Last Wednesday, the Grade 7 and 8 Classes went to see Moliere's "Le Malade Imaginaire," performed by the Alumni Troupe of University of Toronto, featuring our very own French Teacher, Mlle Lucie Deniau.

Moliere, a 17th century playwright as famous as Shakespeare in France, wrote comedies and comedy-ballets with archetypal characters we still recognize today in contemporary popular culture. 

Our students loved seeing Mlle Lucie's convincing rendition of the "wicked stepmother" archetype in this comedy! In preparation for the excursion, the students explored the notion of archetypes in French class and examined specific ones that came up in characters in their Language Arts Book Club novels. The students were so impressed with the hard work and talent Mlle Lucie pours into her passion for drama and acting. Felicitations, Mlle Lucie!

Some fantastic quotes from the students:

"Mon moment préféré est quand Angélique a chanté, parce que sa voix était vraiment bonne!!" 

"Toinette was funny and supportive of the daughter. Argan thought that he was sick and it was funny watching him think that he needed to take 30 different potions. It was funny to watch Béline get really happy when Argan faked being dead."

"I have learned that plays in other languages are cool."

"In the play I felt like I was in the 17th century."

"I learned that there was a type of way to dress back in those days."

"[I liked] when Cléante and Angélique were singing to confess their love."

"J'ai aimé quand Thomas parlait vite. J'ai aimé quand les médecins chantaient et dansaient. J'ai aimé les costumes uniques des personnages. J'ai aimé quand Toinette se déguisait en médecin. J'ai aimé quand Argan faisait semblant d'être mort."

"Vieux, Créatif, Déroutant, Richesse, Européen"

"Humour, costumes, sets, surtitles, lots of screaming..."

"I liked how it was very funny, well expressed, very good acting, and that it was translated and represented each character in their own way."

We are so very proud of our French Program at RDS and the incredible talent and dedication of the two women who are its driving force: please read on to see what each grade is currently learning from both Mlle Lucie and Mme Claire: 

JK: During the Spring Term in JK, we are exploring the fascinating world of bugs; observing their different shapes, colours, and behaviours. Through hands-on activities and exploration, students will learn about various animals, their habitats, and behaviours.

SK: Through circle dances, songs, acting, and games, the SK's are now learning about expressing how they feel and thus enriching their knowledge of embodiment vocabulary.

Grade 1: In Grade 1, students are immersing themselves in the world of farm animals, getting to know the familiar creatures that live on farms and provide us with food and resources. Students are learning about cows, pigs, and chickens. Additionally, they're excited to venture into the realm of wild animals and look forward to discovering the diversity of species that inhabit forests, jungles, and savannahs thus broadening their understanding of the animal kingdom and our natural world.

Grade 2: The Grade 2’s are learning about Family Members as well as extending their comprehension of affirmative and negative sentences linked to personal taste such as J'aime/Je n'aime pas. 

Grade 3: Grade 3 students are on a journey to expand their vocabulary and understanding of family relationships. They've learned the names of close family members, such as parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts, while also practising describing their everyday lives. This includes discussions about where they live, their pets, and other aspects of their daily routines.

Grade 4: In Grade 4, students are exploring a variety of flavours and foods, developing an understanding of personal preferences and cultural influences. They are learning to articulate their likes and dislikes, expanding their vocabulary to express themselves more confidently when it comes to what they like to do, to eat,  listen to.

Grade 5: Grade 5’s are exploring the concept of home and personal space. They are learning the vocabulary associated with different rooms, furniture, and household items, deepening their understanding of living environments. Students will shortly be exploring the importance of personal space and boundaries, learning how to respect both their own and others' individual living areas.

The Grade 6s & 7s are learning about different genres of music, and are practising speaking about their favourite artists, while the Grade 8’s are learning about Life in Middle School, from getting oriented within the school building to different academic subjects. All students are working on their listening skills via recorded dialogues and comprehension questions.