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French Descriptions — Les Descriptions

Sixth graders learn French adjectives to describe people — grand, gentil, intelligent — so they can talk about what friends and family are like in a new language.

Grade 6Les Descriptions40 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 adjectives in French.
  • ✓Match them to meanings.
  • ✓Describe a person.
  • ✓Use adjectives to speak.
Essential Question

Is your friend tall? Funny? Kind? Adjectives let you describe people — and now you can do it in French! What are some French describing words?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Description

Project this and match each French adjective to its English meaning — tap the French, then tap the English.

👤 Match each adjective to its meaningTry it
Français
English
Now tap the English!
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Warm-Up — Comment Est-il?

5 min

Adjectives describe people — how do we say them in French?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe someone.
  • Ask how to say it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Les Descriptions

9 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present each adjective.
  • Say them aloud.
  • Practice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Practice.
3

Practice — Match the Description

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Description.
  • Match each one.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

10 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “Mon ami est ___.”
  • Describe a person.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Describe.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an adjective.
  • 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 1.1

Interpersonal: describe people.

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand adjectives.

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Recognize how people are described.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare adjectives across languages.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Adjective picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___.”
  • Use photos.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with grand and petit.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add more adjectives.
  • Describe a friend.
  • Note adjective agreement.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 👤Person photos
  • 💻Match the Description
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🗣️Audio
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

la descriptiondescriptiongrandtall / bigpetitshort / smallgentilnice / kindintelligentsmartamusantfun / funnybeauhandsome / beautifulfortstrong
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 “tall/big” in French?
Grand.
QUESTION 2
What does “gentil” mean?
Nice / kind.
QUESTION 3
What does “intelligent” mean?
Smart.

Reflect: Comment est-il?

Have students describe a friend or family member in French — “Ma sœur est gentille.” A printable descriptions 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 Describing People (Les Descriptions)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 Describing People (Les Descriptions)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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 Describing People (Les Descriptions)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: amusant, beau, fort, gentil, grand, intelligent, la description, petit
  1. description
  2. nice / kind
  3. tall / big
  4. handsome / beautiful
  5. fun / funny
  6. strong
  7. smart
  8. short / small

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How do you say “tall/big” in French?
  2. What does “gentil” mean?
  3. What does “intelligent” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) la description · 2) gentil · 3) grand · 4) beau · 5) amusant · 6) fort · 7) intelligent · 8) petit
Part B: 1) Grand. 2) Nice / kind. 3) Smart.