Bienvenue à la classe française !

Welcome to French 4 Honors!

We will be continuing our study of the French language and French culture this year, and increase our proficiency in using French in conversation. We will examine literature, film, music, art, and history. Besides your textbook, you will be watching films, reading works of literature, seeing some of the famous works of art, and listening to different forms of music and various renowned French performers. Besides the regular work in your textbook and workbook, you will be reading French magazines and newspapers, writing papers, making oral presentations, and we will converse in French in class as much as possible. Only by using a language, can you become comfortable with it. One of our activities this year will be the reading of "Carmen" by Prosper Mérimée, followed by the libretto of the opera "Carmen" by Georges Bizet. On the evening of January 21, 2010 we will travel to Lincoln Center in New York City to see a performance of the opera "Carmen" at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Be prepared, by the end of the first week of class, to discuss your summer reading of “Horton Entend un Zou!” by Dr. Seuss.

Materials required each day in class:

Textbook and workbook: Discovering French Rouge

Various literary works will be provided for you

Ring binder with dividers, paper, and folder (you will receive many handouts, and need a secure place to keep them)

French/English dictionary

French Club: You are strongly encouraged to join the French Club and participate in all the meetings and activities. It is a fun way to learn more about the French world. It is also one of the requirements for membership in the French Honor Society.

I hope that our plans for the year will contribute to your enjoyment of all aspects of the French language and the French people.

I can be contacted at : 973-226-0660, ext. 1125, or email:

idepaolo@msdacademy.org

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14

Monday:

You will receive the course expectations (in French), and the questions about your summer reading of "Horton Entend un Zou". The questions will be due next Monday.

Tuesday:

We will begin the review of last year's work with the beginning of the workbook and textbook dealing with the use and forms of adjectives.

In class (in French) tell what yu did this past summer.

Wednesday:

We will continue review with terms and verbs following avoir.

We will also begin our study of the culture of France and Francophone countries with a look at the culture and music of the island of Guadeloupe via the oral listening (for pronunciation) from the on-line magazine of "Think French"

Thursday

We will finish the "Think French" article by listening to the Zouk music of the island sung in the native patois.

Friday

We will continue our review with oral reading for vocabulary work and pronunciation review of the next part of the Textbook review.

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21

Monday

The questions on Horton are due.

We will discuss the book in class.

Tuesday

We will begin to look at famous figures in French history with Vercingetorix and Clovis, and questions about the reading

Thursday and Friday

We will continue with the workbook and textbook review sections of terms involving avoir, etre, venir de, present and passe compose tenses.

We will continue with French history with an article about Charlemagne.

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28

Monday and Tuesday: we will watch "Finding Nemo" in French

Tuesday, we will also go over the questions about Charlemagne.

You will receive grammar exercises on French plurals and gender recognition.

Thursday we will go over the grammar exercises, and continue history with an article about William the Conqueror

Friday we will do some online exercises using the grammar of this section.