Language Week 2022
After three years, 2022 finally brought back Language Week to the Modern Languages department! Traditionally, this week happens each spring and it focuses on students enrolled in French and Spanish classes who are able to participate in cultural activities beyond what they would normally do in class.
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Here is an overview of the adventures they embarked upon this year:
French
Our Grade 7 students engaged in fun hands-on cultural activities. They learned about the iconic Eiffel tower and built a model with marshmallows and spaghetti. They also learned about the French sport, pétanque, and gave it a shot in the dome. It was awesome to see them excited to take part in these activities.
We were excited to be able to return to one of our favourite language week activities this year: cheese tasting! Grade 8 students learned about the four major elements that contribute to the flavour, smell, and texture of each cheese. Armed with this information, they sampled four cheeses from different regions of France and then compared the cheeses. Many were even brave enough to sample the Roquefort and some students discovered that they actually loved it!
The Grade 9 French classes enjoyed learning how to conduct a proper "degustation de fromage" (cheese tasting) by watching some videos and learning about the characteristics of different cheeses as well as which area the cheese was from. We learned adjectives to help describe the aroma, taste and texture of each of four cheeses we sampled. Extra credit went to those students who were brave enough to taste the Roquefort. We also completed a group digital breakout activity. This is similar to an escape room only done digitally. Students had to use their French skills to solve clues and find the famous Paris St-Germain soccer player Kylian Mbappe, who had gone missing right before an important match.
In Grade 10, we are watching a film set in the North of France. A big part of our unit is discussing how the main character allows negative stereotypes to prejudice him against new cuisine and the local culture. The main character has just moved to this region and is trying the food there for the first time. We decided to take the same culinary journey and tried the smelly, but delicious, cheese, chicory drink, and buns. Our CDS students were very open-minded and many of them really enjoyed the new flavours.
Grade 11 students honed their culinary skills by making and enjoying crepes together, listening to favourite French songs, and cheese tasting. The GY students had an opportunity to make crepes, and then had special permission to travel to a French restaurant for a luncheon together.
Spanish
The Grade 10 and 12 Spanish classes attempted their first Escape Room completely in the target language as they had 50 minutes to solve a “Breakout Box-EDU” activity. They needed to use clues from a story as well as search the classroom for hints in order to “break into” a box which held a surprise prize. Getting into the box was no easy feat, as students needed to unlock six different locks that were preventing them from entering. Group work and critical thinking were the focus of this activity while communicating solely in Spanish!
Another focus for all of the grades was Hispanic music and dance, important aspects of Hispanic culture. Students learned about different genres of music and dance forms within the “Latin Music” category. They learned about rhythms, steps, and instrumentation. Then students got to put their skills to the test during a Cuban Salsa dance lesson! A professional Cuban salsa instructor, Dailyn Martinez, joined all of our Spanish classes for a fabulous lesson. Even the students who were nervous and apprehensive at first stated that they had a blast by the end!
The final activity in store for students taking Grade 11 and 12 Spanish was coffee tasting! Many Hispanic countries are known for their amazing coffee and after learning about its history, how it's processed, and how to differentiate between the different types from various countries, students had to guess from which country different coffee beans were. At the end of the guessing, the classes had their pick of which coffee to enjoy, and fresh pots were brewed!
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
