La Chandeleur, also known as Candlemas, is a French holiday celebrated on February 2nd. It marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. One of the main traditions of this holiday is eating crêpes. I love celebrating this tradition with my students! Before we dive into the fun activities I've compiled for your French class, let's address an obvious question.
Why Crepes should not be classified as pancakes?
In my opinion, describing crepes as just a type of pancake is somewhat insulting to the unique delicacy that is crepes. But, of course, I may be biased.
How to Use a Crepes Recipe as a Fun Conversation Starter for La Chandeleur in your French class?
This free crêpes recipe is great to use for La Chandeleur! It's also a great conversation starter.
Here are some conversation topics that you could discuss over a plate of crepes:
The Ingredients: Discuss the different ingredients that can be used to make crepes, such as flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and salt. You can also discuss additional ingredients that can be added to personalize your crepes, such as fresh fruit or nuts.
Proportions: Discuss the ideal proportions of ingredients for making perfect crepes. For example, how many eggs should be used for a certain amount of flour? How much milk should be added to achieve the perfect consistency of crepe batter?
Cooking Techniques: Discuss the different cooking techniques for crepes, such as cooking on a frying pan or a griddle. You can also discuss how to flip crepes without breaking them and the best way to stack them for serving.
Toppings: Discuss the different toppings that can be added to your crepes, such as maple syrup, honey, Nutella, fresh fruit, whipped cream, and nuts. You can also discuss how to present crepes in a creative way to make them even more appetizing.
Crêpes Making: Have your students make their own crêpes in class!
You can provide the ingredients and cooking tools, or ask students to bring in their own. This is a great hands-on activity that will give students a taste of French culture (literally!).
Sharing this activity with my classroom created a wonderful bonding opportunity for everyone. In fact, some parents even joined in on the fun!
French Reading, writing and drawing activities for La Chandeleur
When do French people eat crêpes? What do they celebrate on February 2nd? Here is a set of activities for your students to find out what is behind this famous French tradition: La Chandeleur!
This bilingual activity packet is perfect for Core French and French Immersion students.
A creative writing prompt to celebrate La Chandeleur en Français!
Here's a creative writing prompt that will inspire your students to write an engaging short story about a character who embarks on a crêpe-making adventure:
Instructions:
Ask your students to imagine a character who is passionate about making crêpes and wants to take their skills to the next level.
Encourage them to think about the personality traits, motivations, and goals of this character.
Challenge them to come up with a plot that involves this character going on a crêpe-making adventure.
The adventure could involve trying out a new recipe, traveling to a different country to learn about crêpe-making techniques, or competing in a crêpe-making contest.
Encourage your students to be creative and have fun with this prompt. They can add in twists and turns, develop interesting characters, and create vivid descriptions that will transport the reader to the world of crêpe-making.
Writing prompt questions:
Who is your main character and what motivates them to go on a crêpe-making adventure?
What challenges do they face along the way and how do they overcome them?
What special skills or techniques do they use to make their crêpes stand out?
How does the adventure change them and what do they learn about themselves and the world of crêpe-making?
What is the ultimate outcome of the adventure and how does it impact the character's future?
A bilingual French/English internet scavenger hunt over La Chandeleur
If you are looking for a fun and engaging activity to introduce La Chandeleur look no further! This is the perfect introduction to any French Culture Unit. These printables (IN FRENCH and ENGLISH) are suitable for Core French and French Immersion students.
By incorporating these activities into your lesson plan, you can make La Chandeleur a fun and engaging experience for your students while also teaching them about French culture and language.