French 101 Lab 11 - Fido en famille - Novice Mid

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Amber Hoye, Emily Blackburn, Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner.  — The Pathways Project

About the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) Language Activity Repository

The activities provided by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) serve as foundational activities which can be adapted by any language and scaled up or down on the proficiency scale. Many of these activities offer an English Version that is “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country a platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture! The activities within the Pathways Project OER Repository seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. These activities should be facilitated in the target language for approximately 90% (or more), per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

How to use the WLRC Repository’s Activities:

1. Use the Activity as is:

Before you begin:

  • Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
  • Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.

If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu.

2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:

When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.

Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials for your language, follow the instructions below:

  • Google Slideshows:
    • To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.
    • Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:
    • Click on Share
    • Who Has Access
    • Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.
  • Materials Saved as PDF: Please email pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided. 

3. Adapt for Another Language:

  • See the linked English Version at the top of the activity (English Version may not be available for all activities)

Fido en Famille

Description:

Students will talk about their pets and how their pets are involved in their family. Students will also describe their pets, or what pet they would like to have. 

Proficiency Level:

Novice Mid

Keywords:

pets, family, animals,  home, adjectives, 

NCSSFL-ACTFL World-Readiness Standards:

  • Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations or correspondence in French to provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
  • Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret spoken and written French on a variety of topics.
  • Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas in French to an audience of listeners or readers.
  • Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of francophone cultures and their own.

Idaho State World Language Standards:

  • COMM 1.1: Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
  • COMM 2.1: Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
  • CLTR 1.1: Analyze the cultural practices/patterns of behavior accepted as the societal norm in the target culture.
  • CONN 2.1: Access authentic materials prepared in the target language by or for native speakers.
  • COMP 1.3: Compare and analyze idiomatic expressions in the target language.

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can understand the role of pets in a French family.
  • I can briefly describe my pet and what he/she likes to do.
  • I can recognize cultural expressions used in everyday French.

Materials Needed:

Pet Cards

Google Slideshow

Warm-up

Watch this short video with your students and then discuss the following questions:

Regardez la courte vidéo avec les étudiants et discutez ensuite des questions suivantes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIQ3ZvZqEp4

  • Est-ce que vous pensez que les français préfèrent les chats ou les chiens ?
  • Est-ce que vous pensez que les américains préfèrent les chats ou les chiens ?
  • Pensez-vous que le rôle des animaux domestiques en France est la même qu'ici ? Comment ? 

Main Activity

1. Lay the laminated pet cards out on the table

Étalez les cartes d’animaux sur la table

2. Have each student randomly grab a pet card (this is there imaginary pet for the lab)

Demandez aux étudiants de choisir aléatoirement une carte (il s’agira de leur animal imaginaire pour l’exercice)

3. They are going to tell the rest of the group about their pet 

Ils devront parler de leur animal au reste du groupe

Comment il/elle s'appelle ?

Il/elle a quel âge ?

Il/elle est comment ?

Qu'est-ce qu'il/elle aime faire ? 

Qu'est-ce que vous faites ensemble ? 

4. They should also practice asking each other questions about their imaginary pets.

Ils doivent également s'entraîner à poser des questions aux autres concernant leur animal imaginaire.

5. After, have them do the same activity but asking about their real pets at home.

Ensuite, faites-leur faire le même exercice en leur demandant de parler de leur animal réel qu’ils ont à la maison.

Wrap-up

If there is time left, explain some of the different French expressions using cats. After you go through them, have the students think of the different expressions in English that use cats or dogs.

S’il reste du temps, expliquez différentes expressions françaises comprenant le mot chat. Ensuite, demandez-leur de penser à différentes expressions en anglais qui comprennent les mots chat et chien.


Go through the slides with the French expressions and have the students try and figure out what they mean. Then explain their translation and meaning.

French Idioms that include cats

-Il n'y a pas un chat: 

Translation:  There is not a cat (in sight).

Meaning: There is no one (or only a few people, but less than expected).


-Avoir d’autres chats à fouetter

Translation: To have other cats to whip

Meaning: To have bigger fish to fry


-Appeler un chat un chat 

Translation: To call a cat a cat

Meaning: To say things like they are


-Avoir un chat dans la gorge

Translation: To have a cat in the throat

Meaning: To have a sore throat/difficulty speaking


-Donner sa langue au chat

Translation: To give your tongue to the cat

Meaning: To not be able to guess

End of lab:

  • Read can-do statements and have students evaluate their confidence with cards 
  • Encourage students to be honest in their self evaluation
  • Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

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