World Languages

Bonjour Fifth-Grade Families!

This month in French, fifth-grade thespians worked hard to learn French lines, new songs, and a crepe cooking segment for our class play Blanche Neige et les Sept Nains. They played around with the script, using -er verbs, objects from the story, and adverbs to write silly sentences about their characters. Up next, our captivating "Impressionism" unit, with a Cassatt-inspired etching project and an Impressionist painting day en plein air. Fifth graders are studying who the Impressionists were, what inspired them, and what they were reacting against or trying to change. Class discussions center on the artists’ stories and achievements, what makes a painting impressionist, and the essential question: “what is art?”

Bonjour Fourth-Grade Families! 

This month in French, fourth graders wrapped up their spectacularly creative work on their region travel journals. After presentations, where we heard a little about each region’s unique culture, cuisine, and sites, fourth graders imagined they had travelled from their own regions to meet up in Paris. In the Paris unit, they mastered useful travel phrases and studied the city’s layout, metro system, and monuments. In May, we look forward to studying a pivotal moment in French history and democracy, the French Revolution, and how it was closely related to other democratic movements of the time.

Bonjour Third-Grade Families! 

This month in French, third graders have begun to read and act out the chapter book Brandon Brown veut un chien with motions, pictures, and circling in the target language. They learned some common French adverbs and used them to write and illustrate their own short stories in French about animal characters who dream of doing something differently. Our French poetry unit is just beginning, with students soon choosing their favorite French poem to copy out, illustrate, and record.

Bonjour Second-Grade Families!

In French this month, these busy second graders reviewed vocabulary for family and common adjectives. They created riddles to describe both animals and people and played a logic game on a grid to speak over 16 sentences in the language. Students learned the connector words mais, et, parce que (but, and, because) and used them to create longer sentences. In our crêpe unit, they are practicing all four language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) through making a menu, participating in a crêpe demo class, and ordering a crêpe in French. Next up will be our unit on sports, and a very fun GSFD French lesson! 

Bonjour First-Grade Families!

First graders have connected their French learning to their classroom boats unit this month, by learning simple nautical vocabulary, singing Le Petit Navire, and labelling their own boat in French. This group loves a good story, and they have learned about the deep-seated French affinity for the sea through Adventure on Mont Saint Michel and Jacques Cousteau. After les bateaux, first-grade students reviewed les formes, making a création out of French shapes and writing a sentence to describe the picture.

Bonjour Kindergarten Families!

This month in French, students learned common forms of transportation and practiced them with speaking games and manipulatives. They recently began a spring unit on la nature, which will incorporate a visit to Marilyn’s garden in May. At the garden, students will sing in French, go on a nature treasure hunt, and take part in a little taste test, engaging all the senses on this fun afternoon.