Before the break, Madame Gonzalez introduced the many aspects of Carnaval and of the Mardi Gras celebration to her French students.
In third grade, students studied the meaning of Mardi Gras, the three main colors found in the celebration of New Orleans. They listened to the music of New Orleans while seeing images of many of the floats found during a parade, and then created their very own masks! Students then wrote in French what colors their mask showcased. Les couleurs de mon masque de Mardi Gras sont. Their hard work can be found on display in the hallways in the Fanger Center.
In fourth grade, students explored the historical roots of the celebration, learning about Mardi Gras around the world, including the multi-week celebration of Carnival which is celebrated in many countries and cultures globally. Students learned about parades, floats, different sounds of Mardi Gras music, the art and cost of fancy costumes and dresses created for balls, learned vocabulary for the many rich foods that are eaten during Mardi Gras, as well as the story behind La Galette de Rois – The King Cake (and the baby baked inside!). To wrap up their unit, the fourth graders learned basic vocabulary related to the holiday season, including the vocabulary needed to write a short description about their masks, and where they would wear them. Their hard work can be found on display in the Fanger Center hallways.
In the fifth grade, students dove a little deeper into the roots of the celebration, learning about the historical ties of fasting and the season of Lent, as it precedes Easter, and the evolution of Mardi Gras. Since Mardi Gras is celebrated as the day before the fasting for Lent, Le Carême, students learned the connection between needing to eat all of the items that were forbidden to be eaten during the time of fasting. Vocabulary related to the holiday, as well as phonetic blends were introduced and practiced throughout the unit. Students listened to native speakers who explained the history of Mardi Gras and Carnival, were given the opportunity to see real time photos of the Carnaval de Nice, as well as from the 2023 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, Louisiana. Additionally, the fifth graders were given a choice in the project. They could create a mask, float, or costume for a Mardi Gras Parade, for which they were asked to write a short presentation about, in written French. Their hard word can be found on display in the Fanger Center, as well as in the French room, with invitation for all faculty and students to come see!
In seventh grade, students were asked to look at the cultural ties of Mardi Gras around the world. Vocabulary related to the holiday, as well as phonetic blends were introduced and practiced throughout the unit. Students listened to native speakers who explained the history of Mardi Gras and Carnival, were given the opportunity to see real time photos of the Carnaval de Nice, as well as from the 2023 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, Louisiana. Students in the seventh grade also listened to New Orleans music, were given the opportunity to explore the Carnival of Nice, France, where the celebration lasted over two weeks, and learned about the history of La Galette de Rois – the King Cake (and the baby baked inside!).
In the sixth grade and eighth grade, students learned the historical significance of Mardi Gras as it relates to the beginning of the Lenten Season, which precedes Easter. Vocabulary related to the holiday, as well as phonetic blends were introduced and practiced throughout the unit. Students listened to Native speakers who explained the history of Mardi Gras and Carnival, were given the opportunity to see real time photos of the Carnaval de Nice, as well as from the 2023 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, Louisiana. Additionally, the sixth and eighth graders were given a choice in the project- to create a mask, float, or costume for a Mardi Gras parade, for which they were asked to create a short presentation about, in written French. Students also explored many of the rich foods eaten during a typical, and historical Mardi Gras celebration, and learned about La Galette de Rois – the King Cake (and the baby baked inside!). Their hard word can be found on display in the Fanger Center, as well as the French room, with invitation for all faculty and students to come see!
