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French Doctor — Chez le Médecin

Eighth graders learn the French they’d use at the doctor — saying what hurts (j’ai mal à…), that they’re sick (je suis malade), and naming body parts — practical, real-world language for staying healthy.

Grade 8Chez le Médecin45 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Say what hurts.
  • ✓Say je suis malade.
  • ✓Name the doctor.
  • ✓Handle a health talk.
Essential Question

If you got sick in a French-speaking country, could you say what’s wrong? Knowing health phrases is important! How do you say what hurts?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

French At-the-Doctor Check

Project each item and have students answer about health phrases. The tool teaches j’ai mal à and je suis malade.

🏥 Say what’s wrong in FrenchTry it
Answer each question about health phrases in French.
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Qu’est-ce qui ne va pas?

5 min

If you got sick abroad, could you say what’s wrong in French?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose feeling sick.
  • Ask how to say it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Chez le Médecin

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present j’ai mal à + body part.
  • Say je suis malade.
  • Practice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Practice.
3

Practice — Doctor Check

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the At-the-Doctor Check.
  • Answer each one.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

11 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Role-play a doctor visit.
  • Say what hurts.
  • Be patient and doctor.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Role-play.
  • Say it.
  • Switch.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say a health phrase.
  • Say what it means.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice).

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: describe how you feel.

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand health language.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to health and the body.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare health phrases across languages.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Body + phrase cards.
  • Sentence frame: “J’ai mal à ___.”
  • Use a body diagram.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “je suis malade.”
  • Use pictures.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add more symptoms.
  • Role-play a full visit.
  • Give health advice.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🧍A body diagram
  • 💻French At-the-Doctor Check
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

le médecindoctorj’ai mal àI have pain inla têteheadle ventrestomachje suis maladeI’m sickle médicamentmedicinel’hôpitalhospitalen bonne santéhealthy
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does “j’ai mal à la tête” mean?
My head hurts.
QUESTION 2
How do you say “I’m sick” in French?
Je suis malade.
QUESTION 3
What is the French word for doctor?
Le médecin.

Reflect: Ça ne va pas.

Have students say one “j’ai mal à ___” sentence in French about a body part. A printable médecin sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 French At the Doctor (Chez le Médecin)Flip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 French At the Doctor (Chez le Médecin)Quiz
Score: 0
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Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ French At the Doctor (Chez le Médecin)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: en bonne santé, je suis malade, j’ai mal à, la tête, le médecin, le médicament, le ventre, l’hôpital
  1. head
  2. healthy
  3. I have pain in
  4. stomach
  5. doctor
  6. medicine
  7. hospital
  8. I’m sick

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does “j’ai mal à la tête” mean?
  2. How do you say “I’m sick” in French?
  3. What is the French word for doctor?
Answer key — Part A: 1) la tête · 2) en bonne santé · 3) j’ai mal à · 4) le ventre · 5) le médecin · 6) le médicament · 7) l’hôpital · 8) je suis malade
Part B: 1) My head hurts. 2) Je suis malade. 3) Le médecin.