have a pal? 

Who is it? 

Thank you.  

Good-bye

Sincerely/warmly ___________________

* Extra words you need to know to write this letter:

Dear = Cher (boy); Chère (girl) 

or = ou

cool=chouette   weird=bizarre   nice=gentil (boy) gentille (girl)

Do you like ice cream = Tu aimes la glace? (You like the ice cream?) 

Thank you = merci

Good-bye = au revoir

Sincerely = Amicalement

With friendship = Amitié

Wednesday, October 17th

QUIZ --Letter of Introduction

 6 points, 1/2 point each

Pretend you're writing a letter, and translate these sentences into French:

Dear _______________:

My name is _________________.  I'm 15 years old.  

My sister/brother's name is _______________.  He (or she) is cool/weird/nice.

What's your name?  How old are you? 

Are you French, Canadian, or English?

Do you like ____________ ? (food item, but not ice cream)

Do you have a pet?  A dog, or a cat? 

Do you have a pal? 

Who is it? 

Thank you.  

Good-bye

Sincerely/warmly ___________________

* Extra words you need to know to write this letter:

Dear = Cher (boy); Chère (girl) 

or = ou

cool=chouette   weird=bizarre   nice=gentil (boy) gentille (girl)

Do you like ice cream = Tu aimes la glace? (You like the ice cream?) 

Thank you = merci

Good-bye = au revoir

Sincerely = Amicalement

With friendship = Amitié

Politics in America/Politics in France

Did you watch the Debate Tuesday night?

I think it's important for all of us to be informed members of society and to make our voice heard.

It's looking like this election could be very close, and as such, it's extra important for all of us in the country to think through issues that will affect our lives.  Not only will the next president guide the country through the next four years, but during those four years it is very likely that he will appoint 1 or 2 Supreme Court justices, and those judges will make decisions that could last your entire lifetimes.  So, in case you're interested in following the polls these last three weeks, here are some that show how President Obama and Governor Romney are doing in the states that matter most:

Current Polls

French Political System 

The French do not have a two-party political system divided roughly 50/50 democrat/republican.  There are all sorts of other popular candidates from different parties.

2012 French Presidential Election Results, First Round

Check the above link.  It shows that the current president only received 28% of the votes the first time the election was held in April!  When no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, they have a run-off between the two top candidates.  In that election Francois Hollande took more votes than his opponent Sarkozy.

October 9

Dictee/Dictation

Bonjour!
Quelle heure est-il?
Il est quatre heures seize.
A quelle heure est le film?
Le film est à huit heures moins le quart.
Au film, je voudrais manger de la pizza.
C'est combien, la pizza?
Elle coûte 13 Euros.
Et qu'est-ce que tu veux?  Un soda?  Un jus d'orange?
Non, un Coca.  Un Coca Cola, s'il te plaît.

Now translate the dialogue into English
Hello!
What time is it?
It's 4:16.
What time's the movie?
The movie is at 7:45
At the movie, I would like to eat some pizza.
How much is the pizza?
It costs 13 Euros
And what do you want?  A soda?  An orange juice.
No, I'd like a Coke.  A Coca Cola, if you please

October 2, 2012

Your family

Today we will bring together everything we have learned up to this point as we prepare for oral presentations.  In your oral presentation you will introduce yourself and members of your family and you will tell the class about them.



We will continue learning about food today.  And for good reason.  To the French, food is extremely important.  For years they have been eating organic, straight from the farm food.  And as you probably know, that costs quite a bit more.  The French spend twice as much on their food as we do.

We'll start by making flash cards with pictures of food on them (see 45 and 49).

Then we'll do do the exercises on pages 48-51.

We also need to practice listening comprehension, so we will do workbook exercises on pages 33 and 34.

Homework: pages 35, 36

September 28

September 28
Today we will
Watch La Chèvre.  Yay!!!

Homework (due MONDAY at 1st of period)  =  workbook pages 31, 32, 35, 36, 39

 French Popular Music 
Links for lyrics have been provided for the most popular songs.  You guys should add some more lyrics.  Because the site is in French, you'll see at the top of the page that Google gives you the option to translate the entire page!  For a great learning experience, print the French and English translations to see if you can learn some words and phrases on your own.
The links are under the title of the song

Here are the songs that you judged as the best:

#1  M'en Aller

lyrics to M'en Aller
Lyrics

#2 Sans Cri ni Haine
lyrics to Sans Cri ni Haine
Lyrics
#3 Quelque Part
lyrics to Quelque Part
Lyrics

#4 On Est Là
lyrics to On Est Là
Lyrics

#5 Ou Tu Veux--Jack and Jenny
lyrics to Ou Tu Veux
Lyrics

*************************************************************

OK, now the following is one of the coolest language-learning tools I have EVER seen.

It's a Karaoke practice game that leaves out 10% of the words and you type them in.  Wow, what a great way to learn a language.  If you are self-motivated, you could make HUGE strides with something like this

Ou Tu Veux Karaoke Game (you must sign up)

Don't forget to do your homework assignment!

September 21, 2012

Your homework assignment is to find a French song that you like and post it on the following Google Doc
French popular music we recommend

Au revoir l'été.
Je t'adore.
Je te souviens bien.
Je suis content.
--Merci pour les memoires.
Goodbye summer.  I adore you.  I remember you well.  
Thank you for the memories

Bienvenue l'automne.
La vie va changer.
J'anticipe le futur.
--Et je suis content
Welcome fall.  Life will change and I am content/happy

See if you can understand what I wrote.  Then check the translation under the Handouts tab.

Today we will watch our film, La Chevre (The Goat)  Yay!

To earn that privilege, I will give you a dictation, which will show how well you understand spoken French and which will REALLY test your written French.
I think you will do well (most of you will do better with the understanding part than with the writing, but we will continue to make progress there).

You will have a test on Monday ("Yay," you say. "Finally some accountability.  It's my chance to shine!")

Learn how to spell all of the words in the yellow "Pour Communiquer" sections on the following pages: 17, 23, 24, 27, 31, 37
You also need to know how to spell the numbers from 1-10 (the others will be next week)

September 13, 2012

Here's the link to the homework assignment.  The link will take you to a Google Document and you can write on there.  No need to click save with Google Docs!  Just be sure that no one else has entered your phrase or question.  You do NOT need to translate the question into French.  I'll do that

Essential Words and Phrases--Survival French

September 13, 2012

Tomorrow you are going to need a copy of the WORKBOOK!  So, if you're planning on buying it, go see the bookeeper in the office between now and class (or after school would be ok) to pay your $15. 

Homework tonight is to go to the blog and . . .

September 10, 2012

Numbers
Alphabet
typing accents
Il s'appelle
Je suis de Paris
Je suis français

Bienvenue a notre classe de Francais 1

Welcome to our French class!
The words "bienvenue à notre classe de français" literally translate as "well came to our class of French."
Note: today you are to print the course syllabus, found under the "Handouts" tab.  Then I'd like you to read it, sign it, and use gentle prodding to convince your parent or guardian to sign it.  Return by the end of the week, please.

This BLOG is my "website" for our class.  Here you will find:

• My posts, which you can comment on
• Handouts for the course
• Assignments
• Projects
• Learning resources
• and links to all sorts of other cool stuff. (And if you find something cool, tell me, and I'll add it)
  

When I was you age and signed up for my French1 class, I was thrilled.  It seemed to me that I was going to learn a secret language that would enable me to enter a new world where I could speak my new code language with friends.  And a new world it is!  It's important to realize that the French-speaking world is different from the world you are growing up in, and this new language will give you access to that world and it's marvelous way of looking at life. 

In what ways is the French world different from my world here in Salem?  I think that it's fair to say that the French value quality of life over quantity of things that can be earned in life, as is exemplified by the fact that they have a 35-hour work week instead of our 40 hours, and they spend 14% of their disposable income on  food, nearly three times our 5%.  And why is this?  They want to eat delicious food and won't settle for the mediocre stuff we find in most of our supermarket aisles.  There are many other differences that you will see between yourselves and the various peoples of the French-speaking (francophone) world, and you will see more and more of this as the year progresses.

Let me just end by saying that I love teaching French.  The thing that I like most about it is that by the end of the year, I can look at all of you and say, "Wow, all of the French that these guys speak was learned in my class." 

So, let's embark upon this new adventure together!