Learning Activity

A Visit to a French Cemetery

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Overview

In this activity, the students discover the famous Parisian cemetery: le Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. They use computers and the Internet to explore the cemetery and the French (and sometimes international) celebrities buried there in order to complete a short web quest. They will also use professional vocabulary as they categorize the celebrities they find. This activity enables the teacher to cover the community standard as the students are able to use the Internet to view a cultural standard in the target language.

This activity was created as a result of the World Languages Course of Study Resource Development Summit.

World Languages (2017) Grade(s): KG-08 - World Languages

WL17.WL.ILP.2

Demonstrate an understanding of simple spoken or written language presented through a variety of media resources on familiar topics.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.ILP.2

Knowledge

K-2
Students know:
  • previously learned vocabulary.
  • how to identify cognates.
  • extract the main idea from a conversation.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

3-5
Students know:
  • previously learned vocabulary.
  • how to identify cognates.
  • extract the main idea from a conversation.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

6-8
Students know:
  • previously learned vocabulary.
  • how to identify cognates.
  • extract the main idea from a conversation.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

Skills

K-2
Students are able to:
  • identify topic and related information in texts.
  • identify main idea in short conversations.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • identify topic and related information in texts.
  • identify main idea in short conversations.

    • 6-8
    Students are able to:
    • identify topic and related information in texts.
    • identify main idea in short conversations.

Understanding

K-2
Students understand that:
  • 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.

3-5
Students understand that:
  • 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.

6-8
Students understand that:
  • 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): KG-08 - World Languages

WL17.WL.ILP.7

Investigate, analyze, and reflect on similarities and differences between the target and native cultures.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.ILP.7

Knowledge

K-2
Students know:
  • various cultural practices.
  • various cultural products (tangible).

3-5
Students know:
  • various cultural practices.
  • various cultural products (tangible/intangible).
  • various cultural perspectives.
  • how to compare cultures.

6-8
Students know:
  • various cultural practices.
  • various cultural products (tangible/intangible).
  • various cultural perspectives.
  • how to compare various cultural products and practices in trlation to cultural perspectives.

Skills

K-2
Students are able to:
  • recognize the use of verbal and nonverbal behaviors.
  • identify similarities and differences on a variety of topics.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • recognize and compare verbal and nonverbal behaviors.
  • describe similarities and differences on a variety of topics.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • analyze similarities and differences on a variety of topics.
  • reflect on the use of verbal and nonverbal behaviors.

    • Understanding

    K-2 Students understand:
    • 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.

    3-5
    Students understand that:
    • 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.

    6-8
    Students understand that:
    • 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): KG-08 - World Languages

    WL17.WL.ILP.8

    Acquire the ability to interact in the target culture beyond the classroom and set goals for life-long learning.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:WL17.WL.ILP.8

    Knowledge

    K-2
    Students know:
    • their own proficiency level.
    • where the target language is spoken around the world.
    • where the target language is spoken in the community.
    • how to set their own learning goals.

    3-5
    Students know:
    • their own proficiency level.
    • where the target language is spoken around the world.
    • where the target language is spoken in the community.
    • how to set their own learning goals.

    6-8
    Students know:
    • their own proficiency level.
    • where the target language is spoken around the world.
    • where the target language is spoken in the community.
    • how to set their own learning goals.

    Skills

    K-2
    Students are able to:
    • recognize their own proficiency level.
    • set their own learning goals.
    • identify places around the world where the target language is spoken.
    • identify places in thier community where the target language is spoken.

    3-5
    Students are able to:
    • recognize their own proficiency level.
    • set their own learning goals.
    • identify places around the world where the target language is spoken.
    • identify places in thier community where the target language is spoken.

    6-8
    Students are able to:
    • recognize their own proficiency level.
    • set their own learning goals.
    • identify places around the world where the target language is spoken.
    • identify places in thier community where the target language is spoken.

    Understanding

    K-2
    Students understand that:
    • the target language is used around the world every day in many different contexts.
    • the target language can help one better understand the world around them.
    • the study of world languages expands one's opportunities.
    • language is a tool to connect with the world.
    • other understandings will depend on theme being taught.

    3-5
    Students understand that:
    • the target language is used around the world every day in many different contexts.
    • the target language can help one better understand the world around them.
    • language is a tool to connect with the world.
    • other understandings will depend on theme being taught.

    6-8
    Students understand that:
    • the target language is used around the world every day in many different contexts.
    • the target language can help one better understand the world around them.
    • the study of world languages expands one's opportunities.
    • language is a tool to connect with the world.
    • other understandings will depend on theme being taught.

    Phase

    During/Explore/Explain
    Learning Objectives

    Learning Objectives

    The student will be able to

    - make a list of categories about the people found in the cimetière.

    - identify the celebrities found in that location.

    - express the date of birth and death of the celebrities.

    - reflect on the similarities and differences with cemeteries in the U.S. and in France.

    - use the Internet to virtually travel to culturally relevant places in France.

    Activity Details

    The teacher will first pull up the website on display and show the students how to navigate the site in French. Under "visiting" there are two links that the students can use: "liste de célébrités" and "cartes intéractives". Under the liste, they will find the names of all the celebrities buried in the cemetery. Some of them have a hyperlink, giving additional information about the person, including a biography for some. 

    The teacher will then let the students work on their own along with a list of questions (either printed or written on the board):

    Trouvez la tombe la plus vieille (oldest)

    Trouvez la tombe d’une célébrité irlandaise

    Trouvez la tombe d’une célébrité américaine

    Trouvez la tombe d’un acteur français

    Trouvez la tombe d’un chanteur français

    Quelles sont les professions des personnes au père Lachaise? (faites une liste)

    Indiquez les noms des personnes dans chaque catégorie et leur date de mort.

    For each question, students will write down the names of the people buried in the plots as they believe that they fit in the categories. Since they might discover other people, allow them to cross out names or have multiple ones if they are unsure.

    At the end of the activity the students and the teacher will reconvene and discuss their answers and why they are appropriate. Other topics of conversation might come up based on what the students discovered. 

    This whole activity can be done in French by the students. If they are novice-low or novice-mid, the follow-up conversation about the cultural aspects, similarities and differences can be done in English. The teacher should only switch to English once the students have exhausted all their resources in French.

     

    Assessment Strategies

    Assessment Strategies

    This is a for fun activity but students' understanding can be checked with the various answers they are able to provide. 

    If a grade is needed, then it should be a pass/fail grade. Did the students navigate the website in French? Did they write down plausible information (and not just the first name they encountered to quickly finish the activity)? Did they put a thorough effort into finding names to answer the questions? (They might not have a name because there are a lot of people buried at the père Lachaise.) If they have multiple categories and multiple people in the categories, then it will show the effort.

    Variation Tips

    Students might be interested in researching some of the iconic personalities, which can be a follow-up activity in class, or at home research project for the students.

    The activity can also be assigned to students as homework and they come up with questions for their classmates to answer. This could also be used as a follow-up if the students really enjoy the activity in class, to encourage them discovering more of the iconic place.

    Background and Preparation

    Background / Preparation

    The teacher should check the website beforehand in order to discover people buried in the cemetery and decide on adding other questions to lead the students. 

    Many celebrities in the cemetery are iconic personalities not only in the French culture (Edith Piaf, etc.) but in others as well (ie: Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde), therefore the teacher should be familiar with those people and their achievements. 

    Digital Tools / Resources

    Cimetière du Père-Lachaise
    https://pere-lachaise.com/

    Approved Date

    Owner (Author)

    shope
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