lundi le vingt-sept septembre

'Le plus grand faible des hommes, c'est l'amour qu'ils ont de la vie.'
Man's greatest weakness is his love of life.
Molière.

Trivia today: Charles Martel, a legendary general from France's middle ages, is also known by what 'heavy hitting' nickname? (Side note: His last name is the same as my maternal great-grandfather, I've always wondered if I am a descendent!)

7th grade:

- Let's see how much review we can do today!
-Vocabulary Bee Buzzzzzz....
-Attaquez les éléphants!
- LOTTO??
- Ticket Trade In.

DEVOIRS: YOur homework for tonight is to "étudier!!" étudier means TO STUDY!!!
If you ever see "étudiez" in the homework space, you should know what it means :-)
DEMAIN: QUIZ SUR CHAPITRE 1

vendredi le vingt quatre septembre

'...chacun doit être l'aide-jardinier de sa propre âme...'
Joris-Karl HUYSMANS, En route, deuxième partie, chap. 13
'Everyone has to be the assistant gardener to his own soul.... '



Trivia question answers? - That little village raided by the Butcher of Lyon?


7th grade:

-Révisez les devoirs pages 4-7 A-F

-Vocabulary Bee Buzzzzzzzzzzz...

-Attaquez les éléphants!!! (Listen CAREFULLY to the rules!!)

-C'est vendredi!! Ticket TRADE-IN

QUIZ: MARDI, TUESDAY!!!

jeudi le vingt trois septembre

'L'éducation consiste à nous donner des idées, et la bonne éducation à les mettre en proportion. '

Education consists of giving us ideas, and good education of putting them in perspective.
- Charles de Secondat, baron de MONTESQUIEU, Essai sur les causes qui peuvent affecter les esprits et les caractères, seconde partie

Trivia Today: On the morning of April 6th, 1944, Klaus Barbie, a Nazi otherwise known as 'the Butcher of Lyon' orchestrated a raid upon an orphanage in this tiny French village, sending 44 children to their deaths at Auschwitz. (I'm sorry today's trivia is so sad, but it's important.)

Yesterday's Trivia: Which monarch was primarily responsible for Versailles?

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover-estate

7th grade:

- Do now: Parts B&C of sheet from yesterday ( some of my scrambles are actually spelled incorrectly. Zut Alors!)

-Check/ Look at the homework: pages 4-7 in Blue Book

-First Vocabulary Bee buzzzzzzzzzz /rules and regulations.


Comment t'appelles-tu?

Tu parles français?

Comment vas-tu? Comment ça-va?

QUIZ COMING: MARDI. (TUESDAY!!)

8th grade:

Regardez le film "Paris 2." Demain, on commence le livre (Unité 1) avec Mme. DeStazio.

For parents and guardians/ Back to School Night.

Course descriptions:

Level 1A (7th grade): First half of Level 1 course. At the end of the year, the student will have completed one unit of study towards the two units necessary to fulfill the state-wide high school graduation requirement. Students will take both a mid-term and final exam.

Level 1B (8th grade): Second unit of study in the Level 1 sequence. Student must pass BOTH the course AND the final exam in order to continue to Level II in pursuit of a sequence in foreign language towards the acquisition of a Regents level high school diploma.

Grading Rules:

7th grade (Level IA)
Tests - 35%
Quizzes and classwork - 40%
Homework - 15%
Participation- 10%

8th grade (Level IB)
Tests - 25%
Quizzes- 30%
"Little" grammar quizzes- 20%
Homework - 15%
Participation- 10%

Homework Policy:

-Students completing homework in the time-frame asked will receive a grade of 100, as well as a 'ticket' reward.
-Students have ONE day to bring in late/absent homework. They will receive a full grade of 100 if they bring it in within that time period. (They will not receive a 'ticket' as a reward for completing homework one day late.)
-After the one day grace period, a grade of 'zero' will be entered in the assignment column.
-A grade of 50 can also be issued for partially done/poorly completed homework.

mercredi le vingt deux septembre (Hump Day!)

'C'est à cause que tout doit finir que tout est si beau.'
It's because everything must end that everything is so beautiful.
Charles-Ferdinand RAMUZ, Adieu à beaucoup de personnages (Les Cahiers vaudois)


Trivia Today: The baroque palace at Versailles, which was the prinicpal residence of French kings from 1682-1789, was primarily built (and was the vision) of which French monarch?

7th grade:

- Do now: part A only of new sheet!

Tu parles français??

Comment t'appelles-tu??

Comment vas-tu? Comment ça-va?

-Jouez au LOTTO- hopefully more winners/ let's make it a bit more challenging! Maybe a mix up of français et anglais?!

- Demain- first Vocabulary Bee buzzzzzz...

DEVOIRS : Textbook pages 4-7 , A-F

8th grade:

FINISH PROJECT 'Bonjour, Je m'appelle...' Cut and Paste onto construction paper- hang from ceiling and bulletin boards!

Demain: Mme DeStazio will be introducing the first bit of REAL WORK!!

Yesterday's trivia: Who is the man in the poppin' tights who said "L'Etat, c'est moi."

mardi le vingt-et-un septembre

"L'Etat, c'est moi."
I am the State.

Trivia Today: Identify the French King, pictured above, who allegedly said "L'Etat, c'est moi."

Monday's trivia: Port Salut, Gruyère etc are all types of French what?


7th grade:

Comment ça-va? Comment vas-tu?
Tu parles français??
Tu parles japonais/allemand/russe??

Do Now: Parts C & D of yesterday's sheet...

- LOTTO Card

-Jouez au LOTTO/ How to play and how to win!

8th grade:

- COMPUTER LAB!!

lundi le vingt septembre

'Les rivières sont des chemins qui marchent, et qui portent où l'on veut aller.'
Rivers are moving paths that take you where you want to go.

Blaise PASCAL, Pensées I, 17

Trivia today: Port Salut, Gruyère, Neufchätel, and Pont-L'Evêque are varieties of this French product.

7th grade:

- Check les devoirs (Vocabulary Sheet, period 2 only.)

- Des questions:

COMMENT T'APPELLES-TU?
COMMENT VAS-TU??
TU PARLES FRANçAIS??
TU PARLES RUSSE??

- Little 'do now' sheet. Hold on to it until 'mardi.'

- LOTTO card instructions and fill out/ if time play a round...

8th grade:

Continuez avec le projet. You should ALL be creating your nameplates today. Demain: Computer Lab to type!
Each period, MEET ME THERE!!!

vendredi le dix-sept septembre

HAPPY FRIDAY!! (JOYEUX VENDREDI!)

J'ai fait un peu de bien ; c'est mon meilleur ouvrage.
François-Marie Arouet, dit VOLTAIRE, Épitres CXXI, à Horace
I did a little bit of good; it's my best work.

Question d'hier: Jean Paul Marat's assasin?

7th grade:

-Reciting vocabulary and phrases from Chapite 1- Les Salutations et les Courtoisies

-Practice some phrases:

Tu parles français? Oui, je parle français!

Tu parles russe? Non, je ne parle pas russe!

-Give out Vocabulary Sheet and Lotto cards.


-Explain how each is to be filled out - begin filling out in class.

8th grade:

- Vous avez deux jours!!! You have two days...keep yourself on schedule.

QUALITY- I want it...if you think you're behind- DON'T RUSH. Take a book home, take name-plates home. THREE TEST GRADES!!!!

(it's worth your time and effort)

jeudi le seize septembre

' Avant que d'être à vous je suis à mon pays. '
Above belonging to you I belong to my country.
Pierre CORNEILLE, Horace, acte II, scène 5

(The assassin was a descendent of the above French playwright.)

Trivia today: On July 9th, 1793, this assassin took the life of French Revolutionary figure, Jean-Paul Marat. At trial, this person stated "I killed one man to save 100,000."

Yesterday's trivia: What region is famous for lavender, le Mistral, the Riviera, etc?

7th grade:


-More le, la, l', les business!

- A couple of hints about how to know when to use them...

-Review le, la, l' sheet

- Commencez avec Chapitre 1!! Vos Livres...put your names in at least 3 places!! Let's take a look through them, shall we?!

8th grade:

- Continuez avec le projet!! ** Pages 185, 352 in Discovering French Nouveau**

You have THREE class days remaining, AUJOURD'HUI, VENDREDI, LUNDI
MARDI= Computer Lab to type.
MERCREDI= Finishing touches, hanging your projects for Back to School Night.

Sentence Starters:
Je m'appelle - My name is______________
Je suis = I am
J'ai - I have ex: J'ai un portable (I have a cellphone) et J'ai treize ans ( I HAVE 13 years...I'm 13 years old)
Mon anniversaire est le...My birthday is the...
J'aime - I like
Je préfère - I prefer
Ma couleur préférée est...- My fav. color is
Je n'aime pas- I don't like
Je déteste - I hate
Je fais - I play/I do
J'aime faire - I like to play/do
J'aime manger - I like to eat
J'aime boire - I like to drink
Ma mère s'appelle- My mom's name is...
J'habite- I live


little words:
ou - or
et- and
très- very
beaucoup de- a lot
mais- but
aussi - also ( ex: J'aime manger la glace et les biscuits aussi.)
Par exemple...- For example...

mercredi le quinze septembre

'On se donne en donnant. '

One gives to oneself by giving.
Marcel MAUSS, Essaie sur le don, deuxième partie, chap. 2, 3

Trivia today: Lavender, Roman ruins, The Riviera, Bouillabaise, and the Mistral are associated with what well known region of France? (I LOVE this place~)

Yesterday's trivia: Which city and what nickname are associated with Jeanne d'Arc?

7th grade:

- Collect vrai/fauz quizzes~ (tickets)
- Take 40 question quiz on French words.
- Review 40 Question French quiz.
- Did you notice the "le, la, and l'" used with many of the words? What do those mean?!
- Little chat on MASCULINE vs FEMININE vs PLURAL vs "STARTS WITH A VOWEL" French nouns. Eeeek!

Devoirs

-Practice sheet of le, la, l', les.

8th grade:

- Continuez avec le projet!! ** Pages 185, 352 in Discovering French Nouveau**

Sentence Starters:
Je m'appelle - My name is______________
Je suis = I am
J'ai - I have ex: J'ai un portable (I have a cellphone) et J'ai treize ans ( I HAVE 13 years...I'm 13 years old)
Mon anniversaire est le...My birthday is the...
J'aime - I like
Je préfère - I prefer
Ma couleur préférée est...- My fav. color is
Je n'aime pas- I don't like
Je déteste - I hate
Je fais - I play/I do
J'aime faire - I like to play/do
J'aime manger - I like to eat
J'aime boire - I like to drink
Ma mère s'appelle- My mom's name is...
J'habite- I live


little words:
ou - or
et- and
très- very
beaucoup de- a lot
mais- but
aussi - also ( ex: J'aime manger la glace et les biscuits aussi.)
Par exemple...- For example...

mardi le quatorze septembre (Tuesday, September 14.)

'Les erreurs de langage sont des crimes.'

Language mistakes are crimes.

Marguerite DURAS, Les Petits Chevaux de Tarquinia, 1953 (Gallimard), chap. 2, p. 76

Trivia Today: Jeanne D'Arc (Joan of Arc: 1412 – 30 May 1431 ), famous French heroine of the Hundred Years War, died in which French city?

Yesterday's trivia: What year did the French last use the guillotine as a form of Capital Punishment...??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/09/dayintech_0910




7th grade~

- finish last few introductions if any.

- take quiz on Mademoiselle Battaglia - Bon Courage!

-Grade quiz in class...you will be rewarded for cleverness, or perhaps just plain ol' good luck!

-Create true/false quiz about yourself and hand in for Mademoiselle to take.

-Take 40 word French quiz/ Révisez

- Did you notice the "le and la" used with many of the words?

Demain: (tomorrow)

Notes on MASCULINE vs FEMININE vs PLURAL vs "STARTS WITH A VOWEL" French nouns. Eeeek!

8th grade: Continuez avec vos projets : BONJOUR, JE M'APPELLE...

Elements

1. 30 sentence composition

2. Three nameplates demonstrating who YOU are

3. Composition typed

4. Composition and nameplates mounted on colored paper

Sentence Starters:

Je m'appelle - My name is______________

Je suis = I am

J'ai - I have ex: J'ai un portable (I have a cellphone) et J'ai treize ans ( I HAVE 13 years...I'm 13 years old)

J'aime - I like

Je préfère - I prefer

Ma couleur préférée est...- My fav. color is

Mon anniversaire est le quinze septembre- My birthday is September 15th.

Je n'aime pas- I don't like

Je déteste - I hate

Je fais - I play/I do

J'aime faire - I like to play/do

J'aime manger - I like to eatJ'aime boire - I like to drink

Ma mère s'appelle- My mom's name is...

J'habite- I live

little words:

ou - or

et- and

très- very

beaucoup- a lot

aussi - also ( ex: J'aime manger la glace et les biscuits aussi.)
vraiment- really/truly

pas du tout- not at all...

lundi le treize septembre (Monday, September 13.)

'O Dieu, si tu veux que jamais plus femme n'élève la voix, crée enfin un homme adulte !'

Oh God, if you want women to never again raise their voices, then create an adult man!

Jean GIRAUDOUX, Sodome et Gomorrhe, acte II, scène 6

Trivia today: In what year did the French government (in France) last use the guillotine as a form of capital punishment?

Vendredi: What are those quarries holding the bodies called?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gg-EoU0Dog

7th grade

- Trivia

- Finish introductions

- Comment t'appelles -tu?

- Je m'appelle ______________________

- Enchanté!

DEVOIRS:

Take vrai/faux quiz on the life and times of your French teacher. How much do you thiiiink you know?

8th grade:

- Trivia

- Finish/Begin Madame Manley 'Vrai /Faux' quiz

- Introduce class project "Bonjour, je m'appelle..."
-You will have until the end of the period: lundi le 20 septembre, peut-être le 21??

"Bonjour, je m'appelle..."

This will be done in class.

Elements of Project

1. Write a 30 sentence composition about yourself, your life, your interests, your likes and dislikes, your family, your house, your everything...

2. Create at least THREE 'name-plates' (examples will be shown) that represent one of the elements that 'make you, YOU!' ex: Je m'appelle Janine et j'adore les chats. (I design my name in tiger-print.)

3. Type composition at home or in computer lab.

4. Mount name-plates and composition on colored paper and hang in hallway for Back to School Night.

DUE: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 20th

Be creative !

Remember your basics :

Je suis = I am

J'ai = I have

J'adore = I love

Je déteste = I hate

Be colorful

Use your old book and page 185 of Discovering French Nouveau.

French dictionaries (on bookshelf by Mme. DeStazio)

Any resource MINUS a translation service on the internet. TRUST ME, we will be able to tell if you have used one. You are still beginning learners, your sentences will be basic, and that's OK!

vendredi le dix septembre. (Friday, September 10.)

'Il y a toujours du bon dans la folie humaine.'
There is always some good in human craziness.
Auguste VILLIERS DE L'ISLE-ADAM, L'Ève future, livre I, 3

Trivia today: In 1785, millions of skeletons were transported from overcrowded cemeteries to what network of quarries beneath Paris, which served as the headquarters of the Resistance during WWII?

Answers from yesterday's question : The year French women achieved the right to vote?



7th grade

-Check folder for ticket as well as trivia from Wednesday. (Tickets!) / Class policy sheet.
-Quelle est la date aujourd'hui?
-Take out name cards and let's get to know each other...
-Question and answer:

- Comment t'appelles-tu?
- Je m'appelle ___________
- Enchanté.

Tell me some things about yourself!

DEVOIRS:

None. Passez un bon weekend!

8th grade

-Quelle est la date aujourd'hui?
- Trivia responses/Check folder AND notebook.

- Quiet studying for quiz.

- Vocabulary Bee buzzzzzzz.....

- Prennez le petit examen!

- Revisez en classe.

- Take vrai/faux quiz on Madame Manley. How will you do compared to last year??!


DEVOIRS

Rien. Passez un bon weekend!

mercredi le huit septembre (Wednesday, September 8)

'Dis-moi qui t'admire et je te dirai qui tu es. '
Charles Auguste SAINTE-BEUVE, Causeries du lundi, 20 avril 1850

Tell me who admires you and I'll tell you who you are. '

Trivia today: Women in the US won the right to vote in 1919. In what year did women in France achieve the same right?

Yesterday: Two novels by Victor Hugo??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnh-sxaBwk

7th grade:

- Remember and find seats
- Bonjour Madame Manley / Quelle est la date aujourd'hui?
- Hand out envelopes for holding of tickets - first free ticket
- Check homework (Signed Rules Sheet) - SECOND ticket!
- Did you check the blog? Answer to trivia question and THIRD possible ticket.
- Begin first assignment - selection of French names.

WHAT TO DO!!!

1.Write selected FRENCH name on front of colored index card- underneath write what it means
2.On back draw three things that represent you.
3.Inside the card tell me why you chose French and anything else you'd like me to know.

DEVOIRS (Homework)

*Folder to be checked FRIDAY. Make sure you have it! FRENCH ONLY!

8th Grade:

- Make sure everyone is in correct seat
- Hand out envelopes for tickets

- Check Homework - Signed Rules/Rewards sheets (tickets) - Green sheets for 5 minutes.
- Check the blog? Trivia answers (tickets)

-Select French names to use on all papers, same as last year or something different??

- This little piggy went to the...Stab those bad boys!
- Take Vrai/Faux quiz on Mademoiselle (5 minutes)
- Review quiz as a class / rewards for cleverness

DEVOIRS

*Folder and notebook for Friday.

mardi le sept septembre (Tuesday, September 7)

'Toutes nos passions reflètent les étoiles.'
All of our passions reflect the stars.
-Victor Hugo

Trivia today: Name TWO novels written by the person quoted above (Victor Hugo.)

7th grade (French 1A) and 8th grade (French 1B):

-Seating charts and seats assigned.

-Blog overview and distribution of rules and rewards sheets.
-Disussion of class and materials needed.

-Selection of French names (if time allows.)

8th grade:

-discussion of course work and online textbook - distribute sheet regarding textbook and course work.

* There will be a quiz VENDREDI, reviewing Greetings ( les glaces sur le tableau...)

DEVOIRS (Homework):

-Bring "Rules" sheet back signed by parent/guardian (for ticket.)
-Remember seat for tomorrow.
-Bring in necessary materials by Friday:

MATERIALS

* 7th grade- FOLDER - French ONLY w/ filler paper.
* 8th grade- One subject notebook AND folder.

Daily Trivia Question - La rentrée 2010

Everyday I will try and post a French trivia question on the daily blog!

If you would like to try and answer this question, using any resource you like, you must leave your answer in the form of a comment under the blog for the day the question is posted ONLY. In the comment, leave your NAME, PERIOD, and ANSWER. Only correct answers will be published. The answers will be reviewed and discussed the next day in class. You must post your answer by 9:00 PM at THE LATEST. Correct responders will receive a ticket.

- GO to 'comments' at the bottom of the daily post.
- Click the red link.
- Leave your answer with details in the 'leave a comment' box.
- Click ANONYMOUS (unless you have a user Name or URL
- Fill in the CAPTCHA (weird security letters.)
- Click 'Publish Your Comment.'
- Voilà!

NEVER post anything inappropriate. Do not post complaints or concerns.
If you have any questions, see me.

Materials needed and homework policy. La rentrée 2010

What you will need:

Level 1B ( Grade 7)

Folder with loose-leaf paper, devoted entirely to French.
A pen or pencil everyday.
Textbook every day, no exceptions.


French 1B (8th grade)

Folder.
Section of notebook or one subject notebook devoted entirely to French.
A pen or pencil everyday.
The will to succeed.

HOMEWORK POLICY

-Students completing homework in the time-frame asked will receive a grade of 100, as well as a 'ticket' reward.
-Students have ONE day to bring in late/absent homework. They will receive a full grade of 100 if they bring it in within that time period. (They will not receive a 'ticket' as a reward for completing homework one day late.)
-After the one day grace period, a grade of 'zero' will be entered in the assignment column.
-A grade of 50 can also be issued for partially done/poorly completed homework.