AP GERMAN LANGUAGE SYLLABUS
Prerequisites:
Appropriate lower-level German course or permission of instructor.
Course Overview
AP German language is an advanced study of German language usage and syntax for students
who have completed three years of German study. The AP class meets for forty-five minutes,
five days per week. Students have access to technology as needed.
Course Objective
The primary objective is to develop the highest level of fluency possible for the students.
Concentration is on speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture. Instruction, classroom
discussion and all written assignments will be in German. Students will sign a Sprachvertrag at
the beginning of the year, agreeing to use the target language during the course. [CR1] The
course aims to integrate all three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and
presentational) through the use of authentic German materials. My goal is also to instill a lifelong
love of German and the German culture. This course provides intensive preparation for students
on college placement exams, such as the AP German Language Exam, CLEP, SAT II German,
or individual university placement tests. Students enrolling in the course must be prepared to
devote considerable time and effort to refining all language-related skills and to significantly
increasing their vocabulary. They also must devote as much time as needed to review and finish
assignments, speak in German exclusively during class, and cultivate the habits of life-long
learning outside of class.
Textbooks [CR2c]
T1. Deutsch im Einsatz, Fox, Marshall, Brock, Duncker. U.K.: advance materials, 2013
th
T2. Kaleidoskop, 5 ed: Moeller, Liedloff, Adolph, Mabee, New York: Houghton Miflin Co.,
1998.
Workbooks
WB1:Aspekte deutscher Gegenwart: Texte und Übungen (Band 1), Jones, Lawlor, U.K.: advance
materials, 2008.
WB2:Aspekte deutscher Gegenwart: Texte und Übungen (Band 2), Jones, Lawlor, U.K.: advance
materials, 2006.
WB3: Practice Makes Perfect: Intermediate German Grammar: Swick, U.S.: McGraw-Hill, 2013
Supplemental Materials [CR2c, CR2b]
http://www.hdg.de/lemo/kapitel/geteiltes-deutschland.html
http://germanpoetry.wordpress.com/
http://www.spiegel.de/ assorted articles from Spiegel and other GM newspapers
http://www.deutschunddeutlich.de/ pictures and picture sequences.
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https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/lieblings-gedichte-der-deutschen/id427026710?mt=8
http://www.deutschalsfremdsprache.ch/index.php?actualid=5057&which_set=103
http://www.fluter.de/
http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/saf/prj/stg/mus/cli/enindex.htm
http://www.goethe.de/lrn/prj/ffb/deindex.htm
http://de.statista.com/
http://xportal.klett-sprachen.de/portfoliodeutsch4/
http://www.bsr.de/
Audio-Visual Materials (iTunes Podcasts) [CR2a, CR2b]
http://www.deutsch-perfekt.com/audio/podcast
http://www.spiegel.de/
http://www.dw.de/deutsch-lernen/wort-der-woche/s-9031
http://www.n-tv.de/
http://www.dw.de/deutsch-lernen/video-thema/s-12165
http://www.heute.de/
http://www.dw.de/deutsch-lernen/top-thema/s-8031
http://www.tagesschau.de/
http://www.dw.de/programm/kultur21/s-7884-9800
http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/kanaluebersicht/158#/kanaluebersicht/158
http://vk.com/doc-49854475_233073207?dl=7308785ead137b3152
http://neuneinhalb.wdr.de/
http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv/suche?searchText=euromaxx
http://www.br.de/radio/bayern2/index.html
http://www.srf.ch/sendungen/schlauer-in-60-sekunden
Useful websites:
http://www.linguee.com/
https://quizlet.com/
http://dict.leo.org/ende/index_en.html
Grading:
Progress reports and report card grades will be based on daily work (participation, homework,
and in –class assignments), quizzes, tests, projects, and quarterly and semester exams. Each area
will be weighted according to the Willis ISD District Grading Policy. Students must attend
class, take part in classroom activities and complete assignments on time and speak German
exclusively during each class period.
General Course Agenda:
A. Each of the six units will cover a five to six week period depending on the school’s calendar.
Each unit has its own major theme linked to the essential question “How has globalization
affected German, Germany, and German speaking countries?”
B. During each unit students will complete the following general activities:
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1. Listen to authentic German podcasts via Internet streaming, iTunes, or on Apps for
listening practice and exposure to regional dialects and accents as well as different topics
and contemporary issues. [CR2a]
2. Read on-line news from a variety of German sources such as Tagesschau, n-tv, Heute.de,
etc. Read a variety of German poems for exposure to different genres. Read German
magazines for exposure to contemporary topics and vocabulary. [CR2b, c]
3. Watch Kulture 21 and Video-Thema and listen to Top-Themen as well as read Spiegel
for exposure to German culture, practices and perspectives. [CR7]
4. Learn and/or review vocabulary dealing with the particular theme being studied. Students
will use the vocabulary in sentences and in future written and spoken activities. Includes
4-5 idioms per week. [CR3a, CR3b, CR5b, CR5a, CR4a, CR4b, CR9]
5. Bi-weekly interview with teacher or other students or skit. [CR3a]
6. 6 writings of 400 words for each unit. The students will also have shorter writings weekly
as summaries, letters, etc. Topics and type of writing will change weekly. Students will
write compositions, letters, etc. on theme-related topics. Compositions must demonstrate
advanced writing skills through the use of such features as varied verb tenses, subordinate
and relative clauses, as well as appropriate idioms. Re-writes and peer editing will be
required on selected assignments. [CR4b, CR5b, CR8]
7. Participate in speaking activities that require students to persuade, express joy and regret,
make excuses, or take and defend a position. Students will also describe visuals such as
photos, maps and works of art, and practice telling impromptu stories based on picture
sequences as well as impromptu readings. [CR3a]
8. Students will keep a reflective journal where they will record podcasts listened to and
articles read. The journal entry is to summarize the content of each listening or reading
assignment as well as record new vocabulary learned. Students should also record
questions they have about the readings or listening assignments to present to the teacher
or class. Dictations are also taken in the journals. [CR4a]
9. Students will report orally on one article or podcast that particularly impressed them each
week and/or debate a topic read or listened to. [CR5a, CR3a]
10. Students will speak German in the classroom among each other as well as with the
teacher. [CR3a, CR9, CR1]
11. Each unit has varied grammar exercises that will be taught/reviewed and practiced.
[CR3a, CR3b, CR5b, CR5a, CR4a, CR4b]
Teaching Strategies
Pre-reading
In order to capture student’s attention and to spark interest and curiosity about the reading text, I
incorporate different techniques as a pre-reading phase. Some examples include:
Using power point, I present selected vocabulary with a picture and/or a definition in German.
Students read only the title of the text and then predict what the story is about.
After reading the first paragraph, the students answer who, what, when, where and why.
Reading [CR2c] [CR2b] [CR4b]
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The reading in class is done with a partner or a small group; sometimes the reading is assigned as
homework. Sometimes they can read alone and we have a pillow or teddy bear day and have a
read-a-thon. Students learn to recognize the importance of reading in developing their language
skills and acquisition of cultural competence. During the reading phase, I use some of these
activities:
Brainstorm vocabulary.
Role-playing: Students are assigned a character and role-play.
Interviews: Students are assigned to be either a reporter or a character from the text.
Using a Venn diagram, students compare and contrast two characters from the text.
Summarize the story by choosing words to describe the main character, setting or plot.
Compose an ad that the main character might place in a newspaper.
Write a summary or condensed form of the article.
Change the ending or change a character.
The students state or show cause and effect.
Speaking [CR3a] [CR5a] [CR4b]
Formal speaking activities include partner work and reporting, and presentations are done
weekly. Sometimes I hold personal interviews one on one. Twice a month students practice the
format of direct questions and picture series descriptions. We practice using the same
instructions the students will hear on the actual AP exam. During the first semester they are
given the questions and pictures ahead of time in order to prepare their responses. During the
second semester they hear the questions and speak about the picture series without prior
preparation.
Listening [CR4a]
In the language lab or on individual electronic devices, the students will listen to the various
podcasts listed in the syllabus. Tasks can include answering questions, writing summaries, or
filling in Lückentexte, as well as dictations or just listen for isolated information. All of the
podcasts are direct from Germany and are 100% authentic.
Writing [CR3b] [CR4b] [CR5b]
Students do different types of writing, and most writing is done in the classroom. Students keep
a journal, and for each unit they write at least one entry per items or chapters covered in that unit.
In addition, students write their Bell Work in the journals daily. Bell Work consists of sentences
using the vocabulary being learned. Students also learn to write business letters. Dictations are
done at least twice a month. In addition, students write a formal essay for each unit. I also
incorporate Internet assignments. At least 2 projects will be done; one per semester. One of the
projects can be the Houstonfest entry.
Field Trips [CR9]
In February students participate in the Houstonfest at Texas State University. This competition
includes such categories as: grammar and vocabulary tests, cooking, folk dancing, artwork,
music and original plays.
Additional [CR9] [CR7]
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On some days when the class time is shortened due to a school assembly, the students enjoy a
Spieltag. In small groups they play cards, German monopoly, German Scrabble or German Clue.
The students converse in German with each other in this fun setting.
Vocabulary Building [CR3a, CR3b, CR5b, CR5a, CR4a, CR4b, CR9]
In connection with the reading selections, we do vocabulary work, using various exercises from
the textbook or from those I have developed. We have frequent vocabulary quizzes and a
vocabulary test at the end of the unit.
Idioms [CR9]
I teach four to five new idioms each week, and students are encouraged to use these idioms in
their speaking and writing, especially their Bell Work.
Unit 5 (8 weeks) (1st grading period)
Beauty and Aesthetics [CR6f]
T1: Ch 4: Kulturelle Vielfalt
T1: Ch 6: Gesundheit
T1: Ch 5: Feste und Traditionen
T2: Ch 5: Musik
T2: Ch 7: Multikulturelle Gesellschaft
T2: Ch 8: Jung und Alt
WB1: Ch 6: Modernes Essen
WB3: Ch 14: Comparative of adj and adv
WB3: Ch 15: Superlative of adj and adv
WB3: Ch 16: Verbs w/ mixed conjugations
WB3: Ch 18: relative pronouns
Selected poems: Friedrich Nietzsche
Mini project: Famous GM classical musicians.
Mini project: GM castles and forts.
Mini project: Top 25 GM attractions (group project)
Unit 6 (8 weeks) (2nd grading period)
Science and Technology [CR6b] [CR8]
T1: Ch 8: Wissenschaft und Technik
T2: Ch 10: Umwelt
WB3: Ch 19: Passive voice
WB3: Ch 20: Infinitive clauses
WB3: Ch 21: Subjunctive mood
Selected poems from Rainer Maria Rilke
Mini project: Famous GM classical musicians.
Mini project: GM castles and forts.
Mini project: Top 25 GM attractions (group project)
Unit 2 (11 weeks) (3rd grading period)
Global Challenges [CR6a] [CR8]
T1: Ch 2: Globale Fragen
WB1: Ch 1: Obdachlose
WB1: Ch 4: Alkoholismus
WB1: Ch 6: Drogen und Kriminalität
WB2: Ch 5: Analfabeten
WB3: Ch 5: Genitive case
WB3: Ch 4: Irreg present tense
WB3: Ch 6: Dat-Akk prepositions
Selected poems from Friedrich von Schiller
Selected poems from Wilhelm Busch
Mini project: Famous Austrian classical musicians.
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Mini project: Famous GM Nobel prize winners.
Mini proj: Top 25 GM attractions (grp proj)
Unit 4 (3rd grading period cont’d)
Contemporary Life [CR6c] [CR8]
T2: Ch 3: Das vereinigte Deutschland
WB 1: Ch 3: Flüchtlingskinder
WB2: Ch 1: Schüler und Schulen
WB2: Ch 6: Einstieg in die Arbeitswelt
WB3: Ch 12: Negation and imperatives
WB3: Ch 17: Numbers and numerals
Selected poems from Heinrich Heine
Mini project: GM castles and forts.
T2: Ch 6: Die Welt der Arbeit
WB1: Ch 8: Bildungswesen
WB2: Ch 4: Die Welt der Arbeit
WB2: Ch 8 Deutsche oder Ausländer
WB3: Ch 13: Word order + future tense
WB3: Ch 22: Sentence writing
Mini project: Famous German classical musicians.
Mini project: Top 25 GM attractions (group project)
Unit 1 (10 weeks) (4th grading period)
Personal and Public Identity [CR6d]
Materials:
T1: Ch 1: Kommunikation und Medien
T2: Ch 2: Kommunikation
T1: Ch 7: Freizeit
T2: Ch 1: Freizeit
WB2: Ch 7:Werbung auf der Straβe
WB2: Freizeit und Urlaub
WB3: Ch 1: Nom + Akk
WB3: Ch 2: der-words/ein-words/adj
WB3: Ch 3: Dative case
Selected poems from Geothe
Mini project: Famous Austrian classical musicians.
Mini project: Famous German Nobel prize winners.
Mini project: Top 25 German attractions (group project)
Unit 3 (4th grading period cont’d)
Families and Communities [CR6e] [CR8]
T1: Ch 3: Soziale Beziehungen
T2: Ch 4: Familie
T2: ch 9: Verkehr
WB1: Ch 5: Verkehrssicherheit
WB 1: Ch 2: Famile und Beruf
WB2: Ch 2: Familienleben
WB3: Ch 7: Reflexive pronouns and plurals
WB3: Ch 8: Prefixes
WB3: Ch 9: Irregular past tense conjugations
WB3: Ch 10: The perfect tenses
WB3: Ch 11: Modals and double infinitives
Selected poems: Joseph von Eichendorff
Selected poems: Eduard Mörike
Mini project: Famous Austrian classical musicians.
Mini project: Famous GM Nobel prize winners. + Mini project: Top 25 GM attractions (grp proj)
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