France

For Foreign Language we are starting out with a mix of exposure to various languages. That being said, throughout the school year we will maintain a focus on Spanish, working through the Usborne Spanish Dictionary for Beginners. I love the pictures in this book, the simple categories groups of words are broken down into, and the online audible tools you can use to make sure you are using correct pronunciation.

But in order to keep things fun, we are also working through Words For The World, which covers the various families of major languages in the world, starting with the romance languages, in France. For our French study, we took 2 weeks to read the chapter on France, and incorporated other subjects for emphasis. We read about the significance of food and baking in French culture, then went to a real French Patisserie and ate Brioche and Croissants (yum!). For Science, we took a break from reading about famous black American scientists, and read about Louis Pasteur, the French scientist who discovered germs and created vaccines. For Art we studied Rousseau, the post-abstract French painter.

Next week we will make Coq Au Vin, which is French comfort food, and perfect for the Fall season. And if we are feeling particularly adventurous, we may even have some escargots (a family favorite)! As always, I try to ground these fun activities in reading and exploration about the subject. look online, go to the library, and let your curiosity lead the way!