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Literature in French Culture: Fables of La Fontaine

This page invites you on a journey into the world of fables by Jean de La Fontaine, a renowned French fabulist.

The diverse activities offered here will allow you to explore classic stories through play, creation, and discussion.
By reading the fables, creating finger puppets, and dramatizing, you will be able to get to know the characters and messages of La Fontaine in an experiential and fun way.

Jean de La Fontaine

Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) was a French poet and one of the greatest fable writers of all time.
In his fables, he used animals that spoke and behaved like humans to convey important messages and morals about life, society, and human nature.
Today, his works are considered an inseparable part of France’s literary heritage and constitute a masterpiece that enriches the imagination.

זאן דה לה פונטיין

We invite you to enter, choose a fable, and start acting together with the children.
The activities below (by: Roni Gonen Eiron) are based on reading the books, which can be borrowed from the library, purchased as desired, searched for on the internet, or on the YouTube website.

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Activity 1: The Ant and the Grasshopper

Join a meeting between the industrious ant and the playing grasshopper in La Fontaine's classic fable. We will discover what happened when the winter arrived, talk about the importance of hard work versus enjoying the moment, and think together about personal and mutual responsibility.
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Activity 2: The Ant and the Slacker

A fable that invites us to examine the value of diligence versus laziness through the story of the characters. We will get to know the traits that characterize each of them, compare the different points of view, and learn about the importance of advance planning and perseverance.
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עכבר העיר ועכבר הכפר

Activity 3: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

We will set out on a journey between two opposite worlds with the town mouse and the country mouse. We will explore the advantages and disadvantages of the noisy life of plenty versus the tranquility in simplicity, and ask ourselves: where does each of us feel most at home?
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