31 FI -French Immersion program outline September & October 2015

The beginning of the Grade 3 French Immersion program is all about getting to
know each other and setting students up for success. We will focus on developing
positive attitudes and work habits. We will focus on learning to be organized,
taking care of yourself and others, and always doing your own best. Through the
activities we do in class, we will work on important 21st century skills such as
communication (communicating respectfully and appropriately; taking turns to
speak and listening attentively), and collaboration (interacting and working
effectively with a variety of people in pairs / small groups / larger groups).
Students will often complete self-assessments around their work habits. Students
will reflect on their progress and set goals. I will encourage them to be proud of
the things they do well, and will support them in the areas where they require
more assistance.
Science: plants
Over the next few weeks your child will be learning about plants. We will be doing
a variety of activities that will have us learning, discussing, thinking, eating,
planting, observing, exploring, drawing, making connections, taking action, and
more! You can help your child get the most out of this unit by ensuring he / she is
dressed for walking outside and (sometimes) working with dirt.
Big Ideas from the curriculum:
Students will observe and investigate a wide variety of local plants, from trees
and mosses in their natural environment to flowers and vegetables grown at
school or on farms, and will consider the impact of human activity on plants and
their habitats. Students will also learn about the importance of plants as sources
of oxygen, food, and shelter, and the need for humans to protect plants and their
habitats.
Overall curriculum expectations:
1. assess ways in which plants have an impact on society and the environment,
and ways in which human activity has an impact on plants and plant habitats;
2. investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various plants,
and ways in which the characteristics of plants relate to the environment in which
they grow;
3. demonstrate an understanding that plants grow and change and have distinct
characteristics.
For the complete Grade 3 science curriculum, visit:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/grade3.html
French
At the beginning of the year it will be important to work on reviewing some key
concepts from last year. In writing, we will start by looking at the "basics", like
nouns / adjectives / verbs, types of sentences, punctuation, capitalization, and
writing sentences. The expectation is for students to speak French with the

teacher and with peers in class. Students are encouraged to use the words they
know, and then to use expressions like "Comment dit-on?", look up unfamiliar
words, or ask the teacher how to say / spell unfamiliar words. Students will make
mistakes and that is expected. It is part of the learning process. The main goal is
for students to do their best to speak French in class. Students will practice
listening and speaking to each other using prompts / sentence starters, and
they will also listen to recorded sources. We will focus on listening for important
words and main ideas. Students will read a variety of materials and we will work
on identifying the main ideas.
In-class project
Your child will be working on creating a "portrait" over the next few weeks. This
will involve a variety of tasks, including developing vocabulary, understanding
grammatical concepts (e.g., verbs / nouns / adjectives), producing a short
informative written piece and visual, as well as sharing it orally within a small
group. We will do all the work in class, including brainstorming, drafting, editing /
proofreading, and creating a final product.
Specific curriculum expectations tied to this unit are:
Writing
D1.3 - Developing vocabulary: confirm word meanings and review, refine, and
vary word choices using a variety of resources
D2.1 - The Writing Process: generate, develop, focus, and organize ideas for
writing, using a variety of resources
D2.2 - The Writing Process: plan and produce drafts, following a model, and revise
their writing to improve its content, clarity, and interest
D2.3 - The Writing Process: edit, proofread, and publish a variety of written pieces,
following a model or a set of guidelines to meet established criteria
Speaking
B1.2 - Producing Oral Communications: using familiar words and expressions,
produce planned and rehearsed messages in French containing information and
ideas about themselves and their family, friends, and immediate environment
Listening
A1.3 - Listening for Meaning: demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of
oral French texts containing familiar words and expressions and dealing with
everyday topics, with contextual and visual support
For the complete Grade 3 French curriculum,
visit:http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/grade3.html