Foreign Language Fun » Video

How to Put YouTube Video onto iPod or iPhone

Diane — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:54:57 +0000

I decided to write my first ever “techie” post to help teachers use the wealth of authentic materials found on YouTube. I recently began using an iPod Touch and some cheap speakers in my classroom. (I am done with my boxes and boxes of CD’s and cassettes, not to mention the bulky boomboxes of years gone by!) So, I was planning a nice little immersion cooking lesson for French camp tomorrow, when I thought how nice it would be to show a clip of crepes being prepared by a Parisian street vendor. This is camp, so I don’t have computer/Internet access, just my trusty little iPod. Here’s what you do:

1. Locate the YouTube video you wish to use. I look for authentic sorts of clips–nothing that broke copyright in any way!

2. Copy the url at the top of the screen.

3. Go to: KeepVid.com, copy the url, and click “download.”

4. Save as MP4. Once it downloaded, I did a “Save as” onto my desktop.

5. Open iTunes and select “Video.” Drag in your new video.

6. Plug in your trusty iPod. Click “Devices”, then “Movies” and select the new movie you want synced.

7. Sync your ipod. Ta-da! Authentic video clip for teaching tomorrow.

p.s. I haven’t tried this procedure on my PC, just the Mac. I “heart” my Mac! Please comment if you know something I don’t about getting this to work on a PC!

Image by clipart.com

Le Jour de la Marmotte: A French Content-Related Unit for Groundhog Day

Diane — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:07:36 +0000

It’s never too early to start planning for Groundhog Day! At least that’s what I always say. I just published a new elementary French unit for le Jour de la Marmotte. You’ll receive four lesson plans to pick and choose from: seasonal groundhog activities, famous groundhogs, flashlight shadows, and weather.

I created or modified some songs and fingerplays for the groundhog unit. As a supplement to the paper download, I prepared this video to demonstrate the gestures and melodies. Click here to view it: French Groundhog Unit Video

The 4-lesson download is available for purchase. Click here.

Image Credit: http://morguefile.com/archive/display/72775

Learn Vegetables in Spanish

Diane — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:22:11 +0000

Getting kids to eat their veggies . . . just how long has this battle been going on? I’ve been losing it lately. Fruit seems to be welcome at the “Foreign Language Fun House” (mi casa), but healthy, green stuff? I’ll be honest, it’s a tough sell. I’ve had success in the past when the kids get to pick out their own vegetables at the market. This lesson from SpanishPod101.com will help me turn the grocery shopping trip into a language learning experience. Check it out:

Okay, Mamas, here’s your Spanish shopping list:

las verduras – vegetables
el brócoli – broccoli
la lechuga – lettuce
los pepinos – cucumbers
los tomates – tomatoes
las papas – potatoes
las zanahorias – carrots
la cebolla – onion
las lentejas – lentils
las espinacas – spinach

And don’t forget to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month September 15 – October 15. Enter to win a Boca Beth Spanish cd, dvd, puppet, and coloring book to reward your veggie-eaters!

Learn French School Vocabulary with FrenchPod101

Diane — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:06:57 +0000

Today I’ve got a mini-French lesson for you from FrenchPod101.com. I’m still exploring this site but I’m excited by what I’ve found so far: videos, podcasts, pdf downloads, online quizzes. Here’s a FrenchPod101 beginner’s video lesson on French school vocabulary:

un étudiant – a student (boy)

une étudiante –a student (girl)

un enseignant – a teacher (male)

une enseignante –a teacher (female)

Another word for teacher is un professeur

une salle de classe –a classroom

un cours – a class/course

un bureau – a desk

Another word for a small student desk is un pupitre

une chaise – a chair

un tableau noir – a blackboard

un tableau – a board . . . many aren’t black anymore!

un cahier – a notebook

des devoirs – homework

un examen – an exam/test

French Choosing Rhymes: Am Stram Gram & Pomme, Pêche, Poire, Abricot

Diane — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:05:39 +0000

When you’re a kid, picking the person to be “It” for a game is serious business. I grew up with this elimination rhyme:

Eeney meeney miney moe,
Catch a tiger by its toe,
If he hollers let him go,
Eeney meeney miney moe.
My mother says to pick
The very best one
And you are not it!

Meanwhile in France, children were up to the same serious business with an equally silly rhyme:

Am, stram, gram,

Pique et pique et colégram

Bourre et bourre et ratatam

Am, stram, gram

No, it doesn’t mean anything. (Though it’s great practice for pronouncing the French “r”!)

Here’s another one, about apples, peaches, pears, and apricots:

Pomme, pêche, poire, abricot

Y’en a une, y’en a une

Pomme, pêche, poire, abricot

Y’en a une de trop.

Know some other rhymes? Other versions? Other languages? Feel free to comment!

French Fingerplay: Monsieur Pouce

Diane — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:08:00 +0000

I’ve been blogging for over a year now, so I think it’s about time I got over my self-consciousness and nerves to make my video debut! Watch me on this clip and learn the adorable French comptine and fingerplay, Monsieur Pouce. It’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten French classes.

Monsieur Pouce est dans sa maison.

Madame Pouce est dans sa maison.

Toc toc toc!

Qui est là?

C’est moi.

Chut . . . je dors.

Mais . . . toc toc toc!

Qui est là?

C’est moi!

Ah, je sors.

Image Credit: by voodoo4u2n at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1195513

Xtranormal: Make Movies in English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and German

Diane — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:20:32 +0000

I’d like to thank la profesora Sarita at Mis Musicuentos for introducing me to what she calls “technology heaven.” It’s actually a site called xtranormal.com where you can type in text and create a movie. It is so fun and easy. You choose characters, sets, background noise, soundtrack, actions, and expressions. The automated voices read the text you supply. The cool application for language learning is that you can write in English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, or German. Simply write the script and then click the appropriate language.

My preschooler and I made the following video in English just for fun. The 4 year old chose the characters and dictated the script. Enjoy!