Unit 1 French 2: Mon Autoportrait (My Self Portrait) Introductory Unit (about 3-4
weeks initially planned, but 5 -7 weeks for completion, see note below under
“Differentiation”)
Wiki pages for the unit:
http://madameshackelford.wikispaces.com/French+2
http://madameshackelford.wikispaces.com/L%27art+français
http://madameshackelford.wikispaces.com/Mon+Autoportrait
This introductory unit emphasizes review of basic grammar and vocabulary learned in
French I and focuses on oral and written conversational and descriptive skills. Using
famous French artwork as a theme, students are exposed to the relationship between
feelings, activities and changes in life circumstance and the numerous self portraits (such
as those of Vincent Van Gogh) done by some of the French artists. Students also use
pieces of artwork as focal points of communicative activities. For example, they assume
the role of a character seen in a painting and maintain a conversation with other
characters in the painting, or add written speech bubbles to a reproduction of the painting.
They describe the objects, people, weather, moods (etc.) seen in artwork, asking other
classmates to guess which painting they were discussing, Finally, students do a self
portrait in a medium of their choice. (Interpretations of “art” remain very loose, and those
students who do not like to draw can create composite posters and other types of selfpresentational products, including musical ones.) They must also write an essay
describing themselves physically as well as emotionally, and discuss their activities. The
students present their artwork to the class (in French) and students ask questions about it.
Unit 1 Main Resources
Almost all of the unit resources are linked/housed on the wiki pages cited above. They
include links to practice exercises and videos, poweroints, and a variety of authentic
French sites. In addition, students received a packet in the form of a « unit manual », with
a variety of exercises , vocabulary lists and basic explanations necessary to the themes
covered in the unit. Other resources include a song packet with ditties and songs intended
to help memorize vocabulary and internalize grammatical structures and a variety of
laminated reproductions of famous French artwork.
Ohio Academic Standards Addressed in this Unit:
1. Communication
Benchmark A, (interpersonal) grade 9 : Exchange information via letters, email/video mail, notes, conversations or
interviews on familiar topics (e.g., school
events, weekend activities, memorable
experiences, family life).
Benchmark C (interpersonal) grade 9 Clarify meaning (paraphrasing,
elaboration, questioning)
Benchmark G , grade 9 (interpretive): Use a variety of reading and listening strategies
to derive meaning from texts.
Benchmark H (presentational) grade 9 Summarize information from authentic
language materials and artifacts (e.g. artwork) and give personal reactions
Use information acquired from target
language sources to solve everyday
problems and situations (e.g., using a
newspaper to make plans to see a movie,
perusing a catalog to shop for a birthday
gift, watching a weather forecast to help
plan an activity).
Benchmark I
(grade 9, presentational) Create and present a narrative (e.g.,
current events, personal experiences, school happenings).
.
Benchmark K (presentational, Grade 9)
13.Apply age-appropriate writing process
strategies (prewriting, drafting, revising,
editing, publishing)
2.Cultures (products) Benchmark D grades 9,10 11 : 7. Discuss the contributions
of famous people from the target culture.
Products
5. Explain the contributions of the target culture
in literature and the fine arts.
6. Identify and explain influences of the target
culture on U.S. culture
(e.g., borrowed words/expressions, food,
organization of government).
Products
6. Identify styles and influences of artistic forms
(e.g., dance, music, literature, art) from various
historical and literary periods of the target
culture.
3. Connections
Benchmark A, Integrated Studies, grade 9: 1. Summarize
articles or short videos on interdisciplinary
topics (e.g., art, metric system, weather and
other scientific phenomena).
2. Investigate and discuss interdisciplinary topics
(e.g., world health issues, fine arts concepts,
geographical terms).
4.Comparisons
Linguistic, Benchmark A : Analyze and discuss how
various linguistic elements are represented in the
target language and English (e.g., subjunctive,
idiomatic expressions, word order, use or
omission of subject pronouns).
Cultural, Benchmark C: Compare and contrast
social conventions of peers in the target culture and students’ own culture (e.g.,
dating customs, school, family and leisure activities).
Essential Questions:
• What are the distinctive things that make me "me"?
• How do I want people to see me?
• How can I express my many different sides?
• How can I reinvent myself for various purposes or times in my life?
• How am I changing from day to day or year to year?
• How do I talk about my activities and interests?
• Which French artists from the 19th and 20th centuries made lasting impacts on the
world of art? What are some of their most important pieces of artwork?
Thematic vocabulary:
1). Greetings, classroom and school related words
2). Expressions for likes and dislikes, common activities, clothes, weather and seasons,
body parts, family and friends
3). Art terminology
Grammatical accuracy:
Definite and indefinite articles, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, ER verb family plus
common irregular verbs (etre, avoir, aller, faire, etc.)
Activities:
 Introduction and practice of the thematic vocabulary and grammar structures via
gestures, songs, games, paired and group activities, whole class discussion and
questioning, role plays, information gap activities, milling activities, listening and
repeating exercises, singing
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Video and audio listening/viewing for familiar words and phrases and for getting
the gist of a message
Labeling pictures and describing them orally and in written paragraph form
Short and simple cultural readings in French and in English, with emphasis on
useful reading and listening strategies
Taking learning profile inventories and matching the results with suggested
learning and study activities geared for each particular profile
Practice of classroom procedures and commands/responses in French
Dictionary and internet translator exercises for learning to use these resources
wisely and prudently
Students fill out mock Facebook posters (interests, activities, etc.) and make
comments on the posters of others
Students shop online for clothing items (interpretive reading and cultural activity)
to use vocabulary being studied
Sample Activities by Communicative Mode:
Interpersonal
Speaking
Paired, small
group, whole
group
exchanges ,
role plays and
interactive
information
gap exercises
relating to
vocabulary and
functions
under study
Interpersonal
Writing
A note from
one character
in a picture to
another; filling
out a
“Farcebook”
poster and
making
comments on
the posters of
others
Interpretive
Listening
Video clips
from French
news and
documentary
sources ;
listening to
classmate
presentations
and posing
questions
Interpretive
Reading
Short readings
from articles on
the internet
about artists,
artwork,activities
and an internet
based clothes
shopping spree
Presentational
Speaking
Students
presented their
self portraits to
the class via a
short, formal
description of
the artwork
Presentational
Writing
Students wrote
a self
descriptive
essay to
accompany
their self
portraits
Unit assessments:
Summative:
Frequent written quizzes
Student created personal school schedule
A “living picture” role play presented to the class
Graded spoken and written group activities
A note from and to a character in a French painting
Formative assessments – ongoing teacher questioning, observation and monitoring of
class discussions and activities, bellringer and exit slip activities, completion of
homework and in class exercises , self assessments via written notes to the teacher
Differentiation needed for this unit:
Tasks and processes were differentiated, with every effort made to include a constant
variety of approaches and tasks geared for multiple intelligences and learning styles
(singing, movement based activities, games of rhythm (finger snapping and tapping),
activities involving sketching, and group, paired and individual work, etc.). The unit
content will be continually recycled in subsequent units and the teacher will use various
techniques such as grouping, work with individuals, etc. to ensure that all students
successfully master content.
All students had some difficulties with the unit, and it took much longer to complete as it
became necessary to completely teach or re-teach vocabulary and structures that the
teacher had initially presumed to be already mastered by the students. Many of the
activities were oral, presenting a challenge to students because they had not done much
oral work or communicative activities in French I with another teacher.
Instructional methods
Modeling, listening/repeating drills, whole class and individual questioning, cooperative
games and activities in pairs and groups, role plays, singing, use of realia, use of the
internet for interactive practice and for listening/viewing activities
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Social Studies, Music, Art, English Language