Materials

The World Around Us – Materials (Matériaux)

1. Learning Objectives (AO)

• Identify and name at least ten common materials in French, indicating gender and whether they are natural or synthetic.
• Distinguish between natural and synthetic materials.
• Use en + masculine‑singular material to describe what something is made of.
• Use the alternative structure fait de + masculine‑singular material where appropriate.
• Ask and answer De quoi est‑fait… ? in affirmative, negative and plural forms.
• Write a 5‑6 sentence paragraph describing the materials of a room or a building, employing both en and fait de.
• Demonstrate awareness of typical French cultural preferences for certain materials.
• Apply relevant tenses (present, imperfect, conditional, perfect) when describing materials in different time‑frames.
• Produce accurate gender and number agreement in spoken and written responses.

2. Syllabus Alignment (Cambridge IGCSE French 0520, 2025‑2027)

2.1 Topic Coverage (A‑E)

2.2 Skills Matrix

Each lesson should contain a Skill‑focus box indicating which assessment objectives (AO) are targeted:

• L1‑L4: Listening for gist, specific information, inference, and attitude.
• R1‑R4: Reading for gist, specific information, inference, and attitude.
• S1‑S5: Speaking – interaction, turn‑taking, description, justification, and pronunciation.
• W1‑W4: Writing – form‑fill, short answer, paragraph, and extended response.

2.3 Grammar & Vocabulary Tracking

2.4 Vocabulary Coverage

Mark each lexical item as Introduced, Re‑used or Assessed in the scheme of work. Aim for at least 80 % exposure before assessment.

3. Vocabulary – Common Materials

4. Grammar – Describing Materials

4.1 Structure : en + masculine‑singular material

• Place en directly before the material noun.
• The material noun is always in the masculine singular form, even when the object is plural.
• Pattern: nom + être + en + masc‑sg noun

4.2 Alternative structure : fait de + masc‑sg material

• Use when you want to stress the material as the result of a process or when another complement already follows être.
• Remember agreement: fait → faite when the subject is feminine.

4.3 Negative and Plural Forms

• Negative: Cette chaise n’est pas en bois, elle est en métal.
• Plural: Ces chaises sont en bois et en métal.
• Material nouns remain masculine singular after en or fait de, even in plural sentences.

4.4 Tense Integration

When describing the origin or change of a material, combine the material structure with the appropriate tense:

• Present: Le pont est en acier.
• Imperfect (past habit or description): Le vieux pont était en fer.
• Conditional (hypothetical): Si on refaisait le pont, il serait en béton.
• Perfect (completed action): Le tableau a été fait de bois.

4.5 Gender & Number Reminder

All material nouns used with en or fait de appear in the masculine singular form (en bois, fait de papier). The gender of the object does not affect the form of the material.

4.6 Pronunciation & Intonation Tips (AO3)

• En + consonant: liaison is obligatory – en verre → /ɑ̃ vɛʁ/.
• En + vowel: elision – en eau → /ɑ̃no/.
• Stress the material word slightly to highlight the description: Cette table est en bois.
• Practice rising‑falling intonation for yes/no questions and falling intonation for statements.

5. Functional Language – Asking & Answering “De quoi est‑fait… ?”

6. Cultural Box – Materials in French‑Speaking Life

Regional material preferences reflect climate, tradition and local industry.

• Loire Valley & Normandy: timber (bois) and stone (pierre) for traditional farmhouses.
• Paris: béton and acier dominate modern apartment blocks and office towers.
• Provence: céramique tiles and terre cuite for flooring; linen (lin) fabrics for summer clothing.
• Alsace: half‑timber (colombage) façades and wrought‑iron (fer) balconies.
• French fashion: high‑quality leather (cuir) handbags and silk (soie) scarves.

7. Expanded Sample Sentences

• Le lit est en bois et en tissu.
• La porte du couloir est en métal.
• Les ordinateurs sont en plastique et en métal.
• Le sol de la cuisine est en carrelage (céramique), mais le plan de travail est en quartz.
• Les vitrines du magasin sont faites de verre.
• Cette montre est faite d’acier inoxydable et de cuir.
• Ces chaises ne sont pas en bois, elles sont en plastique recyclé.
• Si le pont était reconstruit, il serait en acier et en béton.

8. Activities (Skill‑Focused)

1. Matching pictures (S1, W1): Provide ten images (table, chair, bottle, phone, bridge, door, laptop, backpack, window, vase). Students match each picture with the correct en + material phrase.
2. Fill‑in the blanks (W2): Sentences such as “_____ sont _____ en verre.” Students insert the appropriate article, noun and material, practising gender agreement.
3. Role‑play interview (S2‑S4): In pairs, one student asks three “De quoi est‑fait… ?” questions; the partner answers using affirmative, negative and plural forms, varying between en and fait de.
4. Material hunt in the classroom (S5, L1): Students label at least eight classroom items with sticky notes (“en bois”, “en métal”). They then give a short oral report, using correct pronunciation and intonation.
5. Writing task (W3‑W4): Write a 5‑6 sentence description of a chosen room (e.g., bedroom, kitchen). Include at least three different materials, use both en and fait de, and vary tenses (present vs. imperfect).
6. Culture research (S3, L2): Small groups investigate a French region (Brittany, Provence, Alsace, Quebec). Each group presents one typical material used locally, using the target language and the structure “Dans la région X, on utilise souvent le …”.
7. Mini‑listening (L3‑L4): Play a short audio of a French speaker describing his house. Students answer multiple‑choice and short‑answer questions about the materials mentioned.
8. Grammar timeline activity (W1‑W2): Provide a short narrative in the present; students rewrite it in the imperfect, conditional and perfect, keeping the material description intact.

9. Assessment Checklist (AO Alignment)

• Vocabulary: Can name ≥10 materials, indicate gender and natural/synthetic status (AO1).
• Grammar: Uses en + material and fait de + material correctly, with proper gender/number agreement (AO2).
• Tenses: Applies appropriate tense when describing past or hypothetical material use (AO2).
• Functional language: Asks “De quoi est‑fait… ?” and answers in affirmative, negative and plural (AO3‑S4).
• Writing: Produces a coherent paragraph (5‑6 sentences) describing a room’s materials, employing varied structures and tenses (AO4‑W4).
• Pronunciation & Intonation: Demonstrates clear articulation of liaison, elision and stress patterns (AO3‑S5).
• Cultural awareness: Shows understanding of regional material preferences in French‑speaking areas (AO1‑S2).

10. Suggested Diagram – “Naturels vs. Synthétiques” Chart