Topic to be developed: Hobbies and Pastimes
Experiential Goal: Students will prepare a presentation describing one of their favourite hobbies or pastimes. (Collections may also be included. See also 7.9)
The students will:
Discuss how modern technology has changed the manner in which people use their free time.(TEC) Encourage students to look at the different terms used in the pastimes and determine how many of them are English cognates. Have students identify the many terms that are the same in English and in French. (COM)
Take into consideration the cultural and socio-economic differences among students when surveying family and friends.
Presentations of the hobby or pastime may range from descriptions to actual demonstrations. Methods of presentation may include videotapes, oral and/or written format.
Ensure that students who express preferences, interests and hobbies that are not traditionally associated with their gender are not subjected to ridicule or negative comments from other students. Help students to realize that the full range of interests and activities is open to all people regardless of their gender.
The Experiential Goal
The following vocabulary and linguistic content is included throughout the unit. The teacher and the students should decide what elements will be included in the experiential goal.
1. Become familiar with various hobbies and pastimes.
Activities
| 1.1 | Have the students write down the two headings, "Ça m'intéresse" or "Ça ne m'intéresse pas." The students are then shown a number of pictures of hobbies or pastimes. As the students look at each picture, they check off whether the activity interests them or not. The students then share their thoughts with a partner or with the main group. |
| 1.2 | 7.1 Annex 1Students are to look at a list of hobbies and pastimes. Working in pairs, the students ask each other if they presently participate in or would someday like to participate in these leisure activities. |
| 1.3 | 7.1 Annex 2 Have the students survey each other to determine the students who will be participating in the various activities within the next month. |
| 1.4 | Working in groups of two, have the students list as many hobbies and pastimes as they can. After a short period of time, each pair of students joins another pair of students, the lists are compared and a master list is drawn up. In turn, each group of four calls out one of their hobbies or pastimes from their master list. Other groups who have the same word cross it from their list. The object is to see who is left with the greatest number of leisure activities remaining on their list. During this activity, the teacher or designated student will compile a master class list of all hobbies and pastimes. (In the beginning, students may not know all of the vocabulary for the pastimes, however they should still be encouraged to make their list even if it means including English words. When all of the pastimes are being compiled on to one main list, this would be the time to put the words into French). Post the master list in the classroom for reference throughout the unit. |
OR
| 1.4 | The students and teacher together compile a list of all of the hobbies that they and their families are involved with or that they are familiar with. |
| 1.5 | Working in pairs, the students ask each other about the pastimes that they like and dislike. All of the students are then put into groups of four to six students. A large piece of chart paper is given to each group and the group is responsible for filling in the information under the headings, "On aime" and "On n'aime pas". The students are then brought back to the main group to look at all of the chart papers to determine which pastimes are popular and which are less popular. |
| 1.6 | As a class study the main list of pastimes and for each pastime decide if it is mainly done by adults, young people, or families. |
| 1.7 | Working in pairs, have the students choose a category such as physical, passive, intellectual, social, etc. They then study the pastimes to see which ones fit with their category. Each category is put onto a large piece of chart paper and the information is gathered from the groups. |
| 1.8 | As a class, look at the list of hobbies and pastimes and decide which one is "le plus intéressant, le plus populaire, le plus difficile," etc. This activity may also be done in pairs or small groups with the students compiling their answers and sharing them with the class. |
2. Discuss the experiential goal and the possible steps to achieve the goal.
Activities
| 2.1 | Discuss the possible methods of presentation e.g. video, poster, actual demonstration of hobby or pastime, an exhibit, an oral or written presentation, individual, or group presentations, etc. |
| 2.2 | Discuss what elements could be compulsory in all presentations, for example, necessary materials, how often the student is involved in the pastime, the expense, the amount of time given to the pastime per week, the advantages of this type of pastime, why the student enjoys the pastime, etc. Students should have a good understanding of what must be included in the presentation and should also have the opportunity to discuss the criteria by which the presentation will be evaluated. |
3.Discuss the reasons why people have pastimes.
Activities
| 3.1 | 7.1 Annex 3 Working in one group and taking one pastime as an example, look at the different descriptive phrases in Annex 3 and see if they would apply to this pastime. Add additional phrases if possible. |
| 3.2 | 7.1 Annex 3 The students consider the pastime that they have chosen to present in the final task and determine if any of the phrases describing the leisure activities apply to their chosen pastime. This information is then shared with a partner who has chosen the same pastime. The partners look to see where their answers are similar and different. The partners then relay the information back to class. (Partners who have not chosen the same pastime may still share their information with each other however they will need to adapt the annex to note the activities that they are discussing.) |
4. Discuss the different personal qualities or characteristics that one may have or need in order to do a particular pastime.
Activities
| 4.1 | 7.1 Annex 4 Working individually, have the students match the different pastimes with the different personal qualities that would assist with the pastime. There may be more than one quality. Then working in pairs, have them find at least two characteristics for ten different pastimes and hand in for evaluation. |
| 4.2 | Write examples of personal characteristics on pieces of paper and put them into a hat. Divide the class into two groups. One student from one group pulls a characteristic from the hat and the rest of the team thinks of as many as three different pastimes that would go with that characteristic. |
5. Discuss other aspects of the pastime that people enjoy.
Activities
| 5.1 | 7.1 Annex 5 Working in pairs, have the students match aspects surrounding the pastime with the pastime itself. Return to the main group, and have each pair give one pastime as an example and one or two aspects about it that people enjoy. If possible, add additional pastimes and aspects to the annex. |
6. Survey parents and teachers regarding their hobbies and pastimes.
Activities
| 6.1 | 7.1 Annex 6 Have the students survey five adults regarding their hobbies. Then they are to fill in the chart and report their findings to the small group or class. |
7. Determine which hobbies and pastimes can be done for a lifetime.
Activities
| 7.1 | 7.1 Annex 7 Have the students read the phrases and decide which hobbies and pastimes can be practised for a lifetime (Oui) and which hobbies and pastimes have a short lifespan. (Non) |
8. Determine which hobbies and pastimes are done frequently, from time to time or never.
Activities
| 8.1 | 7.1 Annex 8 From the master list, have the students choose ten hobbies and pastimes and decide if they participate in these activities frequently, from time to time or never. |
| 8.2 | In pairs, have the students choose ten activities from the master list. They then predict how often their partners take part in the activities. The answers are then verified. |
| 8.3 | Working in pairs, the students are to share their three favourite pastimes or hobbies in order of preference. |
9. Determine the different locations where people enjoy their pastimes.
Activities
| 9.1 | 7.1 Annex 9 Look at the different pastimes mentioned and decide if it is possible for these pastimes to take place in these locations. |
| 9.2 | 7.1 Annex 10 Secret Sentence. One person thinks of a secret sentence composed of one phrase from each of the three columns. The rest of the class (or the partner if the students are working in pairs) tries to guess the sentence. If one part of the sentence is correct, a check mark is placed under that column. If the phrase is not correct, an x is placed under the column. |
10. Study the different types of collections.
Activities
| 10.1 | 7.1 Annex 11 Survey students in the room to determine who has a collection. Ask how many pieces are in the collection as well. |
11. Survey the students to determine how free time is spent.
Activities
| 11.1 | 7.1 Annex 12 (Sample master chart) The students keep a record of their free time activities for one week. The students may: 1) complete a master chart upon arrival in class, or 2) share information during the class as the teacher fills in the master chart. |
12. Conduct interviews regarding the leisure activity that will be presented.
Activities.
| 12.1 | 7.1 Annex 13 Have the students interview each other about their chosen pastime and record the information. |
13. Discuss the various characteristics of hobbies or pastimes.
Activities
| 13.1 | 7.1 Annex 14 Have the students look at a list of characteristics of hobbies or pastimes and they are to determine which characteristics apply to the hobby or pastime that they have chosen to present. |
14. Prepare and present the hobby or pastime.
Activities
| 14.1 | If necessary, do a model presentation of a hobby or pastime. In a large group, determine what information should be included in the model. Look once again at the different possible methods of presentation. (It may not be necessary to present a model presentation to the students. A model may inhibit their creativity. A quick review of the language and structures that were learned in the suggested steps and in the annexes may be all that is required. It may however be necessary for some students to see a model before planning their own presentations.) |
15. Reflect on the unit. What did the students learn about different hobbies and pastimes? Have any students decided to try a new hobby because of the unit? What new French expressions and vocabulary did they learn?