With all of the Olympic excitement, I made up a little French song about the Olympic rings. It’s to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I found myself singing it throughout the day, completely stuck in my head. Songs that get “stuck” in the brain are exactly the kind I need for my beginning learners. So, I’ve been working on it the last couple of days and I’d like to share it with you in today’s recording.
The song is very simple and repetitive for novice-level learners. The English meaning of the lyrics are: 1-2-3-4-5 rings of the Olympic flag/They represent the continents united by the Games/Europe, Asia, Africa, Océanie (Australia), America, 1-2-3-4-5 continents of the Olympic Games. See what I mean? Simple . . . but also strategic and effective!
Here’s my masterpiece (Okay . . . I use the term loosely!)
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq anneaux
Cinq anneaux,
Cinq anneaux,
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq anneaux
Du drapeau olympique.
Ils représentent les continents,
Les continents,
Les continents,
Ils représentent les continents
Unis par les Jeux.
L’Europe, l’Asie, l’Afrique,
L’Océanie,
L’Amérique,
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq continents
Des Jeux Olympiques.
(Repeat first verse)
I prepared a download about the Olympic Rings. It includes a printable song sheets and CLOZE, a coloring sheet, a novice-level reading with questions and CLOZE about the flag, and blank flashcards to illustrate. Click Olympic Flag for French Learners to learn more.
P.S. A Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, conceived of both the modern Olympic Games and the Olympic flag. In case you were wondering, the continents are taught a little differently in France than in the U.S. In France, both North and South America are combined into one continent, and instead of Australia, the entire region is called Océanie.
Just wanted to let you know about a good place to learn French online — it’s called Babbel. Lot’s of interactive lessons with visuals and live voices.