Appendix I.

Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

Narrative Description (250+ words):

My unit is designed to get students used to reading fiction that is based in real-life scenarios, specifically school experiences, and
writing about their own school experiences in a narrative voice. In order to accomplish this, students must have an understanding of
the school system in the country that the fiction story is from, namely, France. The first several weeks of the unit are devoted to
exploring nonfiction, informational texts such as news stories, autobiographical videos, and government websites. This build students
vocabulary of the school system (Tier 1 and 2 vocabulary), and gets students accustomed to the French school day routine being
different than their own. By being able to make comparisons between their own school experiences and those of students in a different
country, students will better be able to understand the literature and be able to write their personal narratives from a different
perspective. The comparing cultures segment of the unit delves into specific differences between the American and French school
systems that may help reanalyze their own educational situations, specifically in school lunches and extracurricular activities. This not
only compares school experiences, but reaches farther into what each culture places value on, showing that American students place
more emphasis on extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports while French students place more value on eating well and
balanced meals, even at school. These culture comparisons eventually will contribute to their performance mode of writing a narrative
so that they may include comparisons or idealized versions of school in their story (which can be fictional or a true story).

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

Approximate Length
6 weeks
Language and 8th grade (from immersion school) of Unit
Level / Grade Intermediate mid-high Approximate Number
230
of Minutes Weekly
Theme/Topic Writing/Telling narratives, identity in schools
Essential Question How do school experiences shape identity in American culture and different francophone cultures?
Learners will be able to:
Goals Explore fiction and nonfiction narratives from their native cultures and francophone cultures.
Compare school experiences of their native country and francophone countries.
What should learners Give opinions about school experiences.
know and be able to
Give comments about identity and school life on social media of students from francophone countries.
do by the end of the
unit? Create a personal narrative based on their school experience using vivid descriptions and current
language trends.
Interpretive Mode
Summative
Performance Students listen to/watch this video Students read this article about le Students read a government
Assessment about le rythme scolaire rythme scolaire that goes along document about the new rythme
http://education.francetv.fr/matiere/ with the video/audio: scolaire discussed in the video
These tasks allow Pourquoi les rythmes scolaires and previous text from FranceTV.
actualite/cm2/article/pourquoi-les-
learners to ont-ils chang (article from Nouveaux rythmes a l'ecole
rythmes-scolaires-ont-ils-change-1- primaire Exemples d'emplois du
demonstrate how FranceTV). Following the reading
well they have met jour-1-question then answer the temps. Following the reading
students answer questions about
the goals of the questions regarding what was students will answer questions
the text. about the text and do a
unit. touched on in the video.
comparison between the two texts.

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

They are integrated Presentational Mode Interpersonal Mode

throughout the unit. Students write five short entries in their journal In partners, students carry on a 5 minute
The template modeled after the style of Journal dun Dgonfl, conversation about daily life in the French school
encourages multiple using the narrative voice, the vocabulary, and the system in comparison to that of Americans. The
interpretive tasks. grammatical structures we learned. The story may teacher prompts students with specific questions and
The interpretive either be based on their own school experiences as an topics to touch on. This conversation takes place at
tasks inform the American student or written as a work of fiction from the teachers desk away from the rest of the class,
content of the the point of view of a collgian in France. and other students are working on other work while
presentational and partners present to teacher.
interpersonal tasks.
The tasks should
incorporate 21st
Century Skills.
Product: school lunches (la restauration scolaire)
Practice: cafeteria lunches are hand-crafted by chefs and are subjects to many rules and regulations
Cultures
Perspective: food and nourishment for the body is highly valued, as is taking time to eat, proper alimentation
(Sample Evidence)
is necessary for good school work
Indicate the
Product: school schedule
relationship between
Practice: longer school days, no school-funded extracurricular activities (priscolaire)
the product, practice,
Perspective: extracurricular activities are seen as individual activities, not school related, academics play a
and perspective.
greater role in students lives than extracurricular activities

Making Connections Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives

ELA - writing personal narratives and making differences in school schedules

Connections comparisons valuing academics over athletics in France
(Sample Evidence) Math - calculating how much is spent per importance of eating hand-crafted meals with a
week on different activities and graphing the balanced diet, even at school
results
FACS - food preparation and allocation at
school
Social Studies - structure of the French school

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

system

Language Comparisons Cultural Comparisons

manger sur le pouce (to eat on the go) academic/extracurricular time allotment
Comparisons casser la crote (to have a snack) time spent on lunch
(Sample Evidence) priscolaire (extracurricular activities, travel to/from school
but means outside of school where homework
the English means in addition to school system structure
school)
School and Global Communities Lifelong Learning
Skype an 8th grade class in France and ask
Communities
questions about their schedule and opinions of Examine their identity and how the time they spend on
(Sample Evidence)
the school system. Share their own schedule different activities and their school experiences contribute to
and opinions. their identity

Connections to
Common Core
Toolbox
Vocabulary Expansion
Language Functions Related Structures / Patterns
Tier 1
Describing events from the school day using the narrative Limparfait vs. le pass compos comparison clauses, upper-level
tone/voice school vocab (i.e. priscolaire, la
cantine, etc.)
Tier 2
Maintaining conversations about school experiences and La conditional Un dbile
personal identity, including what a student would or Un mec
wouldnt do in a given situation La cantine
Un pote
Un pleurnicheur
Un truc

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

Un nul
Un casque
Analyzing texts to identify and determine the meaning of Using vivid descriptions including (tre) sale
slang/familiarized words and phrases in current familiarized words (Tier 2 vocab) (tre) coinc
francophone media and literature. (tre) ravie
Snerver
Soccuper
Compare/contrast similarities and differences between Making comparisons Quasiment
cultures and experiences in education in the U.S. and Franchement
francophone cultures.
Key Learning Activities/Formative Assessments
Interculturality
How does this activity
Key Learning Activity/Formative Assessment Mode of Self
support the unit goals or
(representative samples from beginning to end of unit) Communication Community
performance tasks?
World
Students learn the tier I
French School System Activities: go through the PPT with
vocabulary and how the Interpersonal
bellringer, explaining the French school system, explaining the S,W
French school system is Interpretive
exams, and the formative multiple choice questions
structured.
Students learn more
Ministre de lEducation Scavenger Hunt: Internet scavenger
information about the
hunt on the French Government website for education
structure of the school Interpretive W
http://www.education.gouv.fr/. Students complete the scavenger
system and student school
hunt form as they explore the website (formative assessment).
life.
Authentic Reading 1: read France Guide: coles publiques,
Students learn about how
Mthodes d'apprentissage, inscriptions et vacances: Le systme
French students spend their
ducatif. Have students answer T/F questions about the Interpretive
time between school and
information in the article. Then, using this article and the Interpersonal S,C,W
activities as well as how
previous article on the school system have students create a Presentational
French extracurricular
graphic/poster comparing and contrasting the French and
activities are structured.
American education systems.

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

Info gap activity systme scolaire: Students receive either

Students have conversation
partenaire 1 or 2 sheet for the activity and then must converse
with each other to share Interpersonal
and negotiate meaning to find 5 difference in each of the three S,W
stories in narrative form Presentational
pictures then write a short story about what is happening in one
about school activities.
of the pictures.
Watching https://youtu.be/DKfwvE3WK1M. Identify Tier 1
vocabulary. Students answer T/F questions about what they
watched, then talk with partner about some similarities and Students learn about
differences between your opinions about school and the French personal opinion and
Interpretive
students opinion about school. Together students think of a school systems from the
Interpersonal S,C,W
story to tell from their experiences that supports their opinion, video. Students have short
Presentational
and then tell their story to one another. Students then switch conversations about their
partners and get into groups of four and tell their opinion and storytelling.
experience/story, other students give feedback about what they
thought about the story and how it was told and ask questions.
Authentic Reading 2: Brevet 2017 : Digischool, France Tv
Education, Les Bons profs et SchoolMouv, quatre sites pour
Students connect
rviser. Before reading prepare schema about studying for the standardize testing in
ACT, then refresh memory about le brevet. Take 3 passes America to standardize Interpretive
through the text with a different task for each pass. At the end, testing in France. Students Interpersonal S,C,W
students will create graphic organizers about the products do presentational mode and Presentational
mentioned in the text in groups of four, and at the end each critical analysis of
group will share which one they think is the best product to use authentic French products.
based on the article.
Watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov2rhs6FoEg
Students learn to
(0:43-1:18) & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZabuhAJ5IaI understand a broadcast
(0:00-1:20). Students, with a partner, state the 5 parts of a French news story about schools Interpretive
school meal after the first video. After the second video clip and la cantine in France. Interpersonal S,C,W
discuss in English what was seen that was different from lunch Students make comparisons Presentational
in the US and what was thought as shocking or interesting. between French and
Complete a Venn Diagram with some similarities and some American lunch habits.

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

differences of the two lunches. Students work in groups of four

to develop a menu for the cantine scolaire in France and a school
cafeteria in America.
Conditional Activities (PPT): Explain the activity to the students,
then go through and ask students qui ferait.? for each slide. Students learn to
appropriately use the
At the end ask students what they noticed about all the verbs and Interpretive S
conditional and apply it to
what they think it means. Then briefly explain the conditional school system situations.
and how it is formed.
Tier 2 Vocabulary Activities: Tell a story based on the pictures Students learn tier 2,
familiar activity then use Interpretive
in the PPT using the Tier 2 vocabulary. Then go through the S,W
the vocabulary learned to Interpersonal
activities that accompany the pictures and the PPT. tell a narrative.
Reading p. 7-49 & 156-223 Journal dun dgonfl. During
reading, students mark words that are key for understanding the
Students will identify some
text and make inferences about what they mean. Then those
words are added to the class dictionary the following day. predictable actions and
Students after each chapter note on sheet of paper what aspects major events, as well as Interpretive
of the book fall under the French education system and what identify and understand Interpersonal S,C,W
aspects of the story fall under the American education system French slang/familiarized Presentational
(giving textual evidence). For each month in the book there words pertaining to school
will be short formative assessments (not currently classroom in Journal dun Dgonfl.
ready), and students will have a short conversation with a partner
about what their favorite part of the month was.
Info Gap activity Dgonfl: Students receive either partenaire 1 Students use familiarized
or 2 sheet for the activity and then must converse and negotiate language and and carry on
meaning to fill in the boxes of the sheet with the pictures they conversations about school Interpersonal
S,C
are missing (drawing them in). Afterwards, the partenaires work experiences. Students tell a Presentational
together to write a story connecting all the images in the boxes story about school using
together. the narrative voice.
Resources Technology Integration

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

p. 7-49 & 156-223 Journal dun dgonfl PowerPoints

Mots de transitions PDF
Youtube Videos
http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid206/les-langues-vivantes-etrangeres.html
Internet Scavenger Hunt on the French
(French education government website for scavenger hunt)
Government education website (digital literacy)
France Guide: coles publiques, Mthodes d'apprentissage, inscriptions et
vacances: Le systme ducatif
France Guide: Introduction, Le systme ducatif franais (if have time)
https://youtu.be/DKfwvE3WK1M (students talk about their school experiences)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov2rhs6FoEg &
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZabuhAJ5IaI (cantine scolaire)
http://www.lemonde.fr/campus/article/2017/06/23/brevet-des-colleges-2017-
quatre-sites-pour-reviser_5150061_4401467.html (le brevet)
https://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article5124 (les stages)
http://education.francetv.fr/matiere/actualite/cm2/article/pourquoi-les-rythmes-
scolaires-ont-ils-change-1-jour-1-question (IPA)
Pourquoi les rythmes scolaires ont-ils chang Article from FranceTV (IPA)

Can-do Statements:
I can identify the topic and related information from a short, informational and fictional texts.
I can understand some information about the French school system given a short informational text.
I can identify and understand French slang/familiarized words given short texts and social media clips.

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

I can identify some predictable actions and major events from Journal dun Dgonfl.
I can identify the main idea in short conversations or recordings.
I can understand a broadcast news story about schools in France.
I can identify and understand French slang/familiarized words in a current, authentic French video.
I can identify major plot events in the movie of Journal dun Dgonfl.
I can request and provide information in conversations and interact with others on familiar topics by creating simple sentences
and asking follow-up questions.
I can understand information in an online chat group about Journal dun Dgonfl.
I can understand key events and information from a French students vlog/blog about their life.
I can understand a classmates comments/conversation about what they did over the weekend.
I can participate in a conversation comparing French schools to American schools.
I can exchange information about the major events in Journal dun Dgonfl.
I can use French slang/familiarized words when sending texts/tweets/messages to a classmate.
I can express, ask about, and react with some details to preferences, feelings, or opinions on familiar topics by creating simple
sentences and asking follow-up questions.
I can exchange ideas and have a conversation with others to share ideas about what stories we should write our personal
narratives about.
I can chat online with a French student group about daily (school) life in our countries.
I can interact with others to identify our favorite and least favorite parts of the book and our own school experiences.
I can present personal information about my life, activities, and events using simple sentences.
I can describe what happened during a school week in the past.
I can make comparisons between my school experiences and my siblings/friends school experiences.
I can use the narrative voice to write about events that happened to me that took place in school or during
extracurricular activities.
I can express my preferences on familiar and everyday topics of interest and explain why I feel that way, using simple
sentences.
I can gives reasons why the French and American school systems are alike or different, and which one I prefer.
I can write to explain to others why or why not to read Journal dun Dgonfl.

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Appendix I. Standards-Based Unit Template by Clementi & Terrill November 2013

Narrative Description of the Toolbox:

Limparfait and the pass compos and how they are used is a key structure that students must be able to perform seamlessly in
order to use the narrative voice when writing, and this is evidenced in Journal dun Dgonfl as well as in the video of students being
interviewed about their school experiences (when the boy discusses lanne passe). When students are writing about things that have
happened to them at school they need to know when to use an enduring past tense or a point-in-time past tense which contributes to
how the reader understands the text, and in order for students to properly understand the events of Journal dun Dgonfl they must
understand the past tenses and their uses.
La conditional is not as much important for telling a narrative, but is a key grammar structure for expressing point-of-view and
opinions, especially when comparing school systems between France and America. Additionally important is being able to employ
vocab of comparisons. Students need to be able to say what they would do in a given situation in the other culture, and the conditional
is the way to express that. In the readings, namely Journal dun Dgonfl, the conditional is used, and students need to recognize the
difference between the conditional and future in the book and need to recognize and understand the meaning of words that compare
characters or situations. These are skills employed every day in the L1, so being able to make comparisons in the L2 is of the utmost
importance, especially when comparing school systems given that the students are experiences those same things in real time.
The vocabulary of upper-level educational systems is important for this unit because students spend most of their time
identifying experiences and events that are happening in the American and French school systems. Without the proper vocab, students
will garner nothing from all the texts we interpret. For example, in the government website scavenger, the website uses vocabulary
that is not taught at a beginner level of French, words and patterns such as CM1, brevet, and attestations. Without a proper knowledge
of this vocab students would not be able to navigate this activity or any of the other readings in the class. These terms are used most
often when talking about the scholastic atmosphere, and not just about a given classroom, as the vocab they have learned to this point
has been. By learning this vocab, students have the world opened to understanding the French educational systems structure and to
reading news about their education system in the future.

ACTFL Keys to Planning for Learning by Clementi & Terrill 2013