These magic message riddles will serve as instant Christmas cards for your students if you print them on card stock. The riddles resemble QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom - indicated by a red number - to top. There are four cards to the page. Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays, I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch my drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile.

If your students are fans of the original, try this version sung in French by Sara'h. The video is also captioned in French. (I've attached a gap-fill worksheet and corrected a few grammar errors found in the subtitles.) Again, the age range will be determined by whether your programme is for French as a first language, Immersion, Extended or Core French students. If your students enjoy it, I'd love your feedback.

Just for fun, I "apollinairized" one of my favourite passages from "Le Petit Prince". I hope that it will inspire your students to illustrate a favourite quote in the form of a calligram.

If you use Scrabble or Bananagrams in your Language Arts or Modern Languages classroom, these floor tiles for Scrabble (roughly 8" square) will add another perspective to the proceedings. The tile count officially required for Scrabble games in English, French, German, Spanish and Dutch are included. Run the tiles off, laminate them, push the desks to the walls - or, better yet, go outside to the playing field - and enjoy some serious play! (The "W" layout has been redone.)

Il y a huit phrases au sujet du court-métrage, Le Gruffalo, cachées dans cette marelle. There are eight sentences and a secret message hidden in this hopscotch game about the animated short, Le Gruffalo. Le début de chaque phrase est signalé par un petit numéro qui indique le nombre de cases dans la phrase. Toutes les cases qui forment une phrase se touchent. C’est la logique qui détermine l’ordre à suivre. A number indicates both the beginning of a sentence and the number of squares that comprise that sentence. All the squares in a sentence must touch each other. Careful reading will allow your students to find their way to the logical conclusion of each sentence. If your school does not yet own a copy of Julia Donaldson’s brilliant book or the animated short film in French, I've attached links to the three clips available online, a copy of my HIgh-Interest-Easy-Vocabulary adaptation of the story in script format and a link to a site that sells the award-winning dvd based on Ms. Donaldson's classic.

These message cards look a bit like QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom - indicated by a number - to top.  Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch the drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile. P.S. Print the messages on card stock if you’d like to use them as little reward records. Once my students accumulate ten stickers or stamps, they redeem the card for a small treat or a bonus point on a future test.

Imagic After your students have solved the Imagic (visual crossword) puzzle, challeng them to make a little Imagic of their own. Broken Words In this virtual race, players have to reconstitute and recopy words that have been broken into pieces and scattered over the game grid. Students may play individually or in pairs. The words in this puzzle are: 1 hero 2 honour 3 prayer 4 silence 5 bugle 6 poppies 7 service 8 weapon 9 courage 10 parade 11 battle 12 defend I’ve included a suggestion for extending the lesson for this activity.

Imprimez et découpez ces puzzles pour que les petits puissent les reconstruire. Par l’effet d’osmose, ils apprendront à lire et écrire les mots illustrés tout en jouant. Le premier dossier comprend les puzzles en lettres minuscules; le deuxième comprend les puzzles en lettres majuscules . Engage your pupils with reading (and writing) through play by printing and cutting out these puzzles for them to solve.

In this virtual race, players have to reconstitute and recopy words that have been broken down into syllables and scattered over the game grid. Students may play individually or in pairs. The words in this puzzle are: 1 horreur (f.) 2 chaudron (m.) 3 grimoire (m.) 4 squelette (m.) 5 fantôme (m.) 6 hanté 7 sorcier (m.) 8 zombie (m.) 9 citrouille (f.) 10 cercueil (m.) 11 balai (m.) 12 souris (f.) L’intrus: peur

This is the Dutch version of Drôle d'exercice. Again, it is a stand-alone puzzle activity that might be just the ticket for an entertaining end-of-the-year lesson. My students genuinely enjoy this activity and I hope yours will, too. If it prompts you to create one or two of your own, please let me know. This set is intended for more advanced students of Dutch.

This stand-alone puzzle activity might be just the ticket if you are looking for an entertaining lesson for the end of the year. My students genuinely love Drôle d'exercice and I hope yours will, too. If it inspires you to create one or two of your own, please let me know. Although this set is intended for more advanced groups, you can easily cull the simpler cartoons and texts for younger pupils to work (play!) with. NB: This update corrects the "exageres" typo.

A five minute filler for French teachers. If your classes enjoy my Christmas puzzles, please let me know and I'll post some of my others . . . les verbes ER, la Saint-Valentin, au bord de l'eau, au cinéma, etcetera.

FLIPPING GRAMMAR flash cards Online flash cards are a great tool but my students prefer the social interaction of playing / learning with actual cards! This file includes a set of mini-cards to help students master regular verbs and irregular verbs in the future simple, a second set in business card format, a “how to play” guide and a little bonus. Individuals can work through these Flipping Grammar cards in class at their own pace as remedial or enrichment work. Or they can take home a deck until they’ve mastered the futur simple tense. However, Flipping Grammar sparks a lot of joy as a game for two. And you can extend the lesson by using the answers as mini-dictées. Just print, cut and go. QUESTIONS TYPES Tu _______ la pizza dans le four pour 30 minutes. mettre Ton robot _____ uniquement à ta voix. obéir Youpi! Nous ______ enfin à Disneyland! aller Selon Amazon vous _______ votre commande demain. recevoir Le jeu de cartes éclair FLIPPING GRAMMAR Sur un côté de chaque carte, on trouve la question [imprimée en noir] et l’infinitif à conjuguer au futur simple. La réponse [imprimée en rouge] se trouve de l’autre côté de la carte. Bien sûr que les cartes éclair virtuelles aident à mémoriser le vocabulaire et les conjugaisons difficiles. Mais mes étudiants préfèrent de loin de jouer avec de vraies cartes et de vrais camarades de classe! Avec les cartes éclair FLIPPING GRAMMAR, ils peuvent toujours réviser individuellement dans la salle de classe ou chez eux mais ils peuvent aussi jouer avec un partenaire et apprendre sous forme de jeu. Vous trouverez ici des cartes pour travailler le futur simple des verbes irréguliers, des cartes pour travailler le futur simple des verbes irréguliers et un petit guide de jeu.

My sister and her writing partner have given me permission to share their happy new Christmas song with other teachers. So, to spark a seasonal singalong, I’ve made a karaoke version of BABY, BABY, IT FEELS LIKE CHRISTMA for your students. P.S. I’ve also included a triangle puzzle based on the lyrics and, of course, the lyric sheets. (Triangle puzzles make wonderful cooperative activities.) May your well-deserved Christmas holidays be joyful, relaxing, and . . . restorative. Merry Christmas!

Print two sets of these cards on printable business card sheets for an instant MEMORY GAME. Or run one set for "group work" cue cards. Or use them as flash cards. Or run one card for every student and have them find their "twin" / "triplets" by travelling around the room asking "Quel temps fait-il?" Or . . . This is an updated resource. Two years ago, I took the original “Quel temps fait-il?” card set down until I could find the time to create optional “windy” and “sunny” cards that might please everyone. (Do you think that I may be a procrastinator?) I’ve also updated the graphics.

La fin de chaque mot dans ce mini-cercle vicieux est aussi le début d'un nouveau mot. Comme dans un mots croisés, les lettres sont toutes représentées en majuscules sans accents. Un mot accentué peut donc croiser un mot qui ne l'est pas. Fais la ronde. Combien de mots qui se chevauchent peux-tu y trouver?

Engage your pupils in reading (and writing) through play by  printing and cutting out these simple puzzles for them to solve. There are separate files for puzzles in upper and lower case letters. pepper broccoli peas corn carrot celery tomato (even though it’s actually a fruit)

MOTDOKU6 (Noël) is a simplified MOTDOKU (word sudoku). The challenge is to slot the following words into the grid: 1 le lait de poule 2 la couronne 3 le réveillon 4 le Père Noël 5 le lutin 6 le renne MOTDOKU6 ((Noël) est un MOTDOKU simplifié qui met en valeur le vocabulaire ci-dessus. Joyeux Noël!

Embedded in the puzzle grid are 13 French words on the Saint-Valentin theme and more than 70 general vocabulary words. The file includes a thematic vocabulary, an answer key and a “how to play” guide. (I posted the English version of this Valentine's game five years ago and am truly tickled to see that it has been downloaded 3355 times! If your students enjoy the activity, please let me know and I will create more like it.)

With these 3 posters in the 'Keep Calm' style: 1 Reste calme et sers-toi du site BonPatron 2 Reste calme et sers-toi du site Wordreference 3 Reste calme et mange du chocolat