CHM for parents
CHM for parents
7th & 8th grades
This page is designed for parents who wish to see what students do and what tasks are expected in French Culture History & Media classes.
Content:
I - A year at a glance: Course structure
II - An instructional week at a glance: daily activities and weekly due assignments checklist
III - An Evaluation week at a glance: final assessments
IV - Module content: topics and historical periods
I - A Year at a Glance
1 year = 2 modules
Modules are tied to a historical period: scroll down for more details
1 module = 3 instructional weeks + 1 evaluation week
1 instructional week :
- Part 1: Our community
- Part 2: Francophone countries
- Part 3: France and Europe
- Part 4: Comparison
Week 4: unit evaluation (project or AP practice)
What does Culture mean in CHM?
Culture embodies products, practices and perspectives specific to a city, a social class, a group/collective or a community.
Products: elements that people use in a specific culture. Ex: a festival, a song, a recipe, laws, a flag...
Practices: actions, the way people use a product. Ex: How to say hello...
Perspectives: why people use a product, the way people see the world: concept of family, women's role in society...
II - An Instructional Week at a Glance
Highlighted parts show what assignments are due on the same day.
Part 1: Our Community
a) - KWL chart:
- students fill in 1st column (what we Know)
- students fill in 2nd column (what I Want to learn)
b) - Resource analysis (Written/Audio/Video)
- Discussion & Collaborative activities: taking notes
c) - KWL chart:
- students fill in last column (L: what I have Learned)
d) - Quick Written Prompt:
- Describe products/practices/perspectives studied today
KWL chart = tableau SVA in French
Part 2: Francophonie
a) - KWL chart:
- students fill in 1st column (what we Know)
- students fill in 2nd column (what I Want to learn)
b) - Resource analysis (Written/Audio/Video)
- Discussion & Collaborative activities: taking notes
c) - KWL chart:
- students fill in last column (L: what I have Learned)
d) - Quick Written Prompt:
- Describe products/practices/perspectives studied today
Part 3: France & Europe
a) - KWL chart:
- students fill in 1st column (what we Know)
- students fill in 2nd column (what I Want to learn)
b) - Resource analysis (Written/Audio/Video)
- Discussion & Collaborative activities: taking notes
c) - KWL chart:
- students fill in last column (L: what I have Learned)
d) - Quick Written Prompt:
- Describe products/practices/perspectives studied today
Part 4: Comparison
a) - Review and Reflect on KWL charts and notes
b) - Discussion with group over products, practices and perspectives
c) - Venn Graphic Organizer completed together
d) - Personal notes: How my perspective on this theme has evolved.
INSTRUCTIONAL WEEK CHECKLIST
By the end of a 4-part instructional week, students are expected to show that they have completed all the following activities:
- 3 KWL tables (google doc)
- 1 Venn Graphic Organizer(google doc)
- Discussion activities : notes
- Personal notes
KWL charts and Venn graphic organizers are completed with partners and shared with the class.
Teacher also shows a model on the board that students can copy.
ANY MISSING MATERIAL must be redone.
III - An Evaluation Week at a Glance
The evaluation week comes after 3 instructional weeks. Instructional weeks and the evaluation week are tied to the same AP theme and historical period. Teacher may suggest various options among these:
- an essay
- a cultural comparison
- a presentation
- a graphic novel
- a poster
- a mind map
- an art exhibition with written explanation
- a choregraphy with written explanations
- a video
Students may suggest other ideas. We can be creative as long as we answer the essential question and follow standards.
IV - Units
Each unit corresponds to a AP theme.
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Module ACivilizations and Empires: the cultural legacy of societies before Christopher Columbus (2500 BC - 1492) |
In this course, students will compare and contrast individual and collective perspectives about the structures that constitute a society by studying ancient and medieval civilizations (before 1491). Students will utilize all modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational) to build skills in cultural-linguistic competencies necessary for successful communication with native speakers. Students will utilize media and authentic texts to discuss the diverse cultural products, practices and perspectives of the French-speaking world.
UNIT 1
AP THEME: Families and Communities/Identity
Week 1: Gender role in society before 1492
Week 2: Education and Access to Education before 1492
Week 3: Space organization and Economy before 1492
Week 4: Evaluation : What was a society and family in the past compared to today?
UNIT 2
AP THEME: Science and Technology
Week 1: Technology and society
Week 2: Medicine
Week 3: Inventions and innovations
Week 4: Evaluation: What was the importance of medicine, sciences, and technology in history?
UNIT 3
AP THEME: Beauty and Art
Week 1: Defining Beauty
Week 2: Fashion
Week 3: Art & architecture
Week 4: Evaluation: What was beauty before 1492 compared to today?
UNIT 4
AP THEME: Global Challenges
Week 1: The economy
Week 2: Politics
Week 3: Religion
Week 4: Evaluation: What role did geography, governments and religion play in development before 1492?
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Module BDiscovery, Change and Oppression: the Impact of Colonization (1492-1789) |
In this course, students will compare and contrast individual and collective perspectives about discovery, change, oppression and consequences by studying the historical period of Discovery and early colonization (1492-1789). Students will utilize all modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational) to build skills in cultural-linguistic competencies necessary for successful communication with native speakers. Students will utilize media and authentic texts to discuss the diverse cultural products, practices and perspectives of the French-speaking world.
UNIT 1
AP THEME: Families and Communities/Identity
Week 1: Practices and traditions
Week 2: Values and perspectives
Week 3: Cultural change
Week 4: Evaluation : How did perspectives, products and values define the past compared to today?
UNIT 2
AP THEME: Science and Technology
Week 1: Technical advances
Week 2: Medicine and disease
Week 3: Communication and transportation
Week 4: Evaluation: How do science and technology affect civilizations?
UNIT 3
AP THEME: Global Challenges
Week 1: Types of governments
Week 2: Religion
Week 3: Education
Week 4: Evaluation: How do religious and political ideas affect history?
UNIT 4
AP THEME: Identity
Week 1: Assimilation
Week 2: Alienation
Week 3: Discovery
Week 4: Evaluation: How do interacting cultures lead to the creation of new identities?
Links to an external site.![]() Links to an external site. |
Module CRevolutions: Freedom and change in the French speaking world (1789-1914) |
In this course, students will compare and contrast individual and collective perspectives about freedom and change by studying the effect of the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolutions, and Colonization of Africa and Indochina (1789-1914). Students will utilize all modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational) to build skills in cultural-linguistic competencies necessary for successful communication with native speakers. Students will utilize media and authentic texts to discuss the diverse cultural products, practices and perspectives of the French-speaking world.
UNIT 1
AP THEME: Identity
Week 1: Identity and culture
Week 2: Identity and the economy
Week 3: Identity and racism
Week 4: Evaluation : How do interacting traditions and practices bring us together or distance ourselves from each other?
UNIT 2
AP THEME: Identity
Week 1: Masculine Heroes
Week 2: Feminine Heroes
Week 3: The Unexpected French Hero
Week 4: Evaluation : Who is your favorite hero and why?
UNIT 3
AP THEME: Families and Communities/Science and technology
Week 1: Family interactions
Week 2: Interactions with society
Week 3: Development of social change from Technology
Week 4: Evaluation : What effect does technology have on society and culture?
UNIT 4
AP THEME: Contemporary Life
Week 1: Education and access to it
Week 2: Globalization and Employment
Week 3: Social change due to transportation developments
Week 4: Evaluation : What is the relationship between education, employment and technology?
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Module D
L'époque contemporaine: The Impact of Wars and Globalization in the Contemporary French speaking World (1914-present) |
In this course, students will compare and contrast individual and collective perspectives about globalization and conflicts by studying the contemporary French speaking world (1914-present). Students will utilize all modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational) to build skills in cultural-linguistic competencies necessary for successful communication with native speakers. Students will utilize media and authentic texts to discuss the diverse cultural products, practices and perspectives of the French-speaking world.
UNIT 1
AP THEME: Global Challenges
Week 1: Global conflict
Week 2: Resistance and collaboration
Week 3: Negociations and their consequences
Week 4: Evaluation: What is the price of freedom?
UNIT 2
AP THEME: Global Challenges
Week 1: The Economy
Week 2: Challenges
Week 3: Decolonization and its consequences
Week 4: Evaluation: How to prepare oneself for independence?
UNIT 3
AP THEME: Beauty and Art
Week 1: The evolution of Beauty in the last 120 years
Week 2: The evolution of fashion in the last 120 years
Week 3: The evolution of architecture in the last 120 years
Week 4: Evaluation : How does the idea of Beauty evolve according modern society?
UNIT 4
AP THEME: Global Challenges
Week 1: Poverty and Immigration
Week 2: Political Regimes
Week 3: Religion
Week 4: Evaluation : How do geography, governments and religion contribute to global problems and their solutions?
Standards
Investigate:
Proficiency Benchmark: In my own and other cultures, I can make comparisons between products and practices to help me understand perspectives.
Performance indicators:
Products: In my own and other cultures, I can compare products related to everyday life and personal interests or studies.
Practices: In my own and other cultures, I can compare practices related to everyday life and personal interests or studies.
Interact:
Proficiency Benchmark: I can interact at a functional level in some familiar contexts.
Performance indicators:
Language: I can converse with peers from the target culture in familiar situations at school, work, or play, and show interest in basic cultural similarities and differences.
Behavior: I can recognize that significant differences in behaviors exist among cultures, use appropriate learned behaviors and avoid major social blunders.