Le projet de sciences
The Science Project
Two classmates disagree on how to approach a science project and have to find a compromise before the deadline.
- collaboration
- conflict resolution
Tap an underlined word to see its meaning.
What you'll encounter
- Grammar
- passé composé
- object pronouns le/la/les and lui
- connectors donc/alors que
- Vocabulary
- school project vocabulary
- opinion and disagreement vocabulary
- Skills
- following a disagreement resolved through dialogue
- understanding compromise as a resolution type
À l’école de Bruxelles, le cours de sciences de Madame Lefebvre doit présenter un projet sur les énergies renouvelables dans trois semaines. Les élèves travaillent par deux. Nora et Thibault sont mis ensemble, par hasard.
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At the Brussels school, Madame Lefebvre's science class has to present a project on renewable energy in three weeks. The students work in pairs. Nora and Thibault are paired together, by chance.
Les deux camarades ne se connaissent pas vraiment. Nora est organisée et aime suivre un plan clair. Thibault préfère essayer les choses directement, sans tout écrire d’abord.
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The two classmates don't really know each other. Nora is organized and likes to follow a clear plan. Thibault prefers to try things directly, without writing everything down first.
Le premier après-midi, ils se retrouvent à la de l’école pour choisir leur sujet. Nora propose de construire une petite maquette de , avec une explication écrite complète.
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On the first afternoon, they meet at the school library to choose their subject. Nora suggests building a small model of a solar panel, with a complete written explanation.
Thibault n’est pas convaincu. « Une explication écrite, c’est ennuyeux », dit-il. « Moi, je préfère construire une petite qui tourne vraiment. C’est plus impressionnant pour la présentation. »
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Thibault isn't convinced. "A written explanation, that's boring," he says. "I'd rather build a little wind turbine that actually turns. That's more impressive for the presentation."
Nora répond qu’une éolienne prend beaucoup de temps à bien construire, et que le temps leur manque. Thibault répond qu’un panneau solaire sans vraie démonstration n’intéresse personne.
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Nora replies that a wind turbine takes a lot of time to build well, and that they're short on time. Thibault answers that a solar panel without a real demonstration doesn't interest anyone.
La discussion dure presque une heure, sans aucun accord. Chacun sa propre idée, et aucun des deux n’écoute beaucoup l’autre. Finalement, ils partent , chacun de son côté.
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The discussion goes on for almost an hour, without any agreement. Each one defends their own idea, and neither one listens very much to the other. In the end, they leave annoyed, each on their own side.
Un autre élève, Lucas, qui travaille à la table d’à côté, les entend se disputer. « Vous faites juste les deux projets séparément, et vous les présentez tous les deux », suggère-t-il en riant. Mais Nora et Thibault secouent la tête en même temps : le professeur demande un seul projet par équipe, pas deux projets différents.
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Another student, Lucas, who's working at the next table, hears them arguing. "Just do both projects separately, and present them both," he suggests, laughing. But Nora and Thibault shake their heads at the same time: the teacher wants one project per team, not two different ones.
Le lendemain, dans le couloir, Thibault voit Nora travailler seule sur un dessin. Il s’approche d’elle. « Écoute », dit-il, « peut-être qu’on n’a pas besoin de choisir seulement une idée. »
Show English
The next day, in the hallway, Thibault sees Nora working alone on a drawing. He approaches her. "Listen," he says, "maybe we don't need to choose just one idea."
Nora lève les yeux, surprise. « Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire ? » demande-t-elle. « On peut construire une petite maquette », explique Thibault, « mais une qui inclut les deux : un panneau solaire et une éolienne, sur la même base. »
Show English
Nora looks up, surprised. "What do you mean?" she asks. "We can build a small model," explains Thibault, "but one that includes both: a solar panel and a wind turbine, on the same base."
Nora réfléchit un moment à cette idée. L’idée résout en fait deux problèmes à la fois : elle garde son explication écrite, et elle donne à Thibault sa démonstration qui fonctionne.
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Nora thinks about it for a moment. The idea actually solves two problems at once: it keeps her written explanation, and it gives Thibault his working demonstration.
« Ça peut marcher », dit-elle, finalement souriante. « Mais on divise les tâches clairement. Comme ça, le projet reste organisé. » Thibault accepte tout de suite. Il est : la tension est enfin retombée.
Show English
"That can work," she says, finally smiling. "But we divide the tasks clearly. That way, the project stays organized." Thibault agrees immediately. He is relieved: the tension has finally eased.
Les jours suivants, Nora écrit le pendant que Thibault construit la maquette morceau par morceau, dans son garage. Ils s’envoient des photos et des questions par messages.
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Over the following days, Nora writes the explanatory panel while Thibault builds the model piece by piece, in his garage. They send each other photos and questions through messages.
Un soir, Thibault appelle Nora parce que la petite éolienne ne tourne pas correctement. Nora propose une solution qu’elle a lue en ligne, et ensemble, par vidéo, ils réussissent à régler le problème.
Show English
One evening, Thibault calls Nora because the little wind turbine doesn't turn correctly. Nora suggests a solution she read about online, and together, over video, they manage to fix the problem.
Le jour de la présentation, la classe entière attend son tour dans le couloir. Les autres équipes présentent des projets sur l’énergie solaire, l’énergie hydraulique, et même un petit moulin à eau fait avec des bouteilles en plastique. Nora relit une dernière fois ses notes, pendant que Thibault vérifie que le fonctionne bien derrière la maquette.
Show English
On the day of the presentation, the whole class waits for its turn in the hallway. The other teams present projects on solar energy, hydraulic energy, and even a little water mill made from plastic bottles. Nora reads through her notes one last time, while Thibault checks that the fan is working well behind the model.
Enfin, c’est leur tour. Leur maquette fonctionne parfaitement. Le panneau solaire allume une petite ampoule, et l’éolienne tourne grâce au ventilateur placé à côté.
Show English
Finally, it's their turn. Their model works perfectly. The solar panel lights up a small bulb, and the wind turbine turns thanks to the fan placed nearby.
Madame Lefebvre regarde attentivement la maquette, puis leur explication écrite. « C’est un des projets les plus complets de la classe », leur dit-elle. Nora et Thibault échangent un sourire fier.
Show English
Madame Lefebvre looks closely at the model, then at their written explanation. "It's one of the most complete projects in the class," she tells them. Nora and Thibault exchange a proud smile.
Après le cours, Thibault admet à Nora qu’il a presque l’idée de travailler avec elle, le premier jour. « Moi aussi », répond-elle en riant. « Mais je crois qu’on forme une assez bonne équipe, en fait. »
Show English
After class, Thibault admits to Nora that he almost gave up working with her, the first day. "Me too," she answers, laughing. "But I think we actually make a pretty good team."
Show full English translation
At the Brussels school, Madame Lefebvre's science class has to present a project on renewable energy in three weeks. The students work in pairs. Nora and Thibault are paired together, by chance.
The two classmates don't really know each other. Nora is organized and likes to follow a clear plan. Thibault prefers to try things directly, without writing everything down first.
On the first afternoon, they meet at the school library to choose their subject. Nora suggests building a small model of a solar panel, with a complete written explanation.
Thibault isn't convinced. "A written explanation, that's boring," he says. "I'd rather build a little wind turbine that actually turns. That's more impressive for the presentation."
Nora replies that a wind turbine takes a lot of time to build well, and that they're short on time. Thibault answers that a solar panel without a real demonstration doesn't interest anyone.
The discussion goes on for almost an hour, without any agreement. Each one defends their own idea, and neither one listens very much to the other. In the end, they leave annoyed, each on their own side.
Another student, Lucas, who's working at the next table, hears them arguing. "Just do both projects separately, and present them both," he suggests, laughing. But Nora and Thibault shake their heads at the same time: the teacher wants one project per team, not two different ones.
The next day, in the hallway, Thibault sees Nora working alone on a drawing. He approaches her. "Listen," he says, "maybe we don't need to choose just one idea."
Nora looks up, surprised. "What do you mean?" she asks. "We can build a small model," explains Thibault, "but one that includes both: a solar panel and a wind turbine, on the same base."
Nora thinks about it for a moment. The idea actually solves two problems at once: it keeps her written explanation, and it gives Thibault his working demonstration.
"That can work," she says, finally smiling. "But we divide the tasks clearly. That way, the project stays organized." Thibault agrees immediately. He is relieved: the tension has finally eased.
Over the following days, Nora writes the explanatory panel while Thibault builds the model piece by piece, in his garage. They send each other photos and questions through messages.
One evening, Thibault calls Nora because the little wind turbine doesn't turn correctly. Nora suggests a solution she read about online, and together, over video, they manage to fix the problem.
On the day of the presentation, the whole class waits for its turn in the hallway. The other teams present projects on solar energy, hydraulic energy, and even a little water mill made from plastic bottles. Nora reads through her notes one last time, while Thibault checks that the fan is working well behind the model.
Finally, it's their turn. Their model works perfectly. The solar panel lights up a small bulb, and the wind turbine turns thanks to the fan placed nearby.
Madame Lefebvre looks closely at the model, then at their written explanation. "It's one of the most complete projects in the class," she tells them. Nora and Thibault exchange a proud smile.
After class, Thibault admits to Nora that he almost gave up working with her, the first day. "Me too," she answers, laughing. "But I think we actually make a pretty good team."
Words to know
- bibliothèque
- — library
- panneau solaire
- — solar panel
- éolienne
- — wind turbine
- défend
- — defends
- énervés
- — annoyed
- soulagé
- — relieved
- panneau explicatif
- — explanatory panel
- ventilateur
- — fan
- abandonné
- — given up