Learn French for Mardi Gras: Elementary Readers Theater

Posted by Diane

February 2, 2010

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” How can a day be fat? And why all the French? Let’s look at a little history to learn about Louisiana’s French Connection:

A French King, Louis XIV, sent explorers to the Mississippi River. In 1682, one of these explorers reached the river’s mouth, claimed it for France, and named the area Louisiane or Louis’ land.
A subsequent expedition was led by Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville in 1699. The day before Mardi Gras, he established a camp about 60 miles from present-day New Orleans. In honor of the holiday, this spot was named Point du Mardi Gras.
In 1718, another French explorer founded New Orleans as a permanent settlement. This colony was named in honor of the Duc l’Orleans.
In 1803, France’s Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte sold Louisiana to the United States in what is known as the Louisiana Purchase.
Other settlers to Louisiana were the Acadiens, or Cajuns. The Cajuns were also French, but they had originally settled in Nova Scotia, Canada. They were forced to leave as a result of the French-Indian War in 1755, and eventually settled in the rural areas of Louisiana, such as the bayou or marshes.
French is the second most spoken language in Louisiana and traditions such as Mardi Gras have taken on a life all their own. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The forty days of Lent is a serious time of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter. Mardi Gras is the last night of eating rich, fatty foods. Get it? FAT Tuesday!
Actually, Mardi Gras is more than just mardi, or Tuesday. It is a carnival or festival that takes place for a few weeks between Epiphany (January 6) and Ash Wednesday. In New Orleans, the festivities include parades, costumes, and balls. The events are staged by Carnival Organizations called krewes. The official Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold.

Learn some French in honor of the rich French heritage surrounding Louisiana’s Mardi Gras.

Here are some basic terms you should know:

Bonjour – Hello

Au revoir – Goodbye

Merci - Thank you

S’il vous plaît - Please

Oh là là! – Oh my!

Vert – Green

Violet – Purple

Or – Gold

Laissez-les bons temps rouler! – Let the good times roll!

You can teach your elementary students these new French words while introducing them to the customs of a traditional New Orleans. Purchase the original Readers Theater “Beauregard’s Mardi Gras” at this link.

Image credit: http://morguefile.com/archive/display/214130

Foreign Language Fun, Holiday, Mardi Gras

Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.