Here is an example of a lesson I've taught in a class of 42 6th graders in the French immersion program at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, OR (USA):
Rationale: This lesson is the introductory session of the unit on adjectives. Taught in French (because it is for the French immersion program), it purports to teach students more adjectives, to give them practice at using them correctly, at feminizing them correctly and when appropriate, and to provide them with oral and written practice involving adjectives.
The lesson is articulated around a game that involves talking. The game is to tell as many people as possible a descriptive statement about them.
I have come up with this game for this lesson because it allows students to learn and practice in a natural, practical, and real way. It also allows student to socialize and release some pressure, which will allow them to stay focused before and after the game. It is also a game that gives them autonomy and that allows them to use adjectives they already know, to practice their speaking skills, as well as to acquire more adjectives as an excuse to be able to play the game.
Lesson objectives:
- At the end of the period, students will be able to define at least three adjectives they didn't know before (more practice will be needed for them to remember the adjectives durably)
- Students will be able to say when to use a masculine adjective (i.e. when the noun is masculine) and when to use a feminine adjective (i.e. when the noun is feminine)
Lesson assessment:
- Understanding during the lesson will be assessed by asking students to retell the instructions (of the game) or explanations (of concepts), or to exemplify a concept (by giving an adjective that describes hair, by naming someone to whom X adjective applies, by telling the feminine of Y adjective, etc.)
- After the lesson, comprehension will be assessed by looking at the students' writings and by identifying in it if the adjectives are used relevantly (according to their meanings, and with the masculine or feminine when needed).
ACTFL Standard: Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions
Time: the lesson will take one 60-minute class period
Materials: for this lesson, I will need blank note cards (flash-card style), a projector ready and connected to a computer (for visual), and a type of whistle or bell (I'm using an ocarina).
Beginning of lesson:
- at the beginning of the lesson, I will tell students that today "we are going to study adjectives, in order to learn new ones, and to learn when to feminize adjectives and how to. It is the beginning of a larger unit on adjectives."
- So I ask them what adjectives they know and have at least 10 people share. I write the adjectives on the board.
- Then I ask them how to put the adjectives (on the board) in the feminine form. I right their answers on the board, correcting as needed.
- Then I ask them what patterns they notice for how to feminize adjectives.
- We share. If other frequent patterns do not appear on the board and are not pointed out by students, I ask them what other feminizing patterns they know. If they don't know, I tell them and give examples and ask them to give me examples.
Middle of the lesson:
- "Ok great, now we're going to prepare to play a fun game". I tell them we will play a game in the gym, so they have to pay close attention to what we're going to do now, so that they can know how to play the game, and that we're going to prepare it so that they can play it successfully.
- Then I tell them the rules: you're each going to be given a blank note card. We'll all go in the gym with a card each, and also a pen or pencil each. Then you'll just walk around and whenever you meet someone, you have to tell them something descriptive about them. The thing you tell them has to be either neutral or nice, not negative. And it has to include an adjective. When someone tells you something, you initial their note card. This way, you'll try to get as many initials as possible, by saying descriptive things to as many people as possible.
[I model the rules all along]
Then I ask someone to say the rules again.
Then I ask them to remind me the rules of the descriptive statements (must contain an adjective; must be neutral or nice).
Then I ask them to give me an example of something they could tell me.
- "Good! However, before we go, to make sure we'll have enough things to tell everyone, let's learn a few more adjectives."
- To do so, I show them a picture of people, and they have to tell me all the adjectives the can think of (share them with the class).
- Then, we look at a list of new adjectives. We read them. After each category, I ask them which one they don't know. If someone else can explain, I ask him/her. Otherwise, I explain.
(If there are words I think they don't know and they don't ask, I ask them what they mean).
- Now it's time to go to the gym, so I ask someone to remind the rules.
- I also remind them of being careful with the feminine and masculine.
- Finally, before we leave, I tell them that when they hear the ocarina (I play it to let them hear), we all have to return to class, and write 3 to 5 sentences they've been told on the back of their cards.
- We go to the gym and do the activity.
- After 10 minutes or so, I play the ocarina, we go back to the classroom.
End of lesson:
- Back in the classroom, I remind them to write their 3 to 5 sentences on the back of their card or on their notebook.
- Then I ask them to share things they've been told: who's been told something really nice? who's been told something surprising? something funny? anything else you've been told and would like to share?
- I tell them that to wrap up, they will write a paragraph describing themselves on a piece of paper that will be collected. They should use what they've been told in the game for inspiration, if appropriate. They should be careful with feminine and masculine. They should use the projected adjectives as needed.They will have to hand in their paragraph. It will not be graded (but I don't say so unless asked).
- As they do so, I walk around the classroom and answer questions as needed, help guide students as needed.
- A few minutes before the end of the period, I ring a bell to attract their attention and tell them that they should wrap up. They should please give me their paragraph, with their name on it, as they leave. If they're not done, they can finish it tonight and turn it in tomorrow.
Post-teaching comments:
This lesson made good use of the students' background knowledge and a lot of them were very enthusiastic to tell me and each other what they knew about adjectives and adjective agreement. Thanks to a good scaffolding of the activity, they were all on task during the game in the gym. Reading their self-portraits showed me that they had learned new adjectives. However, choosing the right gender for the adjectives (masculine or feminine) was still hard for many students, which showed me that they still needed a lot of practice on that point, so I made it the focus of the periods and weeks that followed.
The program I'm currently teaching:
