This class is taught by Madame Denise, who also teaches Elementary Art. She often integrates French art into the language study and uses French in the art classes to maximize language exposure.

At the Primary level, she teaches greetings, numbers, days of the week, months, colors, weather, time, foods, dining, clothing, and numerous areas of vocabulary. Music, art, drama, and stories are the vehicles for transmitting the vocabulary and conversation of these areas. In an active and interactive fashion, language is brought to life through movement and expression.

There are even physical exercises done to French music. We read and view stories such as Madeline, Babar, and Linnea in Monet's Garden to introduce vocabulary and culture. Primary children learn classic French folk songs and use French greetings at each class to reinforce previous lessons.

On the Elementary Level the above areas are reinforced. For enrichment and advanced learning, each child has their own conversation/grammar/vocabulary French workbook. With this they read and write French as well as translate orally. Each student has an abridged French/English dictionary to use, and as a yearly project creates their personal French vocabulary/dictionary with hand drawn images they design and take home at the end of the year.

We use these French workbooks to study, supplemented by reading and writing in French. One of the facts that surprises the students is how many English words that we use every day come from French. We also study composing interrogatives, negatives and simple past tense. During the year we explore the culture of the various regions of France and the French-speaking areas of Canada, Africa and the islands.

We also study Philadelphia's connections with France. From Benjamin Franklin's diplomatic, political, and cultural rapport, to the architectural design of Philadelphia's Parkway, to the Rodin museum, the Barnes Foundation's Impressionist art collection, and the cafés introduced here. In Elementary Art we have an annual independent art project, with many of the students choosing to make crafts or paintings of the places around the world we have studied. The majority choose French culture as their subject, creating tall Eiffel Towers, clay models of a French Cafe, 3-D reliefs of the Tour de France, or reproductions of painted canvases of the classic French masters.

We are very fortunate to have very rich resources. Not only do we have many French books, audio tapes, videos, and computer programs, we also have French enrichments in the forms of games and art projects to master the French language. Of course, there are also interesting stories from Madame's life in France.

Finally, a year here would not be complete without our annual French pique-nique with delicious croissants, crêpes, chocolate, and Orangina. Bon Appétit!