American Association of Teachers of French
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SPORTS, GAMES, AND TRADITIONSReprinted from AATF National Bulletin, Special Issue, Vol. 24 No. 5 (May 1999)See also Pétanque. The need to play is part of human
nature. Moreover, games are an
excellent way both to learn and to
relax. Sport, games, and
traditions were chosen as the theme for
the third day of National French Week
because they are aspects of culture that
young people in American can easily
relate to. Sport is an
international commodity. Soccer
fans are aware that Les Bleus
won the World Cup in 1998. Almost
everyone is at least vaguely aware that
France is host each year to Le Tour
de France, the world's most famous
cycling event. If students have listened
to the announcements at the Olympic
Games, they may have noticed that they
are made in both French and the language
of the host nation. Discussing the
sports, games, and traditions that the
French value permits students to see
similarities between the two
nations. National French Week
allows teachers the opportunity to build
on people's natural inclination for play
and celebration. Taking activities
outside the classroom will provide
opportunities for French students and
teachers to show that French is
fun. Below are ways in which
teachers and students can highlight
sport, games, and traditions during
National French Week and involve the
larger community. SPORTS
GAMES
TRADITIONS
Below you will find descriptions of sports activities that can be organized during National French Week. Tour de FranceDecorate two small bicycles or large tricycles of equal size. Students choose a partner and a French or Francophone “sponsor” and create tee-shirts with the sponsor's name as well as other apparel, such as biking shorts, hats, and sunglasses. Students should prepare French cheers. Obtain signed permission slips for each student prior to Race Day.The race course can be set on a school track, parking lot, or other large space. Contact local press and the school newspaper for coverage the day of the race, and take pictures to submit to those publications. Arrange awards for winners, such as Tour de France tee-shirts, a maillot jaune for the winning team, and ribbons or medals for runners up. Prepare a clipboard, pen, and select a “recorder” to write down winners of each heat. Use a whistle and megaphone, if possible, for starting the heats. When Race Day arrives, two teams race in each heat; one team member rides the first leg of the race and passes the bicycle off to the partner at the half-way point. The losing team in each heat is eliminated. Teams not racing are responsible for cheering in French! When only winning teams are left, winners race against winners until only one team remains. Stage an award ceremony and photo session.
La Coupe du MondeWorld events such as the Olympics and World Cup of Soccer provide opportunities to publicize what is happening in the French classroom. Using these world events to get every department, team, teacher, administrator, and support professional involved with French students. In addition, the presence and support of parents, community members, local businesses, nearby foreign government personnel, and local university students and staff can enhance the event.To prepare for the 1998 Coupe du Monde, eight foreign language teachers discussed the different committees needed and how to get the entire school and Chicago-area community involved. Each teacher took charge of one committee: research information and its distribution, game involvement, school showcases and decorations, contests, prizes, community involvement, field preparation, publicity, and evaluation. Then the fun began! The Media Center was reserved for two days of Internet research. Students were assigned a Francophone country which participated in the 1998 Coupe du Monde. Each group researched the World Cup to learn about its history and cultural significance and researched their particular country. Each team was also given two of the ten French venues to research. All of this information was reported to the class by the teams using visuals, art projects, overheads, hand-outs, speakers, chants, songs, etc. Each team then received handouts on the historical importance of la Coupe du Monde, the place of France in the history of the World Cup, pictures and stories of past and present soccer names such as Michel Platini, Just Fontaine, Christian Karembeu, Aimé Jacquet, Zinedine Zidane, Les Verts and Les Bleus, Bernard Tapie and the Olympique de Marseille team. Through a local AATF chapter workshop, current French publications, and contacts with soccer players at our high school and on the Chicago professional teams we got help with our activities. Didier Rousselière, the French Attaché culturel adjoint was invited to be our Master of Ceremonies and to lead our Parade of Nations on opening day. Nearly every student in school was wearing a homemade World Cup tee-shirt on opening day of our World Cup Week. One student drew a Footix which was used as the model for a poster design contest, hallway decorations, and for tee-shirt design contests. Each team colored its Footix in the colors of the country it represented, and Footix held that country’s flag. Teams made a banner and a flag to carry in our Parade of Nations. Banners and posters and the 32 country flags were displayed all around the school. Cheers and chants in the languages were created: “Un, deux, trois, va! va! va! Un, deux, trois, rah! rah! rah!” Newspapers were contacted, TV stations were alerted, invitation letters were sent to all parents, administrators in the district, and to Francophone businesses in our community. The school band was invited to lead our parade while playing "La Marseillaise." Other schools were invited to participate or to be spectators. When la Coupe du Monde Week arrived, school spirit was very high. A World Cup Knowledge Bowl was held in the Media Center for any student or adult to enter. Announcements were made daily in one of the foreign languages. Students proudly wore team/country shirts, colors, hats, carried Footix dolls, posters, banners, and flags. We paraded through the school, then gathered outdoors in front of the French Attaché culturel adjoint who officially opened our games. After three days of games, team France had won the majority. Little did we know that Barrington Middle School would pressage world events!
Pagne* RacesStudents experience a facet of traditional French-African culture (Some women wear long skirts because they must cover their ankles at all times; people routinely carry items on their heads).Each student racing needs approximately three yards of fabric and items to balance on the student's head, such as baskets with real or artificial fruit and vegetables or books. Rules for wrapping the fabric need to be stated because there is a tendancy to simply carry the cloth and not really wear it. Students wrap the fabric tightly around them to make a skirt, tying the two ends at the waist. They put baskets or books on their head and race the pre-determined course. This can also be done as a relay race. The student who reaches the finish line first with basket or book still on the head, or the team which completes the race first is the winner. Use your imagination for prizes! Students enjoy eating the fruit in the baskets.
Barrington Middle Schools (IL)
*Pagne (literally, "loincloth") is the term used to refer to the long wrapped skirts worn by African women. Unmarried women sometimes wear 2 or 3 skirts to give good coverage of the ankles.French Waiters RaceEach student racing in a heat needs a tray, plastic soda bottle, and two cups. A nearby water source is needed. Arrange prizes for winners and runners up and have a whistle, megaphone, and a “recorder” for race day. Finally, set the race course.Students choose a partner and wear aprons, berets, or chef hats on Race Day. Waiters each get a tray with two empty cups and a full “wine” bottle. They carry the tray with one hand and pass off to teammate at a half-way point. Winners are those who return to the finish line first with their cups and full bottle intact (put a small weight in the bottom of plastic cups so they do not blow away). Run as many heats as necessary to determine a winning team. At the end, have a photo session and send pictures to school newspaper or other local publications. French-African Games*Teach students how to play Mancala and organize a Mancala tournament. Several game catalogs sell Mancala boards for under $20. With a board and the instructions, students can learn to make inexpensive “tournament” Mancala boards, using egg cartons and popcorn or plastic beads. Let older students who have learned how to play teach elementary students how to play.Achi is an African cousin of tic-tac-toe. Yote is checkers with a big twist. There is also a string puzzle, etc. These are games which could be shared by older students with younger students. Why not sponsor a “Games Morning” at the local public library?
Davara Potel (OH)
*Harper Festival (Harper-Collins) sells a kit called “The Games of Africa” with a 48-page fully illustrated book, a Mancala game board, and 48 playing pieces for Mancala and three other games.PÉTANQUEThe ball itself used to be made of iron-studded box wood until 1927 when the first steel boule was created in Saint-Bonnet-le-Château (near Montbrison) which now hosts the Musée International Pétanque et Boules. Balls used in competition must be between 70 and 80 mm in diameter and weigh between 650 and 800 grams. In addition to steel boules, players need a smaller ball (2.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter) called a cochonnet. In the U.S., there are 20 local clubs in Boston, California, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oregon, and Washington, DC. Pétanque enthusiasts may access the bilingual Web site of Pétanque USA at [http://www.beachmedia.com/www/epetquip.html] which offers a wealth of information such as a short history of the game, the rules, names and addresses of local clubs affiliated to the Federation of Pétanque USA, U.S. tournaments, suppliers of pétanque equipment in the U.S., and even an interactive quiz on the game. Large department stores in France sell affordable pétanque sets. In the U.S., pétanque equipment may be purchased from the following vendors: European Sporting Goods, Inc. in Miami at (800) 68-BALLS; Toulon Imports in San Rafael, CA at (877) 459-5314 (toll free). Here is a summary of the rules:
Activities to organize with students at all levels:
For more information contact AATF National Headquarters, Mailcode 4510, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-4510; Tel: (618) 453-5731; Fax: (618) 453-5733; E-mail: abrate@siu.edu Created: April 25, 1999 Last update: April 26, 2000
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