Kindergarten

The kindergartners have created "bonhommes de neige" 

(sounds like bunum duh nej; snowmen) and have been learning the words 

for the parts of a snowman in French. 

I've included the pronunciation  below:

    *un bonhomme de neige (sounds like bunum duh nej; snowman)

    *une boule de neige (sounds like: ewn bool duh nej; a snowball)

    *deux yeux (sounds like: deuz yeuh; two eyes)

    *un nez (sounds like: un nay; one/a nose)

    *une bouche (sounds like: ewn boosh; one mouth)

    *un bras (sounds like: un brah; one/an arm)

    * un bonnet (sounds like: un bo-nay; a winter hat)

    * trois boutons (sounds like: trwa booton; three buttons)

They have heard a song sung to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

    Mon bonhomme de neige est blanc   (My snowman is white)

    Deux yeux de bonbons (Two eyes of candy)

    Une carotte pour le nez (A carrot for the nose)

    Sur la tete un beau bonnet (On his head a beautiful hat)

They have brought home or will bring home the snowmen they made in class.

Grade 1 (FES)     Grades 1/2 (MES)

The first graders (FES) and the first and second graders (MES) have been 

introduced to and have revisited winter vocabulary, including the 

parts of a snowman and weather expressions. 

In groups of 3 they have worked on creating their own snowmen on the 

computer with me, hearing the word for each part they added.  

Below are some examples:

                        

We continue to highlight one student each day or week, using the slides 

"La Personne Spéciale du Jour" 

They have enjoyed changing one answer to see if others can find 

their "incorrect" answer. 

                       Grades 2/3 (FES)     Grades 3/4 (MES)

The 2nd and 3rd graders (FES) and the 3rd and 4th graders have been using 

words related to winter and winter activities through various games and 

whole class activities, such as custom made wordles, 4 corners, 

the ball game, charades, around the world, as well as 

some online games.

You can see the vocabulary they're learning here: 

French	Sounds like	English
C'est l'hiver	say leevare	It's winter.
Il fait froid	eel fay frwa	It’s cold.
J’ai froid.	jay frwa	I’m cold.
Il neige.	eel nej	It’s snowing.
Je fais du ski.	juh fay dew ski	I ski.
Je fais du patinage.	juh fay dew pah-tee-naj	I skate.
Je fais du snowboard. (France)/ Je fais de la planche à neige. (Quebec)	juh fay dew snowboard/ juh fay de la plansh ah nej	I snowboard.
Je fais de la luge.	juh fay duh la lewj	I sled/go sledding.
une veste	ewn vest	a jacket
un bonnet (France) / une tuque (Quebec)	un bo-nay / ewn tewk	a winter hat
des moufles (France) / des mitaines (Quebec)	day moofleuh /  day meeten	mittens
un bonhomme de neige	un bunum duh nej	a snowman
J’aime l’hiver.	jem leevare	I like winter.
Il y a beaucoup de neige.	eel ya bokoo duh nej	There is a lot of snow.

                        

                   Grades 4/5 & 6 (FES)     Grades 5/6(MES)

The 4th, 5th and 6th graders (FES) and the 5th and 6th graders (MES) were invited to enter the VFLA (Vermont Foreign Language Association, now called VOCAL) annual poster contest with the theme: 

Celebrate Humanity Through Language

Unfortunately, only 5% of the number of students I teach will be able to be entered. A group of teachers (not I) will choose the posters that will be entered based on:

• visual impact

• relevance to the theme 

• neatness 

• originality

• accuracy

All posters will be collected on Thursday and mailed Friday, December 15th. The 2 snow days have not helped the FES students! I encourage students to work on them at home.

Students who have chosen not to enter the contest have been given choices for a poster or other project with my approval.

Some posters from last year's poster contest

 

 

Kindergarten

The kindergartners continue to sing the greeting song and the weather chant (I've included it below). We have fun varying the speed of the chant. Your child will be bringing home a Very Hungry Caterpillar book they've colored. 

As the weather begins to turn more wintry, we will be learning winter related vocabulary (snowman, snow, it's snowing...) through movement, crafts and the story "The Mitten." Stay tuned!

Weather Chant  (chanted while standing)

Il fait froid, froid, froid (sounds like: eel fay frwa, frwa, frwa; motion: shiver with hands crossed over body)

Il fait chaud, chaud, chaud (sounds like: eel fay show, show, show; motion: fan face)

Il pleut, pleut, pleut (sounds like: eel pleuh, pleuh, pleuh; motion: using fingers to mimic rain straight down to the floor)

Il neige, neige, neige (sounds like: eel nej, nej, nej; motion: use fingers to mimic snow falling down and back and forth to the floor )

Grade 1 (FES) & Grades 1 & 2 (MES)

The 1st and 2nd graders continue to use words for school supplies in games and other activities. They've been singing the song  "Dans mon sac d'école" and made their own "backpacks" out of paper with school supplies. The song is taped on the back of the backpack. I encourage you to ask them to sing the song to you. They've done a great job learning the words!

You can listen to the song here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4v9KJpjXo

A different student is chosen about once a week to be "la personne spéciale du jour" (the special person of the day). They  answer various questions about themselves and their preferences. 

Grades 2/3 (FES) and Grades 3 & 4 (MES)

The 2nd (FES only), 3rd and 4th  graders continue to begin class with a message where they contribute the date and weather. We have also watched some short videos on French speaking cities in other parts of the world (Quebec, Dakar so far).

They continue to use the words for school supplies in games and other activities. The most recent game was "Go fish" in which they have to ask other teams for a matching card using "Avez-vous...?" (sounds like: ah-vay-voo; Do you have...?). I pointed out to one class and will do so with the other classes that asking "Do you have...?" could be very useful in other circumstances besides a card time. I've encouraged and will continue to encourage them to think about how words and phrases they acquire in one context are transferable to other contexts.

Grades 4/5 and 6(FES) and Grades 5/6 (MES)

The 4th, 5th and 6th  graders continue to begin class with a message where they contribute the date and weather. We have also watched some short videos on French speaking cities in other parts of the world (Quebec, Dakar so far).

They continue to use the words for school supplies in games and other activities. The most recent game was "Go fish" in which they have to ask other teams for a matching card using "Avez-vous...?" (sounds like: ah-vay-voo; Do you have...?). I pointed out to one class and will do so with the other classes that asking "Do you have...?" could be very useful in other circumstances besides a card time. I've encouraged and will continue to encourage them to think about how words and phrases they acquire in one context are transferable to other contexts.

The 5th and 6th graders at Moretown were fortunate to be able to Facetime with one of their classmates who moved to France last year. Unfortunately, the recording wasn't very good but I transcribed his answers to their questions about school so those at Fayston and the 3rd and 4th graders at Moretown will be able to learn about the similarities and differences between school in France and the U.S.

It was wonderful seeing so many families at Open House. 

I appreciated seeing children show their families what 

we are doing in French and what they could do!

Merci!

Kindergarten

In Kindergarten we have started The  Very Hungry Caterpillar  

(La Chenille affamée  or La Chenille qui fait des trous) in French.

The kindergartners help tell the story by calling out “J’ai faim!”(I’m hungry!) 

each day the caterpillar wakes up hungry. We have been focusing on the stages

of a caterpillar/butterfly and will be adding the French words for some fruits. 

Below are some words we’ve been using:

J’ai faim (sounds like jay fen - nasal n) - I’m hungry.

J’ai mal au ventre (sounds like jay mahl au ventruh)

or simply J’ai mal - My stomach hurts.

oeuf (sounds like uff) - egg

chenille (sounds like shuhnee) - caterpillar

chrysalide (sounds like kreesaleed) - chrysalis

papillon (sound like pahpeeyon) - butterfly

Some foods they will be learning:

une pomme (sounds like ewn pum) - an or one apple

deux poires (sounds like deuh pwar) - two apples

trois prunes (sounds like twa prewn) - three plums

fraises (sounds like katruh/kaht frez) - four strawberries

cinq oranges (sounds like sank ohranj) - five oranges

Grades 1 (FES) and Grades 1 & 2 (MES)

In Grade 1 (FES) and Grades 1 & 2 (MES) we are focusing on school vocabulary.

The students have labeled various places and things in the classroom.

We have listened to a song about school supplies in our backpack.

You can listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4v9KJpjXo

Grades 2 &3 (FES) and Grades 3 & 4 (MES)

In Grades 2 & 3 (FES) and Grades 3 & 4 (MES) we are focusing on school vocabulary.

We will be using the vocabulary in games and activities and in a story.

We are fortunate to have a MES student who is living in France and going

to a French school for the year. The Moretown students have come up with

some questions about school in France for him.

We will also listen to the song "Dans mon sac d'ecole." You can listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4v9KJpjXo

You can hear some of the words they'll be learning here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwKSZigXwE

They will not be learning all of these.

Grade 6(FES) and Grades 5 & 6(MES)

In Grade 6 (FES) and Grades 5 & 6(MES) we are focusing on school vocabulary.

We will be using the vocabulary in games and activities and in a story

that will be more detailed than that of the younger grades.

We are fortunate to have a MES student who is living in France and going

to a French school for the year. The Moretown classes have written questions

for him about school in France.

You can hear some of the words they'll be learning here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwKSZigXwE

Please feel free to reach out with any questions you have.

elindberg@huusd.org