Etre ou Ne Pas Etre

Être ou ne pas être – To Be or Not to Be
http://cdhyltonfrench.pbwiki.com/f/Podcast%20etre.mp3

This lesson is designed to explain the conjugation of être (to be), help to master this verb. As everything comes in audio format, students are able to listen and repeat. Furthermore, they can also download the file to be reviewed later.

The verb être, along with avoir, faire, and aller, is one of the most important and basic verbs of the French language. Moreover, être is the most frequently used verb in French. The difficulty for the beginners in learning French language is that this verb is an irregular one, which means its forms do not follow a predictable pattern. So make sure you know this verb thoroughly!



Exercise 1: Répétez après moi, SVP – Repeat after me!

Now we are going to learn how to conjugate this verb. Ensure you repeat out loud!
l When you hear the liaison (gliding) in the vous form – vous êtes, make the same liaison (gliding) as I do.
l Be extra careful in ils/elles (3rd person plural) form. The pronunciation is <> and not <>. Have you forgotten the verb avoir? If your answer is yes, you definitely need to review avoir! Ils ont elles ont are the 3rd person plural for the verb avoir

Je suis
Tu es
Il est
Elle est
Nous sommes
Vous êtes
Ils sont
Elles sont


Remember : The French have two ways of saying they
l ils refers to two or more males or to a mixed group of males and females.
l elles relfers to two or more females


Exercise 2: Add the correct form.

Now, when you hear the pronoun choose the appropriate form and say it out loud. There will be enough time for you to speak. Then I will say the correct form and give you time to repeat it again.

Tu tu es
Elle (singulier) elle est
Nous nous sommes
Ils (pluriel) ils sont
Je je suis
Il (singulier) il est
Vous vous êtes
Elles (pluriel) elles sont

Now that you know how to conjugate and pronounce le verbe être, you must practice to master its spelling.

Remember, memorization comes with repetition!!!

Au revoir!

Lesson Plan 2 Using Podcasts

Lesson 2

• Lesson Title: Une Chanson - Alouette
• Type of Web 2.0 Tool: Podcasts
• Objectives: Students will be able to learn parts of the body and sing a popular French-Canadian folk song
• Brief Description of Overall Lesson: Students are provided with podcasts on this song with script in their class web page.
  As a pre-listening song activity, students will learn the background information on this song. Practice and listen the vocabulary that appears in this chanson.
  As a during-listening activity, they can point out the different body parts that they have identified while listening the song.
  After-listening activity, they will listen another popular French folk song and discuss about this song.

Lesson Plan 1 Using Podcasts

Lesson 1

• Title: Liaison
• Type of Web 2.0 Tool: Podcasts
  
• Objectives: Linguistic goal - Students in French 1 will be able to understand and perform liaison to link words in French.
• Brief Description of Overall Lesson: Students are provided with a podcast on liaison with script in their class web page.
  What is la liaison? Examples of pronunciation such as un ami, un Américain, un Anglais, un artiste. In general, the n of un is silent. However, in the above words, the n in un is pronounced as if it were the first letter of the next word. This is called LIAISON.
  When does it occur? Liaison occurs between two words when the second one begins with a VOWEL SOUND, that is with a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes h and y.
  

Learn French

I tried two podcasts in iTunes on French language, The French Pod Class and Learn French by Podcast. I realized that unless you know the subject well, you would have difficult time to decide which podcast to choose, or which one would provide your need.

PBS podcast site

There are about 15 podcasts available in PBS site. The site also provides an explicit explanation on what a podcast is and how it works. I have just subscribed to two podcasts- WorldView and TeacherCast.

Virginia Minutes

The correct URL is
http://www.fcps.edu/colvinrunes/crescasts06_07.htm#virginiaminute .
With good instruction from the teacher, fourth graders were able to create history podcasts. Now I want to figure out how to utilize this amazing tool with a class of more than 30 students. What would be the most efficient way? How to motivate them, how to engage all of them?

Lecture podcasts

My interest in international relations is one of the reason why I ended up listening the lecture on Switzerland in the United Nations. With a strong will power and good searching skills of the internet, anyone can accumulate information and expand the knowledge...

Grammar Girl

I especially liked the topic who and whom. My students who don't have a solid grasp of English grammar often find it difficult the difference between qui and que. I might try this tip in January when school starts!

I also enjoyed reading and listening Mighty Mommy, Legal Lad, and Modern Manners Guy.

However, to what extent can I trust them?

Lesson Plans Using Image Blogs

Lessons Plans Using Image Blogs

Lesson 1

• Lesson Title: Les Chateaux de Loire
  
• Type of Web 2.0 tool : Image Blogs ( such as Flickr)

• Objectives: Students will be able to expand cultural awareness by doing research projects on French castles and architectural styles.

• Description of lesson.
  Find a map of France with Loire on it.
  Identify major rivers in France.
  Find interesting facts about these castles.
  Prepare yourself to explain which one you like best in French.
  Add 4 more castles of your choice located in Loire

• Evaluation:
  Exactitude of the facts and research on the locations.
  Research on more castles and addition of the pictures.
  Oral performance:
• 
  
  Lesson 2
  
  
• Lesson Title: Demain dès l’aube by Victor Hugo

• Type of Web 2.0 tool: Flickr
• Objectives: Students will be able
  to form and use future tense in French
  to recite the poem with the slide show they have made
  to appreciate one of the shortest but most poignant poem by Victor Hugo
• Description of the lesson
  Students will review the future tense in French.
  Identify the verbs in the poem
  Learn the vocabulary in the poem
  Make the slide show
  Memorize the poem
  Recite the poem
  
  Demain, dès l'aube...
  Demain, dès l'aube, à l'heure où blanchit la campagne,Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m'attends.J'irai par la forêt, j'irai par la montagne.Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps.Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées,Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit,Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées,Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit.Je ne regarderai ni l'or du soir qui tombe,Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur,Et quand j'arriverai, je mettrai sur ta tombeUn bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur.

• Evaluation :
  The slide show
  Oral performance
  Cloze test

Lesson Plans using Blogs

Lesson 1

Suggested level: French 3
Lesson Title: Impressionist Artists
Type of Web 2.0 Tool: Blogs
Objectives: To learn about impressionism and impressionist artists such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, Manet, and Morisot.
Brief Description of Overall Lesson: Show students impressionist paintings. Ask them if they are familiar with any of these artists or paintings. Discuss impressionism. What are the characteristics of impressionist style?

Blog: Whose paintings (or which artist) do you like most? Describe the characteristics of your artist.


Lesson 2

Suggested Level: French 4
Lesson Title: Paul Éluard
Type of Web 2.0 Tool: Blogs
Objectives: To read and understand the poem Liberté by Paul Éluard and to expand awareness of French history in the 20th century especially during the World War II.
Brief Description of Overall Lesson: Provide information about important periods and event of France in the 20th century. Then, students will do research on important people in science and politics, artists who participated in the French Resistance.

Blog: If you could add your own line to the poem, suggest other place where you would write the word liberté.