Learning Activity

Food Pyramid in the French Classroom

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

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

Overview

This activity starts students on their path to knowledge about food. It also gets the conversation going about the view of food in other countries. The students will learn the various food categories in context with an authentic resource and will also have a starting point to compare foods in different countries.

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.NMP.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.NMP.2

Knowledge

K-2
Students know:
  • basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • how to ask questions.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

3-5
Students know:
  • basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • how to ask questions.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

6-8
Students know:
  • basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • how to ask questions.
  • the target language vocabulary related to theme taught.

Skills

K-2
Students are able to:
  • use basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • ask simple and rehearsed questions.
  • use vocabulary learned in thematic units.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • use basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • ask simple and rehearsed questions.
  • use vocabulary learned in thematic units.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • use basic sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • ask simple and rehearsed questions.
  • use vocabulary learned in thematic units.

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.NMP.4

Investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship among the products, practices, and perspectives of the target cultures.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.NMP.4

Knowledge

K-2
Students know:
  • important target culture holidays.
  • how to recognize appropriate target culture behavior.
  • how to recognize inappropriate target culture behavior.
  • some target culture products.

3-5
Students know:
  • important target culture holidays.
  • how to recognize appropriate target culture behavior.
  • how to recognize inappropriate target culture behavior.
  • some target culture products.

6-8
Students know:
  • important target culture holidays.
  • how to recognize appropriate target culture behavior.
  • how to recognize inappropriate target culture behavior.
  • some target culture products.
  • important target culture landmarks.

Skills

K-2
Students are able to:
  • list holidays observed in the target culture.
  • identify products from the target culture.
  • compare native and target cultures.
  • use culturally appropriate rehearsed behaviors.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • list holidays observed in the target culture.
  • identify products from the target culture.
  • compare native and target cultures.
  • use culturally appropriate rehearsed behaviors.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • list holidays observed in the target culture.
  • identify products from the target culture.
  • compare native and target cultures.
  • use culturally appropriate rehearsed behaviors.
  • recognize cultural landmarks.
  • recognize and imitate cultural behaviors.

Understanding

K-2
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.

3-5
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.

6-8
Students understand that:
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • the study of a foreign language develops insights into the nature of language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taughtaught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): KG-08 - World Languages

WL17.WL.NMP.5

Link target language and other subject areas to acquire information and begin to develop diverse cultural perspectives.

Unpacked Content

UP:WL17.WL.NMP.5

Knowledge

K-2
Students know:
  • information specific to theme taught.

3-5
Students know:
  • information specific to theme taught.

6-8
Students know:
  • information specific to theme taught.

Skills

K-2
Students are able to:
  • use information taught in the target language in other aspects of their lives.
  • use the target language to learn information about other subject areas.

3-5
Students are able to:
  • use information taught in the target language in other aspects of their lives.
  • use the target language to learn information about other subject areas.

6-8
Students are able to:
  • use information taught in the target language in other aspects of their lives.
  • use the target language to learn information about other subject areas.

Understanding

K-2
Students understand that:
  • proficiency in a foreign language is a vehicle to gaining knowledge that can only be acquired through that language and its culture.
  • world language learning offers opportunities to uncover big ideas in and about other disciplines.
  • strategies used to acquire a language are transferable to other areas of learning throughout life.
  • a second language facilitates the acquisition of information about the world outside our experiences.

3-5
Students understand that:
  • proficiency in a foreign language is a vehicle to gaining knowledge that can only be acquired through that language and its culture.
  • world language learning offers opportunities to uncover big ideas in and about other disciplines.
  • strategies used to acquire a language are transferable to other areas of learning throughout life.
  • a second language facilitates the acquisition of information about the world outside our experiences.

6-8
Students understand that:
  • proficiency in a foreign language is a vehicle to gaining knowledge that can only be acquired through that language and its culture.
  • world language learning offers opportunities to uncover big ideas in and about other disciplines.
  • strategies used to acquire a language are transferable to other areas of learning throughout life.
  • a second language facilitates the acquisition of information about the world outside our experiences.

Phase

Before/Engage
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

At the end of this activity, learners will be able to:

- recognize and use the vocabulary for various food groups.

- learn a few specific food items and indicate what food category they go into.

- recognize that Belgium uses French as one of their official languages since the food pyramid used is from Belgium.

- recognize that the cultural practices of the food pyramid are different between Belgium and the U.S.

- recognize that the U.S. does not have a pyramid for children and one for adults, and reflect on the reasons for this difference.

- compare the eating habits of Belgium and of their own culture.

- demonstrate an understanding of the different practices by being able to discuss the similarities and differences in their first language.

- demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary and concepts by successfully completing tasks.

Activity Details

This activity is used to introduce the topic of food to the students. They likely have not seen anything about it beforehand. 

Give them a copy of the Belgian food pyramid for older children and adults. Give them moments to look over it and get their bearings. They can make a list on which they write down the categories that they recognize (or use any other tool regularly by the students when actively discovering new vocabulary). Then ask some questions (in the target language) about the categories that they see. 

Pass them the other food pyramid (for children 18 months to 6 years). Give them moments to look over it and get their bearings. They can make a list on which they write down the categories that they recognize (or use any other tool regularly by the students when actively discovering new vocabulary). Then ask some questions (in the target language) about the categories that they see. 

Now ask them what differences and similarities they see. A Venn Diagram is a good tool for them to use here. Once they've established the similarities and differences, discuss why it is so.

The next step is to give them an American food pyramid and give them a moment to figure out the categories in French (they use the other food pyramid vocabulary to help them figure this out).

The conversation is then repeated with the categories they see, which is the most important, the least important, etc.

Finally, have them compare all three pyramids for similarities and differences. Make sure that they pay attention to what surrounds the pyramid as well. 

The next step to this activity would be to introduce various food items, and then have the students categorize where those food items would be on the pyramids.

 

 

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Two formative assessments are available:

- Give students a food pyramid from any of the three versions they have seen with the categories left blank and ask them to fill them out.

- Give students pictures of food items and ask them to categorize them in the proper pyramid categories (since they are using pictures, it doesn't matter that they don't know the food in the target language yet).

-Students could also do a quick presentation about the categories.

In training for the eventual AP exam, ask each student to do a two-minute recording (in the target language) comparing the food pyramids of the two countries.

Variation Tips

Additional activities can be used for students to fully use the concept of the pyramids. For instance, give students menus from various families from the target country and ask them how well it fits the guiding principles of the food pyramid. Each group can have a different one and they discuss in the target language, why or why not the menu is good in regards to the food pyramid. If each group has a different one, they can be regrouped where they would talk about their family's menus and how they were regarding the food pyramid.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Make copies of the food pyramids in color. Have at least one copy per group. If color copies are not available, see if it can be projected on the screen (download the PDF because the website can sometimes be sluggish).

Find the U.S. food pyramid or one from another English speaking country. Like with the other food pyramids, have copies ready for the students or project it on screen.

 

Digital Tools / Resources

La pyramide alimentaire en Belgique
http://mangerbouger.be/IMG/pdf/outils-pyramide-alimentaire-a4.pdf

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

shope
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