Today I am super excited to share with you one of my favourite books in French called Parfois je suis un renard. Parfois je suis un renard is a picture book written by an Indigenous author.
I often hear from my Instagram teacher community that there aren’t enough resources in French about anti-racism and representation.
That is definitely not true!
As a matter of fact, I have blog posts dedicated to French resources on Indigenous perspectives, BLM, and la francophonie.
While it can be very difficult to find good resources in French, they definitely do exist!
Parfois je suis un renard is a chilren’s book written by Métis author Danielle Daniel. Daniel wrote and dedicated this beautiful picture book to Indigenous children who never got to learn their totem animal.
These children may have lost touch with their culture as a result of a variety of traumas inflicted on Indigenous communities and peoples.
For example, their parents or grandparents were survivors of residential schools, the 60s Scoop or the foster care system which unjustly targeted and continues to target Indigenous families.
Each page of the book introduces a different totem animal. The reader learns about the totem characteristics of each animal and what makes them unique.
Who is Parfois je suis un renard ideal for?
This book is perfect for :
- primary French Immersion & up
- Beginner Core French & up
The book is written entirely in present tense ER verbs! As a result, it is simple to comprehend for French learners of all levels.
In addition, the repetition of a similar sentence structure ensures comprehension.
For instance, each page contains 1-2 ER verbs and a number of adjectives describing the totem animal.
Extension activities for Je suis un renard
So, you have purchased the book and you read it to/with your class. Now what?? I have two activity suggestions for you!
Elementary French Immersion or elementary Core French
Scholastic Canada has a fantastic extension activity for elementary students. It is a PDF printable that you can either project or print for the kiddos.
In this PDF, students circle adjectives that they identify with. In fact, I suggest you do this activity before reading the book. This also a great opportunity to learn the adjectives that will be discussed in the book.
Moreover, the PDF also shares age-appropriate information on the book and author.
FSL Secondary
This next activity is more of an in-depth analysis of the picture book. Students begin by looking up the key vocabulary outlined at the top of the page.
Next, the goal is for students to locate the ER verbs and adjectives located on each page.
They then copy down the ER verb and the adjective in the appropriate box. Finally, I have my students draw an image of that specific totem animal characterized by the verbs and adjectives.
For example, if the animal is wise, they have to draw me a picture showing how the animal is wise.
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