Calculez votre empreinte écologique!: A Content-based Language Activity
This material was originally developed through
Merlot as part of its collaboration with the SERC Pedagogic Service.
Summary
In this online game, students investigate the impact of their consumption of natural resources on the environment. At the same time, they learn the French vocabulary for discussions on ecology and sustainable development. They also develop their awareness of the importance of environmental protection in geographic locations outside our borders, with an emphasis on Francophone countries.
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Learning Goals
- Students will develop a working vocabulary in French to discuss enviromental topics.
- Students will practice developing hypotheses in the target language.
- Students will think critically about how to reduce their carbon footprint and discuss this topic with classmates in French.
Context for Use
This is a lab that could take as little as one hour, with thirty minutes for the actual calculator activity and the rest of the time in discussions in small groups. This could be part of a lesson plan where the instructor introduces the topic of the carbon footprint and related vocabulary on day one. On day two, the students could play the game in a lab setting and have the discussion in small groups. Finally, for homework the students could reflect on their personal carbon footprints in a discussion forum or class blog or wiki.
Description and Teaching Materials
To complete this activity, the instructor will need to begin by introducing the concept of the carbon footprint in French. There are many good resources, including slideshows and handouts, at the Agir 21 website.
In a lab setting, the students can then access the Agir 21 Carbon Footprint calculator at this URL and take the quiz (no longer available as of July 9, 2013).
To make the activity more interesting and intercultural, this calculator allows students to consider how their answers would be different if they were from a different country or in a different demographic group. Instructors should decide how to incorporate these features, as time permits.
Following the calculator exercise, students will get together in groups to discuss their personal results in French. They should be able to describe their results on each section individually and as a whole.
As a follow-up activity, instructors can develop questions on sustainable development for the students to complete in discussion boards, blogs or wikis. Assessment activities would measure the effective integration of the thematic vocabulary learned from the calculator exercise. The language exercise can end here or the instructor could expand it to have the students hypothesize on how they could change their behavior to reduce their carbon footprint even further.
In a lab setting, the students can then access the Agir 21 Carbon Footprint calculator at this URL and take the quiz (no longer available as of July 9, 2013).
To make the activity more interesting and intercultural, this calculator allows students to consider how their answers would be different if they were from a different country or in a different demographic group. Instructors should decide how to incorporate these features, as time permits.
Following the calculator exercise, students will get together in groups to discuss their personal results in French. They should be able to describe their results on each section individually and as a whole.
As a follow-up activity, instructors can develop questions on sustainable development for the students to complete in discussion boards, blogs or wikis. Assessment activities would measure the effective integration of the thematic vocabulary learned from the calculator exercise. The language exercise can end here or the instructor could expand it to have the students hypothesize on how they could change their behavior to reduce their carbon footprint even further.
Teaching Notes and Tips
- This activity is best used at the intermediate level of French and in conjunction with units that already contain a basic thematic vocabulary dealing with the environment.
- The calculator is easy to use and can be accessed anywhere the student has Internet access. Therefore the instructor may choose to assign the actual game for homework and reserve the classroom time for facilitated discussion in small groups.
Assessment
- The instructor could design a discussion rubric that accounts for a. the appropriate use of thematic vocabulary on the carbon footprint b. each group's appropriate usage of information from the calculator questions and answers c. the degree to which there was participation of all group members in the discussion.
References and Resources
Agir 21 website--no longer available. agir21.org/outils.html
Agir 21 Carbon Footprint quiz--no longer available. agir21.org/flash/empreinteecoweb/loadcheckplugin.html
Agir 21 Carbon Footprint quiz--no longer available. agir21.org/flash/empreinteecoweb/loadcheckplugin.html