French Fun at Calvert

Crazy for Crêpes

2012-02-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

French Club members had loads of fun this week playing chef. Not only did they look the part, they got to cook as well as eat. Each student ate two delicious crêpes, made on the spot by Madame Cooke. Crêpe choices included fromage, jambon, framboise, and chocolat. Students also made their own crêpe batter to take home to their families. What a great job they did cracking eggs, measuring and adding milk, sugar, salt, flour, and hot butter, and then stirring it all until smooth and creamy.

Merci to all of our helpers:
Madame Pinkard and 8th graders Isabelle, Madeleine, et Elisabeth.

Who in the World Speaks French?

2012-02-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

10th Agers can tell you. For a recent French project, students researched a French-speaking country and created a poster about it, full of informative facts such as population, natural resources, religions, traditional foods, and most popular sports. Students also included a map and the flag of their country as well as an interesting fact. Here are some examples of their projects:

International Week 2012

2012-02-06T06:25:00.000-05:00

International Week started off strong with French Day leading the charge. French Club members, donned in berets, gathered early in the morning to hand out miniature flags of French-speaking countries to their schoolmates. Students were greeted with a friendly bonjour and headed off to their classrooms for some morning French work. Delicious croissants awaited the students for snack. Math students brought in extra-credit posters full of math facts related to France. For lunch, all delighted in eating quiche, frites, haricots verts, and eclairs au chocolat. Later in the afternoon, Madame Cooke and Mrs. Armstrong welcomed visitors who gave a presentation to 10th Age girls and 6-D students about their recent trip to France; and they brought homemade Madeleine cookies and meringues for all to try. Check out other teachers' blogs to learn more about French happenings around the Lower School.

Mona Lisa

2012-01-27T05:30:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the most famous painting in the world is in France? The Mona Lisa, painted by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci in 1503, hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is visited by over six million people a year. People say that Mona Lisa has a mysterious smile. Here are some Eighth Age imitations:

Eiffel Tower Madness

2012-01-25T05:44:00.000-05:00

It took over two years for the world-famous Eiffel Tower to be built for the 1889 World's Fair. French Club took less than an hour building miniature Eiffel Towers out of wafer cookies and frosting. Fun was had by all. Unlike the real thing however, these scientific wonders did not last very long due to gravity and unsteady materials. The good thing - once toppled, students could eat their creations.

Alouette

2012-01-08T14:38:00.002-05:00

7th Agers had fun singing Alouette this week. This song fits in nicely with the unit on body parts that we have been doing. While learning the melody and the words to this popular French song, students created their own alouette bird to take home.

Alouette, gentille alouette,

Alouette, je te plumerai.

Je te plumerai la tête

Je te plumerai la tête.

Et la tête, et la tête.

alouette, alouette

Alouette, gentille alouette,

Alouette, je te plumerai.

Joyeuses Fêtes!

2011-12-16T06:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

Encore, encore!

2011-12-14T20:41:00.000-05:00

10th Age boys also presented French skits to their classmates this week. Here are some highlights:

Lights, Camera, Action!

2011-12-13T19:00:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few of the entertaining French skits that 10th Age girls presented to their classmates this week:

What Do 7th Agers Know?

2011-12-12T08:57:00.004-05:00

Current 7th Agers are taking French for the first time this year. Classes meet once a week for thirty minutes. What have they learned so far? Lots! Students know how to describe how they are doing; are able to introduce themselves; can say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you; are able to count from 0 to 10; know how to say the French words for colors, body parts; and can recite the letters of the alphabet . This week, students are learning how to describe the weather. Topics are reinforced through speaking, writing, and reading activities. Students also play games and do fun projects to enhance their learning. And they love to sing! Songs learned thus far are: "L'Alphabet", "Frère Jacques", "Tête, Épaules, Genoux, et Pieds", and "Vive le Vent."

Les Sketches

2011-12-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

10th Agers worked hard this week preparing skits (les sketches) that they will soon present in class. Each pair of students was given a short skit to translate and to practice reading aloud. After working on correct pronunciation, students added dramatic flair to their skits and planned for props and costumes. Let the drama begin!

La Salle de Classe

2011-12-09T10:30:00.001-05:00

8th Agers have been learning lots of French words for things in the classroom. Students are able to name objects in the room as well as describe them using color and size words. Here are some of the words that they know:
Voici la salle de classe (Here is the classroom), le stylo (pen), le cahier (notebook), le crayon (pencil), l’élève (student), la règle (ruler), la craie (chalk), le livre (book), le panier (basket) , le drapeau de Québec (flag of Quebec) , le papier (paper) , le drapeau canadien (Canadian flag), le drapeau français (French flag), la gomme (eraser), la Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower), la dictionnaire (dictionary), le drapeau suisse (Swiss flag), la chaise (chair)

Students have also learned: la télévision (television), la pendule (clock), le tableau (board), la table (table), l'ordinateur (computer), la lampe (lamp), and le professeur (teacher), la porte (door), la fenêtre (window)

C'est Moi

2011-12-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

8th Agers have been writing about themselves in their French notebook (cahier) and can easily read their self-descriptions. Here are some students telling their French name, age, nationality, languages they speak, and their favorite season:

Cuckoo for Clocks

2011-12-04T20:37:00.001-05:00

French Club members have been busy making imitation Swiss cuckoo clocks. Switzerland, where French is one of four official languages, is known the world round for its clock-making craftsmanship. The cuckcoo clock, which originated in the forest of Germany, was made popular at the end of the19th century by the Swiss who created clocks in the shape of chalets adorned with trees, birds and other wildlife, as well as people. Pine cones dangle at the end of the clocks' chains. The traditional Swiss cuckoo clock plays music and often has a bird that pops out of a hidden compartment when the clock strikes each hour. These French Club masterpieces are on display this week in the hallway across from the French classroom.

Les Élèves du 10ième Âge

2011-12-04T19:21:00.001-05:00

The students of 10th Age have been learning how to use possessiveadjectives. In French, there are three ways to say "my" (ma, mon, mes), and which one used depends on the word that follows. In class, students created self-portraitsto demonstrate their understanding of this grammatical concept. They labeled body parts from their head down to their shoulders, using the correctform of the possessive adjective "my". Here are some samples:

Bienvenue au Zoo

2011-11-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

7th Agers are learning French words for body parts. So far, they have learned head (la tête), hair (les cheveux), eyes (les yeux), ears (les oreilles), nose (le nez), and mouth (la bouche). For fun, and to help remember the words, students were given an animal face to trace, draw, and then label in French. Students are also learning additional vocabulary for body parts with the French version of the song Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (Tête, Épaule, Genoux, et Pieds).

Bon Appétit!

2011-11-08T20:16:00.003-05:00

Mousse au chocolat is a very popular French dessert - a light and fluffy version of pudding. Mousse, which means foam, originated in France in the 18th century.
French Club members were busy today whipping up this delicious after-dinner treat for their families. Everyone took home fancy cups filled with chocolate mousse, complete with a silver tray and a Bon Appétit! message.

Merci à Isabelle et Anne pour l'assistance.

French Canadian Song

2011-11-06T21:57:00.003-05:00

This week 8th Agers will be learning about a traditional French Canadian song called À la Claire Fontaine. This popular French ballad was adapted by Voyageurs, French Canadian fur traders that used the waterways of Canada and the upper Midwest of the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Voyageurs are legendary, especially in French Canada, and are celebrated in folklore and music.

Canoe Manned by Voyageurs Passing a Waterfall, 1869
by Canadian artist Frances Anne Hopkins

The Magic of the Moment

2011-11-06T17:21:00.001-05:00

7th Agers have been learning about French Impressionist, Claude Monet. With a few minutes to spare at the end of class, the students asked if they could draw their own versions of Monet's paintings. Here is what they drew with a moment's notice, magnifique!

Quelle est ta saison favorite?

2011-11-06T16:44:00.001-05:00

8th Agers can easily tell you their favorite season . . . what's yours?

Halloween with a French Twist

2011-10-30T19:19:00.003-04:00

The French camera roamed the crowds at Calvert's Halloween parade on Friday, looking for French-inspired costumes. Here's what it found:

Madeline

a Can-Can Dancer

a Chef

French Toast?

A French Knight

A Monet Model

Monet Magic

2011-10-24T23:03:00.000-04:00

7th Agers are learning about one of the world's most famous artists, Claude Monet. Monet lived in a pink house with green shutters in Giverny, France with his wife and eight children. Monet loved to paint outside and he had a beautiful garden with a lily pond. Over the pond was a Japanese bridge. These were Monet's favorite things to paint. What is most amazing about Monet, even to this day, is how he was able to paint with such an eye for color and show the effects of light so beautifully.
Students will learn more about Monet this week as they view a film about him, based on the children's book Linnea in Monet's Garden.

Les Quatre Saisons

2011-10-24T22:33:00.003-04:00

8th Agers are learning how to say and describe the four seasons, in French. They are able to say what the weather is like in each season as well as tell which of the seasons is their favorite. Quel est ta saison favorite? (What is your favorite season?)

le printemps l’été

l'automne l'hiver

Lovely Lavender

2011-10-18T20:33:00.000-04:00

French Club members were busy today honing in on their sewing skills. Students sewed two squares of material together and then filled the sachet pouches with dried lavender from France. Lavender is a purple flower that grows in many places around the world. Provence, France is the world's largest lavender producer. Lavender is used to make perfumes, soaps, shampoos, seasonings, and sachets. Not only does it smell good, it is said to have a calming, soothing effect.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2011-10-17T22:44:00.001-04:00

10th girls presented a humorous skit in French class today that they had read over the weekend for homework. The conversation is between two friends, one of whom is anxiously waiting for her date. Much to the other girl's surprise, when the date arrives, it turns out to be her brother!

Say Fromage!

2011-10-17T22:08:00.001-04:00

8th Agers were treated in class today to a French cheese tasting. Each student was given a bite-size sample of three French and Swiss cheeses: Camembert, Brie, and La Vache Qui Rit (The Laughing Cow). After sampling each cheese, students were asked to rate the cheese with one of the following comments: J'aime beaucoup! (I like a lot!), J'aime. (I like.), J'aime un peu. (I like a little.), or Je n'aime pas (I don't like.)

Je parle français aussi!

2011-10-16T22:11:00.001-04:00

8th Agers continue to learn how to describe themselves in French. Here are some students telling their French name, age, nationality, and the languages that they speak:

French is Everywhere

2011-10-11T22:17:00.002-04:00

As a continuation of last year's awareness of the French that is all around us, 10th Agers are focusing this year on specific categories of French influence. Each month, a different theme about French is featured on one of the classroom bulletin boards. For the month of September, the theme was French Words Used in the English Language. Students were encouraged to bring in words that they found in magazines, newspapers, brochures, etc. to display on the board. Some examples of the words they found are: ballet, blonde, croissant, revolution, bistro, vogue, armoire, faux, addition, opera, chic, Grand Prix, epilogue, prologue, genre, unique, mousse, rendez-vous, debut, premier, tour, boutique, antique, nation, duet, art, conversation, justice, petite, buffet, document, violet, ... just to name a few.

For the month of October, the theme is French in Food and Cooking. So far, students have found a lot of pictures and words for the bulletin board. French definitely plays a significant role in the world of food. Here are some samples of what students have brought in:

Loto!

2011-10-10T21:43:00.000-04:00

7th Agers are having fun with numbers this week as they learn to play French Bingo, known as Loto. Working with a partner, students must listen to, understand, and then find the number called on their card. If they get three in a row, they raise their hands and shout "Loto!" They must then call back the winning numbers in French. Special stickers for the winners. Let's play again!

Facts About France

2011-10-10T15:32:00.000-04:00

8th Agers are learning about France this week. France is a little smaller than the state of Texas. It is the largest country in western Europe. It borders three bodies of water and six countries. Some say that France has it all: beautiful beaches, magnificent mountains, rolling countrysides, quaint villages, awesome castles, and modern cities. ... just to name a few. France has more visitors each year of any country in the world. Students are also learning about a few things in France: the Tour de France, the Grand Prix, the popular sport of soccer, the TGV - one of the world's fastest trains, Mont St. Michel, Carcasonne... Did you know that over 350 kinds of cheese are made in France?

Quelle Heure Est-il?

2011-10-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

10th Agers are learning how to tell time in French. Learning numbers in a foreign language is extremely important. With numbers, you can discuss quantities, prices, phone numbers, addresses, schedules, zip codes, page numbers; ask for directions; do computations; . . . as well as ask for and tell the time of day. Students will also be learning about military time.
Military time is used by the U.S. military, as well as most of the world. Military time is a way of reading a clock on a 24-hour system instead of the standard two 12-hour systems in a single day. The purpose of military time is to avoid confusion between a.m. and p.m. Only a few countries, including the United States and Canada, still use the 12-hour clock on a day-to-day basis.

Interesting fact:

The term "o'clock" comes from the French, "a la cloche", which means "at the bell." A long time ago, if people didn't have watches or clocks at home, they would rely on the bell ringing from the bell tower ... so it was said "It is nine "a la cloche" (at the bell) and over time it transformed into the English form "o'clock".

Calvert Chefs

2011-10-05T22:35:00.000-04:00

French Club was busy this week! With the help of Madame Cooke, Madame Pinkard, and Madame Whitman, Club members created their own crêpe batter to take home to their families. They measured, they poured, they stirred, they cracked eggs; and best of all ... they had fun. After all of this hard work, students were treated to tasty crêpes made on the spot and prepared with a variety of fillings: le jambon (ham), le fromage (cheese), le chocolat (chocolate), and la confiture de framboise (rasberry jam) ... délicieux!

Merci Madame Pietrowski for being our photographer!

Je parle français!

2011-10-04T08:39:00.004-04:00

10th Age students are be coming quite the French speakers. This week's morning challenge is a short conversation in French. Interested students may stop by the French classroom and speak with Madame - no English allowed. Here are some typical conversations between students and teacher:

Mini Skits

2011-10-03T19:17:00.000-04:00

10th Agers have finished writing original French mini-skits, involving two characters with a minium of three lines each, as well as vocabulary and expressions learned in class. Here, in Calvert script, are some examples:

C'est Moi

2011-10-03T15:14:00.000-04:00

8th Agers are learning a lot this year by reading, writing, and speaking French. Listen to these students introduce themselves with their French name, age, and nationality. Bien fait! (Well done!)

Un, Deux, Trois, ...

2011-10-02T20:38:00.001-04:00

7th Agers have been learning how to count from one to ten, in French. They are also learning how to write these numbers in French. Here's a sampling of their work:

Ratatouille

2011-09-27T17:38:00.001-04:00

French Club was treated to a showing of the movie Ratatouille, complete with lemonade, popcorn, and French cookies. This movie is full of French words and scenes of Paris. Next week, the students will find out if Anyone can cook! is really true when they become little chefs themselves and try their hand at cooking French crêpes.

What an Impression

2011-09-27T17:28:00.001-04:00

10th Agers, as a continuation of last year's study of French Impressionists, have been taking an upclose look at Impressionist paintings. Recently, inspired students tried their best to recreate what they saw. Artists include Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Georges Seurat, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, and Edouard Manet. Impressive!

Salutations

2011-09-25T21:31:00.003-04:00

10th Agers have busy in class creating French skits. Each skit must be a conversation between two people, with three or more lines per person. Students are using their knowledge of conversational French as well as some new vocabulary and expressions. For example, did you know that there are two ways to say hello in French? Bonjour and Salut. These skits will turn into this month's folder paper as well as provide new material for students to present in class.

Le Petit Prince

2011-09-25T21:04:00.003-04:00

8th Age boys enjoyed watching Le Petit Prince, a movie based on the well-known story written by Antoine de Saint Exupéry.This is a story with many levels, both for children and for adults. Here's an example of one of the many heart-felt lines in this endearing story:
If someone loves a flower of which just one example exists among all the millions and millions of stars, that's enough to make him happy when he looks at the stars. He tells hemself, "My flower's up there somewhere..." But if the sheep eats the flower, then for him it's as if, suddenly, all the stars went out. And isn't that important?

Conversation anyone?

2011-09-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

8th Agers practiced reading and acting out French skits for their classmates. The skits involve two people who correspond with greetings and questions in French. The students did an excellent job reading and pronouncing the French words (many of them new) and adding expression and gestures to the skit. Encore, encore!

Spinning Class

2011-09-25T20:53:00.001-04:00

7th Agers continued to work on new vocabulary by making colorful spinning wheels in class. Students have gotten quite good at saying all of the color words in French. Ask a 7th Ager you know.

French Club Fun

2011-09-14T21:45:00.002-04:00

This year's French Club met for the first time this week. Each student, inspired by an Impressionist painting, decorated a wooden Eiffel Tower. Next week, after finishing touches have been made, these creative projects will be on display in the Lower School. Quels artistes!

French Cousins

2011-09-14T21:33:00.001-04:00

For the third year in a row, French cousins of a Calvert family visit one of our French classes. It is always such a treat to see them and, as usual, they brought des biscuits délicieux (some delicious cookies) for everyone. Students got to hear them speak French and some students asked them questions in French. The cousins have an American mother and a French father so they are truly bilingual. Hope to see you again cousins!

First Game of the Season

2011-09-12T22:51:00.002-04:00

10th Agers are gearing up for a fierce competition of French vocabulary words. Using their memory skills, players recall and catagorize French words learned from past years. Catagories include: food, places, family members, colors, clothing, and body parts. Here's to a great season!

Couleurs

2011-09-12T22:39:00.001-04:00

Students may have been seeing purple but they were also learning lots of color words. 7th Age students new to French this year eagerly practice writing: bleu, rouge, jaune, vert, brun, rose, violet, and orange.

Brring, brring

2011-09-12T22:20:00.003-04:00

Quel est ton numéro de téléphone? (What's your phone number?) 8th Age students learn to write and recite their telephone numbers in French. A fun way to review numbers: zéro, un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, ...

A Dog at Calvert?!

2011-09-12T22:11:00.002-04:00

Meet Pepé, Madame Cooke's French dog. And, yes, as a few clever 7th Age students have pointed out, he is a puppet! But not to worry - he is a real puppet. Pepé loves to meet new students. He is very shy and only knows French so the students must speak to him using their softest, sweetest French voices so that he will come out of his basket. Pepé loves to hear all about what the students are learning in class. Sometimes, though, he is très fatigué (very tired) from watching too much télévision!

Begin Your Day With French!

2011-09-07T14:22:00.003-04:00

The new school year is off to a great start with 10th Age students eagerly lining up for Madame Cooke's weekly challenge. Each morning (except for Tuesdays) from 8:00 to 8:30, students are welcome to stop by the French classroom to try their best at the challenge of the week. If successful, they will receive a French sticker to add to their collection. Weekly challenges will include topics covered in class. This week: a refresher for summer brains ... numbers and letters.

Bon Appétit!

2011-04-04T20:58:00.011-04:00

French Club members were cooking up a storm last week making delicious crêpe batter to take home. They also enjoyed eating crêpes cooked by Madame Cooke: ham and cheese, strawberries and chocolate, and lemon and sugar. Thanks to master chefs Madame Pinkard and Madame Whitman for supervising. And thank you to Madame Pietrowski for playing photographer.

Petit French Visitors

2011-04-03T10:21:00.012-04:00

French cousins of a Calvert Ninth Ager visited and delighted students with French cookies, songs, and word games. The cousins are being brought up bilingual which means that they speak two languages with their parents. At ages 5 and 7 they are amazing speakers of English and French.

Mardi Gras Fun

2011-04-03T09:47:00.007-04:00

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" and, following Christian tradition, is the day before Lent. Parties, parades, celebrations, and lots of good food are a part of the Mardi Gras tradition all over the world. French Club had fun eating King Cake, making Mardi Gras masks, and playing Mardi Gras Bingo.

Eiffel, Eiffel, Everywhere!

2011-04-03T09:33:00.005-04:00

The Eiffel Tower is known all over the world as a symbol of Paris, France. It was built in 1889 for the World's Fair - it took over two years to build. French Club members created their own versions this famous monument.

Black History Month à la Française

2011-02-21T21:05:00.004-05:00

As part of Black History month, a special exhibit in the foreign language hallway of the Lower School features accomplished French-speaking men and women of black descent from around the world. Each week of February has had a different theme: politicians, artists and entertainers, writers and poets; and this last week, athletes. Some of the many countries represented by people in this exhibit are: France, Canada, Belgium, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Cameroon, Senegal, Djbouti, Mali, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

Places, Everyone!

2011-02-21T20:04:00.009-05:00

Ninth Agers have been learning about buildings and shops found in a French town. Each student created his/her own version of one of these places. Students are now writing a folder paper, all in French, about their buildings. These creative projects are currently on display in the Lower School library. Here are a few samples:

le café (café)......................................................la gare (train station)

la crémerie (dairy shop)...................... le marché (market)

la poste (post office).......................... la fleuriste (flower shop)

la boucherie (butcher shop)..................la librairie (bookstore)

le théâtre (theater)....................l'appartement (apartment)

la maison (house)............................ l'école (school)

French . . . The Language of Love

2011-02-08T21:29:00.008-05:00

Today was the first meeting of this year's Winter/Spring French Club. Students had fun eating mini chocolate eclairs and heart-shaped cookies and drinking juice out of miniature Eiffel Towers. All of this helped get in the mood for some Valentine crafting à la française. Families of French Club members, be on the lookout for a special gift coming your way.

Les Mois de l'Année

2011-02-08T20:37:00.006-05:00

Seventh Agers bring the French month words to life. Quelles artistes!

Avril showers bring mai flowers

2011-02-08T20:30:00.002-05:00

Seventh Agers busily work on creating memorable French calendars. Many students know how to say all of the months in French and can also say the day's date in a complete French sentence. Bon travail!

Délicieux!

2011-02-05T21:02:00.001-05:00

Ninth Agers have been learning about buildings and shops found in a typical French town. Today's lesson was about la boulangerie (the bakery). Everyone enjoyed a tasty treat of pain au chocolat. This is a popular snack for French children. It is made out of the same puff pastry dough as a standard croissant and has one or two pieces of chocolate in the center. Often sold still hot or at least warm from the oven, it is commonly sold alongside croissants in French bakeries. In French Canada, it is known as a chocolatine.

An Eye for French

2011-02-05T12:25:00.010-05:00

Ninth Agers continue their search for everything French. They are definitely aware of the French that is all around them. Here is just a sampling of what they have brought in to share with their classmates:

French in a book and French in a movie

French cheese and French notepads

French candy tin and French fleur-de-lis on a tissue box

French cookbook and French words on a bottle of soap

French quiche and a beret-wearing cat and French words on a coffee cup

French lemon cookies and a flyer from a French restaurant

Morning Challenge

2011-02-01T07:04:00.003-05:00

Many early mornings will find Ninth Agers eagerly waiting in line outside the French classroom to try Madame Cooke's weekly challenge. If successful, students earn a French sticker. Challenges this year have included: counting by 10s in French, singing a French holiday song, reading a description of autumn, reciting the days and the months in French, describing clothing worn to school, and looking at photos of places and saying, in complete French sentences that you are going there. Bravo! ... More challenges to come!

Matisse-Like Masterpieces

2011-01-27T19:36:00.003-05:00

Seventh Agers learned about French artist Henri Matisse and took a turn at creating their own masterpiece with colorful paper cutouts. Bien fait!

French Club Holiday Party

2011-01-02T21:00:00.001-05:00

The Fall/Winter French Club ended before winter break with a holiday party, complete with French limonade and a Bûche de Noël cake. Fun was had by all as everyone enjoyed the food and drinks, finished their sewing projects, and made French ornaments. Each club member received a French beret and a French Club pin.

Bonnes Fêtes

2010-12-13T20:42:00.001-05:00

Ninth Agers make holiday ornaments with French messages such as: Joyeux Noël, Bonne Année, Paix, Joie, and Joyeux Hannukkah.

Encore, encore!

2010-11-30T17:22:00.004-05:00

Middle School French Club gave entertaining performances this week to Pilot, Sixth, and Seventh Age classes, 5th graders, various faculty members, and parents. The two mini plays, Les Trois Ours (The Three Bears) and Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood) were performed entirely in French and were well received by the audiences. French Club students had worked hard each week since September memorizing their lines, learning their cues and positions on stage, working the curtain, etc. They even spent a Saturday morning painting the set and rehearsing. Madame Havard, retired Calvert French teacher, was seen proudly watching from the audience. A French pastry reception was held afterwards for the actors and their parents. Thank you to Mrs. Kamp for helping with the set and to Isabel C. for helping with the acting and the photography. Bravo tout le monde!

Silhouettes

2010-11-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Did you know that silhouette is a French word? The history of the word comes from the 1700's in France when paper cutouts were popular. At the time, the Finance Minister of France, Etienne de Silhouette , whose hobby was paper cutouts, upset the people by making them pay too many taxes. The people took to the streets dressed all in black and shouted "We are but shadows, no one cares about us. We are merely silhouettes." To this day, the black paper cutouts are called silhouettes. Lower School French Club students made these beautiful silhouette plaques - do you recognize anyone?

A Day for Dolls

2010-11-17T21:26:00.005-05:00

Dolls belonging to Seventh Age girls arrived ready and eager to learn French today. Madame Cooke introduced and described each doll, in French, to a captive audience. The girls and their dolls learned a new song about the days of the week. The dolls were very well-behaved. They sat or laid down quietly while the students worked on the day's French assignment; some of the dolls even fell asleep when they heard a French lullabye song.

Matching Game

2010-11-17T21:17:00.003-05:00

Seventh Agers play a matching game to help them remember the French words for classroom objects.

la chaise = chair, le drapeau = flag, le tableau = board, la gomme = eraser, le papier = paper, le livre = book, le crayon = pencil

Silhouette Surprise

2010-11-17T20:45:00.009-05:00

Wow, those Lower School French Club members sure are busy ! This week they began a special silhouette project. Curious? See these projets fantastiques on display for Grandparents' Day.

Fondue Frenzy

2010-11-09T20:55:00.007-05:00

Fondue, which means "melted", in French, originated in the French-speaking region of Switzerland in the early 19th century. Today, fondue is enjoyed by people in many different countries.

Lower School French Club had lots of fun today as they dipped fruit, bread, marshmellows, chips, and pretzels into two delicious fondues - melted chocolate and melted cheese. No need for dinner tonight!

Merci à Madame Pinkard, Isabelle, Anne, et aussi Madame Whitman - for all of your help chopping, stirring, tasting, taking photos, and cleaning up!

Les Quatre Saisons

2010-11-09T20:46:00.003-05:00

Ninth Agers share their homework assignment with the class. Students wrote French sentences about each of the four seasons and drew or cut out pictures from magazines to illustrate their descriptions.

French Work is Fun

2010-11-09T20:35:00.004-05:00

Seventh Agers work , with focus and a smile, on a review sheet about French number and color words.

What a Nice Treat

2010-11-09T20:26:00.004-05:00

Class 9-2 enjoyed a delicioius, just-for-the-fun-of-it treat brought to French class by one of their classmates . . . yum . . . soft, flaky, buttery croissants. Merci, Daniel!

Story Time en Français

2010-11-03T04:43:00.000-04:00

Nineth Age students enjoy a a delicious French snack, croissant with rasberry jam, as they listen to French storybooks brought in by fellow classmates.

French Halloween Fun

2010-10-29T17:37:00.006-04:00

All sorts of goblins, a.k.a. Seventh Age girls, made bootiful Halloween decorations in French class today.

C'est l'Halloween!

2010-10-29T16:51:00.009-04:00

These spooktacular pumpkin creations (French poodles, chefs, and artists) were made by the Lower School French Club.

French-inspired Halloween costumes

2010-10-29T16:30:00.010-04:00

French really is everywhere!!

A French flag/ girl........................................ A French director

A gift from France.................................... A fleur-de-lis crown

Does this cupcake know that her hat is très chic?

Quels Artistes!

2010-10-20T19:59:00.008-04:00

Lower School French Club made miniature paintings of Paris monuments in the Pointilism style of French painter Georges Seurat. Each student chose a subject, sketched out a design, and very carefully created a beautiful mini masterpiece. Paintings are on display across from the French classroom.

Bon Appétit!

2010-10-19T20:55:00.003-04:00

Today's Lower School French Club was all about crêpes. Members made their own recipe card for crêpes, made crêpe batter to take home, and ate a variety of delicious crêpes filled with chocolate, cheese, turkey, sugar and lemon, and jam. Merci à Madame Bofill-Polsky for her expertise in crêpe making and to Mrs. Whitman for helping Madame Cooke supervise the batter making. Nice work chefs!

Alouette Artists

2010-10-19T20:46:00.005-04:00

Alouette, gentille Alouette. Alouette, je te plumerai. ... Seventh Agers sang a beautiful rendition of this well-known French song in class today and then created their own Alouette bird to take home. Ask a Seventh Ager you know to sing this fun song for you!

Finding French is Fun!

2010-10-18T21:11:00.009-04:00

Ninth Agers continue to find lots of French at home! Our motto, French is Everywhere!, is certainly proving to be true. Here is just a sampling of the French items that are brought to school daily by these eager students.

An Eiffel Tower pencil sharpener ...................A French cookbook

The French word for Christmas.................... A French decoration from home

A French coloring book .............A French souvenir from Paris

Ballet shoes ..........................................A French wall decoration

Ratatouille

2010-10-12T07:24:00.002-04:00

Lower School French Club enjoys an afternoon at the movies, complete with snacks, including French biscuits (cookies). Ratatouille, filled with French words and scenes, is a perfect way to get in the mood for next week's cooking lesson.

Un, Deux, Trois, ... Allez!

2010-10-12T07:20:00.000-04:00

Seventh Age girls get serious with a wordsearch competition. Students are learning vocabulary for parts of the body and this is a great way to motivate them to recognize the French words.

Miniature Masterpieces

2010-09-28T20:11:00.004-04:00

Lower School French Club members went straight to work today on their miniature masterpieces. Painting in the style of French painter, Georges Seurat, each student painted with dots of color. Each painting represented a famous Paris monument. The mini paintings and easels will be on display next week after they are completed. Magnifique!

By tens ... I think I've got it!

2010-09-27T20:34:00.009-04:00

Ninth Age students wait patiently in line in the early a.m., ready to accept Madame Cooke's Friday Challenge: count by 10s, in French, by memory. Quelles memoires!

dix, vingt, trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante,
soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix, cent

Fleur de Lis Frenzy

2010-09-26T23:29:00.014-04:00

Lower School French Club members had a fleur de lis afternoon. Two fun projects: decorating fleur de lis cookies to take home to family and painting fleur de lis symbols on t-shirts.
The fleur de lis (which means lily flower, in English) is an enduring symbol of France. Originally used by French royalty, the fleur de lis is also seen today in regions of the United States and Canada.

LOTO!

2010-09-21T20:47:00.006-04:00

Seventh Age girls share the fun with a partner for their first game of Loto (French Bingo.) This game is a great way for the students to work on learning their numbers, in French.

Ninth Age boys, seasoned pros, prepare for a serious game of Loto. It's a fierce game, the stakes are high ... a French sticker to the winner!

Encore, encore!

2010-09-21T20:39:00.004-04:00

Tenth Age girls perform conversational French skits for their classmates.

An Eye for French

2010-09-19T21:53:00.012-04:00

Ninth Agers have gone crazy for French! Students are finding French inspiration everywhere ... in newspapers, magazines, brochures, books, internet ... Our classroom bulletin board showcasing all things French is almost completely covered ...in less than a month's time, thanks to enthusiastic students who are keeping their eyes open to French. Bravo!

Here are some of the items on display:

French is Everywhere!

2010-09-19T21:41:00.004-04:00

You don't have to go to France to experience French. As Ninth Agers can tell you, you just need to keep your eyes open and you will soon discover that French is everywhere - it's part of our American culture - in food, art, history, design, sports, science, music, literature ... the list goes on and on. Open your eyes and you will see that French is everywhere!

souvenir from Arby's ... facts about the Eiffel Tower

box top and internet photo of delicious French macaroons

newspaper photo of the Statue of Liberty, gift to the United States from France

storybook picture of a French garden

internet photo of France's soccer team and soccer ball

Monumental Sharing

2010-09-19T21:21:00.015-04:00

Many Calvert families were fortunate to spend a part of their summer in Paris. Thanks to two Ninth Age sisters, we were able to get a mini view of some of the famous monuments that they visited while in the City of Lights. As Eighth Agers, the students learned all about these places so it was fun to see the miniature souvenirs.

......Sacre Coeur Cathedral .............................The Eiffel Tower

.............The Opera................................................ Notre Dame Cathedral

Un, deux, trois ... Spin your wheels!

2010-09-15T21:28:00.018-04:00

Seventh Agers had fun with French color words by making color spinning wheels. Once colored, the wheels were attached to background boards and students eagerly spun their wheels and practiced saying the French colors as the arrows landed on the words . Keep spinning students!

Here are the French color words that Seventh Agers know:

rouge bleu vert rose brun gris orange violet jaune noir

International Week

2010-02-26T23:33:00.003-05:00

International Week was celebrated in Calvert's Lower School with excitement and anticipation. Students arrived each morning to a colorful entryway of flags from around the world. Each day of the week focused on a different language: French, Spanish, Latin, Chinese, and Arabic. Students and faculty greeted each other throughout the day with the language du jour. Snacks, lunches, and other activities helped to highlight each day's language.

6th Age Mardi Gras ... Guess Who?

2010-02-16T21:18:00.022-05:00

6th Agers had a ball, of the masquerade type, learning about Mardi Gras, wearing beads, and making masks. Several students had plans to eat pancakes for dinner - a Mardi Gras tradition. Do you recognize any of these masked students?!

Laissez les BonsTemps Rouler!

2010-02-16T19:15:00.003-05:00

Let the good times roll, indeed! All twenty-six French Club members had a fun time at today's Mardi Gras party donning their Mardi Gras beads, creating Mardi Gras masks and crowns, and playing Mardi Gras Bingo. Afterwards, everyone enoyed some delicious King Cake, cookies, and drinks.

8th Age Mardi Gras

2010-02-16T09:36:00.002-05:00

8th Agers eagerly spent today's class time learning about Mardi Gras and some of its traditions and symbols. Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" and it originated as a Christian tradition that came before the forty days of Lent. Mardi Gras is celebrated in many countries around the world and its traditions go back hundreds of years. French settlers brought Mardi Gras to this country. Mardi Gras is such a huge celebration in New Orleans that schools are closed so that children and their families can go to the parades and parties. The three Mardi Gras colors are: purple (justice), gold (power), and green (faith).

Les Jeux Olympiques 2010

2010-02-14T14:13:00.014-05:00

Let the games begin!

This year, the Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver, Canada.

Canada is an English and French-speaking country.

If you watched the opening ceremony the other night, you heard songs and speeches in French as well as in English.

Did you know that French and English are the two official languages of the Olympics, no matter where the games are held?

French in the News

2010-02-12T15:07:00.001-05:00

Check out the new bulletin board display next to my office. Every week I will be displaying current articles and advertisements, with a French connection, that I find in The Baltimore Sun, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and other news sources . If you see anything in the news about a French-speaking country, French music, French fashion, French cuisine, French artist, French history, French language, ... anything ... please bring it to me in my office and I will add it to the weekly display.

Merci! And remember ... French is everywhere!!

Madame Cooke

Encore, encore!!

2010-02-12T13:59:00.003-05:00

10th Agers put on quite a show presenting their French skits to fellow classmates. Each skit was unique and the students added their own creative twist with props and costumes from home. Everyone did a fantastic job reading, often memorizing, their lines. Most of these students have been taking French at Calvert since they were in Pilot Class and it shows. Their pronunciation and ease with the language is most impressive. Bravo!

Bon Voyage!

2010-02-08T08:27:00.004-05:00

The new group of French Club members are off to a flying start. With French Club passports and airplane tickets in hand, students flew with Madame Cooke to Paris. Once there they took taxis to the French Club Cafe where croissants, baguettes, brie, fruit, and Orangina were enjoyed by all. Then it was off to the Eiffel Tower via the Metro. Students created their own souvenirs of this famous landmark. They arrived back in Baltimore just in time for pick-up!