International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme
Language B : French
Teacher: Karen Motz
IB Coordinator: James T. Davis II
Head of School: Karin Pearson
This course is designed for those students wishing to increase proficiency in the target language through rigorous study of authentic materials, self-expression
in speech and in writing, and a commitment to nearly exclusive use of the language when interacting with the teacher or other students. An appropriate range of
grammatical structures will be reviewed and/or taught, integrated with the study of contemporary themes to enable the acquisition of vocabulary in context, and to
elicit spirited discussions and composition. Students will advance their appreciation and understanding of the culture(s) where the target language is spoken. The
evaluation of each student’s progress will include internal and external assessments of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
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The aims are to:
develop students’ intercultural understanding
enable students to understand and use the language they have studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes
encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of the different perspectives of people
from other cultures
develop students’ awareness of the role of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
develop students’ awareness of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar
provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language provide the opportunity for
enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge of an additional language.
IB FRENCH
Unit 1: Les relations sociales (Social Relations)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
TOPIC 1: La famille et l’identité
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Poème et interprétation à l’oral
 Quels sont les différents
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
(recording): “Père mère” de
types de famille?
Leçons
1,
2
et
6
Lamine Diop (écrivain sénégalais)
 Quel est le rôle de chacun
dans la famille?
Other timely, relevant sources
 Les grands-parents, quel
from current publications or the
rôle jouent-ils dans la
Internet.
famille? Dans la société?
 Comment s’identifie-t-on
dans la communauté?
 Comment la langue et la
culture influencent-elles
l’identité?
ASSESSMENT: Various formative and summative assessments, quizzes, graded speaking and formal writing
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Readings and discussion
Role plays
Review of verbs irregular in
the present tense
Short speech—photo of
family event
Essay on an admired
member of the family
Listening comprehension
and discussion of “Père
mère”
IB FRENCH
Unit 1: Les relations sociales
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke, Vista
Higher Learning, 2012
Leçon 1
Poème: “Le Pont Mirabeau” de
Guillaume Apollinaire
Récit de journal: “Les rencontres sur
Internet: un conte de fees?” (Le Figaro
en ligne 2006)
Musique: “Mon amour me revient” de
Mireille Mathieu
Vidéo: “Le Télégramme” (Vista)
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
TOPIC 2: L’amitié et l’amour
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


L’ami(e) idéal(e), c’est qui?
Quelles qualités sont
essentielles dans un ami, un
voisin, un(e) partenaire?
Quel est le rôle des amis dans
la vie?
Tomber amoureux, c’est quoi,
alors?!

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Review the formation of
questions
Review and expand the idioms
with avoir and faire
Practice listening to music and
Cloze exercise
Practice listening
comprehension and eventual
discussion of the video, “Le
Télégramme”
ASSESSMENT: Various formative and summative assessments, verb quizzes, reading comprehension questions, role play
IB FRENCH
Unit 1: Les relations sociales
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
TOPIC 3: À l’école et au travail
Essai: “Émile ou de l’éducation”
 Quels sont les avantages et Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Review of the imperative
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
(extrait) de Jean-Jacques Rousseau
les inconvénients du
 Review of personal
Leçons
1,
2
et
9
système scolaire
pronouns
Récit de journal: “Pour progresser
américain?
 Expansion of school
en français, arrêtez de 4réviser!”
 Comparaison du système
vocabulary
(Le
Figaro
en
ligne,
le
4
juin
2010)
scolaire américain avec
 Discuss the importance of
celui de France, de Canada,
“relevant” academic
Poème: “Enfance” de Marieet/ou d’autres pays
courses
Thérèse
Rouil,
francophones—et
 Debate the value of
Présence africaine No 57, 1966.
comment affecte-t-il le
standardized tests
rapport entre les élèves?
 Follow-up “Enfance” with
“Inscrivez-vous!” (Shein 259-61,
 Quel/Comment est le
discussion of who
AMSCO)
rapport entre les élèves et
determines what is taught
les profs?
in schools
 On est prêt à aller au
 Role play—job interview
travail?
ASSESSMENT: Grammar and vocabulary quizzes; short essay taking a position on a curricular question; Interactive oral activity
IB FRENCH
Unit 1: Les relations sociales
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 4: La formation des préjugés et des discriminations
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Comment est-ce qu’un
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
enfant développe son
Leçon 4
identité?
 Quels sont les éléments qui
influencent l’identité?
 Qui, à part la famille, aide à
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Other timely, relevant sources
from current publications or the
Internet.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Review of the past tenses:
le passé composé,
l’imparfait, le plus-queparfait
Discussion of family
traditions
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former l’identité d’une
personne?
Discussion of religious,
cultural and/or holiday
traditions
ASSESSMENT: Brief formative assessments of grammatical concepts; short essay on one aspect of tradition or custom that shapes the identity of a
child
Paper 1: Receptive Skills
IB FRENCH
Unit 2: La diversité culturelle (Cultural Diversity)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
TOPIC 1: Les stéréotypes
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Video: “Der Schwarzfahrer”
 Quel est le rapport entre
 Review of the future tenses
l’identité personnelle et les Vista Higher Learning, 2012
 Review of the conditional
Leçon 4
“Quand la pub joue avec les
stéréotypes?
tenses
stéréotypes” de Delphine Ménard,
 Quel rôle, la langue, joue-t Drawing and discussion of
French B Course Companion,
elle dans le développement
stereotypes
Trumper
and
Israel,
Oxford
des stéréotypes?
 Discussion of language and
University Press 2011.
 Comment sont les Français
word choice in describing
et les Américains typiques?
others
Est-ce que ces images sont
 Guest speaker, if available
réelles ou vraies?
 Quelles vérités contribuent
à la formation des
stéréotypes ?
ASSESSMENT: Grammar quizzes, launch a campaign to promote tolerance with a TV spot (public service announcement) and an accompanying
brochure
IB FRENCH
Unit 2: La diversité culturelle
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
TOPIC 2: Les clichés en question?
 Quel est le rapport entre
les stéréotypes et les
préjugés?
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Leçons 4 et 6
Other timely, relevant sources
from current publications or the
Internet.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Reading and discussion
Create a how-to list of ways
to encourage tolerance at

Qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire
pour encourager la
tolérance ?
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home and at school
Introduce the sequence of
tenses in French si- and
quand- clauses
Discuss first-person
experiences with prejudice
or judging a book by its
cover
ASSESSMENT: Describe in writing and/or in speech the ideal world where people would not be judged by superficial and cliché criteria; brief
formative assessments to check sentence structure issues; composition of original sentences using si and quand
IB FRENCH
Unit 2: La diversité culturelle
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 3: Le passé, le présent et l’avenir
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Comment l’histoire
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
française a-t-elle influence
Leçon 4
le développement des
préjugés?
 Comment vivre dans la
France multiculturelle
d’aujourd’hui?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Music and video: “La femme
grillagée”
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Video: De l’autre côté (Vista
Leçon 7)
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Other timely, relevant sources
from current publications or the
Internet.
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HL Literature: L’Étranger par
Albert Camus (This novel brings
together the study of human
character and indifference, and the
cultural experiences and influences
of French Algerians along with the
Arab-French tension. It is an
Learn and practice the
sequence of tenses,
continued
Read and retell
Discuss the French
presence in northern Africa
Discuss the African-Muslim
presence in metropolitan
France
existentialist classic, and while the
philosophy is deep, the language is
very manageable.)
ASSESSMENT: Reading comprehension passages and questions; essay for HL students
IB FRENCH
Unit 2 : La diversité culturelle
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
TOPIC 4 : Le français dans le monde
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Quel est le résultat de la
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
colonisation ?
 Quelles sont les différences Leçon 5
linguistiques dans les
diverses régions
francophones ?
 Quel est le rôle des
dialectes/patois ?
Article: “La Langue Créole” from
French B Course Companion,
Trumper and Israel, Oxford
University Press 2011, p. 100.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Learn to express what has
been heard or read from
another source (indirect
discourse)
 Learn geographical terms,
French-African and/or Frenche.g., the names of
Canadian literature (excerpt) or
countries, continents, and
poetry
cultural regions, plus the
prepositions used to
express “in” or “at” those
locations
 Locate French-speaking
places on the map
 Investigate French place
names in the USA and
Canada
ASSESSMENT: Find examples of indirect discourse in the readings and identify the tenses used; brief summative quiz on geographical terms; write
and deliver a “toast” to an African nation on the occasion of its independence
IB FRENCH
Unit 3 : Les défis mondiaux (Global Issues)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
TOPIC 1 : L’environnement
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Video : L’homme qui plantait des
Quelles sont les ressources Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
arbres
naturelles qu’on peut
Leçon 10
identifier ?
Vocabulary : Animals
 Quels problèmes défient le
Vocabulary : Materials/Substances
monde naturel ?
 Quels problèmes politiques
et économiques qui
menacent le monde
naturel ?
ASSESSMENT: Poster and brochure project—let’s protect our environment! Interactive oral activity
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Read and retell
Circumlocution and word
games
Role plays
The sequence of tenses,
continued
Passive voice
Debate on saving the trees
vs. deforestation
IB FRENCH
Unit 3 : Les défis mondiaux
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 2 : Les affaires internationales et l’économie
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Quels sont les effets de la
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
richesse et de la pauvreté
Leçon 9
sur la population du
monde ?
 On dit que le monde
devient de plus en plus
petit. Quelles sont les
implications économiques ?
 Quels changements sont
nécessaires dans
l’éducation ou la
préparation de la
génération à suivre ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Music : « Chanson de l’Auvergnat »
de Georges Brassens
News articles on multinational
corporations
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Cloze exercise with
Brassens song
Read and retell
Read, discuss, summarize
Identify cognates in text
Create own vocabulary list
The infinitive
The present participle
Faire causatif
ASSESSMENT: Interview of prospective employee for a position with an international company ; formative and summative assessments of grammar
and vocabulary
IB FRENCH
Unit 3 : Les défis mondiaux
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
TOPIC 3 : Les droits de l’homme
 Qu’est-ce que c’est, La
Déclaration universelle des
droits de l’homme ?
 Quel est le rôle des Nations
Unies ?
 Comment est-ce que le rôle
de la femme a changé ? Y
a-t-il de l’égalité ?
 Quels sont les droits de
l’enfant ?
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Leçon 5
La Déclaration universelle des
droits de l’homme
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Music : Haitian rap « La rage »

Discussion of the rights of
man, providing examples of
their violation
Discussion of human rights
and ranking the top three
in importance
ASSESSMENT: Read a French newspaper online and find an example of the violation of human rights in the world , then explain in own words the
issue and propose a solution
IB FRENCH
Unit 3 : Les défis mondiaux
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 4 : La santé globale : medecine et éthique
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Quelles conditions et
maladies menacent la santé Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Leçon 6
et le bien-être de la
population ?
 Les transplantations et les
vaccins sont souvent à
court. Qui détermine qui
va les obtenir ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
News article : « L’Obésité
infantile : les jeux-vidéo mis en
cause » (Le Figaro en ligne)
« Les repas d’hier et
d’aujourd’hui » (Shein 283-5,
AMSCO)
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Debate pro/con genetic
information that predicts a
deadly disease
Identify cognates
“To do” list for Les
Médecins sans 9rontiers
Prepositions

Comment est-ce que nous
allons nourrir le monde ?
 Comment est-ce qu’on va
contrôler les problèmes de
nutrition et d’obésité aux
États-Unis ?
ASSESSMENT: Compose a letter to the president, identifying the most pressing global concern (in your opinion) and a possible solution. Individual
oral assessment
IB FRENCH
Unit 4 : Communications et médias (Communication and the media)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
TOPIC 1 : La propagande
 Comment utilise-t-on la
langue pour manipuler le
public ?
 Où trouve-t-on la
propagande aujourd’hui ?
 Les émissions de télé :
comment forment-elles
l’image populaire de tout ?
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Leçon 3
Political speeches
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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Une émission de télé
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ASSESSMENT: Write and deliver a campaign speech, persuading us to vote for you !
Review and reinforce the
formation and use of all
past tenses
Debate: TV should be
banned for all children
under ten years of age.
Listening comprehension
practice and paraphrases
Interactive oral activity
IB FRENCH
Unit 4 : Communications et médias (Communication and the media)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
TOPIC 2 : La publicité
 Où trouve-t-on la
publicité ?
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Video : French TV commercials
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

Possessive adjectives and
pronouns

Quelle sorte d’influence la
publicité a-t-elle sur le
public ?
Leçon 3
YouTube : Oreo commercials
Magazine ads
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
Read ads and identify
persuasive verbs and
adjectives
Compare advertising from
two or more
countries/cultures
ASSESSMENT: Create a magazine ad or a TV commercial to sell a common household object (e.g., a paper clip)
IB FRENCH
Unit 4 : Communications et médias (Communication and the media)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 3 : Les nouvelles technologies
 La technologie, comment a Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
–t-elle changé la vie
quotidienne depuis 1900 ? Leçon 7
depuis 2000 ?
 Est-ce qu’on devrait
permettre l’usage des
téléphones mobiles au
lycée ? pourquoi ou
pourquoi pas ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Timely, relevant sources from
current publications or the
Internet.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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
Video: Dépendance

Placement of adverbs in
past tense sentences
Interview a senior citizen
about how technology has
changed during his/her
lifetime and report to class
in the target language
Debate the permitted use
of cell phones at school
ASSESSMENT: Write a letter to the school principal, urging a change of policy on the use of cell phones, iPods or other technologies at school.
IB FRENCH
Unit 4 : Communications et médias (Communication and the media)
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 4 : Internet et communications en ligne
 Comment est-ce que les
règlements de politesse ont Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
changé avec les nouveaux
moyens de communiquer ? Leçon 7
 L’internet a beaucoup
changé les recherches et les
devoirs. A-t-il changé aussi
les règlements et les
attitudes envers
l’honnêteté ?
 Comment l’internet a-t-il
changé le shopping ?
 Quels effets négatifs de
l’internet voit-on quant aux
divertissements (la
musique, les films, la télé,
etc.) ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Timely, relevant sources from
current publications or the
Internet.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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
Examples of French, Creole,
Canadian music online.


Discussion of online
research and personal
standards of honesty
Past participles used as
adjectives
The Subjunctive
Create own vocabulary lists
ASSESSMENT: Brief formative and summative assessments of vocabulary and grammar; reading and listening comprehension exercises
Written assignment: Receptive and written productive skills
IB FRENCH
Unit 5 : Les sciences et la technologie
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 1: L’environnement
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 La déforestation et
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
l’absence des lieux
Leçon 7
d’habitation affectent
beaucoup d’animaux,
d’insectes et d’oiseaux.
Quelles sont les
implications pour la terre et
ses habitants ?
 Qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire
pour éliminer ou contrôler
la pollution des eaux et de
l’air ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
HL Literature : L’homme qui
plantait des arbres par Jean Giono
(This novel is about the power of
one person to enact change in the
environment and to influence
others to care. It ties in especially
well with this unit because of the
vocabulary learned here and the
focus on issues related to the
environment and how they impact
all aspects of a society’s
existence—from the simple, daily
routine to the stimulus of the
economy. Despite the obvious
connection to this unit, the novel
recalls the virtues of fortitude and
selflessness which harken back to
earlier units.))
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
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


The comparative and
superlative degrees of
adjectives and adverbs
The subjunctive used with
doubt and after certain
conjunctions
Read and discuss the plight
of animals
Create animal fables with a
lesson about caring for the
environment
Vocabulary : plants and flowers
Vocabulary : insects
Timely, relevant sources from
current publications or the
Internet.
ASSESSMENT: Formative and summative assessments of vocabulary and grammar
Paper 2: Written productive skills
IB FRENCH
Unit 5 : Les sciences et la technologie
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
TOPIC 2: L’exploration
 Qu’est-ce qu’il y a hors du
système solaire?
 Qu’est-ce qu’il y a sous les
mers ?
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
Leçon 7
Article et video: Jacques-Yves
Cousteau
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES


Timely, relevant sources from
current publications or the
Internet.
Formation and use of the
perfect subjunctive
Reading for
content/comprehension
ASSESSMENT: Plan an adventure in which you will explore someplace new. Make checklists of what will be necessary, desirable, and permitted, and
lists of clothing and other provisions to bring along, etc., tying the vocabulary and subjunctive phrases into the fantasy.
IB FRENCH
Unit 5 : Les sciences et la technologie
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 3 : Les gens dans les sciences
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Qui sont les Français qui
Vista Higher Learning, 2012
ont contribué aux
Leçon 7
sciences ?
 Quelles sont les carrières
possibles pour ceux qui
étudient les sciences ?
 Comment les ordinateurs
ont-ils affecté les
recherches et les études ?
ASSESSMENT: Vocabulary quizzes, speaking assessment—mock interview
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Biographies of Marie Curie, Louis
Pasteur, Steve Jobs, and others
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

Vocabulary: computers

Mock interview of a
scientist, in which
biographical details and
info about research are
revealed
Discussion of career
possibilities
IB FRENCH
Unit 5 : Les sciences et la technologie
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS
PRIMARY MATERIALS
TOPIC 4 : Les inventions et la science
Imaginez, 2e Édition, Mitschke,
 Qu’est-ce qu’on apprend
des recherches sur les plus Vista Higher Learning, 2012
petites particules connues ? Leçon 7
 Qu’est-ce qu’on apprend
concernant le corps
humain ?
 Les sciences ont affecté
même la gastronomie.
Comment est-ce que la
cuisine a évolué dans les
années récentes ?
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
CERN : Conseil européen pour la
recherche nucléaire
Article : French-speaking
Switzerland
Travel video : Switzerland
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES


Discussion or debate on the
pros and cons of nuclear
energy to be used for
everyday purposes
Discussion of science in
everyday life—how
knowledge has changed
household routines,
cooking, gardening and
other chores
ASSESSMENT: Plan a “theme trip” in which you travel to centers of science or cuisine. Design an itinerary that includes at least four stops. Explain
the route, how you will travel, and in a brief paragraph for each destination, why you will stop there.