Focus on French

Bonjour à tous!

It’s hard to believe that we are already in March!

Year 5 & 6 Students

Students have been focusing on revision of French language fundamentals this term. They have been posing questions in French in order to participate in learning activities including drama-based tasks and board games such as the French equivalent of ‘Guess Who?’ 

In addition, our Year 6 students worked collaboratively to plan whole-school activities for Harmony Day. These activities are required to promote inclusion and celebration of other cultures in some way.

Year 3 & 4 Students

This term, students learned about ‘les émotions’. 

Students have completed tasks such as drawing emojis to correspond with the French emotion key words and played games of memory and Pictionary to reinforce this vocabulary. 

Going forward, students will be exploring drama games such as charades to use this vocabulary in context.

Year 1 & 2 Students

Students have been learning vocabulary related to food. They drew and labelled food on paper plates and created their own French menus. Students will have the opportunity to run their very own café!  They will use materials they have created this term, ‘Euros’ and a cash register.  Students will explore spoken French to order food in the café using key phrases such as “une baguette, s’il vous plaît”, “bon appétit", etc.

Foundation Students

Students in Foundation began their journeys as French learners at Fairfield Primary School this term. They began by exploring their knowledge of France. Students then learned simple greetings such as ‘bonjour’, ‘merci’ – ‘thank you’, ‘au revoir – goodbye’ and the song ‘Frère Jacques’.  Students in Foundation will be learning about Harmony Day and the importance of celebrating different cultures. 

Harmony Day – Thursday 21 March

Harmony Day is coming up this Thursday, 21st March!

One of the highlights in the French room in term one is the celebration of Harmony Day. Harmony Day is a celebration of different cultures and languages. The core message of the day is that ‘Everyone Belongs’.

As a language teacher, I feel passionate about the meaning of Harmony Day.  I truly believe that the ultimate aim for any language teacher is for our students to be respectful and inclusive of people from all backgrounds; and also excited to learn about other languages and cultures!

Students across the school will be provided with opportunities to reflect on the meaning of the day and their own cultural backgrounds during their French lessons in Harmony Week.

Year 6 Leading the Way on Harmony Day

Our Year 6 students have been provided with a cohort-wide leadership opportunity in organising activities for the day. They were provided with a brief which involved planning different lunchtime activities to run for all students Foundation – Year 5. These activities are required to promote inclusion and celebration of other cultures in some way.

Some of the nominated activities include making friendship bracelets, a design your own flag task, and playground games from different cultures around the world. There will also be collaborative games using the parachutes and a basketball activity where students will be asked to say the name of a country before having a go at shooting a hoop. Not to forget the disco! Year 6 students have created a playlist with music from cultures around the world.

Many Year 6  students sacrificed lunchtimes in the lead up to the day to prepare these activities for students across the school. They demonstrated leadership and hardwork in order to run the day successfully. Félicitations!

Charitable Support

Four of our Year 6  students proposed a fundraiser for ‘Médecins sans Frontières’ – ‘Doctors without Borders’. Médecins sans Frontières is an international, independent medical humanitairan organisation that provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare.

Further information is available on their website: https://www.msf.org

Students across the school are welcome to bring in a gold coin donation on Thursday to support this charity, if they would like. 

Où es Pepito…?

Where is Pepito…? One of the great mysteries of Fairfield Primary School this term has been solved! 

After much speculation about his whereabouts, our absconding teddy bear has returned to the French room after his adventures around France. 

He has now made his home in Notre Dame Cathedral in ‘la salle de classe française’.

See you in term two!

~ Emily Lindsay-Smith, French Teacher