A good French lesson will be taught in French as much as possible, incorporate consistent material and encourage student participation through reading, writing and speaking. A great French lesson will incorporate variety and creativity, motivate students to work independently and encourage using the language contextually. Personalizing the lesson is an important technique that promotes both participation and retention.

Holidays

Christmas in France
Teach students about how holidays, such as Christmas, are celebrated in France. This lesson should be taught at the appropriate time of year to coincide with the holiday. Discuss the traditions practiced and tell typical French folktales associated with the holiday. Teach the French vocabulary words and common phrases used during the holiday and, finally, have the children participate in staging an aspect of the holiday celebration, such as learning "Jingle Bells" in French for Christmas and take them caroling to other classrooms.

Geography

The regions of France
Have students plan a three-day trip to France. Students can use references from their textbook, library sources or French websites on the Internet. Have them draw their route on a map and identify places they would visit including its description. They should include hotels, restaurants, attractions, transportation and special events or festivals they would attend.

Clothing

Express yourself with what you wear
Have the students create a catalogue of their favorite clothing by cutting out pictures from magazines and providing descriptions of the items in French. Have them include clothing they would wear while doing their favorite activities and clothing they would wear in different seasons or weather conditions.

Culture

Have a French picnic
Use the French tradition of the picnic to contextualize food vocabulary with French history and culture. Discuss the history of the picnic in France. Then have the students plan an imaginary picnic they would like to have, describing the location in France they would choose, the French dishes they would make and the French games they would play. Teach typical words and phrases that would be spoken at a picnic, such as, "tree," "park," "I'm thirsty" and "I'm hungry." Finally, have a picnic incorporating French dishes and games and have the students use the French words and phrases they learned.