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French Animals — Les Animaux

Fourth graders learn the French words for common animals — le chien, le chat, l’oiseau — so they can name the creatures they see around them in a new language.

Grade 4Les Animaux35 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name common animals in French.
  • ✓Match animals to words.
  • ✓Describe pets.
  • ✓Use animal words to speak.
Essential Question

Ouaf ouaf! That’s how a dog “barks” in French! Animals are everywhere — how do you name them in French?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Animaux Explorer

Project this and tap each animal. Have students learn the French word for each one.

🐕 Explore les animaux — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Ouaf Ouaf!

5 min

Animals are everywhere — how do we name them in French?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show animal pictures.
  • Ask how to say them.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Les Animaux

8 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Animaux Explorer.
  • Present each animal.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Repeat.
  • Practice.
3

Practice — Practice

9 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Match animals to words.
  • Point and name.
  • Make animal sounds.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Point.
  • Play.
4

Speak — Speak

8 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “J’ai un ___.” (I have a ___).
  • Name a pet.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Name one.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an animal.
  • Say what it means.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand animal words.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: talk about pets and animals.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to animals learned in science.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare animal words across languages.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Animal picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___.”
  • Use animal toys.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with chien and chat.
  • Use pictures.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add more animals.
  • Describe a pet.
  • Play animal charades.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🐕Animal pictures
  • 💻The Animaux Explorer
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🧸Animal toys
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

l’animalanimalle chiendogle chatcatl’oiseaubirdle poissonfishle chevalhorsela vachecowle lapinrabbit
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How do you say “dog” in French?
Le chien.
QUESTION 2
What does “le chat” mean?
Cat.
QUESTION 3
What does “le poisson” mean?
Fish.

Reflect: animal hunt.

Have students name any animals they see today in French — like “l’oiseau” for a bird. A printable animaux sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 French Animals (Les Animaux)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 French Animals (Les Animaux)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ French Animals (Les Animaux)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: la vache, le chat, le cheval, le chien, le lapin, le poisson, l’animal, l’oiseau
  1. cat
  2. bird
  3. fish
  4. dog
  5. cow
  6. animal
  7. rabbit
  8. horse

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How do you say “dog” in French?
  2. What does “le chat” mean?
  3. What does “le poisson” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) le chat · 2) l’oiseau · 3) le poisson · 4) le chien · 5) la vache · 6) l’animal · 7) le lapin · 8) le cheval
Part B: 1) Le chien. 2) Cat. 3) Fish.