National French Week
During the week of November 10-14, the French class students of Norwin High School celebrated National French Week. National French Week is an annual celebration of the French language and culture, organized by the American Association of Teachers of French.
The French classes at Norwin look forward to this week each year and celebrate it in great fashion. Each day of National French Week, there is a different theme that students’ learning focuses on.
The themes for National French Week were as follows: Monday, French art; Tuesday, French fashion; Wednesday, French music; Thursday, French sports; Friday, fondue day.
“We like to choose the themes based on the interests of students. For example, a lot of students at Norwin are artistic, so we like to do activities that require students’ art skills. Also, lots of students at Norwin are involved in sports, so we like to include a sports-themed day, especially since the Olympics took place in Paris last summer,” said Madame Tomlinson.
Accompanying these lessons, students complete fun activities to deepen their understanding of the history of France and Francophone, French-speaking, countries.
“Students learn more about French culture from doing activities rather than just sitting there, absorbing words from videos and slideshows,” said Tomlinson.
The activities are differentiated between levels.
“The French 1 lessons involve mostly English, as the students are still new to the French language, while French 2 and 3 classes rely more on their French skills in the activities. French 4’s activities are all in French,” said Tomlinson.
Monday – French Art
On Monday, November 10, French students learned about French art. This year, they focused on architecture, specifically the architecture of the famed Notre-Dame de France.
Students “took a tour” of the cathedral, noticing its gargoyles, statues, and three beautiful, large rose windows.
The architecture of the Notre Dame was the focus of Monday’s activity. French 2 students glued tissue paper onto poster board, working together to create their own version of the rose windows, or rosaces. They put a stencil over the poster board, which made it look like they created their own rosace. In French 3, students sketched out the Notre Dame and then painted it with watercolors.
Tuesday – French Fashion
On Tuesday, students learned about French fashion. This lesson included learning about French clothing inventions, like denim and mariner stripes, and about Paris Fashion Week and its spectacular fashion shows. Students were also shown the works of French clothing designers, including Christian Dior and Coco Chanel.
After learning about the design styles of several famous French clothing designers, students put their knowledge to the test. They were shown a photo of a celebrity at the last Met Gala and were challenged to guess which French designer the celebrity was wearing.
Wednesday – French Music
Wednesday was all about music and dancing. French students listened to a new Missy D song, a French-Canadian singer who sings in both French and English. Missy D’s new song, Matin Midi Soir, was released in 2025.
Students then learned a dance to the chorus of Matin Midi Soir.
Thursday – French Sports
The theme for Thursday was sports, with a strong focus on the 2024 Olympic Games that took place in Paris. Students learned about several Olympic medalists from Francophone countries, including France, Canada, and Switzerland. Students also learned about several sports and disciplines that occur in the summer Olympics.
To demonstrate their mastery of the Olympics, students played Olympic bingo, where they were tested on the past and present of the Olympics and on the events of the 2024 Olympics.
Friday – Fondue Day!
Friday, it was time for most students’ favorite theme: Food day!
Students ate chocolate fondue, which was made during class with chocolate. Fondue comes from the French word “fondre”, which means to melt. Cheese fondue is often eaten by the French in the winter, but chocolate fondue is a French favorite as well. Students ate the chocolate fondue with pretzels, marshmallows, and strawberries.
National French Week is important for students to deepen their understanding of not only France, but the world around us.
“It is important for students to be aware it [National French Week] exists. It is important for students to celebrate this week because we don’t only talk about France, but about all Francophone countries. There are more countries in the world that speak French, and each country has a unique culture that students should be aware of,” said Tomlinson.
