A picnic in Paris

Non, this is not a picture of one of my 7th or 8th graders as I introduce yet one more irregular verb-- "Is this going to be on the exam?"  Nor is it moi as I think of how to make the verb mettre a little more exciting.  (Although I bet they see me this way some mornings...)  So, just a few days before exams begin, I tried to spice up a 7th grade lesson involving clothing and the two different verbs meaning "to bring."  Apporter to bring a thing and amener to bring a person.  I asked the little darlings to imagine a warm sunny day in Paris (as opposed to a cold day in Durham), strolling on the Ile St. Louis...

 before finding a quiet little spot for a pique-nique.  They needed to tell me what they were wearing, what they were bringing to the pique-nique and who they were bringing.  I set the timer and gave them 2 minutes to prepare.
Most said they were wearing shorts and a t-shirt, bringing sandwiches and limonade.  The guests?  One boy was bringing Peyton Manning.  Good thinking.  Eat un sandwich au jambon and toss the ballon de football américain.  Another boy's dream date was Megan Fox.  I don't think he cares what they eat.  A couple of girls decided to bring pizza, ice cream and Leonardo di Caprio.  Taylor Lautner was popular.  I was expecting Justin Bieber to put in an appearance, but hélas, sorry Justin.  No invites to Paris today.  Some characters from Glee were invited.  (I had to confess I've never watched it-- quelle horreur, madame.)  One young man, Jacques, announced he would have some champagne, une rose et de la musique.  I think he has been watching "The Batchelor," n'est-ce pas? But Taylor Swift was getting his rose.  Oops!  I forgot to mention that LeBron James was also invited to someone's picnic.  I was taken to task for this omission!
And me?  Well, c'est simple comme bonjour.

Oh yes, Johnny Depp is my dream date.  Les sandwichs au jambon, du chocolat et Johnny.  Well, he does live in France and speak French, after all.  Some of the kids said they would be bringing their prized possession, their portables, their cell phones.  I informed them that if Johnny brought his cell phone along I would take it away and throw it into the Seine.   Hmmm... I think they understood that even if I haven't taught them the verb jeter yet.
Maybe French class was even kind of fun today...

Bon appétit, Dream Dates!