plan de cours
The English phrase 'lesson plan' is translated into French as plan de cours.
plan de cours refers to a teacher's document used to plan a lesson. It can also refer to a complete curriculum.
Meaning: teacher's document used to plan a lesson (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of plan (plan or outline), de (of) and cours (course or lesson).
Which one should you use?
While plan de cours is a standard term, in many French educational contexts, teachers more commonly refer to a detailed lesson plan as a fiche de préparation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In French-speaking Belgium, you can use either plan de leçon or plan de cours.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun plan is masculine, so you would say un plan de cours for a lesson plan. To make the phrase plural, add an s to the noun to get des plans de cours. The word cours remains unchanged because it already ends in s.
Did you know?
- In France, the term fiche de préparation is often used because it implies a physical 'fiche' or index card, reflecting a traditional habit of organizing lessons on cards rather than pages.
- While plan de cours is the standard term, the word plan is also a doublet of 'piano' through their shared Latin root plānus, which refers to something flat.
- Unlike the English 'lesson', which focuses on the act of learning, the French cours emphasizes the 'running' or progression of a subject, mirroring its Latin root for a race track.
Examples in context
- Chaque enseignant doit soumettre son plan de leçon avant le début du semestre.Each teacher must submit their lesson plan before the start of the semester.
- Les étudiants ont trouvé le plan de cours du professeur très intéressant.The students found the teacher's lesson plan very interesting.
- J'ai terminé mon plan de cours.I finished my lesson plan.
- Le plan de cours est sur la table.The lesson plan is on the table.
- Elle vérifie son plan de cours avant l'école.She is checking her lesson plan before school.
Example conversation
Two teachers are talking in the staff room.
- LéaLucas, est-ce que tu as ton plan de cours ?Lucas, do you have your lesson plan?
- LucasOui, je l'ai sur mon ordinateur.Yes, I have it on my computer.
- LéaPeux-tu me montrer ton plan de cours ?Can you show me your lesson plan?
- LucasBien sûr, regarde ici.Of course, look here.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cours, de, plan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
