1 - Wild Animals We Know ~5 mins
Which wild animals do you already know from films, zoos or nature programmes? You might think of creatures from far-away grasslands and forests, and far fewer kinds live near home than you might expect.
Take a moment: can you name three wild animals you think you could learn to say in French today?
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Name eight wild animals in French
- Label animals on a wild-animal picture
- Spot the words quickly in a bingo game
Collect three or four guesses and write them on the board in English only. Do not confirm the French yet. The point is curiosity, not a quiz. You will meet the real set on the word-table next.
If someone names an animal outside today's eight, smile and say you will stick to eight for now. Keep the energy light and move on once four ideas are up.
2 - Eight Wild Animals ~10 mins
Here are today's eight wild animals. Listen to each one, then say it back together. You will meet them in two groups of four, with a quick chorus after each group.
The small word in front (le, la or l') is part of the name. Say both together every time.
You drive the taps on the IWB; pupils listen and repeat. Work in two groups of four so the harder words are not lost at the end of a long list.
Group 1: tap and repeat twice each (whole class, then by table): le lion (luh lee-ON), le tigre (luh TEE-gruh), l'éléphant (lay-lay-FAHN), la girafe (la zhee-RAF). Quick chorus of all four.
Group 2: same pattern: le zèbre (luh ZEH-bruh), le singe (luh SANZH), le renard (luh ruh-NAR), l'ours (loors). Quick chorus of all four.
Point at the article every time so the pair is what they hear. Flag that la girafe is the only la, and that l'éléphant and l'ours take l' before a vowel sound. Spend a little longer on l'éléphant and le singe.
Oral game before you leave this step (2–3 minutes): point at a picture on the word-table; class choruses the full phrase with the article. Then reverse: you say the French, class points at the picture or mimes the animal. This second pass matters before labelling.
3 - Label the Animals ~10 mins
A wild-animal scene is waiting with empty labels. Volunteers come up and place the correct French word. Everyone else whispers the full phrase with its article at their desk before the label is dropped, then shows thumbs up if they agree.
Run this on the IWB with volunteers. Model the first one yourself: point at the animal, say the French with the article, then place the label. The rest of the class must whisper before the label drops, that is their job every turn, not only watching.
If a pupil hesitates, replay the audio from the word-table still on a side tab rather than giving the English first. Insist on the full phrase with the article. After a wrong label, invite the class to chorus the correct phrase, then try again.
4 - Into Your Copy ~3 mins
Open your copy and write four wild animals with their articles. Put a star beside any you have seen at a zoo or on a nature programme.
Pause the board. Keep the word-table on screen while they copy. Everyone writes: this is the only three minutes where every pupil's pen is moving. Check that the article is going in front of every word, that la is used with girafe, and that accents are present on éléphant and zèbre. Do not collect these. A quick walk of the room is enough.
Stars are personal (zoo or screen sightings), there is no single correct set. If pupils argue, steer them back to writing the French neatly.
5 - Wild Animal Bingo ~10 mins
You each have a bingo card, paper from the teacher or on screen if your class uses devices. Listen carefully. When you hear a wild-animal word, mark it on your card. First full line calls out!
How to Play Bingo:
Option 1: Students on Devices (Digital Version)
- Use the digital version where your teacher view of the lesson displays the cards that are being called out.
- Play the pronunciation sound of each word and the children mark it off their unique digital bingo card.
- Each student has a randomised bingo card so winners will vary!
Option 2: Print Out the Bingo Cards
- Print out the Bingo Cards from the attachment above, cut out the cards, and give one to each student.
- You call out the vocabulary words and students mark off their sheets.
- First student to complete a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls "Bingo!" and wins.
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