Fun French Lesson for Year 7: Talking About Leisure Activities

Week 2: Parler de ce que l’on fait pour se distraire (Talking About What We Do for Fun). 

Introduction :

You know, one of my favorite moments in the classroom is when I ask my pupils, “What do you do for fun after school?” You should see their eyes light up. Little hands shoot into the air, eager to share everything from football matches at the dusty school field to weekend visits to grandma’s place in Ikorodu.

Have you noticed how children in Lagos have their unique way of having fun? It’s not always about video games or cartoons. Sometimes, it’s about chasing kites, playing ten-ten, or dancing to the latest street jams blaring from a neighbor’s speaker. It reminds me of growing up in Surulere myself, when we’d gather in the evening to play suwe (hopscotch) until our mothers called us in for dinner.

In today’s French class, we’re going to chat about just that — what we all do to relax and have a good time. And you know what? It’s a great way for pupils to practice speaking French naturally, using phrases about real-life experiences they love.

Class Objective

By the end of this lesson, every pupil should be able to talk about one thing they do to relax or have fun — in French.

Let’s Start Here: What is Leisure?

I ask them: “What do you call the things you do when you’re not studying, cooking, or running errands for mummy?” And we slowly unpack that these activities are called des distractions or des loisirs in French.

A few examples we share:

• Jouer au football — playing football

• Regarder des films — watching movies

• Aller à la plage — going to the beach

• Lire des livres — reading books

• Danser — dancing

• Écouter de la musique — listening to music

Pupils giggle when I tell them how I used to pretend to be a DJ with my dad’s old cassette tapes. Have you done something like that before?

Class Activity

I pair them up and each pupil tells their partner, in French, one thing they do to relax. Some shyly say, “J’aime jouer au football,” while others proudly declare, “J’aime danser à la maison.”

It’s always interesting to hear the different answers, and sometimes surprising too — like one boy last term who said he loves helping his mum in the kitchen. Don’t you just love it when kids surprise you like that?

French Lesson Note

Class: Year 7
Term: Third Term
Week: 2
Age: 10–12 years
Subject: French
Topic: Parler de ce que l’on fait pour se distraire
Sub-topic: Les loisirs (Leisure activities)
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Define what leisure activities are in French.

2. Mention at least five leisure activities in French.

3. Use simple French sentences to talk about what they do for fun.

4. Ask and answer questions about leisure activities in French.

Keywords

• Loisirs — Leisure activities

• Jouer — To play

• Regarder — To watch

• Danser — To dance

• Lire — To read

• Écouter — To listen

Set Induction

The teacher will begin by asking pupils:
“What do you love doing for fun after school?”
Pupils will excitedly respond with answers like playing football, watching movies, or dancing. The teacher will then explain that these are called loisirs in French.

Entry Behaviour

Pupils already know some English words for fun activities and will easily connect them to their French equivalents.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Flashcards with pictures of leisure activities

• Audio recording of leisure activity phrases in French

• Real-life stories shared by teacher and pupils

• Whiteboard and marker

Building Background / Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher recalls how children relax at home and during weekends, like playing ten-ten, watching Zee World, or dancing at parties.

“When I was your age, we used to play suwe outside our house in Surulere until the streetlights came on. Have you played suwe before?”

Embedded Core Skills

• Communication

• Listening

• Speaking

• Cultural awareness

• Vocabulary development

Content Development

Meaning of Leisure Activities (Loisirs)

Leisure activities are the things we do for fun when we are not busy with school, house chores, or other serious work. In French, these are called les loisirs.

Examples of Leisure Activities in French

Teacher’s Story:
“When I was young in Surulere, my friends and I loved playing suwe. Now, I enjoy relaxing with good music after a long day teaching. What about you? What do you like doing when you’re not studying?”

Class Activity Discussion

• Pupils pair up and tell each other one thing they do for fun in French.

• Volunteers share their partner’s answer.

• The teacher corrects mistakes and praises efforts.

Engagement Prompt:
“What did you love doing for fun when you were 8 years old? Share it with the class!”

Presentation Steps

Evaluation (Assessment Questions)

Fill in the blanks with the correct French word:

1. I play football — Je ____ au football
   a) lis
   b) joue
   c) regarde

2. I listen to music — J’____ de la musique
   a) écoute
   b) danse
   c) lis

3. I go to the beach — Je ____ à la plage
   a) joue
   b) vais
   c) regarde

4. I read books — Je ____ des livres
   a) joue
   b) lis
   c) danse

5. I dance — Je ____
   a) lis
   b) danse
   c) regarde

6. Leisure activities in French is ____
   a) sports
   b) loisirs
   c) école

7. To watch movies in French is ____
   a) écouter
   b) regarder
   c) jouer

8. I watch TV — Je ____ la télévision
   a) danse
   b) regarde
   c) écoute

9. To read in French is ____
   a) lire
   b) danser
   c) jouer

10. To play in French is ____
    a) écouter
    b) jouer
    c) lire

Answer Key:

1. b) joue

2. a) écoute

3. b) vais

4. b) lis

5. b) danse

6. b) loisirs

7. b) regarder

8. b) regarde

9. a) lire

10. b) jouer

Conclusion

The teacher wraps up the lesson by going around the class, listening to each pupil say one leisure activity in French, giving feedback and praise.

Closing Prompt:
“So, what do you do for fun these days? Tell us in French before you leave!”