Back to school can be an exciting, but overwhelming time of year! I am always so excited to meet my students and see my students after a long, restful summer. If you are a new teacher, this can also be a stressful time of year as there is so much to do and to prepare for. Here are my top French Back to School activities for a fun & stress-free rentrée scolaire!
Before you scroll – grab this Back to School freebie!
What kinds of French back to school activities are ideal?
Before we discuss what activities are ideal, let’s chat about the overall goals for the first week back :
1. to get to know our students with the right back to school activities
This is my most important goal for the first week of school in September and thus they inform the kinds of French back to school activities I do. Who are my students as individuals? What are their likes and interests? What are their needs? How do they like to learn? How can I support them?
2. French back to school activities to review and recall learning from last year
I do not do worksheets to review important content and competencies from last year. Worksheets do not, in my opinion, make for valuable and significant learning opportunities.
Instead, I review things like verb conjugations by doing fun craftivities.
Who are these French back to school activities ideal for?
All of these French back to school activities are suitable for Core French and French Immersion students!
1. French & English Syllabus & Course Outline Templates
Syllabus and course outline templates do not have to be boring! In addition, I like to spend LOTS of time going over my class expectations with my students.
This ensures that we are all on the same page when it comes to routines and expectations. Using this template, I also create a course expectations “scavenger hunt” as a fun way to see if my students know the routines on the course expectations sheet.
In my first two years of teaching, I made the mistake of not spending time explaining my routines, expectations and criteria for success. This unfortunately made for a confusing few months. Definitely do not make the same mistake I did!
2. All About Me Surveys for New & Returning Students
Ever since my practicum days, I have always started every course with a student survey. My student surveys are brief & to the point.
My goals with student surveys are to :
– open dialogue with students
– learn about who they are as individuals, and what their interests and learning preferences are
– learn crucial information that will allow me to support them best
– start the course off on a positive note by indicating that I care about each and every one of them as individuals & that I am going to do my best to support them and their needs.
3. Le vocabulaire du matériel scolaire
This resource can be either used to introduce or review vocabulary.
It includes illustrated vocabulary pages in both colour and black and white, a word search activity, a crossword activity, and a dans mon sac à dos, il y a … activity.
4. LOTO sur le matériel scolaire
Bingo is absolutely one of my favourite ways to review vocabulary with students.
School supply BINGO is one of my favourite French back to school activities!
Seriously – my students always beg for more rounds! So much so that I ended up creating multiple BINGO games for them!
I print and laminate my bingo sheets & have students write directly on them using a whiteboard marker.
I love that Bingo is still so popular with students because I have very fond memories of playing Bingo in Elementary!
5. Tout sur moi – les fanions
Included in this bundle are three choices of activities for students to share about themselves and also review vocabulary and grammar from the previous year(s).
This one in particular is best suited for students who have completed at least a year of French.
Students describe themselves and their preferences using present tense conjugations.
6. Moi, mes préférences et mes buts
Next up, this French back to school activity is one of my favourites! It includes four different types of templates for students to share all about themselves, their learning preferences and their goals for the year.
And honestly, how cute are they? Each of these drafts comes with a draft template as well, so students know exactly what questions they must answer before working on their good copy.
It’s a fun way to not only write in French for the first time in months, but for students to share about themselves!
7. Me voici – je peux me décrire
For the last choice, students will write and illustrate a picture book about themselves!
This French back to school activity is suitable for students who have at least a year of experience, however, I would use it for any grade.
This activity will take the most amount of time, however, it is also entirely in present tense.
