20 Fun Activities and Games for French Club

20 Fun Activities and Games for French Club Brooke Neuman Are you a teacher or student involved in your school’s French club?  As you know, finding fun activities and games centered on learning French can be difficult. That’s why we’ve rounded up 20 fun French club ideas to help inspire you.  These games and activities will introduce members to both French language and culture. Note: These ideas and activities can be applied to any language club, such as Spanish, Italian, or German.   20 French Club Activities and Ideas 1. Make a French Music Playlist Using Spotify or Pandora, create your very own French club playlist. Have each student add 2-3 of their favorite French songs to the list. Listening to French music will familiarize students with both French culture and language. 2. Put on a French Bake Sale Set up a bake sale during a school event  in which students make and sell traditional French desserts, such as crème brûlée, soufflé au chocolat, and crêpe suzette. The proceeds will go toward funding other French club activities. 3. Host a French Movie Night Check  when your local theater is playing a French movie and attend as a group. If there aren’t any French movies on the schedule, look some up on Netflix. Check out this post for some age-appropriate French movie ideas: 12 Classic French Movies (and Movie Series) All Students Need to See 4. Visit a French Museum Check your local museum’s schedule to see when it is featuring a French-inspired exhibition and attend as a group. The admission for students is typically discounted or free. 5. Set Up a Scavenger Hunt Set up a fun scavenger hunt around the school or town. At each destination, students  will have to read a clue (in French) to move onto the next destination. At the end, reward your students with a yummy  treat. 6. French Arts and Crafts Have students make French-themed arts and crafts to give to their loved ones around the holidays. For example, they can make Paris-themed wrapping paper or ornaments. 7. Start a French Book Club At the start of every month, choose a French book that students will read and discuss. The book doesnt necessarily have to be written in French. For example, you can choose a book thats about French culture or history. 8. Celebrate French Holidays Celebrate French holidays, such as Bastille Day and Easter, throughout the year. Celebrate by making  fun crafts or taking part in holiday traditions. 9. Invite a Guest Speaker Invite a guest speaker to chat with the group about French culture, travel, or language. For example, invite a French translator, author, or artist to talk to the group about what’s it’s like to be in their profession. 10. Create a Monthly Newsletter Write up a monthly newsletter to be included in your school’s newspaper. In the newsletter, you can include updates on events you’re hosting, a “French Word of the Month,” or a series of inspirational French quotes. 11.  Teach Others French Volunteer at your local elderly home or elementary school. Encourage students to read to others in  French or put on a fun French skit. Students will  be practicing their  French while giving back to the community. 12. Host a Taste of France Dinner As a group, research traditional French recipes  and create an authentic dinner menu. Every student is responsible for cooking a different part of the meal and presenting it (in French) to the group. 13. Monthly Presentations Every month, choose a student who  will give a presentation on a region or city in France that he or she would like to someday visit. The presentation will include cultural and historical facts about  the region. 14.  Participate in National French Week Organized by the American Association of Teachers of French, National French Week celebrates all things French. Check out the American Association of Teachers of French website for some ways you can celebrate. 15. Attend a French Play Check your local playhouse to see if there’s a French play on the schedule. Les Misérables, for example, is a great historical French play students will love. 16. French Game Night Throw a French game night where you play traditional French games, such as Belote and Jeu de Tarot. You can also play games like bingo and scrabble. Just make sure that you’re using French words and numbers. 17. French Karaoke Have some fun and sing along to your favorite French songs.  Not only will you have a blast, but youll also be learning new French vocabulary words and phrases. 18. Subscribe to French Magazine or Newspaper As a group, choose a few online French magazines or newspaper to subscribe to. Once a month over lunch, the group  can discuss a few things  they  found  interesting. 19. French Cooking Lesson Check  if your  local French restaurant offers  cooking lessons or demonstrations on how certain dishes are prepared. This is a great opportunity for students to dive into the French culinary world. 20. Meet Up with Other Groups Are there other language clubs at your school? Get together once in awhile to  swap ideas for activities that you can do together. French club is a great way for students to meet new people and practice their  French language skills.  Spice up your meetings with some of these fun and educational French activities. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Hittin the Road with Your Band 7 Must-Read Tips

Hittin the Road with Your Band 7 Must-Read Tips Suzy S. Were stoked to hear that the Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced an upcoming U.S. tour especially since they havent hit the road here since 2007.   So far just six cities have been released, kicking off in Charlotte, NC, on January 25th will you be part of the crowd? If youre in a band yourself, touring is a great way to get your name out there and of course, do what you love best play music!   But its also something that takes a lot of planning.   Take a look at these 7 essential tips to consider before planning your tour!: 1. Make sure you have written at least one album. Not a couple of songs, an entire album; youll need a lot of songs for your shows. Plan on having enough material to play a 45 minute to hour-long set, plus one or two encore numbers (think positive you want those encores!). 2. Save up money for a few months. Each person should have enough money to pay for his/her own food on the tour and the band should have some money to get started off with you will need gas for the van, some upkeep money for oil, transmission, brake fluids, etc., and sundry money for sundry needs maybe one of you will get a cold, and need some NyQuil or something. Its best to be prepared with more than you think youll need. 3. Come up with a route or plan for your tour. Plan which town/city you would like to play on which days. Try to plot a route that makes sense, i.e., try to make a circle rather than playing in one city one day, traveling 150 miles to the next city the next day, and then doubling back to play back in that same starting city the day after that! Instead, try to book two shows in City #1, a day apart, and then travel on to City #2, 150 miles away. Make sure all of your band members are available during the entire time allotted. 4. Search for contacts in each city you hope to play in. The best contacts are local bands that play in the area and venues. Send the band/venue/promoters in each city a message asking them to check out your band and let them know that you are interested in playing a show with them/at their venue on such and such day. You cant always get a show on the day you are looking for and sometimes have to change your route or find a different venue to play at.   Of course, make sure you arent playing on a night when another, bigger band is in the same town. (i.e. If you are an AC/DC tribute band dont play in Denver on the same night that AC/DC is in Denver, because no one will go to your show). 5. Write up a contract for promoters and venues. You dont need to hire a lawyer to write it up, just use common sense. Make a form with spaces for venue name, address, phone number, load-in time, sound check time, show time, and pay. This works both as a means of making sure you do not get screwed over, and also is useful as an itinerary. That way you have a contact sheet for every show and know when you need to be there, and other important information.   Send these contracts through e-mail or regular U.S. Mail to each venue or promoter you have arranged a show with. Have them fill it out and send it back. Keep all of the forms they send back for use as an itinerary and also to make sure things go the way they were agreed on. 6. Make up a flyer for each of the shows with the venue name, show date, address and what bands are playing as well as start time and send them to the venues/band/promoters you are playing with. Sometimes promoters or other bands do this for you and send the flyer to you. Either way, make sure it is up on your MySpace and website, if you have one. If youll be playing a large number of dates, you may want to make a template poster with a big blank spot to write in the date, time, location, and cover. Make sure your website is on the flyer, so you dont have to write it out. 7. Get merch made and CDs pressed. If you only have a demo or a three song EP you can still get them pressed and labeled packaged inexpensively. You can also do it yourself; it doesnt really matter, just as long as you have them available to sell/give out on tour. If someone hears your band and likes it but cant get a CD, odds are they will not remember you. Make sure to include your band name, a track listing and a website/MySpace URL so that they can find you online. Start planning these things and youll make some great headway on organizing your bands tour.   However, you may also want to keep one thing in mind: Plan for making zero dollars. Most bands just starting out are lucky to just get a gig with a bigger name band they rarely get paid. You do it for exposure (to get your music out there) and because you love it not because you have to make a lot of money doing it.   But keep doing what you love and who knows?   Maybe RHCP will open for YOU someday! Like these posts?   Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!   Click here to subscribe.