Language of text: French
Type of text: picture book
Author or source: Dominika Lipniewska, published by Gallimard Jeunesse
Intended age of students: Key Stages 1/2
Source reference: 9782075128445
Approaches:
This is a book that shows that our neighbours are all different, and that’s ok! Actually we are all different, and that’s ok too, we can happily all live together!
After asking the children what they think the book is about and what it might teach them, I read this story once all the way through. Then I ask them again what they think it is about and we have a discussion about it.
I then give them the challenge of acting out the characters of the different neighbours or what they like to do whilst I read the story a second time.
The 3rd time, I ask hem to pick out the adjectives and write them down, in French or in English, depending on the class.
Rationale:
The book is beautifully illustrated and there are a lot of cognates in the text, which makes the story easily accessible to learners of French.
It encourages children to think about how we are all different but can nonetheless all live happily together.
Outcomes:
“Certains” and “d’autres” are repeated at the beginning of every other page, thus making them memorable for our children who can join in very early on and say them. There are quite a
Quantifiers like “un peu, vraiment” are used in the story, can be picked out and recycled by the children as they talk then write about their own neighbours and what they are like. This could lead to dictionary work too.
Topics or themes:
descriptions of people’s characters; could be used for hobbies too; the “in” sound (with “voisins and “certains”)
Grammar:
adjectives and adjectival agreement (in the plural); present tense of -er verbs; usage of “certains” and “d’autres”
How much time required:
1-2 lessons
Like the look of it? Click here to buy it on Amazon.co.uk.
If you know another book about your neighbourhood, please share them in the comments below! Merci !
