Classroom Resources

This novice low to novice mid French activity leads students through an exploration of an authentic resource online. Students use a printable worksheet to guide them through an investigation of a French cinema site. Students start by examining the current movie titles and look to see which are American films and which are foreign films. Students are also asked to note the times that movies are shown and to examine the use of the 24-hour clock. Students also participate in a simulated French conversation in which they roleplay attending one of the movies that are currently playing.

This novice low to novice mid-French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather basic information pertaining to weather, this weekend, next weekend, and vacations. After using interpretive listening skills to gather this information, students record their findings on a printable worksheet. Each section is separated allowing students to focus on one task at a time while listening to the provided links. The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key Grammar Points in these activities include near future, to go, prepositions with places.

This novice low to novice mid-French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather information as the speakers describe themselves, describe celebrities, and compare French and American stereotypes. This activity is split into three different sections and each can be used as a group or separately. The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key grammar points in these audio clips include: adjectives

This novice high to intermediate low French activity introduces students to the classic song My Way. While most students have heard this song due to its' popularity in the United States, many do not realize it was originally written in French. This version is recorded by Claude François, a popular French singer in the 1960s. A pdf is provided to guide students through the activity providing some background information about the artist and song as well as comprehension questions to complete after listening to the song. Students should then listen to the song again while using interpretive listening skills to fill in missing words on the provided lyric page. Students then compare the French lyrics to the English version and end the activity by creating their own verse to the song.

This novice high to intermediate low French activity allows students to reinforce food vocabulary while listening to an authentic resource. The featured artist, Nino Ferrer, is originally from Italy but moved to France where he gained popularity. This activity starts with preliminary questions before having students listen for lyrics that are missing in the provided cloze activity. Students then respond to comprehension questions that are posted on the included pdf worksheet. Finally, students participate in an interpersonal conversation about a picnic, using some of the vocabulary they gained from the song.

This novice high to intermediate low French activity introduces students to the Paris of the 1940s and 50s. This activity focuses on the song Sous le ciel de Paris by Yves Montand. A pdf worksheet is provided to help guide the class through this activity. Students start with preliminary questions in which they reflect on background information about the time period. After listening to the song students complete activities that ask them to identify various aspects of the song including the people and the city of Paris. At the end, students compare this song to songs in the United States that focus on specific places.

This intermediate low to intermediate mid French musical activity uses the music of La Compagnie Créole to explore the celebration and costumes of Carnival through the song Le Bal Masqué. The included PDF starts with asking students to discuss background information on Mardi Gras and Carnival. After listening to the song students check for understanding by answering comprehension questions. They wrap up the activity by using the conditional tense to describe how they would dress if they were to attend a Carnival celebration. The French lyrics for this song are included in the provided pdf. 

This novice high to intermediate low French musical activity reinforces house vocabulary as students see many of their vocabulary words appear in context. The featured song is Y’a une fille qu’habite chez moi by Bénabar. As he humorously describes his home it becomes apparent that a girl must be living there because things are much different than when he was single. Students use the provided PDF to work through a series of activities with this song. First, students review housing vocabulary by answering a series of pre-activity questions. During the song, they are asked to identify missing lyrics by completing a cloze activity. Finally, students are asked to identify key vocabulary phrases and use the imperfect tense to describe the singer's life before his girlfriend arrived.

This novice mid to novice high French activity reinforces clothing vocabulary through music. Students listen to a French song by the rap group Omnikrom. Before starting the song, students use the provided pdf to answer a series of pre-activity questions before moving on to the song itself. Afterward, they are provided comprehension questions to check for understanding. Students are also asked to identify lyrics pertaining to clothing and fashion that appear throughout the song. This particular song specifically uses a dialect from Quebec. At the end of the activity, students explore differences noted in this dialect.

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.)

This novice low to novice mid activity asks students to use google maps to explore a city in France. Using google maps, students work in groups to locate a town of their choice. They then look around that location to find one of the following establishments: bakery, bank, cafe, cinema, post office, or laundry facilities. Students will use the provided chart to fill in the name and location of each establishment. They create a map (digital using google maps or hand drawn on paper) showing where each location is. 

This unique resource is a compilation of 94 influential Hispanics. The list can be sorted by name or country and provides a photo of each person along with 3-4 direct links to online resources that provide in depth information on the person. These links go directly to information about the person on sites like Wikipedia, Biography.com, History.com, ThoughtCo, The Artchive, and Google Scholar. All resources are in English, making this a perfect resource for novice learners looking to investigate important perspectives from the Hispanic world. With over 90 to choose from, each student in the class can select a different person to research and present.

This resource is a must for any teacher who has ever asked students to research a specific Spanish country. This list names all 22 countries (Including the US and Equitorial Guinea) where Spanish is spoken along with an image of their flags. Under each flag is a link to country-specific information on websites such as the CIA World Factbook, National Geographic, Nation Master, Wikipedia, Lonely Planet, Wolfram Alpha, and If It Were My Home. Each of these sites will save time by guiding students to reliable information rather than surfing the internet for hours as they prepare for their presentations. This resource is also a great place to start with planning imaginary travel to Spanish speaking countries. The provided resources are in English, making this a great resource for novice level language learners.

This printable Spanish resource is an infographic in the target language focusing on the need to wash hands regularly. It is appropriate for novice high to intermediate low students.  Seven different formal affirmative commands are used in context allowing students to see how these commands are used in formal writing. This document also demonstrates how pronouns are used with affirmative commands. Students can use this infographic to identify the health-related vocabulary words used throughout the authentic resource. If time allows, students can create their own health-related instructional poster.

This printable resource is a spin off the popular board game Guess Who? This interactive activity encourages interpersonal communication among Spanish students at the novice low to novice mid level. Students should each be given a copy of this resource. In pairs or small groups, one student describes a person from the board until the other students in the group are able to guess who is being described. This allows students to practice vocabulary related to descriptions and to reinforce their use of masculine and feminine adjective endings. 

This novice level language learning activity introduces Level 1 students to each of the Spanish-speaking countries. Using the provided printout, students are asked to look up demographic information for each country including: population, life expectancy, literacy rate, GDP per capita, and exports. All information is recorded on the provided map, creating a visual overview of each Hispanic country.

This printable resource is a ready-to-use unlabeled map of Latin American countries. It is a perfect resource for novice low students to use as they label countries and capitals, a common first step toward learning to identify the locations around the world that speak Spanish. A copy of this resource that is labeled with each country's name is posted in the comment box below. Additionally, another map that includes Spain and Equitorial Guinea is posted in the comment box.

This ready-to-use printable is a guide for a novice level country research project. Students are each assigned a Spanish speaking country and then asked to use the printout as a guide to investigate their specific country. Students look up demographic and cultural information including capital, population, currency, national symbols, traditional foods, and current events. The printable includes a location to draw the country's flag and another to draw out a map of the country including key geographical features such as rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, and neighboring countries.

Vocabulary Bingo is a common activity for any novice level language classroom. This printable game board is ready to be used for any vocabulary topic. An additional printout is posted in the comment section for those who would like to print smaller boards, two to a page. To play Bingo, students should write a vocabulary word from their current unit in each box on the board. Teachers of novice low students show photos of items and students mark off the corresponding vocabulary word if it appears on their board. Teachers of novice mid or high students should read a sentence describing a vocabulary word. Students use the definitions to identify the vocabulary word and mark it off if the word appears on their board.

Novice level Spanish students are learning to describe events using present tense. As they learn to conjugate in the present they face challenging stem-changing verbs. These 11 posters each feature a common classroom question that uses the stem-changing verb poder in context. By hanging these printable posters around the classroom, students are constantly reminded of how to use this difficult verb. As much as possible, students should be encouraged to ask common questions in Spanish when they need to visit the office, locker, library, nurse, or restroom.

Novice low and novice mid learners will study family vocabulary early on during their language learning. This printable resource allows students to see most vocabulary words in context. It is a family tree showing the relationship of each person to the student or tú. The most common vocabulary words are included on the family tree without English translations. Only words that do not directly relate to the student are translated into English. This resource can be copied for individual student use or printed as a poster to hang in the classroom.

Spanish students of all levels should be given multiple opportunities to investigate, analyze, and reflect on similarities and differences between the target and native cultures. In order to compare and contrast these similarities and differences teachers often use venn diagrams so that students can visually see these differences. This printable resource is a ready made venn diagram labeled with Latin American Culture and North American Culture. It can be used for all cultural comparative activities.

This unique resource challenges student perceptions of the world and causes them to look at the world from a different perspective. The south up map forces students to examine how countries relate to each other geographically. It also opens discussions into ethnocentric thinking and culturally biased perceptions. This particular resource can be copied for individual use or printed as a poster to hang in the classroom. Before introducing this map, ask students to quickly sketch a world map on a sheet of paper. Ask them to describe this map (in English or target language depending on level). Then, show them this map but hide the commentary paragraphs. Ask them to share why they think this map is correct and/or incorrect. Finally, share the commentary that is printed on the resource and have students discuss their thoughts on the presented idea. This is a fun activity to do at the start of language learning to remind students that one must be opened minded and willing to look at things from another viewpoint if they want to try and understand cultures different than their own.

This activity is popular among novice low and novice mid students who are learning lots of vocabulary across a wide variety of topics. This printable game card is fashioned after the popular board game Scattergories. Each student or student team is provided a card. The teacher calls out a letter of the alphabet and students write down a vocabulary word that starts with that letter and that represents the categories on the game card. After two to three minutes the teacher calls time and students stop writing. Students share their words with others. If any other student has the same word then that word does not count. Only students with unique words that were not written by others will receive a point. This challenges students to think about more advanced vocabulary rather than using the most common words. The categories on the card include the following: Names, Food, Places, Clothing, Animals, Body, House, School, and City. 

Are you planning a hiking trip but not sure if you’re fit enough to take on the challenge? Do you want a body that can cope with long miles, heavy backpacks, and steep climbs? If you’ve answered yes to one or both of these questions, you’ve come to the right place. This article will show you how to train for hiking.

Preparation is essential to increase the potential for success of any trip. This includes making sure you’re in good physical shape before you take off. The one and only way to do that is to train properly and regularly. 

Have you ever gone hiking in the backcountry with a large, conversational group of buddies and thought to yourself, “I love my friends, but I really wish I had the time and space to enjoy this by myself?” At the same time, why is it that we can feel so comfortable going for a walk in the local park by ourselves yet when it comes to solo hiking, we think twice?

Solo hiking is such a great form of relaxation but it does come with some unique challenges. Here at The Adventure Junkies, we understand you might be hesitant. That’s why we’ve put together this fantastic FAQ to answer all your questions and get you out on the trail by yourself in no time at all!

Maybe you want meticulous speed and distance logs, or just a fun way to bond with biking friends? The best cycling apps have social features, training tools, on-bike navigation and more. Some come in handy during the ride and others are best used before or after.

Turn-by-turn directions, ride logging, even almanacs of useful bike information are all available at the swipe of a finger. Being online gives up-to-the-minute weather data, and offline features make these smartphones apps useful even on your wildest adventures.

Want to track your heart rate, speed, and power without wires or specialized bike computers? There’s an app for that, too. Even the most tech-averse rider will find something to love in this lineup of the best cycling apps.

How do you keep a mountain bike running reliably? The best way is to perform regular mountain bike maintenance. Dirt and grime corrode both the frame and the components. Your frame needs to be cleaned regularly, and the components require cleaning and servicing as well.

Failing to grease and clean components can result in a noisy ride at best. At worst, parts will break or fail. Cleaning the frame will prevent grime from chipping away at the paint and finish. Routine maintenance lets you avoid unpleasant surprises on the road and replace cables and brake pads before you’re in trouble.

There are a lot of important steps, but we’ve broken down the most common maintenance routines to help you get started. From filling the tires to bleeding your brakes, this guide will help you keep your mountain bike clean and problem-free.

Students will review the health systems of the United States and Canada. They will identify the positive aspects of each system. They will look at the trade-offs associated with those positive aspects. In Canada, everyone has health care, but certain specialized medical services are not always available. In the United States, many people are not insured, yet for many people the access to technology and specialization is phenomenal. Which is the better choice? Students will also recognize that choosing between these two systems requires a trade-off between the economic goals of economic freedom and economic security.

Students learn about two different kinds of disease transmission through a Bubble Sickness game and a High Five game to introduce the concepts of symptoms, contagious, contagion, direct/indirect transmission, microbe, and infectious diseases.

In this series of activities, students learn about how microbial diseases are transmitted and start to think about who is involved in a community response to an outbreak of an infectious disease. Students use the case of John Snow to learn how epidemiologists can use maps to locate the source of an outbreak and map a hypothetical pathway of disease transmission for a particular disease. This lesson is part of the Menacing Microbes unit.

This novice mid to novice high French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather information as the speakers describe the foods they eat and their favorite foods. This activity is split into three different sections and each can be used as a group or separately. French language questions are also included so that students can interview each other about favorite foods. The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key grammar points in these audio clips include questions words, asking questions,  and IR verbs in the present tense.

This novice high to intermediate low French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather information as the speakers describe what they did last weekend as well as when they were younger. This activity is split into two different sections and they can be used as a group or separately.  The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key grammar points in these audio clips include: past tense

This novice high to intermediate low French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather information as the speakers describe holidays, what they did when they were little, and what they did when they were 15 years old. The activity is split into four different sections that can be used as a group or separately.  The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key grammar points in these audio clips include: Past Tense, Imperfect Tense 

This novice mid to novice high French activity allows students to gather information from four different heritage French speakers: Franck, J-C, Stephanie, and Virginie. Students are asked to gather information as the speakers describe the homes they live in and who does the chores at their house. Students gather their information on a prepared printable worksheet.  This activity is divided into 2 separate sections that can be used together or separately. Students are also provided questions to use as they interview each other about their homes and chores. The links to the interviews used in this activity are posted in the comment section below. Each video provides optional French and English transcripts.

Key grammar points in these audio clips include: Present Tense