Celebrate AATF’s National French Week that 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: Take your students on a virtual tasting of French specialties
Explore France with your students through podcasts, videos, recipes, poems, and more using this delicious map of French gastronomy. Students can discover how local ingredients, geography and traditions have shaped dishes across the country.
Choose one region for students to research, ask them to compare specialties from different parts of France, or prepare a simple recipe together as a class.
Activity 3: 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 while they complete the missing lyrics on the accompanying worksheet.
Finish by discussing the song’s mood, message and musical style. You can also ask students what the video teaches them about the places and communities represented.
Activity 4: Discover Québec expressions
Introduce students to words and phrases used in Québec that can have a different meaning from the French spoken in France.
Ask students to guess each expression’s meaning before checking the answer. They can then compare the expressions with standard French or use a few of them in a short dialogue with a partner.
Activity 5: 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 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.
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