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Once Upon a Time in Ireland Discover an Irish Legend
Part 1 · 6e — Cycle 3

Discover an Irish Legend

Meet the giant Finn McCool and read the beginning of his legend.
1 Séances 2 Documents A1→A2 CEFR

Information

Détails
Axe :
Axe 4 — Imaginaire, contes et légendes
Problématique :
Comment les légendes expliquent-elles les paysages et le monde qui nous entourent ?
Objet d'étude :
L'Irlande, terre de mythes et de légendes
CEFR :
A1 → A2
Activités langagières :
CE, CO, EO, EE
Objectifs
Objectifs linguistiques :
Le vocabulaire des personnages de légende (a hero, a giant, brave, big…) et l'ouverture « Once upon a time… ».
Objectifs culturels :
Le géant Finn McCool, la Chaussée des Géants et les légendes d'Irlande.
Objectifs communicatifs :
Anticiper à partir d'un titre et d'images, puis comprendre et résumer le début d'un récit.
Documents
  • Texte : The Legend of Finn McCool — Part 1
  • Vidéo : Reading the legend aloud
Contenu
  • Séance 1 : Who is Finn McCool?
  • Évaluation : Compréhension écrite

Séance 1 : Who is Finn McCool?

  • Objectif : Anticiper le contenu d'un récit à partir de son titre et de ses illustrations, puis comprendre le début de la légende de Finn McCool.
  • Activités : Remue-méninges sur les légendes et l'Irlande, stratégies pour comprendre une histoire illustrée, lecture du début de la légende, anticipation à partir du titre et des images, lecture à voix haute en écho, résumé oral du récit.
  • À retenir : Savoir anticiper une histoire à partir d'indices visuels ; savoir repérer les personnages, les lieux et l'idée principale du début d'une légende.

Vocabulary Kit: Characters

Characters
  • a hero = un héros
  • a heroine = une héroïne
  • a giant = un géant
  • a friend = un ami
  • an enemy = un ennemi
  • an ally = un allié
  • brave = courageux
  • courageous = vaillant, courageux
  • intelligent = intelligent
  • stupid = stupide, bête
  • big = grand
  • small = petit

How to: Understand an illustrated story

Understand an illustrated story

Before you read, use everything on the page to work out what the story is about.

  • Look at the title and the pictures first, and predict what the story is about.
  • Find the main characters and the places in the illustrations.
  • Look for clues: names in CAPITAL letters, key words, and what the text says.
  • Read and listen at the same time to check your ideas.

Brainstorm: Legends and Ireland

Say what you already know about legends and about Ireland.
Dis ce que tu sais déjà sur les légendes et sur l'Irlande.
Your words will appear here.

Anticipation: The Legend of Finn McCool

The task
Look at the title and the pictures of the legend. What do you think the story is about? And what is a legend?
Regarde le titre et les images de la légende. À ton avis, de quoi parle l'histoire ? Et qu'est-ce qu'une légende ?
30 – 40 mots
Hints
What is a legend? +
A legend is a very old story, often about heroes, giants or magic. People have told it since long ago.
Look at the pictures +
Ask yourself: who can you see? Where are they? What are they doing?
Useful words +
a giant, a hero, brave, Ireland, a causeway, long ago…
Sentence starters +
I think this legend is about… / In the pictures, I can see… / A legend is…
Grille d'évaluation — production écrite
Marking guide — written task
… / 20
Content
Predicts what the story is about and explains what a legend is.
… / 5Contenu
Language
Uses I think…, I can see… and the present simple.
… / 5Langue
Fluency
30–40 words; the ideas connect naturally.
… / 5Aisance
Accuracy
Simple sentences are correct; vocabulary is well spelled.
… / 5Correction
Your ideas

Document: The Legend of Finn McCool

The Legend of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway

— Part 1 —
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____
Finn McCool building the stone causeway
Once, a long time ago, the world was very different. In those days, a giant named Finn McCool lived in Ireland. Finn was so big that he was able to build a stone causeway all the way from Ireland to Scotland! Why did he do that? Well, he wanted to fight a Scottish giant named Benandonner. But big is not always clever. To be continued …
Map showing Ireland and Scotland

The Legend of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway — told by Rupert Morgan

*a stone road above the water

Document: The Legend of Finn McCool (read aloud)

Part 1 of the legend, read aloud by a storyteller.

La première partie de la légende, lue à voix haute par un conteur.

The Legend of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway — told by Rupert Morgan

Script
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____
Narrator
Once, a long time ago, the world was very different.
In those days, a giant named Finn McCool lived in Ireland.
Finn was so big that he was able to build a stone causeway all the way from Ireland to Scotland!
Why did he do that?
Well, he wanted to fight a Scottish giant named Benandonner.
But big is not always clever.
To be continued …

Echo reading: The Legend of Finn McCool

The task
Listen to the legend and repeat each part after the recording, like an echo.
Écoute la légende et répète chaque partie après l'enregistrement, comme un écho.
Level up: instead of repeating, read the text aloud by yourself, as it appears on screen.
Pour aller plus loin : au lieu de répéter, lis le texte à voix haute tout seul, au fur et à mesure.
environ 2 minutes
Hints
The names +
Say the names clearly: Finn McCool, Benandonner, Ireland, Scotland.
Copy the voice +
Copy the rhythm and the music of the recording. Pause at full stops.
Tell a story +
Slow down for the opening: Once, a long time ago…
Tricky words +
Take care with giant, causeway and clever.
Grille d'évaluation — présentation orale
Marking guide — oral presentation
… / 20
Content
Reads or repeats the whole passage.
… / 5Contenu
Language
Pronounces the names and key words correctly.
… / 5Langue
Fluency
Good rhythm; pauses at punctuation; not too fast.
… / 5Aisance
Accuracy
Clear sounds and correct word stress.
… / 5Correction
Tricky words to practise

Comprehension: The Legend of Finn McCool

Read the legend again. What do you understand about the story?
Relis la légende. Que comprends-tu de l’histoire ?
Who is the hero of this legend, and where does he live?
Qui est le héros de cette légende, et où vit-il ?
What does he build, and why does he build it?
Que construit-il, et pourquoi le construit-il ?
The legend says: “But big is not always clever.” What does this tell us?
La légende dit : « But big is not always clever. » Qu’est-ce que cela nous apprend ?

Sum up: The Legend of Finn McCool (Part 1)

The task
In a few sentences, sum up Part 1 of the legend. Start with: “This legend is the story of…”
En quelques phrases, résume la première partie de la légende. Commence par : « This legend is the story of… »
environ 1 minute
Hints
Sentence starter +
This legend is the story of a giant called Finn McCool…
The characters +
Talk about Finn McCool and Benandonner.
The places +
Say where it happens: Ireland and Scotland.
The key actions +
He builds a causeway… he wants to fight… but big is not always clever.
Grille d'évaluation — présentation orale
Marking guide — oral presentation
… / 20
Content
Names the main character and sums up what happens.
… / 5Contenu
Language
Uses the present simple and key vocabulary.
… / 5Langue
Fluency
Speaks in a few connected sentences without long pauses.
… / 5Aisance
Accuracy
Clear pronunciation of the names and key words.
… / 5Correction
Your notes

Translation Task: The Legend of Finn McCool

Build the sentence in English
Clique sur une flèche pour lancer la roulette.

Your sentence
Word bank

Évaluation : Compréhension de l'oral : The Legend of Finn McCool

  • Type d'évaluation : Compréhension de l'oral
  • Axe : Axe 4 — Imaginaire, contes et légendes
  • Compétences : A1-A2 — Comprendre un récit oral et vidéo (repérer les personnages, les lieux et les actions)
  • Coefficient : 1
Nom, Prenom :
Classe :
Date :
Note :
Axe : Imaginaire, contes et légendes
CECRL : A1-A2
Activité langagière : Culture + lexique
Compétence : Repères culturels et lexique de la légende
ÉVALUATION — The Legend of Finn McCool Culture et lexique
Questions de compréhension (/ 20)
1.
What is the name of the hero of this legend? / 2
Correction : Finn McCool.
2.
In which country does he live? / 2
Correction : In Ireland.
3.
Which country is on the other side of the sea? / 2
Correction : Scotland.
4.
Why does he want to go to Scotland? / 2
Correction : To fight another giant, Benandonner.
5.
What does he build to reach Scotland? Give its English name. / 2
Correction : The Giant’s Causeway (a stone causeway).
6.
What kind of character is Finn McCool? / 2
Correction : He is a giant.
7.
Benandonner is not Finn’s friend. What is he? / 2
Correction : He is his enemy.
8.
Give one adjective to describe Finn McCool. / 2
Correction : big / brave / courageous (any one).
9.
What is the opposite of stupid? / 2
Correction : intelligent / clever.
10.
The legend says: “big is not always clever.” What does it mean? / 2
Correction : Being big does not mean being clever.
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©2026 – Richard THOM