French 3

  • Course Description:

    Students will advance their oral and written communication skills in French from strings of sentences to paragraphs of both simple and complex sentences and some strings of paragraphs with emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and broadening their repertoire of grammatical structures with which to express themselves. Students will participate in oral presentations, class discussions, and write original compositions. At level three, students will be introduced to Francophone literature and authentic texts in the form of short stories and articles. Students are encouraged to do original thinking and to contribute to classroom discussions. This class is taught 80% to 90% in the target language. The following are some of the many concepts of which students should have mastery entering into level three as well as the new concepts and topics we will explore throughout the year.

    Suggested Pre-requisite concepts:

    • Minimum grade of C or better in French level 2
    • Agreement of nouns and adjectives
    • Present tense forms of regular and irregular –er, -ir, and –re verbs
    • The near future (aller + infinitive)
    • Affirmative and negative commands
    • The passé composé of regular and irregular -er, -ir, and -re verbs
    • Affirmative and negative words
    • Reflexive verbs, reciprocal actions
    • Imperfect tense forms and irregulars
    • Uses of passé composé and imperfect tenses
    • Direct and indirect object pronouns
    • Vocabulary and grammar through chapter 8 of Bon Voyage 2

    First Semester's Learning Topics:

    • Passé composé vs. Imparfait
    • Phrases avec si
    • Le plus-que-parfait et le conditionnel passé
    • Pronominal verbs in the present and passé composé
    • Interrogative, Demontrative and Possessive Pronouns
    • Conjugations and uses of the present subjunctive
    • Vocabulary about hotels, transportation, holidays, animals, body parts and professions

    Second Semester's Learning Topics:

    • French history from pre-history to the 17th century
    • French geography
    • irregular -er, -ir & -re verbs in the present indicative
    • le passé simple
    • More uses of the subjunctive
    • Vocabulary from Chapters 1-6 of Trésors du temps