11 May 2022 Newsletter

Here’s what’s happening today on Planet French:

–All tracks/intermediate track: The amazing Video: Parachute en tube! In this video, three students fly and learn parachuting, in easy French. Come fly with us in this video. Click here to watch: https://planetfrench.com/courses/les-sports-extremes/lessons/parachute-en-tube-les-jeunes-de-planet-french-en-parachute-en-tube/

–intermediate/advanced track: Acadians have a tumultuous history and yet are some of the nicest Canadians you’re likely to meet. Maybe it’s because of what they eat. Here is the video “Renée et la bouffe”, in which she describes Acadian food :  https://planetfrench.com/courses/bienvenue-en-acadie/lessons/acadie-02-les-acadiens-et-la-nourriture/

Also relevant:

– Beginner track: Course, “La maison”, lesson “Construire une maison en 2 minutes”. We use an unusual method to teach students basic vocabulary about parts of a house. In this video, we take you to a construction site to see how all the parts fit together and why they are built the way they are. Students love this interesting and unusual video.

Here’s the video’s link: https://planetfrench.com/courses/la-maison/lessons/construire-une-maison-en-2-minutes/

–ALL TRACKS: BREAKING NEWS: Kinder chocolats recalled for salmonella. This timely video is called “Danger: Oeuf en chocolat”. In this episode, we go out on a hunt to buy kinder eggs at the shopping mall, but then we find out they could be dangerous this year.

-Music: All tracks. Interviews: Intermediate & Advanced tracks: Planet French helps a church and a friend who is a Christian pastor. Come with us on this music video shoot. We speak with the band members and learn about Guadeloupe, the current situation in Haiti and about Daniel’s crusade to fund a cultural centre.

– Beginner track: The video “Le printemps” episode is about spring, and more specifically the basic vocabulary around spring. This is part 1, and here is the link: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/le-printemps-partie-1-niveau-facile-vocabulaire-de-base/

-All tracks: The narrated ebook “L’érablière” is presented as a flipbook and your students can follow along a yellow cursor as actors read the text. You can vary the reading speed with the gear icon under the video.

–All Tracks: There’s another version of the “L’Érablière” book that’s not narrated. It’s a digital flip book instead. One of the stories introduces students to TEXTING SHORTCUTS, in French! Here is the link. That story is on page 10. https://planetfrench.com/courses/bienvenue-a-lerabliere-course/lessons/lerabliere-livre-digital/

Beginner track: The ebooks and narrated ebooks in all our “k-12 collection” are colour-coded. If your students are beginners, use the texts marked with a green rectangle.

-The video “La sucrerie de la montagne, part 2” is a great summary of the traditional foods served at the sugar shack, presented by a giant smiling lumber jack, in easy French.

-The video “Les délices de l’érable” shows us the delicious “tire d’érable”, shows us 200 products made from maple sugar, and teaches us about the history and science behind this deeply Canadian product.

-In case you missed it, episode 266 is about LE PRINTEMPS!/Drones en Alberta/Nouvelle araignée en Ontario et dans les provinces maritimes: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/266-le-printemps-drones-en-alberta-nouvelle-araignee-en-ontario-et-dans-les-provinces-maritimes/

-Les Peuples Autochtones du Canada: La traite des fourrures (The fur trade). It’s part of the course  LES PEUPLE AUTOCHTONES DU CANADA, The corresponding videos are on this page. There are two videos. One easy, one advanced: https://planetfrench.com/courses/les-peuples-autochtones-et-les-explorateurs-europeens/lessons/dr-elizabeth-fast-phd-est-metis-elle-explique-copy/

Coming soon:

-All tracks: We visit the biggest flower show in Canada, and we visit “Les jardins de métis/Reford gardens”, which is a world-class, national historic site of Canada HUUUGE garden experience with over 3000 species.

–All tracks: We learn about the climate and astronomy, and about the water cycle.

–All tracks: Insects are an essential part of the biosphere, but who likes them? We meet people who do.  Students love Planet French episodes featuring insects, so we decided to bug some experts.

-Intermediate/Advanced Track: We get clothing/fashion advice for spring from an expert.

–All tracks: Activités à faire en été: on rencontre des experts. La plongée sous-marine/le Titanic/la nouvelle vidéo “Titanique dans la piscine”.

–Intermediate track: Sports:Équipe Canada de soccer se qualifie pour la première fois depuis 1986! We tie that in with the unit on soccer from the course BALLONS ET VAGUES.

–More French culture: La Martinique, les meilleurs endroits.

-Covid-19 updates, …and more…

This is the incredible story of a rental horse and her rider who ended up winning the local, then regional, then provincial championships. Your French students learn all the basic vocabulary around horseback riding and enter a magical world. It’s epic!

Here is the link to this video: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/lequitation/

-Video “Le Canada se réchauffe 2 fois plus vite…” Canada is warming up twice as fast as the average country is experiencing global warming. Checkout this video here: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/le-canada-se-rechauffe-2x-plus-vite-que-la-moyenne-des-autres-pays/

-Video “La Journée de la Terre”: Il y a beaucoup d’activités partout au Canada. Click here for the video: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/la-journee-de-la-terre-partie-1/

C’est le printemps. Here is part 1 of the basic vocabulary unit on spring. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s spring!

Here is the link to the video: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/le-printemps-partie-1-niveau-facile-vocabulaire-de-base/

-Spring and the seasons.

-New drones are being used in Alberta to spray crops.

-There’s a new huge spider invading Ontario and the Maritimes: The Joro! Here’s what you need to know.

– …all in easy French 🙂

Here is the link to the video: https://planetfrench.com/courses/nouvelles-actualite-cette-semaine/lessons/266-le-printemps-drones-en-alberta-nouvelle-araignee-en-ontario-et-dans-les-provinces-maritimes/

L’ÉRABLIÈRE (sugar shack)!

The video “La sucrerie de la montagne, part 2” is a great summary of the traditional foods served at the sugar shack, presented by a giant smiling lumber jack, in easy French.

Here is the link to the video: https://planetfrench.com/courses/bienvenue-a-lerabliere-course/lessons/erabliere-sucrerie-de-la-montagne-partie-2/

The video “Les délices de l’érable” shows us the delicious “tire d’érable”, shows us 200 products made from maple sugar, and teaches us about the history and science behind this deeply Canadian product.

While there are many sources of information about sugar shacks, no other resource brings it all together like the Bienvenue à l’érablière package does.

This fun unit is available on Planet French in digital format with videos, activities and an eBook that features texts at 3 levels, beginner to advanced.

There is a comprehensive teacher’s guide available to you at the beginning of the unit. The guide has 10 activities leading up to an end-of-unit summative task.

We recommend you do 2 units per week or more, which takes you to the middle of April. There’s plenty to do with this unit and your students will really enjoy it.

Here is a link to the demo video for this unit: https://vimeo.com/259029137

Here is the link to get to the unit itself: https://planetfrench.com/courses/bienvenue-a-lerabliere-course/

There are also printed books to go along, if you are interested in augmenting the online experience, which you can purchase here: https://rr112.infusionsoft.app/app/storeFront/showCategoryPage?categoryId=27 Since you won’t need the DVDs the prices are a little cheaper than advertised.

Email guy@planetfrench.com for details.

Come and join us for a real sweet taste of French culture!