Animals of the World...in French!
Contributed by
Emily Carter
Posted Wednesday August 23, 2006
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Featured Toy in this Lesson Plan
Magnetic Animal Puzzle
Fat Brain Toys Item #: ND104
One magnetic animal for every letter of the alphabet! The included steel board makes this puzzle ideal for travel. The other side of the board (not shown) is an illustration of several animal’s habitats, allowing for creative "non-structured” play.
Click here for complete product details...
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Name of Fat Brain Toy(s) Incorporated
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Magnetic Animal Puzzle
Fat Brain Toys Item #: ND104 |
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| Academic Level/Grade |
4th,5th,6th,7th,8th,9th,10th |
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| Number of Students Designed For |
1+ |
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| General Subject Area |
Foreign Languages |
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| Materials Needed |
Magnetic Animal Puzzle, Item #ND104
Animals of the World poster included in the box (You may want to have it laminated to make it easier to hold up for this lesson...it will last longer on your wall, too!)
French/English Dictionary, one per student
Pencil and paper, one per student
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Stated Objectives
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This would be a good item to use as:
* an introduction to foreign language by simply learning the names of the animals and letters of the alphabet in French
*a translation exercise for more advanced students
Not only will the students be learning interesting facts about 26 different animals, but they will also be able to practice translation skills.
This is a great product for homeschoolers, because the English translation is right on the other side of the poster...so the homeschooled educator who is learning along with her children does not need to be intimidated by it! |
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Student Response
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Children love to impress their friends with unusual and intersting things they have learned. They will love to show off their knowledge of the animals included in this activity, by sharing the names of the animals in French or reciting the paragraph to friends who have no idea what they are saying!
It is fun for the children to incorporate aspects of play into their everyday learning. Most children will respond well to the challenge presented, and they will enjoy putting the puzzle together and playing with the magnetic animal pieces when the lesson is over.
(Even adults like the challenge of fitting all the animal pieces together...try putting this puzzle out on the coffee table when you have guests and watch your children amaze them with their French knowledge of the animals as they try and piece the animals together!) |
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How was the Fat Brain Toys product used?
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Depending on the age, interest, and ability of the children, you can use this product in several different ways.
Take the included 'Animals of the World Poster' out of the box and hold it up in front of you, with the French side facing the students. (You may want to take note of the English names for each animal on the other side, as some of the animals are not so common!) Have the students identify each animal by name in English first. They can do this by using the puzzle pieces or by pointing to the poster. For younger students still learning the French alphabet, say the name of each letter that the animal corresponds with as you point to the animal.
From this point, I will separate the remainder of the lesson into two parts. The first part will be for younger students who are just having an introduction to foreign language. The second will be for more advanced students who have had at least one year or more of French study.
1. For younger students:
At this point, you may choose three or four animals that seem to be the childrens' favorites. Teach them the French names for the animals. As they learn the French names, you may want to read to them the paragraph from the English side of the poster that tells about each animal. Help the children repeat each animal's name until they have them memorized.
Practice this every day with the students, adding two or more new animals per day, until the students can recite both the French alphabet and names of the animals with ease. This is really a fun way for the students to learn the French alphabet and have an introduction to foreign language by learning the animal names.
2. For older students:
Challenge your students to find the names of the animals in French by themselves first, by using their own knowledge, a dictionary, or the internet. If you have more than one student, make this a competition. You may want to divide your students into teams.
Once they have correctly identified each animal, it is time to move on. (You may have to supply a few of the names yourself for the more exotic creatures). If you have one student, have them choose three or four animals to start with. For teams, have each team choose three or four animals.
For each animal chosen, the student(s) should copy onto their own paper the French paragraph telling about the animal. They should use a separate sheet of paper for each animal.
When all of the paragraphs have been copied (for larger groups, you may want to just photocopy the paragraphs), time the students in translating the paragraph to English. Have them first translate what they can without using any other resources, then use dictionaries or the internet as needed to supplement their knowledge.
For one student: Keep a record of the time. Ask the child to do this exercise for several days in a row until all of the paragraphs have been copied. Challenge the student to beat his translation time each day.
For more than one student: Time the translation period. The team with the shortest time (and correct translation) wins! You can check for accuracy by using the English side of the poster if needed.
When the students have correctly translated each paragraph, have them choose two or more of their favorite animals and memorize the French paragraph. They can recite this from memory in front of a family or classroom group for practice with spoken French. |
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How was it helpful to the lesson?
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This is an affordable way to add something new and intersting to your foreign language curriculum. This product fascinates the students in many ways. Most children love animals and will respond to learning more enthusiastically when they are learning about something that interests them. The puzzle is challenging both for younger students and older students, and draws them into the activity. Having the English translation readily available makes it a good resource for home-educating parents who may not have had years of French study themselves.
Overall, this product provides several different ways to learn, is fun to use, and can be played with when the lesson is completed so the children will be reminded of what they have learned! |
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Measurable Learning Observed
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For students just having an introduction to foreign language, the ability to recite the French alphabet and know the names of 26 different animals can be observed in their participation in repeating the words themselves.
For older students, their completed work of translation will speak for itself. Memorizing and reciting the paragraphs will provide further reinforcement in the spoken language. |
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Extended Activities
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Older children can also translate the paragraphs from English to French, which can be more challenging for them.
For younger children, research on the internet the French words for the sounds some of the animals make. It is interesting that each language represents animal sounds in different ways. Children will find this interesting and funny! |
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Additional Information
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Be sure to pull the magnetic pieces apart yourself before giving it to the children...the puzzle is not cut all the way through when you receive it, so you will need to pull it apart carefully. An adult can quite easily do this, but the children may bend and distort the puzzle. |
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