Slide 1 of 7 · Settling starter · MFL · Year 9
5 minutesComparing Transport Carbon Footprints and Timetables in French
Thirty Year 9 pupils are travelling from Cardiff to Paris for a school exchange. Today you will read a French travel dossier, calculate journey times across the 1-hour time-zone change, compare carbon footprints and prices, and write comparative sentences in French.
While the register is called: write your name, class and date on your worksheet, then look at the top box on the stimulus sheet and answer the starter question in rough.
Starter question: France (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Wales (GMT). When it is 07:00 in Cardiff, what time do the clocks show in Paris? If a trip arrives at 14:30 Paris time, what time is that in Cardiff time?
Slide 2 of 7 · Today’s brief and key words · MFL · Year 9
5 minutesYour brief: compare 3 travel options for 30 pupils
You are comparing Option A (le car et le ferry), Option B (le train et l’Eurostar) and Option C (l’avion) for a group of 30 pupils from Cardiff to Paris.
Time-zone rule
Convert Paris arrival (CET) to UK time (GMT) by subtracting 1 hour before finding the duration.
CO2 footprint
Measured in kg of CO2 per pupil; multiply by 30 to find the group total.
French comparatives
plus ... que (more ... than)
moins ... que (less ... than)
parce que (because).
Slide 3 of 7 · Step 1: journey durations across GMT to CET · MFL · Year 9
10 minutesStep 1: calculate real journey durations across the time zone
Read the French timetable in Part A of the stimulus sheet. Convert each Paris arrival time (CET) into Cardiff time (GMT) by subtracting 1 hour, then work out the real journey time.
| Option | Departs Cardiff (GMT) | Arrives Paris (CET) | Arrives in GMT (−1 h) | Real duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: Le car et le ferry | 06:00 |
19:30 |
18:30 |
12 h 30 min |
Slide 4 of 7 · Step 2: CO2 and cost for 30 pupils · MFL · Year 9
10 minutesStep 2: calculate CO2 and cost per pupil and for 30 pupils
Use the figures in Part B of the stimulus sheet. Multiply the per-pupil figures by 30 to find the group CO2 emissions (in kg) and total group cost (in € and £).
Formula 1 (Group CO2): Group CO2 (kg) = Return CO2 per pupil (kg) × 30
Formula 2 (Cost in £ at £1 = €1.20): Price in £ = Price in € ÷ 1.20
Worked row (Option B, Train + Eurostar): 18 kg × 30 = 540 kg CO2; 156 € ÷ 1.20 = £130.00 per pupil (£3,900.00 for 30 pupils).
Slide 5 of 7 · Steps 3 and 4: French comparatives · MFL · Year 9
12 minutesStep 3 & Step 4: write 4 comparative sentences in French
First interpret the data in Step 3, then write 4 full comparative sentences in French in Step 4 using plus ... que, moins ... que and parce que with your exact figures.
Model French sentence:
Le train est moins polluant que l’avion parce que le voyage en train produit seulement 18 kg de CO2 par élève contre 198 kg en avion.
(The train is less polluting than the plane because the train journey produces only 18 kg of CO2 per pupil against 198 kg by plane.)
Slide 6 of 7 · Self and partner check · MFL · Year 9
5 minutesCheck your calculations and French sentences
Swap sheets with a partner and check all four steps against the success criteria.
- Did Step 1 subtract 1 hour from Paris times to get 12 h 30 min (A), 6 h 15 min (B) and 1 h 30 min flight / 4 h 30 min total (C)?
- Did Step 2 find group CO2 totals of 1,260 kg (A), 540 kg (B) and 5,940 kg (C)?
- Do the 4 French sentences in Step 4 use plus ... que, moins ... que and parce que?
- Does every French sentence include at least one specific number or unit from the tables?
Slide 7 of 7 · Plenary review · MFL · Year 9
3 minutesQuick-check answers before handing in
Check your main answers before your worksheets are collected.
| Option | Real duration | Group CO2 (30 pupils) | Cost per pupil (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: Coach + Ferry | 12 h 30 min | 1,260 kg | £90.00 (108 €) |
| B: Train + Eurostar | 6 h 15 min | 540 kg | £130.00 (156 €) |
| C: Plane | 1 h 30 min (4 h 30 min total) | 5,940 kg | £150.00 (180 €) |