AP French Language and Culture Syllabus—Student Edition
Course Overview
The AP French Language and Culture course is an advanced study of language and culture. This
course is designed as a culmination of students’ French studies. This course provides intensive
preparation for the AP French Language and Culture Exam through speaking, oral comprehension,
advanced reading and composition, vocabulary development and grammar review. When
communicating, students in this course are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the
culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (connections), and make comparisons between the
target language and their native languages in real-life settings.
The class is conducted almost exclusively in French and students likewise are expected to
communicate in French.
Course Planner
The course is designed in units based on the six themes for the AP French Language and Culture
Examination:
La Famille et La Communauté
La Quête de Soi
La Vie Contemporaine
Les Défis Mondiaux
La Science et La Technologie
L’Esthétique
Families and Communities
Personal and Public Identities
Contemporary Life
Global Challenges
Science and Technology
Beauty and Aesthetics
Students will be engaged in speaking, reading, writing and listening comprehension activities in
French throughout each of the thematic units.
Evaluation
Grades will be based on daily work, participation in class discussions, quizzes, tests, projects and
exams. Speaking and writing assignments are evaluated holistically.
Unit 1—Families and Communities
September/October
 Study vocabulary associated with family and relationships
 Discuss the dynamics of their own families with a partner, using pictures of each student's
choice. This information will then be shared with the class as a whole.
 Watch the film clip of Le Télégramme from Imaginez.
 Compare and contrast today’s family structure with that of the post WWII era.
 Read, discuss and react in writing to an article from “Internet Actuel” (Les Pères Changent).
 Read and listen to Jour de Mariage from Imaginez regarding an Algerian wedding.
 Watch the video of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock’s civil ceremony.
 Compare and contrast, in writing, the differences between American, French and Algerian
weddings.
 Debate the changing role of families.
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Read and analyze Tout bouge autour de moi by Haitian author Dany Laferrière from
Imaginez regarding the Haitian earthquake in 2010.
Write a journal entry pertaining to a personal life-changing event.
Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to the family.
Complete corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language and
Culture Examination book.
o Interpretive Communication Print # 5, 17, 18, 20, 34
o Interpretive Communication Audio # 2, 15, 30
Grammar review: verbs—irregular, spelling change reflexive and reciprocal
Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing families and communities.
Unit 2—Personal and Public Identities: Multiculturalism
October/November
 Study vocabulary associated with immigration.
 Analyze, discuss and participate in interactive activities about French colonization and
contemporary immigration, and the dilemma of the veil
 View excerpts concerning multiculturalism from the films “Paris, je t’aime” and “Entre les
murs.”
 Compare and contrast their own high school atmosphere and problems with “Entre les Murs”
 Discuss how clothing plays a role in one’s identity or the identity of high school groups
 Listen to and discuss song “Ma France à moi” by Diam’s.
 Read articles from Le Monde, France-Amérique and Le Figaro regarding the law against the
burqa
 With a partner, write and present a “pour” and “contre” list about the French burqa law.
 Read and react in writing to Le Racisme expliqué à ma fille by Tahar Ben Jelloun.
 Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to immigration and multiculturalism.
 Complete corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language and
Culture Examination book.
o Interpretive Communication Print # 9, 14, 22, 25, 37, 38, 39
o Interpretive Communication Print/Audio # 9
o Interpretive Communication Audio # 20, 27
o Interpersonal Writing e-mail # 3, 8
o Presentational Writing Essay # 3
o Interpersonal Speaking Conversation # 8
o Presentational Speaking # 8, 9, 11
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Grammar review: verb tenses, si clauses and associated tenses, quand clauses and associated
tenses
Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing multiculturalism.
Unit 3—Contemporary Life
December/January
 Study vocabulary found in Imaginez and associated with the authentic materials used by
each student regarding education, holidays and celebrations, housing and shelter, sports,
rites of passage and quality of life.
 Read and discuss the following articles from Imaginez: “La Souveraineté du Québec,” “Les
Francophones d’Amérique,” “Haïti, soif de liberté," "L’Afrique de l’ouest, Destination:
dunes !" "L’Afrique du Nord et de Liban, Voyage inoubliable!" "La Belgique, la Suisse et le
Luxembourg, Des cités cosmopolites."
 Select a francophone country of interest to each student and, by using authentic sources, the
student researches the country and prepares an oral presentation in the form of a PowerPoint,
video, etc... for the class as well as a written essay for the teacher, including a bibliography.
The student should address the themes mentioned above, as well as a comparison of the
francophone country to their own culture and quality of life.
 Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to the various francophonies.
 Complete corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language and
Culture Examination book.
o Interpretive Communication Print # 2, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 21, 27, 33, 40
o Interpretive Communication Print/Audio # 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20
o Interpretive Communication Audio # 6, 10, 11, 13, 28, 31
o Interpersonal Writing e-mail # 1, 5, 6, 9
o Presentational Writing Essay # 4
o Interpersonal Speaking Conversation # 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
o Presentational Speaking # 2, 3, 5, 7
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Grammar review: subjunctive and relative clauses
Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing francophone countries and their
cultures.
Unit 4—Global Challenges
February
 Study vocabulary associated with nature and environment and associated with the authentic
materials used by each student.
 Read and discuss L'Homme qui plantait les arbres.
 View, discuss and react in writing to the film that accompanies this text.
 Listen to and discuss the two songs: "Aux Arbres Citoyens" by Yannick Noah and "Respire"
by Micky 3D.
 Read and analyze the poem "Baobab" by Jean-Baptiste Tati-Loutard in Imaginez.
 Research a global challenge that interests the student, paying particular attention to the
francophone country that they have researched. Students may then work in pairs to present a
news broadcast about the global challenge in that country. Students will prepare a list of
essential vocabulary and teach it to the class prior to the broadcast. Students will submit a
written summary, including a bibliography, of the global challenge to the teacher.
 Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to global challenges.
 Complete any corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language
and Culture Examination book.
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Interpretive Communication Print # 1, 19, 28, 30
Interpretive Communication Print/Audio # 1, 5, 15, 19
Interpretive Communication Audio # 5, 7, 14, 21, 29, 33
Interpersonal Writing e-mail # 2, 10
Presentational Writing Essay # 1, 5
Interpersonal Speaking Conversation # 10
Presentational Speaking # 6, 12, 13, 14, 15
Grammar review: Prepositions following verbs, relative pronouns and adjectives,
demonstrative pronouns and adjectives.
Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing global challenges.
Unit 5—Science and Technology
March
 Study vocabulary associated with technology and social networking.
 Watch and analyze the film clip "Dépendance" in Imaginez.
 Write a journal entry addressing addiction to your technology.
 Read, discuss and complete oral and written activities for "Solitude Numérique" by Didier
Daeninckx in Imaginez.
 Discuss how technology has changed our personal relationships with our families, friends
and "significant others." Class will be divided into three groups to prepare for a panel
discussion: l'impact de la technologie sur la famille, l'amitié et l'amour.
 Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to technology use, social networking, and e-books.
 Complete any corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language
and Culture Examination book.
o Interpretive Communication Print # 4, 23, 29
o Interpretive Communication Print/Audio # 3, 7, 10, 11, 13
o Interpretive Communication Audio # 4, 9, 12, 22, 23, 25
o Interpersonal Writing e-mail # 4, 7
o Presentational Writing Essay # 6, 7, 8, 9
o Interpersonal Speaking Conversation # 3
o Presentational Speaking # 4, 10
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Grammar review: past participles used as adjectives, infinitives and present participles
Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing the use of technology and
social networking.
Unit 6—Beauty and Aesthetics
April/May
 Study vocabulary associated with the fine arts (music, visual arts, performing arts).
 Watch and discuss the film "La Vie en Rose" about the life of Edith Piaf.
 Compare and contrast in writing her life and rise to fame with a current musician.
 Select and view a francophone movie of their choice that fits with one of the six themes of
the course and/or the francophone country they have previously researched. Students may
work in partners to prepare an "At the Movies" presentation for the class which summarizes
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the movie and makes comparisons about cultural perspectives between French, francophone
and American cinema
Read and react in writing to excerpts from Le Petit Prince by St. Exupéry.
Complete any listening and internet activities from “Sept Jours sur la Planète” or “Yabla”
that correspond to the fine arts.
Complete any corresponding activities in the Ladd AP French: Preparing for the Language
and Culture Examination book.
o Interpretive Communication Print # 3, 7, 8, 10, 24, 26, 31, 32, 35, 36
o Interpretive Communication Print/Audio # 16
o Interpretive Communication Audio # 1, 3, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19, 24, 26, 32
o Presentational Writing Essay # 2
o Presentational Speaking # 1
General grammar review before the AP exam as determined by the needs of the class.
Final Projects
May following the Exam
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Review the lives and works of French artists, studied in previous years of French.
Journal entry addressing overcoming difficulties in life to reach success. References should
be made to the lives of famous French people.
Visit a museum for a guided tour of their French art collection.
For the final project/exam, students engage in a variety of projects. These may include, but
are not limited to topics such as francophone cuisine, famous francophone people and
current francophone personalities. The projects will be presented in a creative format.