Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It's Mardi Gras! Put on your favorite Zydeco music and beg for some beads! Don't forget to eat a slice of King Cake, or if you're actually down in New Orleans, grab a beignet for me. I'm making do today with student-made King Cake and giving out beads for prizes today.

Seriously, for all the French teachers out there, I got this DVD from Tralco-Lingo Fun called "New Orleans and Mardi Gras: the Experience" and it's fabulous. It comes with a lesson guide with blackline masters for classroom activities. If you were so inclined, you could do a whole week on Mardi Gras. I didn't have the time, so I spent 3 days (2 days more than normal) on it. I had my students separate into Krewes (they named themselves - I had one group name themselves The Cretins, and another The Trojans. They're in middle school. You can imagine the ribald riposte after that name was announced), and I quizzed them all about the DVD - we watched it yesterday. They were fantastic! I gave out all my beads.

I also got mask kits from Carlex, which were outstanding. The kids loved this mini-lesson, and it was a nice break from the more serious stuff. Plus, it was one lovely example of French culture thriving in the US - a rare thing, indeed.