French Ideas for Languages Week

[Monsieur D]

I have collected the following ideas from other people via the French
listserve for ILW:
Challenges:
Song - We run a competition for Year 10 language classes – with a real
silver cup prize(well – it was silver once. It’s an old swimming cup,
but you can’t read the writing any more). The Maori, Japanese and
French classes meet in the hall:- each has a song in the target
language eg Frere Jacques, then each challenges the others to some
contest. Yes, jellybeans with chopsticks has been one. For French, we
have had pétanque with soft balls, baguette and blue cheese eating
competitions, can-can contests, snail eating, tongue-twisters;
dressing in Bretagne costumes…can’t remember them all.

Technology - I’ve seen a technology challenge idea where teams had to
make a model of la Tour Eiffel - which would stand up on its own -
with newspaper and cellotape. That worked well. Can’t remember what
the time limit was but it would take longer than a jellybean and
chopstick relay...
We have run a similar event in past years constructing Eiffel Towers
out of newspaper. 4 people work on the 4 main struts (very thinly
rolled up newspaper), pass it onto the next 4 who work on any “cross
pieces” and top bit + obligatory flag. Winner is not necessarily the
1st team to finish, as the real test comes when the Eiffel Towers are
made to stand up. I get a member of the Graphics/Art/Tech dept to test
for architectural stability!!

Card Games - How about playing vingt-et-un? For jellybeans...??? I
realise that might be gambling, but you use a lot of low level French
(your turn, counting out sums, suits etc). Are you able to be online?
The following ideas I got off www.Frenchteachers.org :

Relays
Pagne* Races - Students experience a facet of traditional French-
African culture (Some women wear long skirts because they must cover
their ankles at all times; people routinely carry items on their
heads). Each student racing needs approximately three yards of
fabric and items to balance on the student's head, such as baskets
with real or artificial fruit and vegetables or books.

Rules for wrapping the fabric need to be stated because there is a
tendancy to simply carry the cloth and not really wear it. Students
wrap the fabric tightly around them to make a skirt, tying the two
ends at the waist. They put baskets or books on their head and race
the pre-determined course. This can also be done as a relay race.
The student who reaches the finish line first with basket or book
still on the head, or the team which completes the race first is the
winner. Use your imagination for prizes! Students enjoy eating the
fruit in the baskets. Barrington Middle Schools (IL)

*Pagne (literally, "loincloth") is the term used to refer to the long
wrapped skirts worn by African women. Unmarried women sometimes wear
2 or 3 skirts to give good coverage of the ankles.

French Waiters Race - Each student racing in a heat needs a tray,
plastic soda bottle, and two cups. A nearby water source is needed.
Arrange prizes for winners and runners up and have a whistle,
megaphone, and a “recorder” for race day. Finally, set the race
course.
Students choose a partner and wear aprons, berets, or chef hats on
Race Day. Waiters each get a tray with two empty cups and a full
“wine” bottle. They carry the tray with one hand and pass off to
teammate at a half-way point. Winners are those who return to the
finish line first with their cups and full bottle intact (put a small
weight in the bottom of plastic cups so they do not blow away). Run
as many heats as necessary to determine a winning team. At the end,
have a photo session and send pictures to school newspaper or other
local publications.

A croquenbouche-building relay? We did this as a group effort, not as
a relay, but it could work as a relay.
Pancake tossing: how about a mini crepe race (a la pancake race)? You
would need small frying pans and some pre-made crepes. The students
would have to toss them in the air (5 – 10 times depending on the size
of the room) and hopefully catch them again whilst counting in French
(could teach them quickly how to count to 5-10).

Other:
La chasse au trésor
List of objets to be found - in French - e.g. une chaussette, une
gomme, un morceau de papier, un sandwich, un livre de maths etc...
Teams are given a dicitonary and have to look up the words and find
the objects as fast as possible. Team with most at end of time limit
wins

Photo display: Gather photos together to go on the screen as you come
in the a prominent place in the school Japanese photos – any photos of
the girls or whatever is Japanese.

Badges – for staff French and Japanese various greetings.
Prizes figure out how many days and prizes.

Decorate hall – decorate the assembly hall or library with language
stuff

Chocolate Game - I know it's probably not what you were exactly
looking for, but what about the good old "chocolate game" from kid’s
birthday parties. When you throw a six you have to put on all the
clothes while saying "je porte ...." each time and then eat the
chocolate with a knife and fork. Eg Je porte un pantalon etc. I do
it with the kids for end of topic game and they love it.