La fin d'octobre???

We are almost done the second month of school. Basic French has had its fun days, challenges, singing, games, and lots of learning. At this point all students in grades 4, 5, and 6 have refreshed their memories about how to have an introductory converstion in French. As well, all should be able to ask simple questions to ask permission to go places, borrow items, and to go get things. Most students seem quite proud and willing to use what they have learned in and out of the classroom. I've even had French converstions with students at Extra Foods! How impressive! Don't stop!! Practice on the websites I have shown you at home! Most are listed on my blog somewhere!! Keep learning!! Take risks with your new language!! It gets easier and easier the more you use your French.

French Websites

http://www.momes.net/
http://www.quia.com/shared/french/
http://enchantedlearning.com/french

Here are a few more sites that have been found. Take time to explore and practice French in numerous ways.

C'est l'fun!

Bienvenue!

It's great to be back at Heyes with enthusiastic students, colleagues, friends!

I will try to use this post to keep students and parents informed of any particular themes, homework, evaluations, or practice ideas.

Please feel free to email me anytime you have questions or concerns.

La fin

The end has come! All grades are working on final "Show What You Know" projects that are to be orally presented next week. Time is being given to individuals and groups to make decisions, plan, prepare and practice whatever it is that they choose to present. Examples of chosen projects are research, posters (to be orally presented), speeches, skits, puppet shows, and books.

Interest is high and I look forward to watching students show me things that they have learned up till now in a creative way.

Last chance!!

April 5th I will hear the last of the presentations on Ma famille. If students are not done by then, recesses will be spent inside working until the work is complete.

Grade 5 presentation deadline: Thurs., March 24!!

La famille

Ahhh...third term has arrived. La famille is what we are currently studying. Not only will students know the French for family members, they will be able to compose and present simple sentences about their own family.

Homework due Monday (14th) was a drawn and colored poster with the only words being the title Ma famille. Next class, we will add the word for each person using the posessive pronoun for "my" being mon or ma (depending on gender). Oral presentation preparation will follow.

Evaluation for reports

It's that time of year again!
In the next two weeks, students can expect to prepare and give a small presentation so that I can evaluate oral communication, reading, and writing. The presentation is 10 sentences long, including an introduction and conclusion. Each grade will be given a sheet with the assignment. It includes the subject of the presentation and my expectations. One period will be given for asking questions and preparing. Another class will be given for practicing and presenting.

Presentation subjects:
4: la salle de classe; 5: chez moi ; 6: moi

If you, as a parent/guardian would like clarification, email me: vpetalik@svsd.ca

Rosetta Stone

It's Rosetta Stone week with Mr. Densen leading the way. Pay attention and do your best! You'll be amazed at how much you will learn with effort!! Impress yourself!

Homework

Grade 4 students should now be done their brochures on Festival/Carnaval.
Grade 6 students should now be done their posters on Carnaval.
Recess with the me if still working!

Homework

Page 6 sheet: Rooms and dimensions of the 3 floors of a house and in an apartment; due Monday, Feb. 15

Un grand merci!

I want to thank the students who showed up at the school on Tuesday night to show some of what they have learned in Basic French to our Superintendent, several school board trustees, parents, teachers, friends, and other members of the community.

Kate, you were so well spoken. I am sure the audience was as impressed as I was with your speech.

Kendell, I admired your courage in performing L'alphabet with Kate. You did a fabulous job, and I'm sure several people went home with the catchy rhythm in their heads!

Tyler and Freddy, your voyageur demonstration was a hit! I was pleased that you kept things totally in control and showed your maturity as grade 6 students!

Tyler, Jeremy, and Tim, your power point presentation clearly showed not only things that you have been learning, but excellent reasons why a second language is important and why you enjoy learning French. Your voices were clear and strong making your points very understandable for the audience.

Last, but certainly not least, thanks to Bailey and Nadyne who led the other students in their performance of "Let's Go to School Together." Not only did you finish the French presentation on a "high note" (there I go being punny again), but you showed your commitment to me and your school by being there!

Again, merci to all of you. You deserve to be very proud of yourselves!!

Mme Petalik

Information Night at Heyes School

Next Tuesday, our school hosts the Community Information Night at 7:00 pm. Our Basic French program is being highlighted! Several students have volunteered to help present our learning in a creative way! I am so excited!

Please return your permission forms by Monday. Let me know if you need special equipment like mats, costumes, cds or computer.

If you are here by 6:45 Tues., we can ensure we are ready!!

Jan. 2011

Now that we have finally presented our Nous sommes posters, we are ready for some serious verb action! (Do you get the pun??) We'll continue learning Etre (to be), Avoir (to have) and Aller(to go) so that we can write better sentences and make more meaningful conversations.

I'm also waiting on some letters from another Basic French class so that we can do some penpal exchanges. I'm excited!!

Last, let's explore some culture with two popular French Canadian celebrations: Le carnaval du Quebec and Le festival du voyageur. These winter events begin soon and can be researched online. Go for it!

Don't forget to keep practicing using the web sites I posted in December!

Salut!!

Jan. 2011

After we finish presenting the posters about ourselves, we are starting a unit from a program called Activie. In this unit we learn about houses and their rooms as we create our own layouts. I'm expecting some fun in the upcoming weeks!

We'll also experience some French culture as we explore two popular winter events: Le carnaval du Quebec and Le festival du voyageur.

Don't forget to keep practicing your French at home using the sites I posted last month! Also try a little search on the above mentioned festivals!

A bientot!

Jan. 2011

We move on into the new year with great enthusiasm! We will take what we have learned in the previous months (school, classroom, numbers, alphabet, greetings, manners...) and extend into dialogue that will include this vocabulary. We will learn to use prepositions (in, on, under...), calendar, and weather in the upcoming weeks, too.

For cultural experience, we have spent one period in the computer lab introducing ourselves to Quebec's winter carnival. We will keep on exploring the French culture with not only this event, but with Festival du Voyageur.

Continue to practice your French at home using the web sites that I posted last month!

A la prochaine :)