Le petit Prince (Interpretative lesson plan)

Context:
French II, Eighth grade
Previously introduced the writer (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) and the theme of the book
in English in the sixth grade year (I have my students for three years).
Task Name:
Le petit Prince

Learner outcomes:
Chapter 114. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English

114.22. Levels I and II - Novice Progress Checkpoint (One Credit Per Level). (a)
General requirements. (1) Levels I and II - Novice progress checkpoint can be offered
in elementary, middle, or high school. At the high school level, students are awarded
one unit of credit per level for successful completion of the level. (2) Using ageappropriate activities, students develop the ability to perform the tasks of the novice
language learner. The novice language learner, when dealing with familiar topics,
should:(C) detect main ideas in familiar material when listening and reading;

Procedures:
Step 1: Students will listen to Teachers copy of Le Petite Prince Chapter one. Students
will draw a picture of what they heard and interpret anything they understood while
listening. Collect pictures when completed.
Step 2: Students will copy and translate page one of Chapter 1 of Le Petite Prince
using the free website: (https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjmv_iFqPb
KAhXIMyYKHc5xB8gQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebooksgratuits.com
%2Fpdf
%2Fst_exupery_le_petit_prince.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEyVOABPaIEk0Lu3zwSFPdTvT9Qlg
&bvm=bv.114195076,d.eWE)

Step 3: Students may use class set of French Dictionaries and work in groups of two
for the translation.
Step 4: After listening, reading, copying, and translating page one, teacher will elicit
answers from students to teacher made questions. (See sample: What is a primeval
forest? Why do boas sleep so long? Would you like to be a boa? )
Step 5: Return the students pictures from Chapter 1 and they are to write five
sentences in French to describe what they drew. If the students want to add to their
drawings, they may do so. As the readings continue throughout the year, save the
drawings and compile into a book.

Task design:
This task is a little bit more challenging for my students, since they have to rely on audio
at first. They are at a level where translating from their text book is becoming at times
too easy. The challenge becomes apparent when they try to translate from a new
source. Le Petite Prince is an authentic French source that students in this country
have not been exposed to. It is an engaging text and the students enjoy the imaginative
story line. The vocabulary is at a high level of English that my students ask what does
that mean? They want to continue reading to see what will happen next. The group
work allows for the students to communicate and complete the assigned task. Although
the task is challenging, it is also doable.