This aim of the programme is to develop the geographical idea of the 'sense of place' by giving information about France and Northern Ireland and creating opportunities for development in the classroom.
This programme tells us about a successful partnership between The Cope Primary School in Loughgall, Co. Armagh and the École René Masson in Bracieux, France.
The presenter Molly Gorman, who has spent 3 years living in France, meets up with 4 children from The Cope who have all visited France as part of their school’s exchange. During the programme we see video footage shot on their school trip.
There are also lots of opportunities during the programme to pick up some French vocabulary!
We visit Paris first and hear about life in school - the children attend Monday to Saturday, but there’s no school on Wednesday. They usually don’t wear school uniform and learn to speak English from an early age. Back in The Cope we are taken on a tour of the school, ending up in the resource room where children can spend time researching countries using computers. The children here are lucky enough to learn French in P7.
Now we hear some comparative facts about France and our own country. Facts (les faits) about land borders, highest peaks, mountain ranges, main rivers, capital cities and population.
Back in county Armagh, Molly and her co-presenters chat about their experiences in France, the food, the language and school dinners!
Up until January 2002 the currency of France has been the French franc but now it is the ‘euro’. France now has the same currency as 11 other countries in Europe, including the Republic of Ireland.
Finally we think about food in France. Molly visits a supermarket in France and then our presenters go to a supermarket in Northern Ireland where they are able to purchase lots of French food. In fact they buy food for breakfast (le petit déjeuner), dinner (le dîner) and for a picnic (le pic nic).
The Cope children have learnt lots about France and they finish the programme emailing their French friends.
If you would like to twin with a school in another country, think about Comenius.
