Sept couleurs magiques Begin with an exercise in listening without fear… Just listen and get used to the French sounds… Listen again. Can you pick out any words – in English or in French? Which colours can you hear? Can you hear the names of any places? (Continents? Countries? Oceans?) The recording comes from You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCmw56FuYI8

Rouge comme un fruit du Mexique Orangé comme le sable d'Afrique Sept couleurs magiques Rouge comme un fruit du Mexique Orangé comme le sable d'Afrique Jaune comme les girafes chics Vert comme un sorbet de Jamaïque Bleu comme les vagues du Pacifique Indigo comme un papillon des tropiques Violet comme les volcans de Martinique Qui donc est aussi fantastique ? Est-ce un rêve ou est-ce véridique ? C'est dans le ciel magnifique L'arc aux sept couleurs magiques. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 It’s tempting to add pictures and colours – but it’s more challenging for the children if there are no clues… Work with the children to unpick and de-code the poem: How many words do the class know already? How many words can the class guess? If we read a sentence with all the words in that we know, can we fill in the gaps with guesses? (E.g. ‘Orangey like the … of Africa’ – what could we put in the gap?) Which are the words which we will have to look up on word reference? (http://www.wordreference.com/fren/rêve) I’ll read a line in English: you write down the number. Listen again and find words which are pronounced in a way which surprises you. Listen again and find words which contain the sound … [eek / in / ee / etc] Which are the letters which are silent? 9 10 11 Mymi Doinet

Red like a fruit from Mexico Orangey like the African sand Seven Magical Colours Red like a fruit from Mexico Orangey like the African sand Yellow like chic giraffes Green like a sorbet from Jamaica Blue like the waves of the Pacific Indigo like a butterfly from the tropics Purple like the volcanoes of Martinique Who then is as fantastic? Is it a dream or is it true? It’s in the magnificent sky The rainbow of seven magical colours. Work in pairs. Partner A has the French, Partner B has the English. Partner B coaches A to translate from French to English. Swap roles when A can’t translate any more / makes a mistake. Then do the same, but translating from English to French. http://mymidoinet.blogspot.co.uk/ - the poet’s blog page Mymi Doinet

Rouge comme un fruit du Mexique Orangé comme le sable d'Afrique Jaune comme les girafes chics Vert comme un sorbet de Jamaïque Bleu comme les vagues du Pacifique Indigo comme un papillon des tropiques Violet comme les volcans de Martinique Qui donc est aussi fantastique ? Read the poem aloud and check your pronunciation – as a class or working independently on a computers / other device. Learn the poem – or sections of the poem. Work on your own, with a partner or in a group. Perform the poem. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj_4TBoJM2A French children recite the poem) Illustrate the poem. Make a pop up book or a fabulous display. Est-ce un rêve ou est-ce véridique ? C'est dans le ciel magnifique L'arc aux sept couleurs magiques.