All posts by A Green Mouse

Argentina + Alfajores

24 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Spanish Recipe for Kids – Alfajores

All countries and areas around the world have traditions built up over many years, and many of those traditions involve food, the preparation of it and the recipes that have evolved.
Everybody loves biscuits …
In Argentina the most well-known biscuits are called Alfajores, and they are frequently filled with Dulce de Leche, the most traditional and popular sweet filling not only in Argentina but also in the rest of South America.

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de Leche is like caramel but it does not contain any butter or margarine. It is made from cooking milk and sugar for a very long time.
An easy way to make your own Dulce de Leche is to put a tin of condensed milk in a saucepan with enough water that it covers the tin completely, bring the water to the boil, and simmer with the lid on for 3 hours (easier still if you can just leave it simmering in the oven for that time).

What are the most traditional cakes and biscuits where you live? Is there anything special about them? Do they have a story? Were they invented by mistake?!

Do read the recipe below and have a go at making ALFAJORES with DULCE DE LECHE. This is a printable worksheet of the recipe:
A Green Mouse Alfajores Recipe

But first, do some Spanish Practice via this video, transcript, and printable worksheet:

Argentina + Alfajores Recipe Video

Worksheet

Video Transcript

Argentina es un país.
Tiene 23 provincias.
América del Sur es un continente.
Argentina está en el extremo sur de Sudamérica.
Sudamérica es lo mismo que América del Sur.
Esta galleta se llama un alfajor.
Esta crema se llama dulce de leche.
Los sudamericanos comen muchos alfajores y mucho dulce de leche.
Son parte de su cultura y tradición.
¡Alfajores llenos de dulce de leche son muy ricos!
Un poquito de coco rallado es una buena idea también.
El resultado es bonito y delicioso.
Cada provincia de Argentina tiene una receta de alfajores preferida, cada país en Sudamérica también.

– – –

Easy Alfajores Recipe

Ingredients:
300g plain flour
200g caster sugar
100g soft butter
1 egg (beaten)
grated coconut (optional)

For the filling:  Dulce de Leche!
(buy a jar or buy a tin of condensed milk and make your own – see above)

Method:
– Mix the dry ingredients together
–  Rub in the butter
– Mix in the beaten egg to form a soft dough
– Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 0.5cm thick on a floured surface.
– Use cookie cutters to cut out round shapes about 4cm wide.
– Place them evenly on non-stick baking trays.

Bake, one tray at a time, in a pre-heated oven, 180C, for 8 minutes approximately. The biscuits need to be dried out/cooked through but not golden brown. To check if they are done, pick one up gently and look underneath.
If the dough is still slightly wet on the underside of the biscuit put the biscuits back in the oven for a little longer.
(There is no point in having raw biscuits – better golden than raw)

When the biscuits have cooled they can be stored or even frozen until you are ready to eat them.
When you ARE ready, put some grated coconut in a flat bowl and open a jar/tin of dulce de leche. Turn the biscuits upside down and put two biscuits together at a time with a generous 1cm+ layer of dulce de leche in the middle.
Squeeze the biscuits together so that the dulce de leche sticks out a little.
Roll the biscuit sideways along the grated coconut so that it sticks to the dulce de leche.

When all the biscuits are ready, sprinkle a little grated coconut over them for decoration and serve.

Learn French Online

La Bretagne, Hadrian’s Wall, Palets Bretons!

21 September 2020 A Green Mouse

KS3 French – Brittany + Palets Bretons

Introduction to Brittany, Hadrian’s Wall, the Celts, and a recipe for French biscuits from La Bretagne.
Use this French Video resource and free Gap Fill Worksheet for listening and reading practice looking at a region in France and its links to the UK.
It includes highlighted grammar and vocabulary to look out for in the worksheet, and a lovely biscuit recipe for traditional Palets Bretons.
Make these delicious French biscuits from Brittany using this easy recipe:
Palets Bretons Biscuit Recipe

Grammar:

Nationality nouns have capitals, but nationality adjectives do not in French. E.g:
Les Celtes – les traditions celtiques
Les Bretons – les pâtisseries bretonnes
Les Romains – la défense romaine

Free worksheet:

Nations, Nationality, French Adjectives – Gap Fill Worksheet

Vocabulary:

Le Pays de Galles – Wales
L’Écosse (f) – Scotland
L’Irlande (f) – Ireland
Le Royame Uni – United Kingdom

une galette – a pancake
un gâteau – a cake
un biscuit – a biscuit
(biscuit = cooked twice: bis = x2 + cuit = cooked)

Adjectives:
long – longue
sec – sèche
rond – ronde
épais – épaisse
délicieux – délicieuse
important – importante

Video

Video Transcript in English:

Here is Brittany, a peninsular region in the west of France.
The inhabitants of Brittany are called the Bretons.
Brittany has Celtic culture and traditions that are similar to those in Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Long ago there were Celts everywhere in Europe.
The whole United Kingdom was governed by Celts before the Roman invasion.
This wall, Hadrian’s Wall, was a Roman defence against the Celts from the north.
The wall crosses England from east to west.
These dogs walked the whole length of the wall, a long five day walk.
They loved it!
BRITTANY
The sea is very important in Brittany.
The beaches are magnificent.
Breton pastries are delicious.
Brittany is known for its pancakes, its cakes and its biscuits!
A ‘palet breton’ is a dry, crumbly, very delicious biscuit.
It is round and thick. (1.5cm)
Its name comes from a Breton game, the ‘jeu de palets’.

Video Transcript in French:

Voici la Bretagne, une région péninsulaire à l’ouest de la France.
Les habitants de la Bretagne s’appellent les Bretons.
La Bretagne a de la culture et des traditions celtiques qui ressemblent à celles du Pays de Galles, de l’Écosse et de l’Irlande.
Autrefois il y avait des Celtes partout en Europe.
Tout le Royaume Uni était gouverné par des Celtes avant l’invasion des Romains.
Ce mur, le mur d’Hadrian, était une défense romaine contre les Celtes du nord.
Le mur traverse l’Angleterre de l’est à l’ouest.
Ces chiens ont marché tout le long du mur, une longue marche de cinq jours.
Ils ont beaucoup aimé!
La Bretagne.
La mer est très importante en Bretagne.
Les plages sont magnifiques.
Les pâtisseries bretonnes sont délicieuses.
La Bretagne est connue pour ses galettes, ses gâteaux et ses biscuits!
Un palet breton est un biscuit sec, friable et vraiment délicieux.
Il est rond et épais (1.5cm).
Son nom vient d’un jeu breton, le jeu de palets.

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Spanish Body Parts + Verbs

20 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Spanish Verbs + Parts of the Body

Parts of the body in Spanish + verbs in the 1st person to say what you do with your body:
Mi Cuerpo = My Body
Mi, Mis = My
Tu, Tus = Your
(they are possessive adjectives)

¿Qué haces con tu cuerpo?
What do you do with your body?

Vocabulary, Verbs, video clip,
Online Quiz + Worksheets.

Vocabulary

Mi cabeza (f) – my head
Mis ojos (m) – my eyes
Mis orejas (f) – my ears
Mi nariz (f) – my nose
Mi boca (f) – my mouth
Mis dientes (m) – my teeth
Mis brazos (m) – my arms
Mis manos (f) – my hands
Mis dedos (m) – my fingers
Mis piernas (f) – my legs
Mis rodillas (f) – my knees
Mis pieds (m) – My feet

Verbs:

Pensar – to think
pienso – I think

Mirar – to look
miro – I look

Escuchar – to listen
escucho – I listen

Masticar – to chew
mastico – I chew

Abrazar – to hug
abrazo – I hug

Saltar – to jump
salto – I jump

Patinar – to skate
patino – I skate

Usar – to use
uso – I use

Comer – to eat
como – I eat

Escribir – to write
escribo – I write

IRREGULAR VERBS:
Ver – to see
veo – I see

Oír – to hear
oigo – I hear

Oler – to smell
huelo – I smell

Video clip

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Worksheet 1 – Body Parts
Worksheet 2 – Verbs

Video Transcript:

Mi Cuerpo
¿Qué haces con tu cuerpo?
¿Qué haces con tu ..?
¿Qué haces con tus ..?
Tu cabeza, tus orejas, tu nariz, tu boca, tus dientes, tus manos, tus dedos, tus brazos, tus piernas, tus rodillas, tus pies.

Pienso con mi cabeza.

Miro con mis ojos.
Veo con mis ojos.
Huelo con mi nariz.
Oigo con mis orejas.
Escucho con mis orejas.
Como con mi boca.
Como con mis manos.
Comos con mis dedos.
Escribo con mi mano izquierda.
Escribo con mi mano derecha.
Mastico con mis dientes.
Abrazo con mis brazos.
Salto con mis piernas.
Patino con mis pies.
Uso mis rodillas también.

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

Animals in French + Adjectives

20 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Animals in French + Adjectives

Describe Animals in French by their Colour + Adjectives that go BEFORE the Noun:
Vocabulary + Video Clip, Online Quiz
+ Worksheet.

Colours, like most adjectives in French go AFTER the noun in French.
A small number of French Adjectives defy the rule and go BEFORE the Noun.

This resource provides practice using colours + the following adjectives that describe size, beauty, goodness or age and go BEFORE the noun:
Petit – petite = small
Grand – grande = big, large
Gros – grosse = big, fat
Vieux – vieille = old
Jeune – jeune = young
Beau – belle = beautiful, handsome
Vilain – vilaine = ugly
Bon – bonne = good
Joli – jolie = pretty

French Animal Vocabulary:

Masculine:
un taureau = a bull
un lapin = a rabbit
un paon = a peacock
un perroquet = a parrot
un écureuil = a squirrel
un oiseau = a bird
un hamster = a hamster
un poussin = a chick
un poisson = a fish
un lézard = a lizard
un chien = a dog
un ours = a bear
un cheval = a horse
un papillon = a butterfly
un chiot = a puppy
un cochon = a pig
un canard = a duck
un cigne = a swan
Feminine:
une abeille = a bee
une tortue = a tortoise
une vache = a cow
une chèvre = a goat

Video

Free Downloadable Worksheet: Animals in French + Adjectives Worksheet

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Video Transcript:

C’est un beau taureau noir.
C’est un beau paon bleu et vert.
C’est un beau chien noir.
C’est un beau perroquet rouge.

C’est un petit oiseau jaune et bleu.
C’est une petite abeille noire et jaune.
C’est une petite tortue brune.

C’est un bon poussin jaune en chocolat.
C’est une bonne maman noire et blanche.

C’est un gros poisson orange.
C’est une grosse vache noire.

C’est un grand chien marron.
C’est un grand ours noir et faché.
C’est un grand cheval brun.

C’est un joli papillon.
C’est une jolie chèvre brune.

C’est un vieux chien marron.
C’est un jeune chiot noir et blanc.

C’est un vilain cochon noir.
Ce n’est pas un vilain petit canard.
C’est un beau cigne!

Qu’est-ce que c’est?
– – –

To learn names of animals in French and ask simple questions go to:
Animals in French. Qu’est-ce que c’est?

To learn about Colours in French + Agreements, go to:
Colours in French

And for easier practice just describing Animals by their colour go to:
Animals + Colours in French

French Recipes, Learn French Online

French Biscuit Recipe – Palets Bretons

20 September 2020 A Green Mouse

French Biscuit Recipe – Palets Bretons

La Bretagne, Brittany, is a region in the North West of France that is famous for many things including its deliciously buttery and very crumbly biscuits.
There are two kinds: ‘Sablés Bretons‘ and ‘Palets Bretons‘.
‘Sable’ = sand, and ‘palet’ = disc.
Both are round, crumbly biscuits full of salted butter, and the difference is that ‘Palets Bretons’ are thicker, usually about 1.5cm tall.
‘Palets Bretons’ biscuits are named after the discs used in a traditional game from Brittany called ‘jeu de palets‘. Players throw discs onto a board placed five metres away on the ground. A game called ‘Shuffleboard‘ is sometimes played in a similar way.

Cooking essentials:
Oven temperature – 180C, or 160C in a fan oven.
Muffin Tin: A pastry chef would have individual moulds for each biscuit, but a non-stick muffin tin works extremely well. There is no need to grease it as the biscuits have enough butter in them.
Moulds or a muffin tin are essential, to stop the butter from oozing out of the biscuits while they are cooking.

Ingredients for Palets Bretons:

180g salted butter, softened
150g sugar
4 egg yolks (5 if they are small)
250g plain flour
6g (1tspn) baking powder

Method:
Beat together the sugar and eggs
Beat in the soft salted butter
Mix the baking powder into the flour, and fold it slowly into the buttery mixture.
The consistency should be perfect to be able to roll it very gently with your hands into a sausage on a very lightly floured piece of baking parchment on a flat surface.

Use a ruler to make the sausage dough 32cms long.

Roll up the sausage of dough in the parchment and place it in the fridge for half an hour.

Now use a sharp knife to slice the sausage in half (at the 16cm mark) and then cut 11 biscuits from each half, making a total of 22 biscuits.
Do not worry if the underside edge of the dough is a bit flat. This will sort itself out in the oven.

One muffin tin is fine. Bake the first 12 biscuits in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Wait a couple of minutes and then lift them gently onto a cooling rack.

Wait for the muffin tin to cool down, and then bake the final batch of 10 biscuits.

BISCUITS … Cooked twice!

Did you know that the word ‘biscuit’ means ‘cooked twice’?
Bis = x2, Cuit = cooked (in French)!
Palets Bretons should be crumbly, NOT the texture of a cake.
If you realise that your biscuits are not crumbly all the way through, bake them again for another 5+ minutes.
They will taste better for it.

ENJOY!

– – –

Find out more about La Bretagne, the region in France where palets bretons biscuits come from, and its links to the United Kingdom:
KS3 French Activity – La Bretagne

French Cooking Vocabulary:
de la farine – some flour
de la levure – some baking powder
du sucre – some sugar
du beurre – some butter
un oeuf – an egg
un jaune d’oeuf – an egg yolk
salé – salted, salty

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

El Perro de mi Abuelo

20 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Spanish Story in the Imperfect Tense

El Perro de Mi Abuelo
Practice using the Imperfect Tense in a true story about a family dog in 1930’s Spain.
Video, the story in Spanish and English, printable worksheets + an online quiz:
Gap fill Worksheet,
Questions Worksheet,
+ Online Quiz.

Pick out the verbs in the Imperfect Tense.
The story ends in the Preterite Tense. Why?

Videos

With Spanish subtitles:

NO Subtitles:

The Story in Spanish

El Perro de mi Abuelo
Maggie era mi perro y la mamá de Billy. Era blanca y negra. La quería mucho.
¡Hace muchos años mi padre tenía un perro blanco y negro también! Se llamaba Bonzo y vivía en España con mi papá y mis abuelos.
A mi abuelo le gustaban los animales, sobretodo los perros callejeros, como Bonzo. Mi abuelo había rescatado Bonzo de un barco en que se había caído rompiendo una de sus patas.
Pensaba que los perros callejeros eran interesantes y valientes. Sonreía cuando los veía durmiendo tranquilamente en medio de la carretera.
Bonzo era inteligente y muy divertido. Usaba solo tres patas para correr por causa del accidente en el barco.
En esa época existía la profesión de ‘perrero’.  El perrero se encargaba de echar los perros callejeros de los lugares públicos.
Toda la familia tenía miedo del perrero y se preocupaba por Bonzo porque le gustaba ir de paseo … ¡No debía salir a la calle … pero a veces se escapaba!
Un día, cuando la familia estaba mudando de casa, Bonzo pasó por las barandillas de la casa nueva y desapareció.
¡Qué angústia! ¿Dónde estaba? ¿Lo tenía el perrero?
¡El día siguiente mi abuelo lo encontró esperando tranquilamente en el patio de la otra casa!

Aunque mi padre nació en Sevilla, era inglés, y mi abuelo también. Cuando empezó la Guerra Civil mi padre estaba en Inglaterra, pero mi abuelo fue rescatado por un buque de guerra inglés.
Bonzo tuvo que quedarse en España con un amigo de la familia, pero no pudo aguantar la ausencia de mi abuelo y murió tres semanas después, el corazón hecho pedazos.

QUESTIONS:

Answer in full sentences using the imperfect tense.

¿Dónde vivía Bonzo?

¿Cuáles eran los animales preferidos de my abuelo?

¿Cuántas patas usaba Bonzo para correr?

¿Cómo era Bonzo?

¿Qué hacía el perrero?

A veces Bonzo se escapaba. ¿Por qué?

¿Dónde estaba mi padre cuando empezó la Guerra Civil?

¿Dónde estaba mi abuelo cuando empezó la Guerra Civil?

– – – –

The Story in English

My Grandfather’s Dog – Bonzo
Maggie was my dog and Billy’s mother. She was black and white. I loved her very much.
Many years ago my father had a black and white dog too!
It was called Bonzo and it lived in Spain with my father and my grandparents.
My grandfather loved animals, especially stray dogs like Bonzo. My grandfather had rescued Bonzo from a boat which he had fallen into breaking one of his paws.
He thought stray dogs were brave and interesting. He smiled when he saw them sleeping peacefully in the middle of the road. Bonzo was intelligent and great fun. He ran using only three legs because of the accident on the boat.
In those days there was a profession called ‘Dog Catcher’. The Dog Catcher was in charge of getting rid of stray dogs from public places.
The whole family was scared of the Dog Catcher and worried about Bonzo because he liked to go walkabout … He wasn’t supposed to go out on the street … but sometimes he escaped!
One day, when the family was moving house, Bonzo got through the railings of the new house and disappeared. What a worry!
Where was he? Did the Dog Catcher have him?
The next day my grandfather found him in the courtyard of the other house!
Although my father was born in Sevilla, he was English, and my grandfather was too. When the Civil War broke out my father was in England, but my grandfather was rescued by an English warship.
Bonzo had to stay in Spain with a friend of the family, but he couldn’t bear the absence of my grandfather and he died of a broken heart three weeks later.

PDF Gap Fill Exercise

PDF Questions Worksheet

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Animals + Colours in Spanish

19 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Animals + Colours in Spanish

Learn Animal Names in Spanish and how to describe them by their Colour.
Colours are Adjectives which go after the noun in Spanish.
Vocabulary, Grammar, Video clip, Online Quiz + a printable Worksheet.

Vocabulary:

Masculine
un oso a bear
un caballo a horse
un pinguïno a penguin
un cerdo a pig
un loro a parrot
un pez a fish
un polluelo a chick

Feminine
una vaca a cow
una llama a llama
una oveja a sheep
una ardilla a squirrel
una paloma a pigeon
una oruga a caterpillar
una lagartija a lizard
una serpiente a snake

Video

Worksheet

Video Transcript:

(Spanish/English subtitles on the video)

Negro – a – os – as
Es un oso negro.
Son osos negros.
Es una vaca negra.
Son vacas negras.

Blanco – a – os – as
Es un caballo blanco.
Son perritos blancos.
Es una llama. Es blanca.
Son alpacas, alpacas blancas.
Son ovejas blancas.
Algunas tienen cabezas negras.
Es un pinguïno blanco y negro.
Son cerditos blancos y negros.

Marrón – Marrones
Es un caballo marrón.
Son caballos marrones.
Es un perro marrón.
Es una tortuga marrón.

Gris – Grises
Es una ardilla gris.
Son palomas grises.

Verde – Verdes
Es un loro verde.
Es una oruga verde.
Es una lagartija verde.

Rojo – a – os – as
Azul – Azules
Amarillo – a – os – as
Es un loro rojo,
pero es blanco, azul y amarillo también.
Son loros verdes, azules, amarillos y rojos.

Rosado – a – os – as
Morado – a – os – as
Es un cerdo rosado.
Es una serpiente morada.

Naranja – de color naranja
Son peces de color naranja.

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

. . .

Follow-up resources:
Colours in Spanish + Agreements

Animals in Spanish

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

French Verb Faire

19 September 2020 A Green Mouse

The Verb Faire

Uses of the verb faire, video, worksheet + online quiz.
Faire = to have or to make.
Faire = to be to say what the weather IS like.
Faire = to do to talk about DOING sport (without a ball)

Quel temps fait-il?
What is the weather like?

to be … + the weather:
Il fait soleil = it is sunny
Il fait beau = it is lovely, it is nice weather

Que fais-tu?
What are you doing/making?
Je fais du travail = I do some work
Je fais un gâteau = I make a cake

Examples of expressions that use the verb Faire:
Je fais la tête = to have a sulk, to sulk (I do the head?!).
Je fais la sieste = I have a snooze (I do a snooze?!)
Je fais la fête = I have a party/I celebrate

Je fais attention – I pay attention.
Faites attention! – Pay attention!

Translation Exercise –Worksheeet
Reading Practice – Worksheet

+ Online Quiz (also shown below the video)

Video

Online Quiz

QUIZ START

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Use it for reading and translation practice.
Give pupils the chance to act out the parts of the characters in the video and say their ‘lines’:

Monsieur Le Chat,
Que fais-tu?
Je fais ce que je veux.
Ce matin je fais la grasse matinée dans la cuisine.

Le Temps. Quel temps fait-il?
Il fait beau. Il fait soleil. Il fait chaud.
Billy! Que fais-tu?
Je fais un effort pour ne pas voler la viande.
Je ne fais pas de bêtises.
Maggie! Que fais-tu?
Je fais de la peine à Billy. Je cache son jouet.

Il fait nuit dehors.
Que fais-tu?
Je fais un effort.
Je fais un gâteau.
Je fais la fête pour l’anniversaire de Billy!

Quel temps fait-il?
Il fait du vent.
Que fais-tu?
Je fais du travail pour protégér l’arbre.

Quel temps fait-il?
Il fait froid.
Que fais-tu en hiver?
Je fais des bêtises dans la neige.
Que fais-tu après?
Je fais la sieste à côté du four.

Quel temps fait-il?
Il fait beau. Il fait chaud.
Que fais-tu quand il fait chaud?
Je fais une promenade au bord de la mer.
Et moi je fais de la natation.

Que fais-tu à la plage?
Je fais un château de sable.
Moi aussi je fais un château de sable.

Faites attention!
Je fais peur à tout le monde!

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

Jouer vs Faire + Sport

19 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Jouer vs Faire + Sport in French

Learn French Sporting Vocabulary + how to talk about playing and doing sport in French.
Practice in short sentences using verbs in the 1st person.
Video, Online Quiz, + Worksheet.

FAIRE + doing Sport

Use Faire + sports without a ball.
(e.g. swimming, cycling, skating …)
Use FAIRE + du, de la, de l’
Je fais du sport = I do sport.
Je fais de la natation = I do swimming, I swim
Je fais du cyclisme = I do cycling, I cycle
Je fais de l’équitation = I ride

Vocabulary:

La natation Swimming
Le cyclisme Cycling
Le surf Surfing
La plongée Diving
L’équitation(f) Horse-riding
L’aviron(m) Rowing
Le skate Skateboarding
Le patinage sur glace Ice-skating

JOUER + Ball Sports

Use the verb Jouer + ball sports.
(e.g. football, tennis, ping pong)
Use JOUER + au, à la, à l’
Je joue au football = I play football.
Je joue à la pétanque = I play pétanque
Je joue au tennis = I play tennis
Je joue au rugby = I play rugby

Vocabulary:

Le football football/soccer
Le tennis tennis
Le golf golf
Le base-ball baseball
Le basket basketball
Le tennis de table table tennis
Le criquet cricket
Le rugby rugby
Le badminton badminton
La pétanque type of French boules

Video

Worksheet

Online Quiz

Present Tense of JOUER
Je joue, tu joues, il/elle joue, nous jouons, vous jouez, ils/elles jouent

Present Tense of FAIRE
Je fais, tu fais, il/elle fait, nous faisons, vous faîtes, ils/elles font

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Sport in Spanish – Hago, Juego a

16 September 2020 A Green Mouse

Sport in Spanish – Hago v Juego a

Use HACER + Sport that does not involve a ball.
E.g. swimming, cycling, skateboarding.

Use JUGAR A + ball sports.
E.g. rugby, hockey, football, baseball, tennis.

Hacer = to do – Hago = I do
Jugar = to play – Juego = I play

Hago deporte = I do sport
Juego a = I play (+ ball sports)

Vocabulary, Video, Online Quiz + Worksheet for practice in the 1st person, present tense:

JUGAR A = to play (+ ball sports)
a + el = al
Juego al fútbol = I play football

HACER = to do (+ sports without a ball)
Hago = I do
Hago natación = I do swimming

Present Tense of JUGAR: Juego, juegas, juega, jugamos, jugáis, juegan
Present Tense of HACER: Hago, haces, hace, hacemos, hacéis, hacen

BALL SPORTS:
El fútbol football/soccer
El tenis tennis
El golf golf
El béisbol baseball
El baloncesto basketball
El ping pong table tennis
El críquet cricket
El rugby rugby

More vocabulary for ball sports:
El partido = the match
El estadio = the stadium
El jugador = the player
La cancha = the court
El portero = the goal keeper

SPORTS WITHOUT A BALL:
La natación Swimming
El ciclismo Cycling
El surf Surfing
El buceo Diving
El remo Rowing
El skate Skateboarding
El patinaje sobre hielo Ice-skating

Hacer v Jugar a Video

Free printable Worksheet

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT in Spanish
Juego al fútbol.
Juego al tenis.
Juego al golf.
Juego al béisbol.
Juego al baloncesto.
Juego al rugby.
Juego al rugby pero prefiero el fútbol.
¿Dónde juegas al rugby?
Juego al rugby en la escuela.
Juego al fútbol.
¿Cuándo juegas al fútbol?
Juego al fútbol los fines de semana.
Juego al golf.
Juego al tenis.
¡Juego muy bien al tenis!
La pelota es para jugar al críquet.
La raqueta es para jugar al ping pong.
¿Quieres jugar al tenis?
No gracias. No quiero jugar al tenis. Solo quiero las pelotas.

HACER DEPORTE
Hago natación.
Hago ciclismo.
Hago surf.
Hago buceo.
Hago skate.
Hago patinaje sobre hielo.
Andar en skate es un deporte.
Hago skate todos los días.
Hago ciclismo.
¿Cuándo haces ciclismo?
Hago ciclismo durante las vacaciones.
Hago surf también.
¿Dónde haces surf?
Hago surf en el mar.
Hago natación una vez por semana.
En invierno hago patinaje sobre hielo.
¿Cuándo haces patinaje sobre hielo?
Hago patinaje sobre hielo en invierno.

JUGAR A vs HACER
¿Quién quiere jugar al tenis?
Si, quiero jugar al tenis.
No, no quiero jugar al tenis.
¿Quién quiere hacer yoga?
¡Yo sí! Quiero hacer yoga. Me encanta hacer yoga.
¡Yo no! No quiero hacer yoga. No me gusta.

Hacer v Jugar a Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Click here to talk about Likes and Dislikes re Sport in Spanish

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Estar + Spanish Preposition Practice

3 August 2020 A Green Mouse

Estar + Spanish Prepositions

KS3 Spanish vocabulary + practice in short sentences using the verb Estar + Prepositions that say where things/people are.
Video + Online Quiz.

List of Prepositions

Cerca = near
Encima = on top
Entre = between
Con = with
Al lado = next to
En frente = in front
Debajo = under
Detrás = behind
Dentro = inside

E.g.
¿Dónde está la fallera?
– Where is the fallera?
La fallera está cerca del agua.
= The fallera is near the water.

(Look up what a fallera is – Las Fallas)

Estar + Prepositions Video

Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

Verbs + My Body in French

19 June 2020 A Green Mouse

Verbs + My Body in French

French Verbs in the 1st person + Mon, Ma, Mes with parts of the body in French to say what you do with different parts of your body.
e.g.
Penser = to think
Je pense avec ma tête = I think with my head
This French practice includes a Video Clip,
an Online Quiz
+ a Worksheet

Vocabulary

ma tête(f) my head
mes yeux(m) my eyes
mon nez(m) my nose
mes oreilles(f) my ears
ma bouche(f) my mouth
mes dents(f) my teeth
mes mains(f) my hands
mes bras(m) my arms
mes jambes(f) my legs
mes genoux(m) my knees
mes pieds(m) my feet

ma main droite my right hand
ma main gauche my left hand

Verb List:
penser je pense I think
regarder je regarde I look
écouter j’écoute I listen
manger je mange I eat
embrasser j’embrasse I hug
sauter je saute I jump
utiliser j’utilise I use

sentir je sens I smell
écrire j’écris I write
faire je fais I do

Mon Corps
Qu’est-ce que tu fais avec ton corps?
Qu’est-ce que tu fais avec ton, ta, tes ..
… ta tête, tes yeux, tes oreilles, ton nez, ta bouche, tes dents, tes mains, tes doigts, tes bras, tes jambes, tes genoux, tes pieds?

Je pense avec ma tête.
Je regarde avec mes yeux.
Je sens avec mon nez.
J’écoute avec mes oreilles.
Je mange avec ma bouche.
Je mange avec mes doigts.
Je grignote avec mes dents.
J’écris avec ma main gauche.
J’écris avec ma main droite.
J’embrasse avec mes bras.
Je saute avec mes jambes.
Je fais du skate avec mes pieds.
J’utilise mes genoux aussi.

My Body in French + Verbs Video

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
online quiz

QUIZ START

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

Learn French Adverbs

4 May 2020 A Green Mouse

French Adverbs

French Adverbs for talking about HOW, WHEN and WHERE.
Vocabulary + practice in short sentences in a short story supported by a video clip, Online Quiz, + worksheets:
1. Vocabulary + Translation Practice
2. Gap Fill Exercise

Adverbs describe verbs. They can explain how, when and where the verb action takes place.

Examples of HOW – Comment?

tranquillement – peacefully
énormément – enormously, a huge amount, hugely
vraiment – really
facilement – easily
gentiment – kindly
sagement – nicely, quietly, wisely
heureusement – thankfully, luckily, happily
poliment – politely
assez – quite
bien – well
encore – still
beaucoup – a lot
trop – too much
vite – quickly

Examples of WHEN – Quand?

maintenant – now
quelquefois – sometimes
hier – yesterday
toujours – always
immédiatement – immediately

Examples of WHERE – Où?

dehors – outside
partout – everywhere

Video

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

The Story/Video Transcript:

Il est difficile de s’intégrer dans une nouvelle école.
Tout est nouveau. On ne connaît personne. On a peur!

Il est difficile de s’intégrer dans une nouvelle famille aussi.

Je suis Gaston.
J’ai quitté ma mère hier.
J’ai peur, mais je veux être courageux.
Je me présente poliment.
J’ai de la chance.
Le chien de la famille s’occupe gentiment de moi.
En plus il aime jouer! Moi, j’adore jouer!
Nous jouons dehors. Nous jouons partout.
Quelquefois il se fâche si je joue trop.
J’arrête immédiatement parce que j’ai vraiment envie d’avoir un ami.
J’essaie d’apprendre vite.
J’aime ma maîtresse.
Elle me donne toujours beaucoup à manger!
J’apprends à m’asseoir sagement à côté d’elle.
J’ai encore énormément à apprendre.
Mais ça va bien maintenant.
Je me suis habitué assez facilement à cette nouvelle vie.
J’ai un lit où je peux dormir tranquillement.
Heureusement j’ai trouvé un nouvel ami aussi.

– – –

Here is another version of the story + video!

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

Animals and Colours in French

27 October 2017 A Green Mouse

Animals + Colours in French

Learn animal names (nouns) in French and describe them by their colour (adjectives).
French Vocabulary, Video clip, Online Quiz
+ Worksheet.

Short sentences using C’est and Il est.
Use C’est for sentences saying what the animal is.
Use Il est for sentences that describe the animal.

Qu’est-ce que c’est? What is it?
C’est un serpent(m). It’s a snake
C’est un serpent brun. It’s a brown snake
C’est une chèvre(f). It’s a goat.
C’est une chèvre brune. It’s a brown goat.

– – – – –

Il/Elle est comment?
What is it like?
Le serpent est brun.
The snake is brown.
Il est brun.
It is brown.
Il n’est pas bleu.
It is not blue.

La chèvre est brune.
The goat is brown.
Elle est brune.
It is brown.
Elle n’est pas verte.
It is not green.

Vocabulary

Masculine Animals
un écureuil   a squirrel
l’écureuil the squirrel
un poisson a fish
le poisson   the fish
un serpent a snake
le serpent   the snake
un cheval a horse
le cheval   the horse
un perroquet a parrot
le perroquet   the parrot
un lapin a rabbit
le lapin the rabbit

Feminine Animals:
une chèvre a goat
la chèvre the goat
une vache a cow
la vache the cow
une tortue a tortoise
la tortue the tortoise

l’ replaces le or la when the noun starts with a vowel:
un oiseau(m) a bird
l’oiseau the bird
une araignée(f) a spider
l’araignée the spider

aussi also, too, as well
seulement only

Oh la vache! or La vache! is a French expression.
= bother, crikey, yikes …

To learn many more animal names, go to:
Animals in French

Video

Free Downloadable Worksheet: Animals + Colours in French Worksheet

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Video Transcript

Qu’est-ce que c’est?
C’est un cheval.
C’est un cheval blanc.
Il est comment?
Le cheval est blanc. Il est blanc.

C’est une vache. Elle est blanche aussi.
C’est une vache blanche.

blanc – blanche
Il est blanc. Elle est blanche …
Oh la vache! Le français est compliqué!

C’est un écureuil, un écureuil gris.
L’écureuil est gris. Il est gris.

C’est une tortue, une tortue brune.
La tortue est brune. Elle est brune.

L’écureuil n’est pas brun. Il est gris.
La tortue n’est pas grise. Elle est brune.

C’est un lapin. C’est un lapin noir et blanc.
Le lapin est noir et blanc. Il est noir et blanc.

C’est une araignée. Elle n’est pas noire et blanche.
Elle est seulement noire.
C’est une araignée noire.

C’est un oiseau, un oiseau vert.
Il est vert. C’est un perroquet vert.

Voici un perroquet rouge.
Il s’appelle un perroquet rouge, mais il est rouge, jaune et bleu.
– –

Marron = brown (e.g. for trucks and crayons)
Brun = brown (e.g. for animals and hair colour)
Marron never agrees, but brun does.

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Ser and Estar re Character vs Feelings

31 May 2017 A Green Mouse

Ser and Estar – Character vs Feelings

The verb SER is for Character, the verb ESTAR is for Feelings
Spanish Verb Practice using Ser and Estar to describe Maggie and Billy’s characters and personalities versus their more temporary moods, states and feelings.
Maggie and Billy are characters from A Green Mouse stories.
Video Clip + Worksheet + Online Quiz.

SER –
Use SER for Character + more permanent Characteristics:
¿Cómo eres Maggie?
What are you like, Maggie?
Soy alegre I am happy, cheerful
Soy celosa I am jealous (Yes, hmm, you steal Billy’s toys!)
Soy divertida I am fun
Soy pequeña I am small
Soy bonita I am pretty
Soy graciosa I am funny
Soy atrevida I am daring, brave
Soy desobediente I am disobedient

¿Cómo eres Billy?
What are you like, Billy?
Soy alegre I am cheerful
Soy fiel   I am faithful
Soy simpático I am nice
Soy deportivo   I am sporty
No soy atrevido   I am not daring, I am not brave
No soy desobediente I am not disobedient
. . . .

ESTAR –
Use ESTAR to describe Maggie and Billy’s temporary states + feelings.
Like all of us, Maggie and Billy have occasional, temporary feelings such as feeling happy, sad, worried, jealous:

How do you feel, Maggie, when we are packing our suitcases and getting ready to go on holiday?
Estoy triste I am sad, I feel sad!

How do you feel, Billy, when Maggie is stealing your toy and burying it in the garden?
Estoy preocupado I am worried, I feel worried!
Estoy triste I am sad, I feel sad!

How do you feel, Maggie, when Billy is getting attention?
Estoy celosa I feel jealous

How do you feel, Billy, when Maggie is tobogganing?
Estoy triste. I am sad.
Why?
Estoy triste porque no soy atrevido. I am sad because I am not brave.

How do you both feel on a walk?
Maggie: Estoy contenta
I am happy, I feel happy

Billy: Estoy contento
I am happy, I feel happy

¡Estamos contentos!
We are happy, we feel happy

Try this video clip for practice using SER and ESTAR + Adjectives in a short story/description about Maggie and Billy:

Video Clip

Video Transcript/Story in Spanish:

Somos Maggie y Billy.
Somos amigos.
Somos perros alegres y divertidos.

Soy Maggie.
Soy pequeña y muy bonita.
Soy graciosa y atrevida.

¡Hoy estoy sucia!
¡Estoy nadando en las hojas!
¡Estoy horrible!
¡Estoy sucia!

Soy Billy.
No estoy sucio.
(Comment to Maggie from Billy): Tú sí. ¡Tú estás sucia!
No soy desobediente.
Soy bien educado.
Soy simpático y amable.
Soy deportivo.
¡Estoy en forma!
Estoy muy contento cuando estoy con mis juguetes.
Sí. Es mi juguete.
De vez en cuando estoy triste y preocupado.
¿Por qué?
Porque Maggie es celosa y le gusta esconder mi jirafa!

Ser and Estar Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate Page:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

– – –

Worksheet

Click here for more Ser and Estar Practice: Spanish Verb Practice

Learn Spanish Online, Online-Spanish-Exercises

Ser and Estar + A Mountain Rescue

25 May 2017 A Green Mouse

Ser v Estar in a Mountain Rescue Story

Story, Video, Worksheet and Online Quiz.

SER Soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son
ESTAR Estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están

Use SER to tell the time, say who/what you are, character/characteristics, Nationality + where you are from, Profession + Religious faith.

Use ESTAR for temporary things: Feelings, where you are, what you are doing/what is happening

Present Continuous form of the following verbs:
Trasladar – trasladando
Limpiar – limpiando
Nevar – nevando
Volar – volando
Poner – poniendo
Llover – lloviendo

Video

Free Downloadable Gap Fill Worksheet

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Learn Spanish Online, Spanish and French Online

Spanish Verbs: Darse cuenta, Hace falta

18 May 2017 A Green Mouse

Darse cuenta – Hace Falta – Hay que

Darse cuenta = to realise, to notice
Hace falta = it’s necessary to, one needs to …
Hay que = One must, it is necessary to …

Spanish Practice using these verbs in a story about a mountain rescue

More Verbs in the Story

despegar to take off
aterrizar to land
tener que to have to
darse cuenta to notice, to realise
ir to go
hacer falta to be necessary
Estar (+ gerund) to be + doing verb
Ser to be
Mirar   to look
ver to see
Llegar to arrive
Empezar to start
Viajar   to travel
Tener   to have
Trabajar    to work
Esquiar to ski
Preparar     to prepare
Poder   to be able to

Sometimes ‘poder’ is used as a reflexive verb in Spanish, like in this phrase in the story:
“… donde se puede aterrizar.” = where it’s possible to land.

‘Snowplough’ in Spanish:
un quitanieves = literally ‘a get rid of snow ..!’

Video

Downloadable PDF Worksheet:

Ser and Estar Practice: Here is a different version of the same story for practice using SER and ESTAR.

For practice talking about a holiday in Spain using three tenses, go to:
KS3 Spanish Holiday Practice

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

C’est versus il est

16 March 2017 A Green Mouse

C’est vs il est

C’est = it is
il est = it is
How and when to use il est instead of c’est.
Video clip, Online Quiz, + Worksheet for independent practice or use in class.

Use C’est + Nouns

e.g: C’est un garçon – It’s a boy
C’est un garçon intelligent – He’s a clever boy

Use il est + Adjectives

e.g: Il est intelligent – He is clever
Il est anglais – He is English

BUT

Use il est + Occupations

e.g: Il est professeur – he is a teacher

AND

Use C’est + Exclamations

e.g: C’est bien! That’s good/great!

Video

Worksheet

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

GRAMMAR EXERCISE:
Video Transcript in French excluding ‘c’est’ + ‘il est’.
Use it as a worksheet after working with the video:

It’s _______   Claude.
He is _______    arboriste-grimpeur.
He is _______    courageux.
It is _______    un emploi dangereux.
It is _______    dangereux!

It’s _______     Pierre.
He is _______     pêcheur.
He is _______    français.

It’s _______    un poisson.
It’s _______    un thon.
It’s _______    petit.
It’s _______     dommage!

It’s _______ Monsieur Martin.
He is _______ aimable.
He is _______ conducteur de bus.
He is ________ français.

It’s _______    un goûter français.
It’s _______    bon!
It’s _______    l’heure de manger.

À bientôt!
. . .

Learn French Online, Online French Exercises

The Verb Être + Gender in French

3 March 2017 A Green Mouse

The Verb Être

Present Tense of the Verb Être + Gender
ÊTRE + practice in short sentences via a video clip, online quiz + video transcript for use as translation practice:
je suis – I am
tu es – you are
il/elle est – he/she is
nous sommes – we are
vous êtes – you are (plural)
ils/elles sont – they are

Articles + Adjectives change their gender to fit with the gender of the noun they describe:

UN, UNE, DES (a, some):
un fils – a son
un frère – a brother
une maman – a mum
une fille – a daughter
une soeur – a sister
des enfants – some children

LE, LA, LES (the):
le fils – the son
la fille – the daughter
les enfants – the children

Adjective:
beau (m), belle (f), beaux (mpl), belles (fpl)
= Beautiful + Handsome

Boy + Girl = Masculine Plural
Girl + Girl = Feminine Plural

Être + Gender Video Clip

Present Tense of Être Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Video Transcript

(Read the words aloud and translate them into English)

Je suis Maggie.
Je suis une chienne.
Je suis belle.
Je suis la maman de Billy.

Je suis Billy.
Je suis un chien.
Je suis beau.
Je suis le fils de Maggie.

Tu es Maggie.
Tu es une maman.
Tu es belle.
Tu es la maman de Billy.

Tu es Billy.
Tu es un chien.
Tu es beau.
Tu es le fils de Maggie.

Elle est …
Maggie est une maman.
Elle est belle.
Elle est la maman de Billy.

Il est …
Billy est un fils.
Il est beau.
Il est le fils de Maggie.

PLURAL
Nous sommes Maggie et Billy.
Nous sommes des chiens.
Nous sommes beaux.
Nous sommes les chiens d’une souris verte!

Vous êtes Maggie et Billy.
Vous êtes des chiens.
Vous êtes beaux.
Vous êtes les chiens d’une souris verte!

Ils sont …
Maggie et Billy sont des chiens.
Ils sont beaux.
Ils sont les chiens d’une souris verte!

Molly!

QUI? Who?
Qui est Molly? Who is Molly?

Molly est la fille de Maggie.
Molly est la soeur de Billy.

Qui est Billy?
Qui est Maggie?
Qui est Molly?

Maggie, Billy et Molly sont des chiens.
Ils sont beaux.

Maggie et Molly sont des chiennes.
Elles sont belles!

Elles sont Maggie et Molly.
Elles sont des chiennes.
Elles sont belles.
Elles sont les chiennes d’une souris verte!

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Carnival in France

5 February 2017 A Green Mouse

Carnival in France

Learn how Carnival is Celebrated in France
Le Carnaval = Carnival
KS2/3 French Practice:
Video, Online Quiz + Worksheet

On + Verbs in the 3rd person
On = One, you, we, it … (On is impersonal)

Verbs

faire – on fait
We make

préparer – on prépare
We prepare

défiler – on défile
We parade

chanter – on chante
We sing

marcher – on marche
We walk

retourner – on retourne
We return

manger – on mange
We eat

brûler – on brûle
We burn

oublier – on oublie
We forget

se déguiser – on se déguise
We get dressed up, put on fancy dress

How/Where is carnival is celebrated in France?
How do children celebrate carnival at school?

Le Carnaval

is celebrated all over France.
French nursery schools (écoles maternelles) organise carnival processions and festivities for the children, and there are big city and town celebrations too.
Internationally famous French carnivals include:
Nice, Albi, Douarnenez, Annecy …

Carnival season begins on 6th January (Epiphany) and ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent:
Mardi Gras = Shrove Tuesday
Le Carême = Lent

Gras = Fat
Mardi Gras = Fat Tuesday …
A good name because it is Pancake Day and time for a feast before many still try to give up favourite treats for 40 days until Easter Sunday.
Mardi Gras = Shrove Tuesday = Pancake Day
Une crêpe(f) = A pancake

Carnival Celebrations in Schools:
Le Carnaval is a time when children, parents and teachers get involved in making costumes, preparing a feast, organising a procession (un défilé) for all the children, and then returning to burn Monsieur Carnaval before feasting on crêpes and other treats.

What/Who is Monsieur Carnaval?

Monsieur Carnaval is a figure that is made and then burnt to help people to move on from winter, bad behaviour and negative thought, and so look forward to Spring and better times.
Sometimes children write down the negative things that they are going to try not to do or think anymore, and these notes are burnt alongside Monsieur Carnaval.

Video

Printable Worksheet – Le Carnaval

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

QUIZ START

Video Transcript

Que fait-on?
On fait un Monsieur Carnaval.
On prépare la fête.
On se déguise.
On défile dans les rues.
On chante. On fait du bruit.
On marche beaucoup.
On retourne à l’école.
On fait la fête!
On mange des crêpes!
Et Monsieur Carnaval?
On brûle Monsieur Carnaval.
On brûle Monsieur Carnaval avec toutes nos mauvaises pensées.
On oublie l’hiver.
Le printemps arrive!

. . .