Protégez ! Sauvez ! Arrêtez !

Ah oui.. That’s the 6th and 7th graders current theme in French. We are learning how to talk about animals-we have learnt how to describe our pets-color, age, and what they do… However, our main focus in this unit is wild animals and animal protection. Here are some elements we are exploring :

 L’environnement naturel -their natural habitat e.g. En Asie, en Chine, on trouve des pandas = Pandas live in China ..Il y a des tigres en Europe = There are tigers in Europe..

 Les espèces menacées - endangered species e.g. le rhinocéros, le lion, le gorille, la baleine….

 En danger? Pouquoi ? -Why are some animals endangered?….à cause de la guerre - war, à cause de la chasse – illegal hunting, à cause de la pollution- pollution , à cause de l’habitat = because their natural habitat is being destroyed.

 Cages ou liberté ?- Do we keep animals in captivity?- zoos, les zoos, circuses – les cirques , or do we let them run free in the closest thing we can get to their natural habitats ? - safari parks - les parcs safari…

 Pour ou contre la protection des animaux ? – Are you for or against animals in captivity ? Pour quelles raisons ? e.g. Je suis contre les zoos parce que les cages son trop petites/sales- I’m against zoos because the cages are too small / dirty ; J’adore les parcs safaris. Le climat est different pour les animaux, mais l’environnement est protégé- I love safari parks. The environment is different, but it is protected.

We’ll be rounding up the unit nicely- each student will choose his / her endangered animal and make a poster in defense of the animal.
Interesting stuff huh? Ah oui…..

This was the question one of my students posed during our practical class this quarter. Mr. Nyande, why do we always do warming up exercises before taking part in the games? Why don't we just go ahead and play our game?

The answer to this question benefits everyone, not just the pupils in my class. It is very helpful to both the young and old, those who take part in rehabilitative gymnastics and physiotherapy. Warming up activities are planned and organized activities we take part in before participating in vigorous physical activities. They start slowly and gradually increase in intensity or load. For example; we first walk briskly, later jog and then we can run. It can also be in the form of stretching activities.

Here are the reasons why we warm-up:The first reason is to avert injuries especially to the joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles.It raises the body temperature and prepares it for heavier work loads that it can undertake later.It minimizes the probability of cardio-vascular damage. Fatalities have been registered in some cases where individuals do not do enough warming up.It enhances proper blood circulation, which results in properconditioning and strengthening of muscles and bones.It prepares the body for more rigorous activity that the bodyundertakes later.

If you want to exercise, your first precaution shall be, warm-up properly before participating in physical exercise. Although physical exercise is good for our health, it might be dangerous if not done in the proper manner.

Joseph Nyande, P.E. Teacher