Professor Tobias Boes
Office Phone: 631-7188
Cell Phone: (203) 809-7553
tboes@nd.edu
Office hours:
M 12:00-1:30
T 1:00-2:00
302 Decio Hall
GE 10101-02 – Beginning German I
MWF, 2:00-2:50, O’Shaughnessy 345
T 2:00-2:50, O’Shaughnessy 338
Required Materials:
Recommended:
Deutsch: Na klar! (6th edition) by Di Donato, Clyde and Van Sant
Online access to the DnK Workbook and Lab Book
A notebook for journal entries
A bilingual dictionary. Collins and Langenscheidt are especially good.
Zorach, Cecile. English Grammar for Students of German
Course Description:
Welcome to the first semester of Beginning German! This class serves as an introduction
to the exciting world of German language and culture, and is intended for students who
do not possess any prior knowledge of grammar or vocabulary. Over the course of the
semester, you will develop the ability to communicate in German about different aspects
of everyday life, such as: who you are and where you live, your family and friends, sports
and hobbies, and your everyday routines. As you explore these topics, you will develop
the basic skills required for written and spoken expression, including understanding
authentic German texts and conversations, building up a general vocabulary base, and
learning to use basic grammar constructions.
Course Goals:
Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
• be familiar with the basic aspects of everyday life in Germany
• be able to read, listen to and understand simple German texts
• be able to write basic German sentences in the present and present perfect tenses
• be able to describe yourself and your environment in German
• be able to carry on basic conversations about yourself, your family, and the world
around you in German
But your most important goal, in this and in any other language class, is to enjoy yourself and to learn
something new about a language and culture that isn’t your own!
Grading and Academic Honesty:
Your grade will be determined by factoring the following components:
• Attendance and participation
• Oral performance (mid-term exam and dialogues)
• Written work
• Chapter exams
• Final exam
10%
10%
20%
40%
20%
The following percentages and grading system apply:
1
100-95
94-90
89-86
85-83
A
AB+
B
82-80
79-78
77-75
74-73
BC+
C
C-
72-70
69 and below
D
F
The Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures takes the University Academic Code
of Honor very seriously. It is expected that all of the written work that you submit, as well as the ideas
expressed therein, are your own. While it is sometimes permissible, even advisable, to collaborate on
ideas, you may not copy preexisting material or solicit others to complete your assignments. Whenever
you tackle group activities (such as our dialogue exercises), it is expected that all members of a group will
contribute roughly equal amounts to the assignment. Simply adding your name to a project that others
have carried out for you is a form of plagiarism. Evidence of cheating or intentional plagiarism will result
in the appropriate punishment, up to and including course failure. Please also consult the University
Honor Code at: http://www.nd.edu/~hnrcode/.
You are discouraged from using online German dictionaries and encyclopedias. While online dictionaries
have come a long way over the course of the last ten years, they still lag behind reputable print sources
such as Collins or Langenscheidt. Most importantly, few online resources provide you with the
contextual clues that you will need to decide which translations are suitable for your intended purposes.
Think, for instance, of the many different uses of the English term base – in biology, chemistry,
mathematics, in baseball and in military jargon, as an adjective or as a verb. A computer will be unable to
tell which meaning you are interested in; print dictionaries, by contrast, have over the years developed
sophisticated tools to make such decisions easier for you. Buy a print dictionary and learn how to use it.
If you must use online sources, you may only cite individual words or brief idiomatic phrases; you may
not copy longer passages.
Attendance and Participation:
This fast-paced class meets four times each week (please note that the Tuesday
meetings are in a different location). Your daily attendance and active participation in all
aspects of the course are essential not only to your own personal progress, but also to that
of the group as a whole. This means coming to class regularly, being prepared for that
day’s discussion, and actively participating in all class activities. The best way to learn
German is through continual practice; thus the best policy is to strive for perfect attendance whenever
possible. However, if you are forced to miss class due to illness or other emergency, please contact me as
soon as possible. Departmental policy allows four unexcused absences without penalty (be aware that a
slip from the health center by itself does not necessarily constitute an excuse). Tardiness in excess of 5
minutes will also count towards absences: 3 late arrivals = 1 absence. Your final grade for the course will
be lowered one grade level for every two absences beyond the fourth (i.e. 5-6 absences: A becomes an A-,
etc.).
Oral Performance:
Your oral performance grade will consist of two components: an oral mid-term exam and
a series of seven dialogues. The dialogues will take place during class time on days
indicated on the syllabus. Working with one or two partners, you will prepare and
perform short scenes that correspond to the units in the textbook. More information will
be distributed when the time draws closer.
During the last week of October, you will also meet with me individually for a brief (3-5 minute) oral
interview that will count as a mid-term exam. This interview will give you the opportunity to show what
you have learned during the semester. Sign-up sheets will be distributed at a later point in the semester.
2
Written Work:
You will note that our course schedule is divided into two columns. The right-hand
column shows what we will be covering in class on any given day, while the left-hand
column details the materials that you should have prepared for that day. Exercises to be
completed in your textbook are printed in regular type.
These usually include grammar previews of what we will cover in class and some corresponding drills. I
will only occasionally collect these exercises. However, please be aware that you are expected to have
studied these materials and to be able to apply them in class!
Workbook and lab book exercises are to be completed using the online keys that you have purchased
from the book store. Exercises for each chapter may be submitted up to a specific day indicated in bold
on the syllabus – i.e. the italics are only suggestions that will help you spread out the material.
Remember that this is an extremely fast-paced class. Saving all workbook and lab book exercises for the
last day before they are due is a sure way of failing this class. Most exercises will be graded right away
by the DnK online system, which will also return a score to you. If you are not happy with your
performance, you can redo the exercise. Your second submission is final.
Please note that the workbook also requires you to write short essays, which are usually due the day
before the rest of the materials. There will also be some supplementary homework assignments.
Exams:
Upon completion of each chapter (approximately every two weeks) you will take a
comprehensive exam that will cover your written, grammatical, and listening skills. At
the end of the semester, there will be a cumulative written final. To ensure fairness
to all students, no makeups will be given for chapter exams or finals. The only exception to this policy is
a documented excused absence that falls on the date of the test. University policy does not allow final
exams to be taken early, so please take the date into consideration when you make your travel plans.
Web Support:
Our coursebook comes with an accompanying web site that you can find at
http://books.quia.com/books/. This is where you will find the online workbook and lab
book. In order to access these features, you will first need to purchase a user key for
each. If you bought your materials from the Notre Dame bookstore, the keys should have
been part of the package. If you purchased your textbook somewhere else, you can buy the online user
keys directly via the Quia web site (click on “Book Store”). In either case, make sure you only purchase
materials for the sixth edition of Deutsch: Na Klar!
Final Remarks:
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your class work, please come see me as
early as possible. My office hours are there for you! I will also gladly schedule
individual appointments at other times if you find it difficult to meet with me at the set
times. Please also contact me if you have any questions or suggestions for improving the
class. Finally, if you have a documented disability, please let me know at the beginning
of the term so that reasonable accommodations can be made in a timely manner.
I am looking forward to meeting with each and every one of you this semester!
Viel Spaß und herzlich Willkommen in unserem Kurs!
3
Lehrplan
[Abbreviations: S. =Seite (page); A = Aufgabe (exercise); Ü = Übung (drill)
Datum
Vorbereitung
Dienstag
27. August
In der Stunde
Einführung in den Kurs
Mittwoch
28. August
Lesen: Hallo! Mach’s gut! S.6; Na,
wie geht’s? S. 8; Landeskunde S. 9
Schreiben: A 7 S. 7
A 3-6 S. 5
Hören: A 9 S. 8
Buchstabenhaus
Freitag
30. August
Lesen: So zählt man auf Deutsch S.
9; Analyse S. 10
Hören: A 11 S. 10
A 12-14 S. 11-12
A 6, S. 5
Montag
2. September
Schreiben: Landeskunde S. 11
Lesen: Sie können schon etwas
Deutsch! S. 13; Nützliche Ausdrücke
im Sprachkurs S. 16
Hören: A 15 S. 14
A 16 S. 14-15
Dienstag
3. September
Lesen: Landeskunde S. 15;
Videoclips S. 17
A 17 S. 16
Arbeitsbuch und Laborbuch
fällig
Mittwoch
4. September
Prüfung: Einführung
Freitag
6. September
Kapitel 1: Das bin ich
Lesen/Schreiben: Alles klar? A S.
21
Lesen: Sprach-Info S. 23;
Landeskunde S. 24
Montag
9. September
Lesen: Nouns… S. 32; Pers. Prns S.
34
Schreiben: Ü 2 & 3 S. 33; Ü4 S.
352q
Dienstag
10. September
Lesen: Sprach-Info S. 27
Lesen: The Verb S. 36; Analyse S.
37; The Verb Sein S. 39
Schreiben: Ü 7 & 9 S. 38-39; Ü 10 S.
40
Hören: Alles klar? B S. 21
Thema 1: Persönliche Angaben S. 2223
Hören: A 1 S. 23
`
Thema 2 S. 25-26
A 5 & A 6 S. 27
Hören: A 8 & A 9 S. 28
A 10 S. 29
Analyse S. 37; Ü 8 S. 38
4
Datum
Vorbereitung
In der Stunde
Mittwoch
11. September
Lesen: Thema 3 S. 30; Sprach-Info
S. 31; Word Order, S. 40; Asking
Questions S. 41
Schreiben: A 11 & A 12 S. 31; Ü 12
& 13 S. 41
Ü 14-Ü 17 S. 42-43
Freitag
13. September
Arbeitsbuch Journal fällig
Montag
16. September
Arbeitsbuch fällig
Ü18 & 19 S. 43
Hören: Ü 20 S. 44
Dialog: Wer bist du?
Dienstag
17. September
Laborbuch fällig
Sprache im Kontext S. 45
Mittwoch
18. September
Prüfung: Kapitel 1
Freitag
20. September
Kapitel 2: Wie ich wohne
Schreiben: Alles klar? A S. 51
Lesen: Landeskunde S. 52; SprachInfo S. 53; haben S. 62
Hören: Alles klar? B S. 51
Thema 1 S. 52-53
A 1 S. 53
Ü1 S. 62
Montag
23. September
Lesen: Landeskunde S. 54;
Nom./Acc. Cases S. 63-67
Schreiben: Ü 4 Schritt 1 S. 65; Ü 5
S. 66 Ü 7 & 98 S. 68
A 2 & 3 S. 54-55
Thema 2 S. 56-57
Hören: A 5
Ü 6 S. 67
Dienstag
24. September
Lesen: Negation S. 69; Stem-vowel
changing verbs S. 71; Plurals S. 72
Schreiben: Ü 10 S. 71; Ü 13 & 14 S.
72; Ü 16 S. 74 (Zimmer im
Studentenheim)
Hören: Ü 9, S. 69
Ü 11, Ü 12, Ü 15
Mittwoch
25. September
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 3. S. 58-59
Schreiben: A 8 S. 60
A 10 & 11 S. 61
Dialog: Mieter und Vermieter
Arbeitsbuch und Journal fällig
Freitag
27. September
Lesen: So wohne ich S. 77
Schreiben: Zum Text A S. 76
Sprache im Kontext S. 75
So wohne ich S. 76-77
Laborbuch fällig
5
Datum
Vorbereitung
In der Stunde
Montag
30. September
Prüfung: Kapitel 2
Dienstag
1. Oktober
Kapitel 3: Familie und Freunde
Lesen: Alles klar? A S. 83; SprachInfo S. 85; Possessive Adj. S. 93-94
Schreiben: Thema 1 S. 84-85; Ü 2, 3,
5 S. 95-96
Mittwoch
2. Oktober
Lesen: Thema 2 & Sprach-Info S. 88 Thema 2 S. 88; A 6 S. 88
Schreiben: A 3 & 4 S. 87-88
A 5 S. 88
Hören: A 6 S. 88
A 7 S. 89
Freitag
4. Oktober
Lesen: Personal Pronouns: Acc. S.
97; Prep. w/ acc. S. 100-101
Schreiben: Ü 6 & 8 S. 98-99; Ü 10
S. 101
Analyse S. 97
Ü 11 S. 102
Montag
7. Oktober
Lesen: Sprach-Info & Landeskunde
S. 91; werden und wissen S. 102;
Sprach-Info S. 103
Schreiben: A 9 S. 92; Ü 12 S. 102; Ü
15 S. 103
Thema 3 S. 89
Analyse S. 90
Feiertage S.90
Ü 9 S. 99
Hören: Ü 14 S. 103
Partnerarbeit: Ü 16 S. 104
Dienstag
8. Oktober
Arbeitsbuch und Journal fällig
Dialog: Stellen Sie Ihre Familie
vor! (Bringen Sie ein Familienphoto
mit!)
Mittwoch
9. Oktober
Laborbuch fällig
Sprache im Kontext S. 104
Freitag
11. Oktober
Prüfung: Kapitel 3
Montag
14. Oktober
Kapitel 4: Mein Tag
Lesen: Alles klar? A S. 113; Thema
1 S. 114; Sprach-Info S. 113;
Sprach-Info S. 114
Schreiben: A 2 S. 115
Hören: Alles klar? B S. 84
A 2, S. 86; Analyse S. 95
Hören: Ü 1 S. 94
Ü 4 96
Hören: Alles klar? B & C S. 113
Thema 1 S. 114
Analyse S. 115
Hören: A 1 S. 115
A 3-4 S. 116-117
6
Datum
Vorbereitung
In der Stunde
Dienstag
15. Oktober
Lesen: Thema 2 S. 118; Sprach-Info
S. 119; Separable Prefix Verbs S.
124-125
Schreiben: Thema 2 A S. 119; Ü 3 &
4 S. 126-127
A 5 & 7 S. 120-121
Hören: Ü 1 S. 126
Ü5 S. 127
Mittwoch
16. Oktober
Lesen: Modal Verbs S. 128-129
Schreiben: Ü 6 & 7 S. 131; Ü 11 S.
132
Analyse S. 130
Hören: Ü 9 S. 132
Ü 10 & 13 S. 131-132
Freitag
18. Oktober
Lesen: Thema 3 & Sprach-Info S.
121; Landeskunde S. 122;
Imperatives S. 133-35
Schreiben: Ü 16, 17, 19 S. 135-136
Thema 3 S. 121
Hören: A 8 S. 122
Partnerarbeit: A 10 S. 123
Ü 14 S. 133
19. Oktober–
27. Oktober
Herbstferien
Montag
28. Oktober
Arbeitsbuch und Journal fällig
Sprache im Kontext S. 137
Dienstag
29. Oktober
Laborbuch fällig
Dialog: Eine Verabredung
Mittwoch
30. Oktober
Prüfung: Kapitel 4
Freitag
1. November
Kapitel 5: Einkaufen
Lesen/Schreiben: Alles klar? A S.
145
Lesen: Thema 1 A, B & C S. 146;
Sprach-Info S. 148
Schreiben: A2 S. 147
Hören: Alles klar? B S. 145; A 1 S.
147
A 3 S. 148
Montag
4. November
Lesen: Dative Case + Personal Pron.
S.157-160
Schreiben: Ü 1 & Ü 3 S. 159
Analyse S. 158
Dative articles S. 159
Hören: Ü 4-5 S. 160-161
Dienstag
5. November
Lesen: Landeskunde S 150; SprachInfo, S. 151
Schreiben: Ü 6 S. 162
Lesen: Verbs with Dative Object S.
162
Schreiben: Ü 7 Schritt 1 S. 162
Thema 2 S. 149
A 5 S. 150
Hören: A 6 S. 150
Ü 8 S. 164
7
Datum
Vorbereitung
In der Stunde
Mittwoch
6. November
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 3 A & B S.
152-53
Schreiben: A 10 S. 153
Lesen: Dative Prep. S. 164-65
Schreiben: Ü 10 & 11 S. 165-66
Hören: A 11 S. 154
A 12 S. 154
Hören: Ü 9 S. 165
Ü 12 S. 166
Freitag
8. November
Lesen: Interrogative Pronouns S.
166
Schreiben: Ü 13 S. 166
Dialog: Im Kaufhaus
Montag
11. November
Arbeitsbuch und Journal fällig
Sprache im Kontext S 167-68
Dienstag
12 November
Laborbuch fällig
Die Obstverkäuferin, S. 168
Mittwoch
13. November
Prüfung: Kapitel 5
Freitag
15. November
Kapitel 6: Wir gehen aus
Lesen/Schreiben: Alles klar A S.
175; Landeskunde S. 177
Lesen: 2-way Prepositions S. 186
Schreiben: Ü 1, 2, 3 S. 187-188
Hören: Alles klar B S. 175
Thema 1 S. 176
Analyse S. 177
A 2 S. 178
Montag
18. November
Lesen: Landeskunde S. 182 & 183
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 2 A & B S.
180-181
Analyse S. 181
A 4-6 S. 181-183
Dienstag
19. November
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 3 S. 184
Lesen: Describing location S. 190;
Landeskunde S. 185
Schreiben: Ü 5 & 6 S. 190
Hören: A 8; S. 184
Ü 4 S. 189
Ü 9 S. 193
Mittwoch
20. November
Lesen: Describing placement S. 191;
Time prep. S. 193-194
Schreiben: Ü 7 & 8 S. 192
A 10, S. 185
Ü 10 S. 194
Dialog: Im Café
Freitag
22. November
Lesen: Simple Past: sein, haben &
modals S. 194-196
Schreiben: Ü 11, 13, 14 S. 195-97
Arbeitsbuch Journal fällig
Ü 12 S. 195
Ü 15 & 16 S. 197
Montag
25. November
Arbeitsbuch und Laborbuch fällig
Sprache im Kontext S. 198-99
8
Datum
Vorbereitung
In der Stunde
Dienstag
26. November
Prüfung: Kapitel 6
27. November1. Dezember
Erntedankfest
Montag
2. Dezember
Kapitel 7: Freizeit und Sport
Lesen/Schreiben: Alles klar? A S.
207; Sprach-Info S. 210;
Coordinating conj. S. 216
Schreiben: Ü 1 & 2 S. 217
Hören: Alles klar? B S. 207
Thema 1 S. 208-209
A 1 & 2 S. 209-210
Dienstag
3. Dezember
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 2 Schritt 1
S. 210
Hören: A 3 S. 211
A 5 & 6 S. 211
Mittwoch
4. Dezember
Lesen/Schreiben: Thema 3 A & B S.
212-213
Lesen: Pres. Perf. Tense weak &
strong verbs S. 217-220
Schreiben: Ü 5, 6 & 7 S. 219-221
Thema 3 S. 212-213
Analyse S. 218
Hören: Ü 3 S. 219
Ü 4 S. 219
Freitag
6. Dezember
Lesen: Auxiliary haben/sein; mixed
verbs S. 221-224
Schreiben: Ü 8, 10, 11 S. 222-225
Dialog: Sportarten und Freizeit
Ü 9 & 12 S. 222; S. 225
Arbeitsbuch Journal fällig
Montag
9. Dezember
Lesen: The Comparative S. 226
Schreiben Ü 13 & 15 S. 227; 228
Lesen: Expressing Equality S. 228
Sprache im Kontext S. 229
Dienstag
10. Dezember
Arbeitsbuch und Laborbuch fällig
A 7 S. 214
Hören: A 8 S. 215
Ü 15, 16 S. 228
Mittwoch
11. Dezember
Prüfung: Kapitel 7
TBA
Semesterklausur
9