Numbers by Andy Maguire is licensed under CC BY-2.0
Counting is a great way to review numbers, but just sitting and counting can get pretty boring. One activity I like to do that makes the counting more interesting is a little scavenger hunt through the textbook and around the room where they count various items (using the numbers 1-20). This is a good activity to do a day after introducing the numbers, and before doing any activities or games that require students to use numbers in isolation (which is more difficult than saying them in order). This activity also introduces students to the expressions “il y a” and “combien,” as well as some other words (any words the students wouldn’t know I label with a picture on the page with the questions – a great way to preview future vocabulary!). When the students are counting the items, they have to count out loud in French. They work with partners to figure out what some of the questions are asking. Using the textbook makes it more interesting than just putting the items on a worksheet because it becomes more of a scavenger hunt to figure out what it is on the page I want them to count. I could easily assign the textbook part as homework, but I think it’s really important that they count out loud in French, which is less likely to happen if I assign it as homework.
Here are some of the questions I ask:
Dans le texte…
…il y a combien de photos à la page 5 ?
…il y a combien de couleurs à la page 40 ?
…il y a combien d’horloges à la page 52 ?
Dans la salle de classe…
…il y a combien de tableaux ?
…il y a combien de filles ?
…il y a combien de garçons ?
…il y a combien de livres dans la bibliothèque ? (my classroom library)
The second half of the hunt gets the students out of their seats while they count items in the classroom, which, if like me, you like students to get out of their seats at least once per class, is always a bonus.
There are lots of different ways to review numbers, and this is just one way I use. What are your favorite ways to review the numbers?
