HOW THE UNITS WORK

The kits supply you with everything you need to cover a theme. You work with your students through increasingly complex activities leading to a final summative task. The activities are scaffolding towards the task. You do your evaluation on the task, evaluating parts along the way of completion.

The courses are designed to cycle between videos, texts and activities, and to cycle between language acquisition and thematic competency.

When you order a kit you also get the online kit. The online kit has the eBook version of the printed book, matching videos and activities.

You can also purchase online only kits and a subscription to access all the kits and all their content online on Planet French (over 400 videos, articles, ebooks, kits, activities…).

John Hattie (an educational researcher) developed a list of high yield strategies that are the most effective teaching techniques for increased student achievement. The Booksmarts resources and lesson plans include and promote many of these strategies. To read more details, CLICK HERE.

The videos are stunning: they expose your students to a variety of French speakers and settings and capture the essence of the culture.

The books feature spectacular images. Every glossy section has levelled texts supported by arresting photographs that leap off the page. The quality is unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a language resource.

The activities in the teacher resources give you all you need to make your class effective. They’re packed with action-oriented, CEFR style activities leading to mastery of summative tasks.

Students cycle through language and thematic activities. They also cycle through written, oral and video content as they go through the material.

Excerpt from teacher’s guide BIENVENUE AU SNACK-BAR

You and your students can use all the content outside the classroom. Even in a forest!

See how you can find just about any levelled content you want in a couple of seconds on Planet French.

PLANET FRENCH keeps French relevant with the News and current events

I just love your site. Thanks. Joyeux Noel!” Tara Lee Carpenter, 4-8 French/Arts, Primary and EY Prep Coverage

“I have been using this resource with my French class and it has been awesome! The students especially enjoy the e-books and videos. ? Cheers, Bridget” Christ The Redeemer School District, AB

“Love the videos for Valentine’s day. So love having something theme related to watch, in FRENCH !!!!! Thank you” Lise Callahan

“Hello Planet French, I love your products. They are visually appealing and relevant. Thanks. Jo-Anne Hass, Basic French Teacher École Stanley Knowles School”

Excerpt from the BIENVENUE À QUÉBEC teacher’s guide. Students will develop language proficiency as well as integrate cross-curricular subjects and learn life skills.

So far I have just been using some videos, which are just great for my grade fours with the slow, clear French. I like how the videos are seasonal or related to current events. e.g. The videos about Ouragan Irma were very topical and interesting for us. Keep up the great work!” Clare, CESD73, BC

“I am truly enjoying having access to all of the videos and lessons and ebooks on Planet French. Thanks for all you do! Your materials are excellent and are very much appreciated! Bonne Journée!” Debbie Blais Jaffray Elem/Junior Secondary, BC

“ I really like it. My students can access most resources (videos, news, e-texts,…). Both Core French and French Immersion students can access resources. And my students love the fact that they can actually understand when I show them a video or when we read a book. We just finished the unit (=Booksmarts kit) about Bonhomme Carnaval, which comes with a teacher’s guide (with an AOT = culminating task), an e-book, and videos. My students were engaged and learned a lot. We also had a lot of discussions which was great for their oral French. We will continue to watch the news, and we will use the Booksmarts kit “Le Monde des Animaux” during our study of “Habitats”. There are also videos that I will integrate in my health unit on nutrition. And I haven’t explored all the resources yet! ” Agnes MacNay Gr.4 FI Room 5 Notre Dame School, ON

3 levels of difficulty:  We offer different levels in the same books, DVDs and eBooks, including CEFR levels as well as our own colour-coded easy to use scale. This gives students stretch goals and revision opportunities.

This Planet French innovation works. It ties in with the best concepts discussed by Russian scientist Lev Vygotsky and others: successive approximation and the zone of “proximal development”. I know some of Vygotsky’s ideas are controversial but this one works. French is a skill and these kits work in schools across the country.

French teachers love this, as they discuss using the kits in our preview video (fill the form on the right to access our secure demo video section and watch free previews including teachers explaining how they used booksmarts kits).

“I just clicked on one of the stories and videos and it looks perfect for the level of our students. Thanks again, Patrice”

“Hi Guy, Just received the videos and books that we ordered. Just wanted to let you know that these are a wonderful resource for us … Thanks so much!” Colleen Ecole Edwards School

“My students and I enjoy your products… as we get to watch your videos and read the books. …Thank you for your efforts. They support me in mine.” Melinna MacKenzie GP Christian School

“Cher Guy, Mes élèves ont tellement adoré votre livre et vidéo (…) Les élèves s’amusaient beaucoup en faisant ces activités, (…) ! C’était vraiment un plaisir (…) !!! Merci beaucoup! Bien à vous, ” Stephanie Potier West Hills Middle School

“Perfect! …They love it! …Thanks again! Merci Beaucoup!!” Louise OLOF”

“J. Lattanzio, French teacher in Dundas “I really liked the layout of this new book with the three different levels of reading difficulty colour-coded , the interesting historical facts found within, the various dialogues that could be easily acted out by students to practice their oral skills, and all of the colourful pictures. My students enjoyed the video very much and are engaged with all the activities that Guy supplied. They are motivated to practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking ) and engage with each other in a much more dynamic way.”

You project the eBooks on any whiteboard,  the audio follows with professional actors reading the text and the cursor leads. You can pause anytime and model listening and reading strategies for your students.

Your students are instantly engaged and now they can see French as relevant because they watch other Canadians (adults and students) interacting in French, in Canada, on the Booksmarts cultural videos in a variety of fun settings.

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Margie James, French teacher in Ontario, says: With the different color coded levels, it was really neat that I had it all in one pack…it’s hard to differentiate all the time…And the videos really helped as they were able to use all the visual cues…it’s great !

Thanks so much – btw I LOVED the zombies video!” “Madeline Turan

The Halloween videos were very entertaining and students were able to follow along with you. The topics were interesting to my intermediate students and your rate of speech is understandable for them. Judith Ward Thank you very much.

My students and I loved the video les pommes and worked very well with it . Mrs. Mazur

I showed your site at “Parents Night” and they were thrilled! My students love Planet French! We are doing clothes in 8th grade so I had them watch the segment on “Les vêtements de vélo” and answer a questionnaire about it. Merci pour tout! Nicole Baker

The students LOVED the snack bar. We ended up drawing our own snack bars in groups and setting up a conversation around each snack bar. Loads of fun!!! Thank you! Karine Tregear

What’s different about Booksmarts Planet French kits and courses

What makes our French kits different is the fact we are the only company that offers different levels within the same kit and that our content targets more “Big ideas”, more thematic life skills building, more cross-curricular subjects integration, more ethics and according to our customers, offers more in terms of humour and creative tone.