AP French Language Syllabus

AP French Language Syllabus
2011-2012
In this course:
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both the instructor and students speak French exclusively in class,
thereby building on skills acquired in previous courses and further
developing students’ abilities to use and understand the language in a
variety of contexts. [C1]
students will demonstrate proficiency in the French language in
accordance with the National Standards.
students will understand and respond to authentic reading materials:
French literature, newspapers, magazines and Internet sources.
students will achieve a level of oral and written proficiency that will
help them to succeed on the AP French Language Examination.
students will have an understanding and appreciation for francophone
cultures around the world.
students will demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written
communication via bi-weekly power point presentations based on
current events. [C5]
Resources: [C2]
Primary textbook:
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Ghillebaert, Françoise. Face À Face: Conversation et redaction.
Vista Higher Learning, 2011.
Primary workbooks:
Stillman & Gordon. Reprise: A Review Workbook for Grammar,
Communication, and Culture. Glencoe, 2004.
• Ladd, Richard and Colette Girard. AP French: A Guide to the French
Language Examination, Second edition. Pearson, 1998.
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Supplementary textbooks:
Lenard, Yvonne. Trésors du temps: Niveau avancé. Glencoe, 1997.
Demaray, Carolyn F. & Josette J. Smith. Triangle, Troisième édition.
Wayside, 1998.
• White, Renée. En d’autres termes, Deuxième édition, 1995.
• Scott, Joe. Tactics: Conversations à Deux. Wayside Publishing, 1990.
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Other sources and materials:
• Released AP exams
• Various reading materials such as novels, short stories, plays, poetry,
fables, newspapers, magazines, Internet sources, and film clips. [C2]
Assessments
Students are assessed in a variety of ways including, but not limited to,
projects, oral and multi-media presentations, vocabulary and grammar
quizzes, and formal compositions. On a daily basis, students are assessed
for their use of French in the classroom. Points are earned through
participation and lost if English is used. In addition to the formal
compositions listed, students will also keep a weekly journal in which they
reflect on topics related to each unit’s theme. Sometimes the journal entries
are in response to a teacher-assigned writing prompt; most often, however,
these are derived from students’ personal contemplations on the topic at
hand.
Course Planner
September - October
Unit Theme: Contemporary Life (Leisure Time and Travel)
Vocabulary: Les Loisirs, Les Études, and Le Voyage.
Reading: Excerpt from Supplément au voyage de Bougainville by Diderot
Writing:
Weekly journal writing: themes related to summer vacation and goals
for the new school year. [C4]
• Composition 27: “In you opinion, has education deteriorated in recent
years? Why? If this continues, what will be the result?” (AP French)
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Oral: Conversation à deux: introducing yourself and telling what you like to
do in and out of school. [C3]
Webquest: Plan a trip to a francophone country. Prepare a travel itinerary
detailing what your voyage will entail.
Grammar: Review of present tense, including reflexive verbs and the
imperative, passé composé, imparfait, conditional and future.
AP Exam Preparation: Rejoinders 1,2,3 (AP French); Lectures 2 & 3 (AP
French)
October - November
Unit Theme: Families and Communities (Childhood &
Adolescence and Family Structures)
Vocabulary: L’Amour ; La Famille; La Société
Reading:
• Les autres, la haine, et l’amour, an article in which a father reflects on
his son’s changing perspectives from childhood to adulthood
• Excerpt from Le Petit Prince [C2]
Writing: Follow up composition to readings.
• How has your relationship changed with your parents over the years
as you have become more independent? [C4]
• How does reading a story from a child’s perspective influence the
reader’s understanding of Le Petit Prince? What does he come to
understand about love and family?
Court métrage: Pas de bagages [C2] A short film dealing with the topic of
fragmented families. Follow up discussion.
Oral: Dialogues describing students’ family structures or a celebrity’s family
and discussing how they fulfill or differ from the American or other cultural
idea of a family.
Grammar: Si clauses and object pronouns
AP Exam Preparation: Listening dialogues 1-3; rejoinder 4; picture
sequences 1-3; reading comprehension: lectures 4 & 5 (AP French)
December
Unit Theme: Science and Technology
Vocabulary: Les ordinateurs, Mots D’Argot Communs and Le Langage des
Adolescents
Reading:
• SMS Textos, article about texting in France from Face à Face.
• Current newspaper articles about technology from French sources that
the students research, bring to class, and summarize in group
discussions.
• Les Petits caractères [C2]
Writing: Weekly reflective journal writing [C4] and Choice of composition:
• 1 “It seems that since the invention of the Internet, there has been a
media revolution. Technology transforms medthods of
communication. What do you think of the technological revolution?
Where is it taking us?, ”
• 3 “It’s been said that television, computer and video games have led
to a lack of imagination in today’s youth. Do you agree?”
• 9 “It is said that the computer will replace print medua. Do you
agree? What is the future for print media?” (AP French)
Oral: Prepare questions for an older family member or friend of a different
generation about the types of technology available to them during their
adolescence and discuss at home. Report back in small groups and create
compare / contrast charts that show the societal changes. [C3]
Grammar: Adjectives, adverbs and prepositions
AP Exam Preparation: Listening - dialogue 4-6, rejoinders 5&6, Speaking –
picture sequences series 4-6, Reading comprehension – Lectures 6&7 (AP
French)
January-February
Unit Theme: Personal and Public Identities
Vocabulary: La Francophonie
Reading:
• L’Affiche, narrative of a homeless man.
• Le Rossignol [C2]
Court métrages: Sans Titre, the story of a young Congolese man who
worries about deportation. and Il neige à Marrakesh, A Moroccan man is
denied a visa to enter Switzerland. Follouw up, student-led discussion about
multiculturalism and nationalism . [C2]
Writing: Weekly reflective journal writing [C4] and composition 15: “If you
had to live in another country for 10 years, what would you miss the most?”
(AP French)
Oral: Current event debates stemming from topics found in an authentic
French news source. [C4]
Grammar: Comparative / superlative, negatives and indefinite words and
expressions. Subjunctive with relative pronouns.
AP Exam Preparation: Listening – dialogues 7&8 and 12&13, rejoinders 7-9
Speaking – picture sequences series 7-10 Reading comprehension –
Lectures 8-10 (AP French)
March
Unit Theme: Global Chalenges (The Environment)
Vocabulary: Les Animaux and La Nature et l’environment
Reading:
• Sur le réchauffemnt planétaire
• Celle qui aimait les arbres et le Rouquin de Nanterre [C2]
Writing: Weekly reflective journal writing [C4] and compositions 57
(“What will the planet be like in 100 years?” or or 63 (“Do you believe that
the climate influences the people who live there. Explain.”) (AP French)
Court métrage: Néo-calédonien - A documentary about New Caledonia’s
coral reef and the danger that waste material poses to its ecosystem. [C2]
Oral: Presentation on an environmental topic of student’s choice using
authentic French news sources.
Grammar: Past Subjunctive and passive voice
AP Exam Preparation: Listening - dialogue 7-10, rejoinders 10&11,
Speaking – picture sequences series 11-13, Reading comprehension –
Lectures 8-10 (AP French)
April
Unit Theme: Beauty and Aesthetics
Vocabulary: Les Arts and Les Contes de Fées
Virtual field trip to the Musée D’Orsay and Le Louvre. Discussion and
writing about cultural perceptions of beauty.
Reading:
• Trésors du Temps ch. 11 & 12, Plaisir des yeux: Articles about 19th &
20th century art.
• “Lecture Sans Torture” reading strategies activity and practice with
sample passages and fairy tales.
AP Exam intensive preparation:
Grammar: Units 4 & 5 of AP French, Function words and verbs. Review of
passé simple.
Writing:
Weekly reflective journal writing [C4] to be collected and graded.
• An original fairy tale.
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Oral: Recorded speaking samples
AP Exam preparation: past AP tests and other practice exercises from
Triangle and AP French .
May
Literature review and discussion. Selected works to include: L’Étranger, Le
Père Goriot, short stories by Guy de Maupassant. [C2]