Introduction
The overall goal of learning a language in today’s global society is to communicate effectively in order to conduct business and travel. This includes being able to understand written and spoken French as well as to communicate proficiently when speaking and writing. In this unit, you will develop the vocabulary knowledge and language structure skills that you will need to navigate the city of Paris as a tourist, and you will explore artistic movements of the Francophone world toward the goal of developing an appreciation for art across the centuries.
Learning Goals
Foundational – Learners will be able to identify vocabulary and grammar structures related to travel and cultural activities in Paris.
Application – Learners will be able to communicate in contextual, guided situations using appropriate register for the situation so that they are able to be understood by native speakers of French.
Integration – Learners will identify similarities and differences between their culture and the Francophone culture in Paris and share them in their video blog.
Human Dimension – Learners will identify which areas of Francophone art are of most interest to them and explore those interests in preparation for creating an online art exhibit.
Caring – Learners will identify an appreciation for art and a recognition of the importance of maintaining this element of cultural heritage for future generations.
Learning How To Learn – Students will develop skills that help them identify which learning strategies are the most effective for them personally.
Desired Results
Students should be able to:
- Compare and contrast transportation options and cultural experiences in Paris with those of their own cultures.
- Participate effectively in guided, authentic conversations and video blog posts related to navigating Paris as a tourist.
- Write authentically (level appropriate) and effectively about experiences when travelling abroad.
- Evaluate research resources on the Internet for accuracy and value.
- Synthesize research to create an online art exhibit.
Audience
The students enrolled in the course will be high school French II students in grades nine through twelve.
Unit Outline
| Cultural Context | Communication Skills | Vocabulary | Grammar | |
| Week 1 | Visiting neighborhoods of Paris | 1. To communicate about the places one visited. 2. To communicate about the things one saw. 3. To communicate about the activities one did. | Places in a city | 1. Passé composé of regular “avoir” verbs 2. Passé composé of irregular “avoir” verbs |
| Week 2 | Moving around a city – Modes of transportation | 1. To communicate about how one goes from place to place. 2. To communicate about the best means of transportation for travelling to and through Paris. | Modes of transportation | Verbs “sortir”, “partir”, “vouloir”, “pouvoir”, “devoir”, and “falloir” in the present tense |
| Week 3 | Moving around a city – Giving and receiving directions | 1. To request directions. 2. To understand directions that are given. 3. To give directions. | Expressions for giving directions | Imperative mood |
| Week 4 | Visiting the museums of Paris | To describe works of art. | Expressions used when visiting an art museum | 1. Adjective agreement 2. Verbs “mettre”, “prendre”, and “voir” in the present tense. |
| Week 5 | Visiting Versailles | 1. To describe how one travelled. 2. To describe what one saw. 3. To describe what one did. | Expressions related to the Palace of Versailles | Passé composé of “être” verbs. |
Materials
- Online textbook access
- Cultural reading passages
- Vocabulary lists
- Quizlet links to vocabulary and grammar activities
- Grammar videos on present tense verbs, the passé composé, adjective agreement, and the imperative mood
- Practice activities for vocabulary and grammar concepts
- Discussion board for seeking clarification on grammar structures
- Listening comprehension audio and video activities
- Online art exhibit project description
Growing my Classroom 