I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for an activity around Thanksgiving break that doesn’t require much thought for me and my students! 🤣 I know for myself, I would always need a break here and there, especially when it was coming up on a school break. But I always needed this activity to be educational and worth everyone’s time as well.
* I also use this activity throughout the year when I just need a break for the day, to catch up on grading, to plan a little bit, etc. Don’t ever feel like you can’t use class time here and there to catch up on things!
*If you can, a way to make this more fun for students is by bringing in 🍿popcorn 🍿 for them to eat! It just adds a little something extra to show that you care and that you really thought about this lesson and making it enjoyable for them! And for some weird reason they do focus and watch better when they snack! 😜
One of the resources I like to incorporate into my classes on a Friday, or any other day during the week is, I like to play a French cartoon or video.
I know…showing a video or cartoon in class doesn’t sound very educational… BUT it can be!
I would show the same cartoon to all of my classes, but depending on their level, the activity would change.
You can pick any cartoon or video (just make sure it is appropriate). Usually, I would just go to Youtube and find a cartoon for my students. If you have been teaching long enough, like me, you will compile a list of go to videos or cartoons!
Some of the cartoons that I would show are: Caillou, EXTRA in French (reminds me of the TV show Friends, this show also comes in other languages!), Madeline, Tintin, Peppa Pig, Inspector Gadget, etc. There are so many cartoons and videos out there, find one that works for you and your students! (It’s fun to even find a cartoon that has to do with the holiday that is coming up too!)
Now for the activity. Here is what the activity would look like depending on the level:
- French 1 – I would have students write down French words that they understood.
- French 2 – I would have students write down French words that they understood, and then translate them into English.
- French 3 – Write a summary in French/English on the video or cartoon they watched. (At this level I do expect them to be able to write most of it in French but accept some English here and there. The important thing is that they actually watched and listened to the video! 😉)
- French 4/5 – Write a summary in French on the video or cartoon they watched.
You can purchase these worksheets already made and ready to go on my TpT Store!
As always, I hope that you have found this information useful and helpful to you!
Merci,
Amanda