Kingswear Primary School
Spring Term Planning – La Famille
What is this?
This term-long plan forms part of a rolling 2-year program for a whole KS2 class -years 3-6 inclusive. (There is a copy at the end of this document.)
The ‘Basics’ and ‘Core Structure’ are repeated every Spring term, every other year, but the ‘Topic’ is different each term for 4 years. This should
mean that children do not need to be ‘drilled’ to learn the basic vocabulary, but can acquire it gradually through familiarity. The topic vocabulary is
simply a subject matter with which to practice the core structure, though it is based on high-frequency words. The theme just happens to be Space
because that is the cross-curricular theme for the school this term. It is just to add interest and variation.
Do you need all the resources?
No. These are what we happen to have at the school. All the worksheets & games I’ve made can be downloaded from http://primarymfl.ning.com. The
books referred to are from the resource packs that go with the Catherine Cheater SOW for years 3 & 4, but any French children’s book could be used.
The songs are from CD’s that are cheap and easy to get hold of, though websites often offer similar songs & music. Any song that fits the general
theme it can be treated in the same way as suggested below. The idea is essentially lots of variety, a range of media and a fun taste of France.
How does it work?
Each week lots of activities are suggested in which the whole class can participate. In addition, differentiated alternative and extension activities are
suggested for years 3&4 and years 5&6. The activities take place at any time over the whole week. Some may last a few minutes and can be slotted
in during registration or just before break or lunch. Others are longer projects and may form a discreet French lesson. Many are cross-curricular and
can be incorporated into Literacy, Numeracy, Science, PE, Citizenship or Geography. Think of it as ‘pick and mix’ – you don’t have to do them all!
Basics
Core Structure
Topic Vocabulary
Days, months, 13-31,
(Yr 5/6 also 31-60)
As-tu ? J’ai un / une….
Mon père, Ma mère, Mon frère
Ma sœur, Mon grand-père
Ma grand-mère, Le bébé
Je suis enfant unique,
les mois; janvier, février,
mars, avril, mai, juin,
juillet, août, septembre
octobre, novembre
décembre.
les jours; lundi, mardi,
mercredi, jeudi, vendredi,
samedi, dimanche.
Phonics ; e é è (ère)
e + consonant
Je n’ai pas de...
Vocabulary Unique to
Theme:
Les planètes, La Terre, La
Lune, Le Soleil, Un Extraterrestre
Origins of names of
months/days in French &
English
Resources
Word-searches, crosswords, worksheets, blank bar charts,
flashcards, card games etc. - click here to download
Quelle est la date de ton anniversaire?
Mon anniversaire c’est le...
Suggested Readers:
‘Petit Ours Brun aime le dimanche’ - www.pommedapi.com
‘Je veux une petite sœur’ Tony Ross (CC sow 4 resources)
‘J’apprends à lire avec Sami et Julie’ – Hachette
A French/English bilingual dictionary
Extension Vocabulary:
Optional Published Resources;
il/elle s’appelle...il/elle est grand(e/s)
petit(e/s)...
il/elle a les yeux bruns / les cheveux
courts…
beau père /belle mère/demi-frère/demisœur /cousins(es)/tante/oncle etc.
Salut Serge (French is Fun) book & video (or cd/DVD pack) –
BBC Publishing – ISBN 0563 387440
EarlyStart French 1/2 – cd-rom/audio packs www.earlystart.co.uk
Miniflashcards Language Games – Ici on parle Français – Hilary
McColl with Susan Thomas – ISBN 1-85831-201-9
Fun with French (cd/cassette) – Early Learning Centre approx. £5
Catherine Cheater SOW 3/4 and resource packs.
Week
1
Objectives
2
Objectives
Whole Class

Numbers warm-up to 20 (count slowly aloud, holding
up fingers with whole class joining in, point to your
toes for 11-20. Try counting fast, slow, forwards &
backwards, just year 4, then just year 6 – who is
loudest/fastest/most together?)

Ball-race je m’appelle, (Pass a soft ball/toy around the
class, person holding the ball asks ‘Comment tu
t’appelles?’ and passes ball to neighbour. They must
reply ‘Je m’appelle +name’ and pass the ball on asking
someone else ‘Comment tu t’appelles?’ Increase pace
and urgency by setting a time limit to get around the
class.)

Class discussion (in English) origins of words for
days in French (see Catherine Cheater SOW 3).
Children use reference sources to find the origins of
the words in both French & English. Are they similar?

Listen / join in song ‘Les Jours de la Semaine’ from
Fun with French. Year 3 could hold up appropriate
flashcard when they hear ‘their’ day of the week.
O3.3 KAL

Ball-race quel âge as-tu? (see week 1 for how to play.
For variation split class into teams to race each other).

Numbers warm-up bingo (yrs 5/6 to write numbers
from memory, 3/4 draw figures for any numbers 0-20
on a 9 square grid on paper/in books. Teacher calls
number in French and children cross it off until they
get a straight line of 3 in a row, or ultimately full house,
then they stand and call ‘lotto’. Expect older children to
be able to repeat the numbers back to you in the target
language.)

Read story ‘Petit Ours Brun aime le dimanche’ to
whole class and show the pictures.

Phonics; Remind class of sound ‘e’. Is this how it
sounds in père, mère, frère? Is it the same as in café?
Write the words on the board and ask class to find
pattern. Make explicit how to say the sound
(J’apprends à lire.. p12-13 oral exercises)
O3.4
Years 3/4



Copy days of week carefully into
books so children have their own
written record for future reference. Can
they draw a picture to symbolise each
day rather than write the English word?
Word-search days of week. Children
can complete this word-search on their
own or in pairs, then cut out & stick in
books/folders. Differentiated so that
easier version has a prompt list of
vocabulary needed and the more
difficult version does not.
Look at a bilingual dictionary with a
TA / teacher or even Yr 6 guidance.
How does it differ from an English
dictionary? Which comes first – the
French or the English?
Years 5/6



Devise word-searches and
crosswords for days of the week in
French. They may use a bilingual
dictionary to check their spellings or
their own vocabulary books where they
refer back to when they wrote the
words down in years 3/4. Exchange
and try to complete each others
puzzles.
Use dictionary/encyclopaedia
/internet to research words for days of
week independently or in small groups,
whereas years 3 and 4 may have had
more TA/teacher guidance.
Bi-lingual dictionary exercise
(worksheet) – remind children how to
use a bilingual dictionary with this
dictionary worksheet to go through in
groups or independently.
L3.1

Ball-races Ask children to try playing
the ball-race game as groups with Yr
5/6 children acting as ‘expert’
supervision, policing and ensuring only
French is spoken.

Story follow-up. Give groups some
pictures from the story – can they reorder them correctly?

Drake’s Language Master; children
listen, repeat and record the sounds e,
è and é using this machine to help
them check their pronunciation. (Ask
KS1 if they have any such machines
hidden in a cupboard somewhere!)
LLS

Ball races; Some children can act as
experts, supervising groups of year ¾
children playing ball-races. Other
groups should alternate ‘Comment tu
t’appelles? With quel âge as-tu? And/or
other questions to practise.

Worksheets to practise numbers to 31.
‘Experts’ also act as callers for Year 3/4
games of number bingo.

Story follow-up. Give groups
sentences and/or pictures from the
story. Ask them to join them up.

Act as learning supervisors to years
3/4; share learning techniques.
O3.3
LLS
3
Objectives
4
Objectives
5

Numbers warm-up 2xtables (As a class count aloud
in two’s up to 20, first odd then even numbers, both
forward and backwards. Insist on holding up correct
number of fingers/toes or use Numeracy fans, blocks
etc. & incorporate into Numeracy hour.)

Make sock-puppet aliens following French spoken
instructions. Demonstrate and get class to copy you
turning a sock into a puppet by putting fingers into toe
and thumb into heel to make a mouth. Then use
stickers to make eyes and poke through pipe cleaners
to make hair. Introduce your ‘alien’ to the class using
‘Bonjour, Je m’appelle… etc)

Listen / join in song; ‘Les Jours de la Semaine’ song
from Fun with French
O3.3

Flashcards; As well as holding up cards and getting
class to repeat words for mère, père, etc. Try laying
them out, getting class to look away and name the
missing cards. Certain children can play teacher and
teach a flashcard to the class. Shuffle and hand the
cards out – pretend you can not remember who has
them and ask ‘as-tu la mère?’ until you find it.

Chinese whispers; You whisper ‘as-tu des frères ou
des sœurs?’ to a child, they pass it on. Challenge the
class not to change the message.

Watch DVD – Mon âne 30 chansons…number 11
Frère Jacques. Let the class watch and enjoy.
O3.4

Quel est la date aujourd’hui? Ask class and suggest
possible months and then dates. Finally see if Yr 6 can
remember how to say it. Turn this into a daily habit and
display on board / wall in French.

Write months on board (and elicit comments about
septembre, octobre, similarities and origins)

Birthdays; Children work how to say their own
birthdays using prompts (or not Yr 6)

0 and X game: Play as a whole class by getting this
link on an interactive whiteboard from
http://www.atantot.com/ks2famille.htm

Numbers warm up; 3X tables – see week 2. Increase
the number you count to, to 31 (in order for all children


Puppets role-play; In pairs, children
make their own sock-puppet aliens
greet one another in French. More
confident may want to demonstrate to
the class after having had time to
practise.
Song follow-up: Different
children/groups join in for a different
day (lundi/mardi etc) on the song; if still
too shy to join in they can hold up a
picture or appropriate flashcard for
‘their’ day that they are listening out
for.
O3.3

Copy simple family vocabulary into
books for future reference. Glue in &
label pictures of own family.

Flashcards; Write family words on
board. Children attach appropriate
flashcard.

DVD repetition – allow years 3 & 4 to
watch Frère Jacques again a few times
over the week. Ask them to look out for
visual prompts.
L3.1

Months – use EarlyStart or
Miniflashcard pictures and join up to
month labels.

Puppets role-play; In pairs children
devise & rehearse simple sock-puppet
aliens (see week 2) asking each other
‘as-tu des frères ou des sœurs?’

Differentiated cross-words and
word-searches for family vocabulary.
Easier have prompt lists while more
difficult do not.

Puppets role-play; Children create
mini-conversations with their sockpuppet aliens meeting each other;
encourage them to refer back to
previous learning to extend
conversations. To aid class control,
insist pairs film their own role-plays.
Mini blue cameras are great for this.

Song follow-up; Children practise
singing the ‘Jours de la semaine’ song
in groups, recording performances or
rehearsing to compete with each other
in a class show. ‘Experts’ try teaching
the song to small groups of Yr 3/4.
O6.4

Jigsaw Phrases; Type out & then cut
up a few sentences (as-tu des frères?
etc.) Children re-order and copy them.

Draw and label own family using
photos or pictures. If sensitive this
could be a fictional family.

Ball-race (see week 1) in groups ‘As-tu
des frères/sœurs?’

DVD repetition – Children re-arrange
cut up pieces of song while watching
the DVD. Could some rewrite it for
Sister Suzy by changing a few words?
L6.3

Play ‘Happy Families’ card game;
Download a pack here or buy own.
Shuffle cards & deal. Aim to collect a
complete family. (full instructions on
worksheet) Allow children to teach the
game to yr 3/4.

Puppets role-play; Sock-puppet aliens
discuss families and birthdays. Some
may just demo and video the alphabet
song for/with yrs 3/4. (see week 2)

Quelle est la date de ton
anniversaire? Make into a class
to be able to say date of their birthday), invite older
children to continue & count further if they wish.

survey and plot results as a bar chart
for display.
Individual/pairs computer; Try the
game ‘moi’ at this website link
http://www.atantot.com/ks2famille.htm
Objectives
6
Objectives
7
Objectives
8
O3.1 O3.2 L3.2 KAL LLS

Quel est la date aujourd’hui? (as week 5). Give
younger children options to choose from, but expect
older ones to remember.

Ball-race: (see week 1) in teams or timed whole class
‘Quelle est la date de ton anniversaire?’

Remind children of ‘As-tu des frères et des
sœurs?’ and introduce Comment il/elle s’appelle?
allowing a one-word response (but encourage a whole
sentence reply from Years 5/6)

Watch DVD – Mon âne 30 chansons…Au clair de la
lune. Let the class watch and enjoy.
L3.1 O3.4

Happy Family Cards; Pairs and small
groups play ‘snap’ with the Happy
Family cards – first to call ‘la mere’
when two mothers are placed down
wins pile of cards, winner has most
cards at end.

More Happy Families; some may try
playing ‘Happy Families’ with
supervision of Yr 5/6.

Survey; Children must answer in
French questions posed by yr 5/6
children who are doing a family survey.

Number word searches 0-10 and 1020 and 13-31 for those ready to do so.
O3.4

Quel est la date aujourd’hui? (as week 6).

Watch Early Start video – ch.14, French children talk
about their families. Watch all the way through.
Second play use pause button to query the class’
understanding. Later in the week play a third time &
ask children to predict what each French child will say.

Play family bingo; make copies of the activity sheet
(Early start ch.14) and give set to each team; Teacher
calls out ‘J’ai 2 frères’; first team to raise correct picture
card gets a point.

Class discussion in English; Teacher needs to look
at Early Start website link for ch.14
www.earlystart.co.uk and lead discussion about
families in France & UK today.
O3.1 IU3.3 IU3.4 IU6.2
O3.3 L3.2

Survey; children use worksheet proforma to create a pictograph to record
replies after asking each other ‘‘As-tu
des frères ou des sœurs?’

Play family bingo; from Early Start
ch.14, use copies of the activity sheet,
distribute one picture per child.
Children have to find someone who
has same as them only using French.

Drake’s Language Master; children
listen, repeat and record family
vocabulary, using this machine to help
them check their pronunciation. (Ask
KS1 if they have any in a cupboard.)
O3.2 L3.2
L6.3

Survey; Children go around the class
asking ‘As-tu des frères ou des sœurs?’
and create a tally chart to record
answers then make a bar chart of
results, labelled in French.

Refer back to draw & label pictures of
family (week 4) and extend using
s’appelle…

Role-play & DT link; children prepare
and/or script an animation sequence in
French using plasticine aliens, meeting
and greeting each other for first time.

Number word searches and crosswords for numbers 0-60 and higher for
some Yr 6 if appropriate.
O6.4

Teacher/TA teaches group; (while
Yr3/4 doing the survey?) and makes
explicit s’appelles and s’appellent. Use
flashcards and point to correct word to
use to say is called/are called.

Pairs discuss/investigate; ask
children to work out the literal English
translation of ‘je n’ai pas de’; what do
they notice? Pairs report back to class.

Play family bingo; experts from yrs 5/6
act as bingo callers for yrs3/4.

Read a more complex descriptive
passage of a family (worksheet) based
on magazine article.
LLS KAL L6.2



Watch Salut Serge Video/DVD ; ch.3 Ma Famille,
show only the first part with Pascal & Serge and play
the song a few times over the rest of the week.
Video follow-up; distribute the Salut
Serge worksheet from ch.2 and ask
children to link labels for each of
Video follow-up; Talk about the family
album Serge showed Pascal. Let
children create their own or one for




Objectives
Quel est la date aujourd’hui? (as week 6 – maybe
an older child might design a chart or pro-forma to
laminate and display the date each day).
Differentiated worksheets Months; easy is labelling
pictures & re-ordering mixed-up words, harder include
working out the days of particular dates (Numeracy.)
Demonstrate ICT game; On whiteboard go to link
below and go through “l’arbre” with class voting on
which answers to click, then individuals coming up to
board. http://www.atantot.com/ks2famille.htm
Listen to Les Planètes; from Rocks & Water by Chris
Rawlings,www.pages.interlog.com/~wrenfolk/rw_lyrics.
html#2e
Objectives
L3.3 O3.4

Watch Salut Serge Vidéo; this time continue past
Pascal & Serge song to get to the FC Coco cartoon.
Children may well ask to watch this again later in the
week!

Introduce mon, ma and mes.; use flashcards and
encourage the class tell you which possessive
pronoun to use, then on the whiteboard try mon, ma,
mes game from www.atantot.com/ks2famille.htm with
the whole class; small groups of older children can
access it later in the week to play at their own pace.

Hangman; Yrs 4, 5, 6 should be familiar with alphabet
(but remind them quickly once) & can call letters in
French for you to play hangman on the board. Yr 3 can
still be included in guessing the words if you can make
sure they are all family words.
O3.1 O3.2 KAL
10

9

Numbers warm-up 5X tables; Count in 5’s from 0,
but also try starting at 2 or 3 and then counting on in
5’s. Call out some sums in French such as ‘3 fois 5’
(3x5) and ensure you are counting all the way up to 60
now, younger children can join in as far as they feel
comfortable.
All sing along to ma famille song; from Salut Serge
video – part one ch.2


Serge’s family members while listening
to the CD prompts.
Teacher/TA lead group reading;
adult reads cartoon strip version of the
Salut Serge ch.2 video section with
children. Try also slicing it up into
pictures and text and getting the
children to put it back together
correctly.
Song follow-up; each child/team
represents a planet and they must
stand when they hear ‘their’ planet
mentioned in the song.
L3.1

Teacher/TA lead group reading;
children read Salut Serge FC Coco
‘Qui est-ce?’ with TA / teacher support.

On paper pairs make a family tree of
a famous, historical or imaginary
family, use photos or pictures and then
copy, paste ready-made or write own
short descriptions for each picture
according to confidence and ability of
individuals in each group e.g. ma sœur
– elle s’appelle Janine.
L3.1 L3.3


Miniflashcard Language games 6a
– the Incredible Game and meeting
new people game. This game can be
played by groups with or without a yr
6 expert to keep them on track.
Make own alien Happy Families;
children divide 2xA4 sheets of paper
into 8 equal squares each and draw 4
Pascal in the same style.
My family worksheet (cloze exercises
longer passage)

Independent research; send pairs of
older children to investigate the planets
using the site www.neufplanetes.org/
how much do they understand?

ICT game; individuals and pairs can go
to the link demonstrated to the whole
class & have a go on their own at their
own pace.

Song follow-up; ask children to note
on a large sheet on each table how
each planet is described in the song as
you play it again.
IU6.2 L6.1

Private reading; children read Salut
Serge: FC Coco ‘Qui est-ce?’ cartoon
that accompanies the video in groups
and then rehearse & re-enact for class.

Alphabet & Hangman; now you’ve
demonstrated to the class how to play,
let them play in pairs/groups.

Pairs make Power Point presentation
of a famous or imaginary family, use
photos & write short descriptions for
each slide, e.g. Voici ma sœur qui
s’appelle Janine. Elle a six ans et elle
habite à Durham.

O6.2 IU6.1


Extend PowerPoint presentations
(see week 9) by asking children to add
adjectives where appropriate Elle est
petite… they can do as much/little as
their ability allows.
Miniflashcard Language Games 6a.
in groups/pairs children play the
activities and use the photocopiable

Objectives
Read story; ‘Je veux une petite sœur’ Tony Ross to
whole class & show pictures.

Introduce simple adjectives and explain agreements
– petit (e/s/es), but keep it short & sweet so younger
ones don’t panic and more able will be able to
reinforce the ideas later.
O3.2 L3.3 LLS

Numbers warm-up; Count to 60 forwards &
backwards, younger ones joining in as far as they feel
comfortable. Then elicit number bonds to 10, then 20
in French just as in Numeracy – repeat through week.

Pen pal/email week – contact partner school/s and
prepare with class how to ask them about their families
while describing own. Discuss with the class which
media to use – telephone, skype, video-conferencing,
email or letter? Will class script interviews individually
or as a class or use pro-forma letters or write
freehand? What information could be exchanged?
O3.1 IU3.4 IU6.2
12

Objectives
11


Objectives
LLS
Watch each other’s plasticine alien animation
sequences
Whole class quiz; display this online interactive game
on the whiteboard based on deal or no deal from
http://www.atantot.com/ks2famille.htm. Play as a
class, voting on answers or divide into teams.
Complete learning progress sheets to add to
European Portfolios. Discuss what we have learned
this term. Have we made progress?
mums, 4 dads etc to keep and play at
home.
O3.3 O3.4

Individuals & pairs ICT games;
Those who are getting fairly proficient
by this point could try the BBC website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryfrench/pf2/f
amily/cartoon_flash.shtml - it’s good for pairs
of middle/further on ability learners
who can go through at their own speed
and possibly work up to song together
– TA support to keep an eye/on task if
possible.
O3.1 IU3.4


LLS
Discuss with Teacher/TA what they
felt they learned and/or enjoyed in this
topic.
Let the children watch any
video/DVD clips they particularly
enjoyed again if they wish.

prompts to practise adjectives.
Story follow-up; allow older children
access to book (& others in French) to
look at during private reading time.
L6.4

Film plasticine alien animation
sequences which started being planned
& scripted back in week 6.

Individuals & pairs ICT; try this
website from a language college with
resources including video clips with
cloze exercises suitable for advanced
learners (year 6, level4/5)
www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/Curriculu
m/modlang/
IU6.1 KAL-devise questions for authentic
use

Read descriptions of people in the
class/school and identify who they are.

How useful/important do they rate
what they have learned this term?
How memorable is it? What techniques
do they use to remember the words?
Do they find some activities easier than
others? Encourage children to be
aware of their own learning.
L6.1