German Topics & Requirements
Food – desserts (Kaffee & Kuchen)
Celebrations – Gifts & flowers (reading)
Vocabulary – matching vocabulary pictures to words
Assessment – vocabulary quiz + content info
Student Targets:
o Students will be able to learn about German celebrations, specifically Fasching.
o Students will be able to compare and contrast Fasching to Halloween.
o Students will be able to create an authentic looking Fasching mask.
o Students will be able to learn about the various desserts in Germany.
Day 1: Common German Celebrations & Daily Life
 Introduce vocabulary
 Read about different desserts in Germany
 Read about different celebrations & traditions
Day 2: Fasching
 Review Vocabulary
 Read & discuss the information about Fasching.
o Can read aloud as a class;
o Can split the article into sections & jigsaw; or
o Can have the students independently read the article
 Have students complete a Venn Diagram – comparing Fasching/Karneval to Halloween
o Once students have completed their own, complete a Venn Diagram on the board as
a review/discussion – students give the teacher their information.
 Show pictures of Fasching masks to the students
o Pictures of Fasching Masks
o http://travel.webshots.com/album/12022245lJLTWIVcwq - Click on the individual
pictures and it will increase the size of the photo. Hopefully, teachers will be able to
use their computers and overhead projectors to show the pictures to the students –
otherwise, print the pictures and pass them around the room.
http://open.salon.com/blog/stellaa/2009/02/23/karneval_carneval_fasching_and_jelly
_donuts_berliners - Good pictures of parades
Day 3: Fasching
 Review Vocabulary
 Review important facts about Fasching & Daily life
 Create a Fasching Mask
Day 4: Fasching
 Review Vocabulary
 Finish Fasching Mask
 Vocabulary review game
Day 5: Review & Assessment
Name: ______________________
Period: ________
6th Grade World Cultures German Vocabulary
English
Deutsch
celebration/festival
Fest
Pronunciation
fest
northern Germany
Mardi Gras
Karneval
car knee val
southern Germany
Mardi Gras
Fasching
Fah shing
masks
Masken
mahsk en
foolish or a jester
närrisch
nair ish
Picture
coffee
Kaffee
kah fay
cake
Kuchen
coo hen
presents
Geschenke
ge shenk ah
Everyday German traditions and customs
Kaffee und Kuchen
Just like the British have their afternoon tea, the Germans have coffee and cakes (Kaffee
und Kuchen) in the afternoon. The coffee and cake time may vary by region or family. The
most common time is between 2 and 4 in the afternoon (between lunch and dinner). They
enjoy spending time with their families, friends, or colleagues over a nice cup of coffee or
tea and cakes or baked goods from a local bakery. If they are at work in the afternoon, coworkers may walk to a local café to have their Kaffee und Kuchen together. On the weekends,
they may meet friends at a café or entertain family or friends at their home.
Throughout Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, different regions have some specialty cakes or
bakery items. If you were in south western Germany, you might have Black Forest Cherry
Cake (Schwarzwälderkirschtorte). This is a layered chocolate cake with cherries baked into
the cake and topped with a whipped cream frosting and a cherry. In Bavaria and parts of
Austria, you might have apple struedel (Apfelstruedel), which is a very thin layer of pastry
crust that is rolled out and filled with apple slices & cinnamon. In western Germany, you might
have Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen). Apple cake is a combination of spiced apple cake you might
have in America and an apple pie. If you were in Vienna, Austria, you may have a dense
chocolate cake with a secret frosting called Sachertorte. This cake is named after the hotel
restaurant that created the cake.
Reference: http://www.german-info.com/press_shownews.php?pid=2437
Bringing gifts when you are a guest
As adults, if you are invited to a friend’s home in Germany for dinner or other social
gathering (holiday or neighborhood celebration), it is customary to bring a small gift with you.
You should not feel that you have to bring something very expensive. Something such as
flowers or chocolates would be perfectly acceptable. You might also bring a gift basket filled
with foods or many small gifts. You should have the gift wrapped for the host. If you choose
to bring wine as a gift, it should be intended for the man of the house. Also, bring Italian or
French wine as a gift rather than German wines.
When bringing flowers you should not bring red roses. Red roses are for people who are in
love. You should also not bring lilies, because lilies are used in many funerals. In the United
States, we often give an even number of flowers. In Germany, it is bad luck to give an even
number of flowers and should instead give an odd number.
References: http://www.1worldglobalgifts.com/germanygiftgivingetiquette.htm
http://www.giftbasketsoverseas.com/Holidays-in-Germany.htm
http://www.giftypedia.com/Germany_Gift_Giving_Customs
Oktoberfest
The local people call it the "Wies'n" (fairground or field). Oktoberfest is the largest
public festival in the world. It commences every year on the second to last Saturday of
September with the parade of the landlords of the beer tents and the breweries from the
center of town to the Theresienwiese (festival grounds). Here, at the foot of the Bavaria,
you will find an amusement paradise comprising enormous beer tents, booths and stalls,
shooting stands, huge roundabouts, swings, spooky ghost trains and daring big dippers as well
as a very impressive big wheel. It is the meeting place for people from all over the world, for
locals, youngsters and children.
At night the visitors are overwhelmed by an incredible display of lights, there is a
hustling and bustling and babbling of the crowds mixed in with the blasting music of the
brass bands, rhythmic disco hits and the crying out of the showmen from booths and stands.
There is a fantastic smell of good food, including of course the best Bavarian
specialties (pork sausages, chicken, fish grilled on sticks and lots of good sweet things). 4
million liters of beer are consumed, the number of visitors is over 7 million. Not many of them
will know the history of the festivities. It was the wedding of the Crown Prince who later
became King Ludwig I with Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen in October 1810.The
celebrations before the gates of Munich were accompanied by horse racing and were much
applauded. It was such a successful day that the event was celebrated again year after year.
Slowly, lots of different events came together, e.g. livestock shows, roundabouts, show
booths, artist groups and lots more! The best thing is to climb up the Bavaria tower and take
a look over the festive grounds, or, if you want to take the easy way, take a seat in a cabin of
the Ferris wheel.
Sankt Nikolaustag
Across the German-speaking region of Europe there are many kinds of Santa Clauses
with many different names. Despite their many names, they are all basically the same mythic
character. But few of them have anything to do with the real Saint Nicholas (Sankt Nikolaus
or der heilige Nikolaus), who was probably born around A.D. 245 in the port city of Patara in
what we now call Turkey. Very little solid historical evidence exists for the man who later
became the Bishop of Myra and the patron saint of children, sailors, students, teachers, and
merchants. He is credited with several miracles and his feast day is Dec. 6, which is the main
reason he is connected with Christmas.
In Austria, parts of Germany, and Switzerland, der heilige Nikolaus (or Pelznickel)
brings his gifts for children on Nikolaustag, Dec. 6, not Dec. 25. Nowadays, St. Nicholas Day
(der Nikolaustag) on Dec. 6 is a preliminary round for Christmas.
Although Austria is mostly Catholic, Germany is almost evenly divided between
Protestants and Catholics (along with some minority religions). So in Germany there are both
Catholic (katholisch) and Protestant (evangelisch) Christmas customs.
When Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer, came along, he wanted to get rid
of the Catholic elements of Christmas. To replace Sankt Nikolaus (Protestants don't have
saints), Luther introduced das Christkindl (an angel-like Christ Child) to bring Christmas
gifts and reduce the importance of Saint Nicholas. Later this Christkindl figure would evolve
into der Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas) in Protestant regions and even cross the
Atlantic to mutate into the English term “Kris Kringle.”
Amount of vacation time & travel
German’s get at least 5-7 weeks of paid vacation each year, while American’s only get 2-3
weeks of paid vacation each year. Some of the German vacation days are paid holidays (such
as Christmas or German Unity Day) and the rest of them are vacation days that the workers
could use at various times during the year. Even though German’s have more vacation time
that does not mean that they are an unproductive country. Germany is one of the most
productive countries in Europe.
How do Germans spend their 5-7 weeks of paid vacation? They use this time to relax and
rejuvenate themselves for their careers and maintain good health. Some doctors will require
their patients to go to a spa to promote mental and physical health. Germans will also spend a
considerable part of their vacations traveling around Germany or around the world. In fact,
Germans spend the most to travel abroad and while traveling abroad – taking in sights and
experiencing the culture.
References: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922052.html
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/german-workers-more-efficient-than-americans-more-vacation-tim/19616583
http://german-way.com/blog/2010/08/02/vacation-versus-urlaub/
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/german-tourists-are-top-of-the-big-spenders1903601.html?action=Popup&ino=1
Sausage or Wurst
Germans love their sausages. Different regions throughout Germany will specialize in
different types of sausages.
Bratwurst is the most commonly known of the German sausages. Bratwurst is commonly
either fried in a pan, not grilled like in the United States. Another difference between
Germany and the United States, is that Germans use the bun or roll purely to hold on to the
sausage. Germans may not necessarily eat the bun or roll.
Currywurst is a sausage that is flavored with curry. You will most commonly find it in Berlin,
the capital of Germany.
Weisswurst is a white sausage that is boiled and served with a large, soft pretzel.
Weisswurst is usually only found in and around Munich (southern Germany).
Nurnbergwürstchen is a small sausage similar to the American polish sausage. This sausage is
generally found in the black forest region of Germany (southwest Germany).
Bockwurst is a sausage that is made of ground beef and pork.
Frankfurters are a sausage that is long and skinny. Often they are in the shape of a smile.
You would use a small roll to hold onto the sausage and eat the sausage, not the roll.
Frankfurters are most commonly found near Frankfurt, in western Germany.
Leberwurst is type of sausage made of ground live. You would most likely purchase it at a
grocery store and then spread it on to bread to make a sandwich.
Reference & pictures: http://www.germanfoods.org/consumer/facts/guidetosausages.cfm
Name:______________________________
Period:______
Answer the following questions about the Everyday German culture & traditions readings.
1. If you sat down at a café in a German speaking country, which dessert would you
choose to have?
2. Would you enjoy having Kaffee und Kuchen time each day?
3. What do American’s most like to bring as gifts for a host?
4. What should you not bring to a German’s house as a gift?
5. What do the local people of Bavaria call Oktoberfest?
6. Oktoberfest is similar to which worldwide festivals?
7. Oktoberfest is in celebration of whose wedding?
8. Why did Martin Luther replace Sankt Nikolaus with das Christkindl?
9. Which other countries celebrate Sankt Nikolaustag?
10. Do you celebrate Sankt Nikolaustag? If not, do you have a similar holiday in your
culture?
11. If you had Germany’s 5-7 weeks of vacation, how would you most like to spend that
time?
12. Based on the descriptions above, which sausage would you most like to try?
13. Which sausage is the most interesting or different from what you are used to?
Fasching – A German Celebration
Germans call the pre-Lenten Carnival season die närrische Saison1 ("the foolish season").
Except for Munich's Oktoberfest, it is the one time of year when many normally serious
Germans (and Austrians and Swiss) loosen up and go a little crazy. Fastnacht or Karneval2 is a
"movable feast", meaning that the date of the celebration depends on the date of Easter
(Ostern3). In 2011, Fastnacht falls on Tuesday, March 8. The official start of the Fasching4
season is either January 7 (the day after Ephiphany) or the 11th day of the 11th month (Nov.
11), depending on the region. That gives the Carnival associations three to four months to
organize each year's events (Carnival balls, parades, royalty, etc.) leading up to the big bash
in the week before Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch5), when the Lenten season begins.
Carnival in Rio (Brazil) is probably the world's most famous. In the U.S., New Orleans is well
known for Mardi Gras. While that former French possession is one of the few cities in the
United States with a major Carnival celebration, almost all of the Catholic regions and cities
across the German-speaking world (and the rest of Europe) celebrate Mardi Gras in a big
way. Only a few Protestant areas in northern and eastern Germany also observe Karneval.
Some of Germany's best known celebrations are held in Cologne, Mainz, Munich, and Rottweil.
Southern Germany (typically Catholic) calls this celebration
Fasching, while northern Germany (typically Protestant/Lutheran) calls the celebration
Karneval. But Cologne's Karneval is not really the same as Munich's Fasching. Germanic
Carnival celebrations vary from region to region, sometimes even taking place at different
times! (The Fasnacht event in Basel, Switzerland happens a week after most other Carnivals.)
The main event of Karneval in Cologne is the parade on Rosenmontag6 (Rose Monday).
Further south in Bavaria (southern German state) and Austria, the culmination of Fasching
takes place on Shrove Tuesday, like Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
These and other differences reflect the long history and local traditions of the celebration,
and they are also seen in the language. Fastnacht is related to the Germanic word “fasten”
1
dee nar-ish-a say-son
fahst-na-cht or carn-ee-val
3
Ost-ern
4
fah-shing
5
ash-er-mit-wOch
6
rose-en moan-tak
2
(to fast or abstain from eating). Karneval is related to the Latin “carnem levare” (to remove
meat). Carnival or Mardi Gras goes by many names in German, depending on the region and
dialect: Karneval (Rhineland, former Roman settlements), Fasching (Austria, Bavaria, Berlin),
Fastnacht (Baden, Switzerland), Fosnat (Franconia) or Fasnet (Swabia).
Whether it's Fasching or Karneval, it is a time to let off steam and live it up before the
Lenten period that once called for fasting (die Fastenzeit7). It is this fasting tradition that
gave the celebration its Fastnacht name ("night before fasting"). In the 15th and 16th
centuries, amusing plays known as Fastnachtspiele8 were performed during the pre-Lenten
season. Today there are elaborate parades in all the large and small communities where
Fasching is celebrated. Floats and marchers displaying large caricature heads often make fun
of regional and national politicians. Another part of the celebration involves Carnival royalty
(princes, princesses) and a sort of "counter-government" during the season. The Rhineland
Rosenmontagumzug9 is an event broadcast each year on German television, similar to the
Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York. It features colorful floats with caricatured figures
mocking local and national politicians and other personalities or events.
Like many holidays, Fasching began as a blend of pagan traditions with new Christian customs.
Dressing-up as fools and clowns is a common characteristic that stretches across cultural and
political borders. Long ago, the lower classes used Fasching festivities to wear masks and
costumes that mocked the clergy and aristocracy, using the celebrations to avoid punishment.
Today, the costumes range from the traditional masks and fools, to contemporary pop culture
references. If you walked into most shops during January and February, you might think that
Germany celebrates Halloween eight months early. The costumes range from the smallest
infant size, to adults, with all of the accessories, make-up, and wigs to match. A particular
favorite for young girls is Pippi Longstocking, or as she's known in Germany, Pippi
Langstrumpf10.
Masken sind beim Karneval sehr wichtig11. Masks are very
important to Carnival.
References: http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa020501a.htm
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/bavaria_southern_germany/106909
7
fast-en-ts-i-t
fahst-nahcht-shpee-la
9
Rose-en moan-tak oom-tsook
10
Pippi lang-strumpf
11
mask-en zint bym carn-ee-val zer vik-tik
8
Name: _______________________________
Make Fasching Masks!
You will need:
o Paper plates or poster paper
o Scissors
o Tape Construction paper in an
assortment of colors
o Craft/popsicle sticks
Period: ______
o
o
o
Markers or crayons
Glue sticks
Other craft supplies for
decoration (eg. Stickers, glitter,
sequins, pom-poms, yarn, etc.)
1. Cut eye holes in each paper plate.
2. Allow children to decorate their plates as they wish. (You can precut hats, ears, crowns
and other shapes from construction paper for them to use as well.)
3. Tape or glue craft stick onto the back of the completed mask to use as a handle.
Rubric for Fasching Mask
CATEGORY
5
3
1
0
Use of Class
Time
Used time well
during the class
period. Focused on
getting the mask
done. Never
distracted others.
Used time well
during the class
period. Usually
focused on getting
the mask done and
never distracted
others.
Used some of the
time well during the
class period. There
was some focus on
getting the mask
done but
occasionally
distracted others.
Did not use class
time to focus on
the mask OR often
distracted others.
Attractiveness
The mask is
exceptionally
attractive in terms
of design, layout,
and neatness.
The mask is
attractive in terms
of design, layout
and neatness.
The mask is
acceptably
attractive though it
may be a bit messy.
The mask is
distractingly messy
or very poorly
designed. It is not
attractive.
Mask
Authenticity
The mask is very
similar to pictures
that we looked at in
class.
The mask is similar
to the pictures we
looked at during
class.
The mask has some
similarities to
those we saw during
class.
The mask is not at
all similar to the
pictures we looked
at during class.
The mask is very
Mask Originality The mask is very
original and creative original and
& Completeness
The mask is original
in its design. The
in its design. The
creative in its
student put some
student went above design. The student thought into their
and beyond to
put a lot thought
design.
create a unique
into their design.
design.
Your score out of 20 points: ________
The mask is not
very original in its
design. It appears
that the student
rushed to complete
the mask.
Name: __________________________
Period: ______
German World Cultures – Crossword Puzzle
Directions: Fill in the crossword puzzle with the German words.
Across
2. southern Germany Mardi
Gras
4. cake
5. northern Germany Mardi
Gras
7. coffee
8. celebration or
festival
Down
1. foolish or jester
3. presents
6. masks
Name: ________________________
Period: ______
German Word Cultures Word Find
Directions: Next to the English words below, write the German words. Then find
the German words in the puzzle.
Coffee
Mardi Gras in N. Germany
Cake
Mardi Gras in S. Germany
Presents
Festival or celebration
Fool or jester
Masks
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