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TITLE L’espace: “Comment peut-on décrire ce qui nous entoure?”
UNIT/ACTIVITY NO. La Géographie / Activity 4
TOPIC Geographic place
FUNCTION Provide descriptions, asking clarification
FOCUS Discussing physical and cultural surroundings

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Teacher Instructions

Step 1. Prepare a copy of Transparency 1.  Prepare Handout 1 for student use. Each student will receive a large index card on which to create postcards. Examples of postcards (historical and current) would be very helpful for this activity.
Step 2. Explain to students that today they will explore the concept of l’espace. Have students take out a piece of paper. Ask students to close their eyes and think about a favorite outdoor location—the beach, the mountains, a city park. Ask them to write down five characteristics of this place. After a few moments, ask them to share a few of these characteristics with the person sitting next to them.
Step 3. Put up Transparency 1. Ask a few students to share how they described their place. As students share, note physical and human characteristics on the overhead. After a number of student responses, ask students about the generalizations they can draw from the chart.
Step 4. Distribute Handout 1 and index cards to students. Read through directions together and give students time to work.
Step 5. Debrief activity as a whole class by asking students to stand and read aloud their postcards without stating the name of the place. You may choose to give rewards or bonus points to students who guess a location correctly. Ask students what types of information give the best clues and why.

Materials
Students should have access to the internet, and/or library, and their atlases.

Notes
This activity introduces students to the concept of place—l’espace. Places have both human characteristics—the ways in which people change the environment—and physical characteristics—mountains, rivers, beaches, etc.

Ultimately, students should understand that “place” refers to how a setting looks, physically. There may be natural characteristics such as mountains, rivers, beaches, etc., or characteristics can be derived from the actions of people that result in changes to the environment, such as buildings, roads, clothing, and food habits.

II. STUDENT ACTIVITY HANDOUTS

Handout 1

NOM: _______________________________________________________________

1. Nommez votre espace préféré. Pourquoi ce choix? Quelles caractéristiques aimez-vous particulièrement?
2. En utilisant votre atlas, l’Internet ou d’autres informations, notez les éléments à caractère physique de votre espace.
3. Quels sont les éléments à caractère humain?
4.  Choissisez quelques images qui sont représentatives de votre espace et notez-les ici. Dessinez une de ces images sur un côté de votre carte postale.
5. Sur l’autre côté de votre carte postale, décrivez un voyage imaginaire qui donne des indices à propos de l’espace que vous avez choisi. Notez les éléments à caractère physique et humain mais ne dites pas la localisation.




Example:     Bonjour classe, Il fait très froid ici. Nous avons aterri sur une piste de neige.  J’ai vu des pingouins le premier jour....

Maintenant, vous allez deviner les espaces choisis par vos camarades de classe! À vous! Essayez de poser des colles (stump) à vos camarades.

III. VISUAL AIDS FOR TEACHERS

Transparency 1 

LES TRAITS À CARACTÈRE HUMAIN

LES TRAITS À CARACTÈRE PHYSIQUE