Topic
Daily activities
Sub-Topic
Talk about past activities
General Competences
Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking
Specific Competences
Past activities narrated correctly in french
Learning Activities
1. Conjugate verbs to past tense
2. Verbs which use avoir
3. Construct sentences in the past tense
Expected Standard
Past narrated correctly in french
References
French language teaching module
Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking
Lesson Goal
By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to narrate at least three past daily activities correctly in French using the passé composé with the auxiliary verb avoir, constructing complete sentences that demonstrate accurate verb conjugation and appropriate vocabulary for Form 2 level.
Rationale
This lesson builds directly on learners' prior knowledge of present-tense verb conjugation and daily-activity vocabulary in French, extending their ability to express themselves across different time frames. The ability to narrate past activities is essential for authentic communication in French, enabling learners to share personal experiences, describe their day, and engage in simple conversations with French speakers — a valuable skill in Zambia's growing tourism and international relations sectors. Through the Gradual Release of Responsibility model, learners develop Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking competences by first observing modelled examples of the passé composé, then practising with teacher guidance, collaborating in mixed-ability pairs and groups, and finally constructing past-tense sentences independently using active, learner-centred engagement.
Prior Knowledge / Prerequisite Knowledge
Form 2 learners already know common daily-activity verbs in the infinitive form (manger, jouer, regarder, écouter, travailler, parler, danser, étudier) and can conjugate regular -er verbs in the present tense. They also recognise basic time expressions such as hier (yesterday), aujourd'hui (today), le matin (in the morning), l'après-midi (in the afternoon), and le soir (in the evening). This prior knowledge will be activated at the start of the lesson through an oral warm-up where learners share what they did yesterday in the present tense, followed by the teacher asking targeted questions that bridge present and past structures, creating a clear cognitive link to the new content on the passé composé with avoir.
Learning Environment
- Natural Environment: The teacher draws on familiar Zambian daily-life contexts — such as walking to school, helping with household chores, fetching water, playing football in the neighbourhood, or attending a church service — as authentic reference points for constructing past-tense sentences. Learners are encouraged to describe activities they actually performed yesterday, making the language immediately relevant and meaningful.
- Artificial Environment: Desks are arranged in clusters of four to six to facilitate collaborative group work, with pairs seated next to each other for partner tasks. A large chart displaying the passé composé structure with avoir (subject + auxiliary + past participle) is mounted on the front wall, and a second chart lists common daily-activity verbs with their present and past participle forms. Sentence-strip cards are displayed on a side board for reference during group activities.
- Technological Environment: A mobile phone with speaker function or a small Bluetooth speaker is used to play a short recorded dialogue (teacher-prepared) of two Zambian learners describing what they did yesterday after school. This audio clip is played twice: first for listening comprehension, then for learners to identify past-tense structures. If a projector is available, the worked example is displayed alongside the board demonstration for clearer visibility.
Teaching and Learning Materials / Resources
- Large chart paper showing the passé composé structure with avoir (subject + auxiliary + past participle) with colour-coded components
- Chart of common daily-activity verbs in infinitive, present tense (nous form), and past participle forms
- Set of 20 verb cards (each card showing an infinitive verb on one side and its past participle on the reverse)
- Sentence-strip cards for collaborative group work (learners arrange strips to form correct past-tense sentences)
- Pre-recorded audio dialogue (teacher-prepared) of two Zambian learners describing yesterday's activities in French
- Learner worksheets for guided and independent practice
- Timer or stopwatch for pacing each phase
- Six A4 sheets of coloured paper and marker pens for group presentations
- List of time expressions with French and English translations posted on the wall
Cross-Cutting Issues
The following cross-cutting issues are integrated into this lesson on "Talk about past activities":
- Life Skills and Health Education (LSHE): As learners describe their past daily activities in French, they reflect on their personal routines including eating habits, sleep patterns, physical activity, and hygiene practices. The teacher guides learners to identify healthy behaviours (e.g., hier, j'ai mangé des légumes — yesterday I ate vegetables) and discuss the importance of balanced daily routines, fostering self-awareness and healthy decision-making.
- Social and Emotional Learning: Sharing one's past activities requires learners to express personal experiences and listen actively to peers, building empathy, mutual respect, and classroom connectedness. During collaborative group work, learners practise turn-taking, encourage slower classmates, and celebrate each other's contributions, thereby strengthening their social awareness and relationship skills in a supportive learning environment.
Lesson Progression (Model: Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR))
| Phase |
Teacher Activities |
Learner Activities |
Assessment Criteria |
| INTRODUCTION |
I DO
Focus Lesson
9 min |
- Hook: "Bonjour la classe ! Écoutez bien. Hier, après l'école, j'ai préparé le nshima, j'ai regardé les nouvelles à la télévision, et j'ai parlé avec mon voisin. Et vous ? Qu'est-ce que vous avez fait hier ? (Yesterday after school, I prepared nshima, I watched the news on television, and I spoke with my neighbour. And you? What did you do yesterday?)" Write the three past-tense sentences on the board, underlining the verb forms.
- Prior Knowledge Questions: (1) "Quels verbes d'activités quotidiennes connaissez-vous déjà en français ? Donnez-moi trois verbes à l'infinitif." (Which daily-activity verbs do you already know in French? Give me three verbs in the infinitive.) (2) "Comment dit-on 'I eat' et 'I ate' en français ? Quelle est la différence ?" (How do you say 'I eat' and 'I ate' in French? What is the difference?)
- Lesson Goal: "Aujourd'hui, nous allons apprendre à raconter ce que nous avons fait hier en français. À la fin de cette leçon, vous pourrez dire trois activités que vous avez faites hier en utilisant le passé composé avec l'auxiliaire 'avoir'. (Today we will learn to tell what we did yesterday in French. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to say three activities you did yesterday using the passé composé with the auxiliary 'avoir'.)"
- Direct Instruction: Using the wall chart, explain the structure: subject + auxiliary (avoir) + past participle. "Regardez le tableau. Le passé composé a trois parties : le sujet (je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles), l'auxiliaire 'avoir' au présent, et le participe passé du verbe. Pour les verbes en -er, le participe passé se termine par -é : manger → mangé, jouer → joué, parler → parlé." Model a think-aloud: "Si je veux dire 'I played football yesterday' — je pense au sujet 'je', je prends l'auxiliaire 'ai', je prends le verbe 'jouer' et je change -er en -é. Donc : J'ai joué au football hier."
- Worked Example: Write on the board step by step:
Étape 1 — Choisir le sujet : elle (she)
Étape 2 — Choisir l'auxiliaire : a (elle + avoir = a)
Étape 3 — Choisir le verbe : travailler → travaillé
Étape 4 — Construire la phrase : Elle a travaillé à la boutique hier.
Say each step aloud as you write, then have learners repeat the full sentence in chorus.
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- Learners listen to the teacher's hook, raise hands to share what they already know about describing yesterday's activities, and respond in French or English as they are able. (Develops: Communication)
- Learners answer the prior knowledge questions orally, recalling daily-activity verbs (e.g., manger, jouer, regarder, parler) and attempting to identify the difference between present and past forms. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
- Learners listen to the lesson goal and repeat it in their own words when invited by the teacher, showing understanding of the learning target. (Develops: Communication)
- Learners observe the teacher's modelling of the passé composé structure, follow each step on the chart, and ask clarifying questions (e.g., "Est-ce que tous les verbes finissent par -é?"). (Develops: Critical Thinking)
- Learners copy the worked example into their exercise books, then repeat the sentence aloud in chorus: "Elle a travaillé à la boutique hier." (Develops: Communication)
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- Learners confidently recall at least two daily-activity verbs in French during the hook discussion.
- Learners accurately identify the difference between present and past tense when prompted.
- Learners clearly restate the lesson goal in their own words.
- Learners correctly describe the three parts of the passé composé structure (subject, auxiliary, past participle).
- Learners accurately copy the worked example and pronounce the sentence with comprehensible pronunciation.
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| DEVELOPMENT |
WE DO
Guided Instruction
17 min |
- Scaffolded Introduction: "Maintenant, nous allons travailler ensemble. Je vais vous aider à conjuguer des verbes au passé composé, puis vous allez essayer par vous-mêmes avec mon aide." Place the verb cards face up on the demonstration table.
- Activity 1 — Conjugate verbs to past tense: "Prenez le verbe 'parler'. Avec moi : je parle (present) → j'ai parlé (passé). Ensemble, répétez : j'ai parlé." Go through four verbs as a whole class: parler → parlé, manger → mangé, jouer → joué, regarder → regardé. Write each pair on the board. "Maintenant, à votre tour. Regardez le verbe 'travailler'. Comment dit-on au passé composé avec 'je' ?" Call on individual learners to respond.
- Activity 2 — Verbs which use avoir: "Tous les verbes que nous avons vus utilisent l'auxiliaire 'avoir'. Mais attention — il y a des verbes qui n'utilisent pas 'avoir' au passé composé, comme 'aller'. Nous n'apprendrons que les verbes avec 'avoir' aujourd'hui." Distribute a handout listing 12 common verbs that use avoir in the passé composé (e.g., manger, jouer, regarder, écouter, travailler, parler, danser, étudier, chanter, préparer, acheter, porter). Read through the list with learners.
- Activity 3 — Construct sentences in the past tense: "Maintenant, construisons des phrases complètes. Je vous donne un sujet, un verbe, et un complément. Vous faites la phrase au passé composé." Present three scaffolded tasks:
Task A: sujet = nous, verbe = manger, complément = le nshima → Learners respond: "Nous avons mangé le nshima."
Task B: sujet = tu, verbe = jouer, complément = au football → "Tu as joué au football."
Task C: sujet = ils, verbe = regarder, complément = un film → "Ils ont regardé un film."
For each task, prompt learners to identify the subject, select the correct form of avoir, and form the past participle.
- Corrective Feedback: "Très bien ! Mais attention — pour 'nous', on dit 'nous avons', pas 'nous ont'. Et le participe passé de 'manger' est 'mangé', pas 'mange'. Répétez après moi : Nous avons mangé." Affirm correct responses with "Excellent !" and redirect errors by modelling the correct form without singling out individual learners.
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- Learners orally conjugate four verbs from present to past tense as a whole class, then individually respond when called upon to conjugate travailler with je. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
- Learners read through the handout of verbs that use avoir in the passé composé, underlining the past participle of each verb and asking questions about unfamiliar vocabulary. (Develops: Communication)
- Learners construct three complete past-tense sentences in response to the scaffolded tasks, writing each sentence in their exercise books and reading their answer aloud when called upon. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
- Learners self-correct their written sentences after hearing the teacher's feedback, circling any errors and writing the correct form beside them. (Develops: Critical Thinking)
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- Learners accurately conjugate at least three of four verbs from present to past tense when prompted.
- Learners correctly identify the past participle form of each verb on the handout.
- Learners accurately construct complete past-tense sentences with correct subject-auxiliary-past participle agreement in at least two of three tasks.
- Learners confidently correct their own errors after receiving teacher feedback.
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WE DO
Collaborative
25 min |
- Group Formation and Task Setup: "Maintenant, vous allez travailler en groupes de quatre. Chaque groupe reçoit une enveloppe avec huit bandes de phrases mélangées. Votre travail est de remettre les bandes dans le bon ordre pour former quatre phrases correctes au passé composé. Ensuite, vous écrirez deux nouvelles phrases de votre propre vie — des activités que vous avez faites hier." Display the instruction on the board.
- Collaborative Task — Sentence Strips: Each group receives an envelope containing eight jumbled sentence strips. The strips correspond to four sentences: (1) J'ai regardé la télévision hier soir. (2) Nous avons préparé le dîner ensemble. (3) Elle a écouté de la musique ce matin. (4) Ils ont joué au football après l'école. "Travaillez ensemble pour remettre les bandes en ordre. Discutez de chaque choix avant de décider."
- Creative Extension: "Ensuite, chaque groupe écrit deux phrases originales sur ce que vous avez fait hier. Utilisez des verbes de la liste. Choisissez des activités vraies pour votre groupe — par exemple, 'Nous avons étudié le français' ou 'J'ai aidé ma mère à la maison'."
- Facilitation: Walk around the classroom, observing each group's progress. Listen to learners' discussions and note common errors. For groups that are stuck, ask guiding questions such as: "Quel est le sujet ? Quelle est la forme d' 'avoir' pour ce sujet ? Quel est le participe passé de ce verbe ?" Avoid giving direct answers.
- Sharing: "Maintenant, chaque groupe va lire une de ses phrases originales au tableau. Écoutez bien les autres groupes — levez la main si vous entendez une erreur ou si vous voulez poser une question." Invite each group to send one representative to write their sentence on the board and read it aloud.
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- Learners work in groups of four to arrange the jumbled sentence strips into four correct past-tense sentences, discussing each ordering decision with peers and justifying their choices. (Develops: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking)
- Learners collaborate to write two original past-tense sentences about their real activities from yesterday, each group member contributing at least one idea and checking the grammar together. (Develops: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Innovation)
- Learners record the group's sentences on coloured paper using marker pens, ensuring correct spelling and punctuation. (Develops: Communication, Collaboration)
- Selected group representatives present their original sentence on the board, reading it aloud with clear pronunciation; other learners listen, raise questions, and offer peer feedback using the structure taught. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
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- Learners accurately arrange at least three of four jumbled sentences into correct passé composé order within the group.
- Learners appropriately construct two original past-tense sentences with correct subject-auxiliary-past participle agreement.
- Learners clearly record their group sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation on the coloured paper.
- Learners confidently present their sentence to the class with comprehensible pronunciation and respond to peer questions appropriately.
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| CONCLUSION |
YOU DO
Independent Practice
9 min |
- Independent Task: "Maintenant, travaillez tout seuls. Sortez votre cahier et écrivez trois phrases pour dire ce que vous avez fait hier. Utilisez trois verbes différents de notre liste du jour. Vous avez cinq minutes. Travaillez en silence." Write the instruction on the board: Écrivez trois phrases sur ce que vous avez fait hier. Utilisez trois verbes différents. Exemple : Hier, j'ai étudié à la bibliothèque.
- Consolidation Questions: After learners finish writing, ask three oral questions to assess achievement of the lesson goal: (1) "Comment forme-t-on le passé composé avec le verbe 'parler' et le sujet 'je' ?" (2) "Quels verbes utilisent l'auxiliaire 'avoir' au passé composé ? Donnez deux exemples." (3) "Regardez cette phrase au tableau : 'Elle a regardé un film hier.' Est-ce correct ? Pourquoi ?"
- Learner-Led Summary: "Qui peut résumer ce que nous avons appris aujourd'hui en deux phrases ?" Invite two to three learners to share their summary with the class.
- Link Forward: "Très bon travail aujourd'hui ! Demain, nous allons apprendre à parler des activités que nous n'avons pas faites — la forme négative du passé composé. Par exemple : Je n'ai pas mangé le nshima hier.
- Homework: "Pour devoir, écrivez cinq phrases au passé composé sur ce que votre famille a fait dimanche dernier. Utilisez cinq verbes différents de la liste. À rendre vendredi prochain. Écrivez le devoir dans votre cahier maintenant."
- Closure: "Vous avez très bien travaillé aujourd'hui, surtout dans vos groupes. Je suis fier de vos progrès en français. Merci pour votre attention et votre participation. Au revoir !"
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- Learners write three independent past-tense sentences in their exercise books about what they did yesterday, using three different verbs from the lesson list, working silently without peer assistance. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
- Learners respond to the three consolidation questions orally, demonstrating their understanding of the passé composé structure and its application. (Develops: Communication, Critical Thinking)
- Learners summarise the key learning points in their own words when invited, identifying the passé composé structure and giving at least one example. (Develops: Communication)
- Learners record the homework task in their exercise books, reading the instruction back silently to confirm understanding. (Develops: Communication)
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- Learners correctly construct three independent past-tense sentences with accurate subject-auxiliary-past participle agreement and appropriate vocabulary.
- Learners accurately explain the passé composé structure and identify correct and incorrect examples when prompted.
- Learners clearly articulate the key learning points of the lesson using appropriate French or English terminology.
- Learners accurately record the homework task with the correct due date and requirements.
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Class Exercise
Instructions to learners: Answer all five questions in your exercise book. Show all working where applicable. Time allowed: 10 minutes.
- (Fill-in-the-Blank — Knowledge) Complete each sentence with the correct form of avoir in the passé composé:
a) Je ______ mangé le nshima hier soir.
b) Nous ______ regardé un film à la télévision.
c) Elles ______ écouté de la musique après l'école.
- (Short Answer — Comprehension) Change each present-tense sentence to the passé composé using avoir:
a) Tu joues au football le samedi. → Hier, tu ______ au football.
b) Il prépare le dîner avec sa mère. → Hier, il ______ le dîner avec sa mère.
c) Je travaille à la boutique. → Hier, je ______ à la boutique.
- (Multiple Choice — Application) Which sentence is CORRECT in the passé composé?
A. Nous avons parlé avec le professeur hier.
B. Nous ont parlé avec le professeur hier.
C. Nous avons parler avec le professeur hier.
D. Nous a parlé avec le professeur hier.
- (Error Correction — Analysis) Each sentence below contains ONE error. Rewrite the sentence correctly in your book:
a) Elle a travaillé à l'hôpital hier. (Is this correct? If not, fix it.)
b) Ils ont joué au football et nous avons regardé. (Find the