Bonjour Back to School

Overview

A 110-minute engaging and culturally immersive French language lesson for 6th graders returning from the Christmas break. The lesson incorporates speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills aligned with Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (Grades 6-8) adapted for world language learning. Activities promote reactivation of prior knowledge, cultural appreciation, and collaborative language use.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Recall and use common French greetings and expressions related to returning to school (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1, SL.6.4)
Read aloud and interpret short dialogues about holidays and school routines in French (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1, RL.6.4)
Write a simple paragraph describing their Christmas break using basic French vocabulary and phrase structures (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2)
Collaborate effectively in pairs and small groups to engage in conversation and complete tasks (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1b, SL.6.1c)
Demonstrate understanding of cultural similarities and differences between French-speaking countries’ holiday traditions and their own (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3)

Materials

Projector or Smartboard
Audio clips of French holiday greetings and short dialogues
Printed vocabulary flashcards (Christmas & school-related)
Whiteboards and markers for students
Blank postcards templates (French holiday theme)
“Mon Noël” paragraph organizer worksheets
Sticky notes

Standards Addressed

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts - Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, including building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4: Present claims and findings clearly, emphasizing the most important points.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3: Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text.

Lesson Timeline

0-10 minutes | Welcome and Warm-Up (Speaking & Listening)

Activity: Teacher greets students in French with short, familiar phrases (e.g., "Bonjour! Comment ça va?" "J’espère que vous avez passé un bon Noël!").
Objective: Activate prior knowledge; students respond with simple greetings.
Assessment: Informal observation of student participation and pronunciation.

10-25 minutes | Vocabulary Reactivation & Introduction

Activity: Flashcard game - Display holiday and school-related vocabulary (e.g., Noël, vacances, école, retour, amis, la neige). Students choral repeat and then do a “quick draw” to illustrate assigned words on whiteboards.
Use context clues in French to guess meaning (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4).
Objective: Refresh holiday/school vocabulary and pronunciation; build visual connections.
Assessment: Review drawings and oral responses.

25-45 minutes | Listening & Reading Comprehension

Activity: Play an audio clip of a short French dialogue about returning to school after Christmas, including greetings and mentioning holiday activities. Project the text transcript.
Students listen twice, then answer comprehension questions written in English ("What did Sophie do during Christmas?" "How does Paul feel about going back to school?").
Pair students to discuss answers in French as much as possible, guided by sentence starters.
Objective: Build listening comprehension and reinforce cultural context.
Assessment: Pair discussions monitored for use of French phrases and accuracy; responses to questions.

45-55 minutes | Break & Movement Activity

Activity: “Find someone who…” in French – students circulate, asking classmates questions like "Est-ce que tu as visité ta famille pour Noël?" and writing names as answers on sticky notes.
Objective: Encourage speaking and social interaction in French.
Assessment: Completion of sticky notes with correct questions and answers.

55-80 minutes | Writing Task – My Christmas Break

Activity: Students plan and write a simple paragraph "Mon Noël" describing what they did during the break using a graphic organizer with sentence starters and vocabulary list.
Teacher models an example paragraph on the board.
Students write draft, then peer-edit in pairs focusing on vocabulary use and sentence structure.
Objective: Practice writing coherent sentences in French relating to personal experience (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2).
Assessment: Collect paragraphs to assess vocabulary accuracy and content relevance.

80-100 minutes | Cultural Comparison Discussion & Presentation

Activity: Class views short projected images or videos describing Christmas traditions in Francophone countries (e.g., France, Quebec).
Teacher facilitates discussion eliciting similarities and differences compared to students’ traditions, using guiding questions in French and English.
In small groups, students create a quick poster or digital slide summarizing one tradition using French keywords.
Groups present to class using simple French sentences.
Objective: Develop cultural awareness and oral presentation skills (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4).
Assessment: Group presentations evaluated for effort, understanding, and use of vocabulary.

100-110 minutes | Closing & Reflection

Activity: Exit ticket — On a sticky note, students write one new French word or phrase they learned today and one question they have about French culture or language.
Teacher collects and reviews these notes for formative assessment and to plan next steps.
End with a cheerful class-wide “Joyeux retour!” (Happy return).
Objective: Consolidate learning and promote student reflection.
Assessment: Exit tickets reviewed for content understanding.

Differentiation and Scaffolding

Provide bilingual vocabulary lists and visuals for English learners or struggling students.
Encourage advanced students to add details or use connectors like "et", "mais", "parce que" in writing.
Use peer support during pair and group activities to build confidence.

Extensions and Home Connections

Homework: Students interview a family member about their holiday traditions, then write 3-5 sentences in French about what they learned.
Encourage use of online or classroom French resources and apps for vocabulary practice.

This plan encourages a balanced integration of language skills with cultural insights, designed to spark curiosity and confidence in students re-engaging with French after the holiday break. The use of technology, movement, peer collaboration, and creative output ensures a dynamic classroom environment tailored for 6th grade learners.

Teaching Instructions