Looking for a way to bring student voice, inquiry, and deeper engagement into your Core French classroom? Research projects are an excellent way to do just that—while supporting vocabulary development, reading, writing, and speaking skills in a meaningful context.
Whether your students are learning about animals, people, places, or inventions, structured French research project templates can help them apply new language in a purposeful way. These projects are not only curriculum-aligned but also flexible for individual, partner, or group work.
In this post, you’ll discover five ready-to-use French research projects perfect for Grades 4–8 FSL students. These templates are designed for beginner and intermediate learners, and they’re easy to differentiate while keeping student choice and curiosity at the centre.
Why Use Research Projects in the French Classroom?
Research projects help FSL students:
Apply vocabulary in real-world tasks
Organize and structure written information
Develop reading comprehension through research
Practice speaking and presenting in French
Engage more deeply with Francophone cultures and communities
Plus, project-based learning is naturally motivating—it gives students a chance to create, explore, and share their learning with others.
1. Animal Research in French – Les Animaux
Name and appearance
Habitat and diet
Life cycle or interesting facts
Personal opinion or reflection
This is a great first research project for younger students or those newer to French. It’s also ideal for science cross-curricular integration and works well in both Core and Immersion classes.
2. Biographie – French Biography Research Project
Basic background information
Life achievements
Timeline or important events
Impact or legacy
This project is excellent for integrating French into your language arts or history units, while also giving students speaking opportunities through oral presentations or mini posters.
3. French-Speaking Countries – La Francophonie
Country location and map
Languages spoken
Cultural traditions
Landmarks and fun facts
Pair this project with lessons on Francophone culture or French language around the world. It’s ideal for International Francophonie Week or cultural awareness units.
Optional Extension: Use the companion Francophone Countries Maps & Flags Pack to support visual learning and compare countries.
4. Les Provinces et Territoires du Canada – Research Template
Perfect for teaching about Canada’s geography and culture in French. Students research one of Canada’s provinces or territories and share facts such as:
Location and capital
Symbols and landmarks
Key industries or attractions
Unique facts or traditions
This is an excellent cross-curricular resource for integrating social studies and French, while developing reading comprehension and presentation skills.
5. French Invention Project – Complete Unit
This project-based unit asks students to invent their own creation or research a real invention. It includes:
Brainstorming and planning sheets
Vocabulary support
Research prompts
Rubrics and checklists
Presentation templates
Great for intermediate learners, this unit integrates creative thinking with language use, while allowing for authentic communication. Students love designing and presenting their inventions in French!
Tips for Success with French Research Projects
Provide scaffolded templates with sentence starters or vocabulary banks
Allow choice in topic to boost engagement
Model each section of the template before assigning
Use bilingual or leveled French websites for research
Allow oral or visual presentation options for differentiation
Encourage peer sharing and feedback in French
With these tools, you’ll be able to integrate authentic French language use into your classroom while supporting student voice, creativity, and cultural awareness.
Check out these helpful blog posts:
Why you should use research projects with FSL students
Graphic organizers for inquiry learning in the French classroom
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