AATF’s National French Week takes place November 4–10, 2026, with the theme “French: Find Your Inspiration.” Celebrate with these six classroom activities exploring the food, music, expressions and traditions of the French-speaking world.
Activity 1: Connect with a classroom in France
Give your students a real reason to use French during National French Week. Through Connecting Classrooms, they can exchange short, guided videos with a partner class in France, compare school life and culture, and share what inspires them about learning French.
Connecting Classrooms is free, flexible and asynchronous. Forum matches your class and provides the activities, platform and teacher support. Submit an interest form and we’ll help you find a partner classroom.
FREE VIRTUAL EXCHANGE FOR YOUR FRENCH CLASS
Give your students the opportunity to interact with students in France
Students create and share short videos about their school life, hometown and culture while practicing French with peers their own age.
FREE FOR SCHOOLS • GUIDED ACTIVITIES • TEACHER SUPPORT
Activity 2: Learn how to play pétanque – A French tradition
Pétanque is played throughout France, from village squares to city parks.
In this lesson plan with video and classroom activities, students meet Justine, Marie and Clémentine, three French students who explain how to play. After watching, students can review the rules in French or organize a small pétanque match of their own.
Activity 3: Explore the gastronomy of the Francophone world
Turn food vocabulary into a friendly classroom tournament. Assign each student or group a French-speaking country or region and ask them to research its cuisine and choose one dish to represent it.
Students present their dishes before the class votes to decide which one advances through the tournament. The complete activity includes a French graphic organizer and printable tournament bracket.
Activity 4: Explore Francophone Africa through music
Introduce your students to “Magic in the air” by Magic System, an Ivorian pop group.
During the first listen, ask students to write down any French words or phrases they recognize. Play the song again and ask them to identify repeated words, instruments or rhythms and what they think the song’s main message is.
Finish by discussing the song’s mood and musical style. You can also ask students what the video teaches them about the places and communities represented.
Activity 5: Discover expressions from the Francophone world
Introduce students to 12 idiomatic expressions from across the French-speaking world, including Haiti, Belgium, Senegal, Canada, France and several other Francophone communities.
Students provide a literal translation, guess what each expression means and then compare their answers with the provided answer key. Finish by asking them to use one or two expressions in a short dialogue.
Activity 6: Start a school exchange with a partner school in France
Through Forum’s School Exchange Program, your school will host visiting French students before your students travel to France and stay with their exchange partners. It gives students the opportunity to experience everyday school and family life, use French in authentic situations, and build lasting international friendships.
Forum matches your school with a French partner and supports both schools throughout the planning, hosting and travel process.
Bring the French-speaking world to life in Senegal
After exploring Francophone cultures in class, give your students the opportunity to use French in Senegal. This nine-day educational tour includes school visits, French-language practice, Gorée Island, Saint-Louis, Lac Rose, wildlife experiences, and hands-on art and music workshops.
Leave a comment