lesson plan ernest and celestine - french...

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Created by Azadée Tolooie. Translated by Andrew A. Rosado

ERNEST AND CELESTINE by Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier

LESSON PLAN

Ernest and Celestine by Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar & Stéphane Aubier.

Created by Azadée Tolooie Translated by Andrew A. Rosado

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I UNDERSTANDING THE FILM

Information about the film ............................................................................. 3

Director ........................................................................................................ 4

Filmmakers................................................................................................... 4

Adapting Gabrielle Vincent’s work ............................................................... 5

Origins of the project .................................................................................... 6

Summary ....................................................................................................... 7

II IN CLASS DISCUSSION: BEFORE THE FILM ...................................................8

Student worksheet 1: Analyzing the movie poster ......................................... 9

Teacher worksheet 1: Analyzing the movie poster ....................................... 13

Student worksheet 2: Discovering the vocabulary ........................................ 15

Teacher worksheet 2: Discovering the vocabulary… ................................... 18

III IN CLASS DISCUSSION: AFTER THE FILM ....................................................19

Student worksheet 3: Reconstructing the film .............................................. 20

Teacher worksheet 3: Reconstructing the film ............................................. 21

Student worksheet 4: The characters ........................................................... 22

Teacher worksheet 4: The characters ......................................................... 23

Student worksheet 5: Key places of the film .............................................. 24

Teacher worksheet 5: Key places of the film .............................................. 27

Student worksheet 6: Mini project .............................................................. 29

Teacher worksheet 6: Mini project .............................................................. 30

Teacher worksheet 7: Playing with vocabulary .......................................... 31

Material worksheet 7: Playing with vocabulary ........................................... 33

Teacher worksheet 8: Debating and giving your opinion ............................ 35

SITEOGRAPHY....................................................................................................36

I UNDERSTANDING THE FILM

INFORMATION ABOUT THE FILM

Title: Ernest and Celestine

Year: 2012

Country: France

Duration:79 min

Cinematic release: December 12, 2012

Movie by: Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar et Stéphane Aubier

Adaptations: des albums de Gabrielle Vincent publiés par les Éditions Casterman

Production: Didier Brunner

Script: Daniel Pennac

Voice actors: Pauline Brunner et Lambert Wilson

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3 Created by Azadée Tolooie. Translated by Andrew A. Rosado



ERNEST AND CELESTINE de Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar et Stéphane Aubier

LE RÉALISATEUR

DIRECTOR

After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, Benjamin Renner

followed a preparatory class in art school and then joined the

School of Fine Arts of Angouleme, where he obtained the

National Diploma of Plastic Arts in drawing.

He then got admitted to La Poudrière School of Animation,

where he created The Crow Who Wanted to Imitate the Eagle,

The Biggest President in the World (available through TV Canal

J) and The Mouse’s Tail, which was his last film during his

studies.

FILMMAKERS

Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar, better known today under the pseudonym “Pic Pic”,

alumni of the Ecole Superieure of Visual Arts in Cambre, Brussels, are highly acclaimed

animation filmmakers. Their trademark: inimitable Belgian accent and borderline absurd

humor. Over the years, Aubier and Patar refined their universe using different animation

techniques (papercutting animation

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in The Baltus, 1998). In 2002, they released the DVD Pic Pic André and his friends, which

is a compilation of the duo’s best short films. In 2009, they released A Town Called Panic,

a feature film whose sense of derision, absurdity, and imagination is hailed by both the

public and critics. The film was presented in Cannes in official selection. Finally, Pic pic

co-directed Benjamin Renner’s first feature film, also presented at the Cannes Film

Festival.

ADAPTING GABRIELLE VINCENT’S WORK

Gabrielle Vincent, whose birth name is Monique Martin, was born in Brussels on

September 9, 1929.

She studied drawing and painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, where she

graduated from in 1951 and obtained the highest distinction. She then explored the

richness of black and white drawings, and exhibited her works for the first time in 1960.

Soon after she moved to color: ink wash painting, pastel, and oil color. At each of her

exhibitions, she was saluted for her strength, sobriety, and sensitivity of her art by critics.



While creating Ernest and Celestine in the 1980s, Gabrielle Vincent offered children her

talents as artist and storyteller for kids. It is in the everyday that the human truth,

tenderness, the happiness of making others happy, living simply and truthfully, one’s

heart, and the gentle conventions are expressed. Her books were published throughout

the world. The strength, sobriety, and sensitivity of her books earned her an international

reputation and numerous awards. Gabrielle Vincent passed away on September 24, 2000.

ORIGINS OF THE PROJECT

Interview with Didier Brunner, Producer:

“Originally, there were twenty beautiful little books illustrated by Gabrielle Vincent. These

simple stories enchanted my daughter, Pauline, when I read them to her during bedtime.

The stories’ protagonists were a bear and a mouse united by an improbable complicity.

How did these two very different beings that came from two different worlds that didn’t

know about the other, the big bear and the cute little mouse, meet? Why were they simply

bound together?

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Every night when leaving this tender and modest universe, these questions intrigued us…

It is by trying to answer them that the project to adapt Gabrielle Vincent’s work took place.

The author, I must say, was fiercely opposed to the transposition of her work on television

and by extension to film.

That was in 1998. She passed away in 2000. In 2008 I learned that Casterman, the editor,

proposed the adaptation rights for a series. I contacted him immediately and suggested a

cinematic adaptation, because only the artistic care given to the realization of an animated

feature can truly pay tribute to the quality of Gabrielle Vincent’s work.”

SUMMARY

In the conventional world of bears, it is frowned upon to be friends with a mouse. And yet, Ernest, a large, marginalized bear, a clown, and a musician, welcomes into his home little Celestine, an orphan who fled the underworld of mice. These two solitaires will support each other, comfort themselves, and thus upset the established order.

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II UNDERSTANDIN THE FILM:

BEFORE THE FILM

These educational activities were made for kids between the ages of 7 to 12 years to

prepare them for the presentation of the film in its entirety. This lesson plan can be taught

in English, or in French, per the student’s linguistic profiles and the objectives of the foreign

language teacher.

In this lesson plan, the linguistic competences are abbreviated as followed:

o WC: Written comprehension

o OC: Oral comprehension

o OP: Oral production

o WP: Written production

o OI: Oral interaction

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STUDENT WORKSHEET 1: ANALYSING THE MOVIE POSTER

Level A1

THE MOVIE POSTER

Observe the poster carefully and fill the spaces below

The mouse

Their face: Their clothes: Their behavior:

Have you seen a

movie with animals

as the main

characters?

A mouse: An animal that is , , .

The bear

Their face: Their clothes: Their behavior:

A bear: An animal that is , , .

Their relationship

They seem to

The title

Care for each other?

Hate each other?

Be arguing?

To get along?

Who Ernest? Who is Celestine?

10 Created by Azadée Tolooie. Translated by Andrew A. Rosado


A BEAR AND A MOUSE Why is the

friendship

between a mouse

and a bear

surprising?

Ernest and Celestine met by chance.

Imagine and draw how they met!

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A BIT OF CALLIGRAPHY

Writing in cursive with ink gives the title a very

elegant effect!

Do you want to try?

My name:

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TEACHER WORKSHEET 1: ANALYSING THE MOVIE POSTER

Level A1

THE MOVIE POSTER (OI / WP)

In this activity, students will discover the main characters for the first time: Ernest and

Celestine. They will do so through the description of the movie poster.

It is recommended to recall key vocabulary (A1 level) for physical description (face, body,

clothes, etc.) by brainstorming or sensitization activities for the targeted lexicon.

The activity can be done in groups for lower levels. It will be a question of completing the

poster's analytic sheet together, in order to reveal the main characteristics of the

protagonists of the film and to make hypotheses. Highlighting the physical contrast of the

two characters will allow students to become aware of the humorous aspect of the film

based on difference and opposites.

Children should be asked if they have seen movies with talking animals to encourage

them to comment on their appreciation for this kind of animated film.

Answers:

The mouse: She is small, has big ears and big eyes, and she is smiling. She is wearing

a red hood, a small white robe, and white socks. She seems funny, dynamic, passionate,

mischievous etc...

Mice are animals that are: small, rodents, fast, malicious, love cheese, have big ears,

silent, discrete, etc…

The bear: is big, bulky, and is smiling. He has a large snout, small eyes and small ears.

He is wearing a white t-shirt, a gray jacket, and a red scarf. He seems kind and amused

by the mouse, affectionate, etc.

Bears are animals that are: big, bulky, hairy, impressing, loud, gourmand, sleepers,

clumsy, that love honey, that have big paws and sharp claws, etc.

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Their relationship: They seem to get along, to care for each other since they are smiling,

they have an air of complicity, and seem to be friends.

The title: Ernest is the bear and Celestine is the mouse (it is possible to explain that the

names ending in “ine” in the French language are often feminine like “Martine, Christine,

Delphine, etc”.)

A BEAR AND A MOUSE (IO)

The teacher can invite students to reflect on the unusual friendship between a bear and a

mouse.

This can allow students to address the upstream marginalization of an uncommon couple

of bear and mouse, a central topic discussed in the film.

Example of oral production: A bear can eat a mouse, they are too different, mice hide

and live in small holes in house while bears live in forests. Bears hibernate while mice are

very active throughout the year and sometimes at night, etc…

Students can then give free rein to their imagination by drawing the moment when the two

characters met. They can compare hypotheses that can later be reinvestigated after

viewing the film.

A BIT OF CALLIGRAPHY (WP)

Students can discover or practice the art of calligraphy while appreciating the beautiful

cursive script of the title. At the discretion of the teacher, students can use a pencil, or ink

if possible, to practice with the writing activities provided.

Note that in France, cursive is favored and taught in school. This cultural aspect can also

be discussed in class while doing the written activities.

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STUDENT WORKSHEET 2: DISCOVERING THE VOCABULARY

Level A1

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Humor Fear Celestine Bear

Meet up Tea baby teeth Bonbons

Xérès Musician Judge River

Fire Drawing Smile Unite

Vagabond Snow Kepi Zizanie

Ernest Friendship Wagon Greed

Eyes Liberty

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TEACHER WORKSHEET 2: DISCOVERING THE VOCABULARY Level A1

THE ALPHABET (WC)

Students will discover keywords of the themes presented in the movie with an entertaining

activity by cutting and associating words and images. The activity can be done in pairs or

small groups. Students may not know all the words, but will be able to use the first letter

of each item to place them in alphabetical order. This small vocabulary activity can be

reinvestigated throughout the educational exploitation of the film.

Answers:

III UNDERSTANDING THE FILM:

AFTER THE FILMS

These educational activities were made for kids between the ages of 7 to 12 years to

prepare them for a discussion after the presentation of the film in its entirety. This lesson

plan can be taught in the English, or in French, per the student’s linguistic profiles and the

objectives of the foreign language teacher.

In this lesson plan, the linguistic competences are abbreviated as followed:

o WC: Written comprehension

o OC: Oral comprehension

o OP: Oral production

o WP: Written production

o OI: Oral interaction

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STUDENT WORKSHEET 3: RECONSTRUCTING THE FILM

Level A1

FIND THE CORRECT ORDER

Label 1 through 8 the

images in order of

appearance in the

movie.


TEACHER WORKSHEET 3: RECONSTRUCTING THE FILM

Level A1

FIND THE CORRECT ORDER (WC)

In small groups or in pairs, have the students reconstruct the story of the film in order

from 1 to 8.

Answer:

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Dossier pédagogique réalisé par Azadée Tolooie.


STUDENT WORKSHET 4: TRAVAILLER SUR LES PERSONNAGES

Level A1

Connect each character

with their words.

I do not want to be a dentist, I want to be an

artist.

I’m hungry!

The big

mean bear

will eat you!

We must give kids

sugar so we can

exploit their teeth

and make money!

You need to bring me

50 teeth!

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WHO SAYS WHAT?


TEACHER WORKSHEET 4: THE CHARACTERS

Level A1

WHO SAYS WHAT? (WC)

In pairs or in small groups, associate the text bubbles with the characters. Students

can use the words in bold to guide themselves. The teacher can help guide the

students get onto the right track and answer their questions. Depending upon the

group’s level, the teacher can also ask the students to write down other lines from the

characters.

Answers:

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Created by par Azadée Tolooie. Translated by Andrew A. Rosado

STUDENT WORKSHEET 5: KEY PLACES OF THE FILM

Level A1

ERNEST’S HOUSE

Ernest’s house is a refuge for the two friends,

it changes with the seasons.

Describe each image

with help of the words

on the right.

1

It is winter.

It is spring.

It is nice out.

It is cold.

It is sunny.

There is snow out.

There are many flowers.

2 The sky is gray.

The sky is blue.

The trees are white.

The trees are green.

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Created by par Azadée Tolooie. Translated by Andrew A. Rosado




ERNEST’S ROOM

Ernest is a music virtuoso,

he knows how to play many instruments!

Piano

Trumpet

Violin

Find all the instruments on the picture!

Bass

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HIDE AND SEEK

Two instruments are hiding in all the dishes.

Can you find them?

Circle the instruments

hiding in the dishes!

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TEACHER WORKSHEET 5: KEY PLACES OF THE FILM

Level A1

ERNEST’S HOUSE (OP/WC)

This activity allows students to practice weather and color vocabulary at an A1 level.

Students will be able to practice pronunciation with these sentences, and describe each

image with the proposed phrases. The teacher can finish the activity with a small dictation

of the proposed sentences.

Answer:

Image 1: It is winter, it is cold, and there is snow. The trees are white, and the sky

is gray.

Image 2: It is spring, it is nice out, it is sunny, there are many flowers, and the

trees are green.

ERNEST’S ROOM (WC/WP)

This activity allows the students to discuss the music of the film. Music plays in important

role in Ernest’s life, his house is even filled with music instruments!

Practice tracks to discuss music:

- Listen and discover the different instrument groups / work on music

vocabulary (http://www.instrumentsdumonde.fr)

- Interactive lottery game for instruments

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcuOQHBxY9E)

- Talk about the importance about music in people’s lives, their day to day, and

music in the streets of France.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcuOQHBxY9E)

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Answers:

HIDE AND SEEK

Answers:

STUDENT WORKSHEET 6 MINI PROJECT

Level A1

MAKE YOUR OWN SLEEVEFACE!

Celestine and Ernest enjoy putting portraits on their face to

make them talk. This is called making a “sleeve face”

On a sheet of blank paper, draw your

favorite character’s head and then put

it in front of your face.

Ask a friend of your teacher to take a

photo!

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TEACHER WORKSHEET 6: MINI PROJECT

Level A1

MAKE YOUR OWN SLEEVEFACE! Sleeve face: From crude disguises to homemade costumes, this phenomenon is all the

rage and inescapable. We see them on covers of magazines and in advertisements, they

consist of a taking a simple photo with the front cover of an LP with just a face.

The reuse of this practice in the photo above resides in the infantile and comical game

that will make you look twice.

When Ernest discovers Celestine’s talent for “sleeve face”, it became a fun game for them

to play together. “Sleeve face” is also a way for Ernest to console Celestine and make her

smile when she is saddened that she did not fit in with the other mice (the mouse

association), where art has no place.

Activity suggestions:

The teacher can hand out blank pieces of paper as well as any material to paint and draw

in order to create their “sleeve faces” of their favorite movie characters. They can use the

images from the previous activities for inspiration. The teacher can then ask the students to take

photos of themselves with a camera or a smartphone.

Once they are done taking photos, the teacher can print the photos so the students can

glue them on a sheet of paper and take them home, or present them in the classroom.

Students can create dialogues and write them on the sheets of paper and create a small

comic strip. This task can be made either on a computer or directly on the printed sheets.

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Teacher WORKSHEET 7: VOCABULARY GAME

GAME OF MICE AND BEARS (WC/WP)

The students will have fun while recollecting key moments of the film.

Goals: The bears must collect the most marshmallows possible, and the mice must collect

the most teeth possible. (See: Material Sheet 7). Each group must answer eight questions

about the film.

Execution: Separate the class into two groups: Group Mouse and Group Bear. In a sack,

there are 32 cards (16 marshmallows and 16 teeth). With each correct question, the group

gains a Tooth Card (Group Mouse) or a Marshmallow Card (Group Bear).

The teacher can adapt and modify questions accordingly.

Suggested questions:

_ What is Lucienne’s (Leon’s mom) job?

Answer: She is a tooth seller.

_ Why are the mice afraid of the bears?

Answer: Because they think bears eat mice.

_ Why does Ernest rummage through

trash?

Answer: Because he is hungry.

_ What is Ernest’s job?

Answer: He is a musician.

_ Why is Celestine different from the other mice?

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Answer: Celestine is orphan and an artist. She does not want to be a dentist like other

mice, she wants to be an artist.

_ What job are mice known for?

Answer: Dentists.

_ What was Ernest’s grandfather’s job?

Answer: Judge.

_ What instrument(s) does Ernest play?

Possible answers: guitar, violin, piano, bass, trumpet, drums, accordion.

_ What job do white bears perform?

Answer: Policemen.

_ What color is Celestine’s cape?

Answer: Red.

_ How do Ernest and Celestine hide in the stolen truck?

Answer: They paint themselves so they can camouflage.

_ How many teeth must Celestine bring to the dentist?

Answer: 50 teeth.

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MATERIAL SHEET 7: VOCABULARY GAME

TOOTH CARDS

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MARSHMALLOW CARDS

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TEACHER WORKSHEET 8: DEBATING AND GIVING YOUR OPINION

STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICES (OI)

The film offers many thought-provoking considerations that students can discuss. The

issue of difference, and people’s relationships with others that are represented by the

separations between the bears and mice. The connection with our societies, and our own

distrust of our neighbors are among the topics discussed in the film. The mice and the bears live

in parallel worlds that never meet because they fear each other.

The teacher can ask the students to explain why bears are afraid of mice and why mice

are afraid of bears.

It is possible to explain in simple terms what prejudices are present in the scenes of the

movie when a mouse in the orphanage tells Celestine that “her drawing is wrong because

mice and bears can never be friends”

Suggested questions:

- Are the mice’s fears justifiable?

- Do all bears eat mice? Do they eat mice often?

- Are people sometimes just fearful? Do people let stereotypes and prejudices get

in their way of communicating with others?

GIVING YOUR OPINION (OP)

Students can give their opinions on the film as well as critique it. Did they like the film?

What characters seemed interesting to them? What did they not like? What is their favorite

moment of the film?

The teacher can also incite them to explain their reasons as to why they liked or disliked

the film. An interesting exercise can be to confront the images of the film with those of

Gabrielle Vincent’s in order to see which of the versions the students prefer.

(http://www.casterman.com/Jeunesse/Collections-series/ernest-et-celestine/les-albums-

d-ernest-et-celestine)

http://www.casterman.com/Jeunesse/Collections-series/ernest-et-celestine/les-albums-

http://www.casterman.com/Jeunesse/Collections-series/ernest-et-celestine/les-albums-

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SITEOGRAPHY

Presentation lesson plans

http://www.ac- versailles.fr/public/upload/docs/application/pdf/2015-

03/ernest_et_celestine_dossier_pedagogique.pdf

http://www.lefresnoy.net/sites/prod/files/2014/downloads/basic-

page/presentation/Livret_Pedagogique_Ernest_et_Celestine.pdf

Links about the film / general information / reviews / video excerpts

http://ernestetcelestine‐lefilm.com/

http://www.lesarmateurs‐lesite.fr/fiches/9‐ernest‐et‐celestine.html

http://www.cinerex‐blagnac.fr/wp‐content/uploads/2013/05/ERNEST‐CELESTINE.pdf

Trailer and more excerpts:

http://cinema‐levagabond.jimdo.com/scolaire/ecole‐et‐cinema/ernest‐et‐celestine/

http://cartable93.blogspot.fr/p/ernest‐et‐celestine.html

Exercises and analysis.

http://www.ac‐versailles.fr/public/upload/docs/application/pdf/2015‐

03/ernest_et_celestine_dossier_pedagogique.pdf

http://www.grignoux.be/dossiers/337

https://www.acmontpellier.fr/apps/dsden30/ia30/dossiers/arts/ecolecine/ressources/f

maurin_278.pdf

http://www.lestetesaclap.fr/wp‐content/uploads/2014/02/f_peda‐ernestcelestine.pdf

http://www.ac-versailles.fr/public/upload/docs/application/pdf/2015-

http://www.lefresnoy.net/sites/prod/files/2014/downloads/basic-

http://ernestetcelestine/

http://cinema/

http://cartable93.blogspot.fr/p/ernest

http://www.grignoux.be/dossiers/337

http://www.acmontpellier.fr/apps/dsden30/ia30/dossiers/arts/ecolecine/ressources/f

http://www.lestetesaclap.fr/wp

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