Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Sacré Charlemagne - France Gall

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This novice mid to novice high French activity reinforces education and school vocabulary in a song about education in France during the 1960s. The featured song is  Sacré Charlemagne  by France Gall. Students start by discussing prior knowledge of music from the time period. Students then complete a cloze activity by listening for key lyrics during the song followed by a series of comprehension questions. Finally, students analyze the cultural components of the song including why Charlemagne is 'blamed' for students having to go to school. (Charlemagne, sometimes nicknamed the Father of Europe, played a big role in early education reform.)  Students will also notice the references to no school on Thursday, opening a discussion of comparisons between the US and French education.  (Note: In 1972, the French government changed the off day from Thursday to Wednesday.)

    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L1.2

    Interpret what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar topics using the present tense.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L1.2

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • how to recognize the difference between a question and a statement.
    • how to identify who is speaking.
    • how to identify who is being spoken to.
    • how to recognize the topic being discussed.
    • how to rely on pictures, graphs, or charts to aid in comprehension.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    Novice Mid Level
    • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
    • differentiate between questions and statements.
    • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
    • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
    • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
    Novice High Level students are able to:
    • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
    • differentiate between questions and statements.
    • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
    • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
    • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
    • locate places on a map.
    • identify purpose of a brochure/advertisement.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    Novice Mid Level
    • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
    • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
    • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
    Students understand that:
    Novice High Level
    • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
    • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
    • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L1.5

    Identify products of the target cultures.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L1.5

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • the tangible products that are important to their life and culture.
    • the tangible products that are important to the target language life and culture.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    Novice Mid Level
    • list common target language cultural products such as paintings, songs, and foods.
    • watch video clips or music videos and identify cultural products.
    • describe basic craft products from target language countries.
    Novice High Level
    Students are able to:
    • list common target language cultural products such as paintings, songs, and foods.
    • watch video clips or music videos and identify cultural products.
    • describe basic craft products from target language countries.
    • investigate the relationship between cultural products and perspectives.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
    • understanding of my own language and culture.
    • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
    • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L1.9

    Identify products, practices, and perspectives of the target culture and the native culture.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L1.9

    Knowledge

    Student know:
    • how to identify important cultural products, practices, and perspectives that are important within their own personal lives.
    • how to use present tense verbs to describe what people do.
    • how to use adjectives to describe nouns.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    Novice Mid Level
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to native culture.
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to the target language culture including celebrations, music, games, and rhymes.
    Novice High Level
    Students are able to:
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to native culture.
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to the target language culture including celebrations, music, games, and rhymes.
    • compare and contrast native and target culture products, practices and perspectives.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • there are similarities and differences in the characteristics of the target culture and their own.
    • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
    • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
    • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.
    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L2.2

    Interpret what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar topics using the past tense.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L2.2

    Knowledge

    Students know: how to:
    • interpret audio and visual documents in the target language
    • identify key information and details from the target language materials
    • explain how the target language is connected to other content areas through geography, history, etc.
    • recognize basic products of the target language culture.

    Skills

    Novice High Level
    Students are able to:
    • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
    • differentiate between questions and statements.
    • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
    • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
    • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
    Intermediate Low Level
    Students are able to:
    • identify patterns in the contruction of past tense verbs and how this impacts meaning of texts.
    • how to recognize and use descriptors in basic conversations
    • restate key information.
    • use cognates to assist in comprehension of target language materials.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    Novice High Level
    • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
    • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
    • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
    Students understand that:
    Intermediate Low Level
    • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
    • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
    • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L2.5

    Identify perspectives through products of the target cultures.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L2.5

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • a tangible or intangible product is influenced by the target language life and culture.
    • the perspective of a the target language culture is interconnected with the products of the culture.

    Skills

    Novice High Level
    Students are able to:
    • list common target language cultural products such as paintings, songs, and foods.
    • watch video clips or music videos and identify cultural products.
    • describe basic craft products from target language countries.
    • investigate the relationship between cultural products and perspectives.
    Intermediate Low Level
    Students are able to:
    • utilize common target language cultural vocabulary to discuss paintings, songs, foods, etc.
    • investigate and explain the relationship bewtween cultural products and perspectives.
    • investigate and explain the realtion between cultural practices and perspectives.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • similarities and differences in the products of another culture often stem from the perspective of that culture.
    • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
    • understanding of my own language and culture.
    • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
    • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
    World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.L2.9

    Compare products, practices, and perspectives of the target culture and the native culture.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.L2.9

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • how people in the target culture tend to spend their days.
    • what holidays are celebrated in the target culture and how they are celebrated.
    • a few games, fairy tales, songs, and rhymes in the target culture.

    Skills

    Novice High Level
    Students are able to:
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to native culture.
    • identify the products, practices, and perspectives that are unique to the target language culture including celebrations, music, games, and rhymes.
    • compare and contrast native and target culture products, practices and perspectives.
    Intermediate Low Level
    Students are able to:
    • compare and contrast daily life activities in the target and native cultures, such as schooling, working, freetime activities, and daily routines.
    • compare and contrast holiday celebrations and traditions in the target and native cultures.
    • identify games, fairy tales, songs, and rhymes from the target culture and compare them with those of the native culture.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • daily routines may differ between cultures as a result of several contributing factors.
    • different cultures may celebrate holidays in diverse ways.
    • different cultures may celebrate different holidays.
    • different cultures have original games, stories, songs, and rhymes.
    • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
    • by studying another culture, one can better understand and appreciate their own.
    • other understanding will depend on theme being taught.
    Link to Resource

    CR Resource Type

    Audio/Video

    Resource Provider

    Other

    Resource Provider other

    University of Texas at Austin
    Accessibility
    License

    License Type

    BY-NC-ND
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