Some birds stay in Ireland all year. Others arrive for a season and then leave again. Which birds do you see in winter, and which only in summer?
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Name eight birds in French
- Join a bird to a month in a short sentence
- Compare what marks the start of spring in France and in Ireland
Here are today's eight birds. Listen to the audio and your teacher first, then repeat the French aloud with its article. Check the written form on the card. On a second pass through the deck, try saying the French before you flip.
Volunteers flip two cards at a time on the board. When a pair matches, the whole class says the French bird with its article together. Listen for the audio on every flip, then whisper-repeat so every row joins in.
We just said these sentences aloud. Open your copy and write two sentences, each naming a bird and when you would see it. Use a pattern below and take care with accents and articles.
Main pattern:
En avril, je vois le rouge-gorge. (In April, I see the robin.)
En décembre, je vois le moineau. (In December, I see the sparrow.)
Other idea:
En hiver, je vois le corbeau. (In winter, I see the crow.)
Month bank (choose from these):
- janvier, mars, avril, mai
- juin, juillet, septembre, décembre
- or a season: en hiver, en été
Bird bank (keep the article):
le cygne, l'aigle, le hibou, le moineau, le rouge-gorge, la mouette, le corbeau, le flamant rose
You are birdwatching in the school garden (or beside a quiet French river). First we learn the months we need today, then the wheel lands on a bird. Say its French name aloud with the article. Stretch challenge: add when you might spot it, using the pattern and month bank on the board.
Months we need today (say each with the teacher):
- janvier (zhah(n)-VYAY), mars (marss), avril (ah-VREEL), mai (meh)
- juin (zhwa(n)), juillet (zhwee-YAY), septembre (sep-TAH(m)-bruh), décembre (day-SAHM-bruh)
- seasons: en hiver (on ee-VAIR), en été (on ay-TAY)
Pattern on the board:
En avril, je vois le rouge-gorge. (In April, I see the robin.)
En décembre, je vois le moineau. (In December, I see the sparrow.)
Stretch idea: En hiver, je vois le corbeau. (In winter, I see the crow.)
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