1 - Have You Stood Beside One? ~5 mins
Think of a farm. Which of these animals have you actually stood beside: a horse, a cow, a sheep, a pig? Hands up for each one.
Today we learn eight farm animals in French, so you can name them and spot them when you hear them.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Name eight farm animals in French
- Recognise them when you hear them in a game
- Say each word aloud with confidence
Take a quick show of hands for horse, cow, sheep and pig. Keep it light and brief: the point is to connect the words to real experience before the French arrives. Do not teach any French yet; the flashcards in the next step introduce the words.
2 - Eight Farm Animals ~10 mins
Here are today's eight farm animals. See the English first, try the French, then flip to check. Listen carefully and say each word back together, article and all.
Run the flashcards on the IWB. English shows first: invite a guess, then flip and play the audio. Class repeats twice, once all together and once by table. Point at the article every time so pupils hear le, la or l' as part of the word. Watch for the soft ch in le cheval (luh shuh-VAL), the nasal ending on le cochon (luh ko-SHOH(n)) and le mouton (luh moo-TOH(n)), and the elision in l'âne (lahn). Big cheer when a table nails le cheval with the soft ch, shuh-VAL, not chuh-VAL!
Before moving on, a 30-second farmyard chant: class claps a steady beat and chants all eight words with articles once through (le cheval, la vache, le cochon, le mouton, la chèvre, l'âne, la dinde, le coq). Keeps energy up and locks the list in their ears before bingo.
3 - Farm Bingo ~10 mins
You each have a bingo card with farm-animal pictures. Listen for the French name (with le, la or l'). Cross off the matching picture. First full line stands and calls Bingo!
How to Play Bingo:
Option 1: Students on Devices (Digital Version)
- Use the digital version where your teacher view of the lesson displays the cards that are being called out.
- Play the pronunciation sound of each word and the children mark it off their unique digital bingo card.
- Each student has a randomised bingo card so winners will vary!
Option 2: Print Out the Bingo Cards
- Print out the Bingo Cards from the attachment above, cut out the cards, and give one to each student.
- You call out the vocabulary words and students mark off their sheets.
- First student to complete a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls "Bingo!" and wins.
4 - Into Your Copy ~3 mins
Open your copy and write four farm animals with their articles (le, la or l'), copying carefully from the board.
Pause the board and leave all eight flashcards visible as a word bank so pupils can copy spelling, accents and articles accurately. Everyone writes article + noun for four animals of their choice. Do not ask for animal sounds; those have not been taught. Circulate to check articles (le / la / l') and accents (especially the grave on chèvre and the circumflex on âne). Do not collect the copies.
5 - Spin and Say: À La Ferme ~10 mins
We are à la ferme (at the farm). The wheel lands on an animal. When it is your turn, say: À la ferme, il y a … and finish with the French word, article included.
Spin on the IWB and invite the chosen pupil to complete the farm phrase, for example À la ferme, il y a le cheval (luh shuh-VAL), not just the bare noun. Model the full stem once before the first spin: point to the board and say À la ferme, il y a …, then a volunteer finishes it. If pronunciation slips, model once and have the class echo before the next spin. Aim to hit all eight words at least once. Keep the pace brisk so every volunteer gets a go.
Extension for a confident pupil: stitch two animals into one sentence, e.g. À la ferme, il y a un cochon et un mouton or J'aime le cheval et la chèvre.
After the last spin: Trois cocorico pour tout le monde, you just said all eight!
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