German IV Honors
State Standards
New Jersey State Standard 7.1.AL.A - Interpretive
The mode of communication in which students demonstrate understanding of spoken and written
communication within the appropriate cultural context. Examples of one-way reading or
listening include cultural interpretations of print, video, and online texts, movies, radio and
television broadcasts, and speeches. Interpretation beyond the Novice level differs from
comprehension because it implies the ability to read or listen( between the lines And beyond the
lines. )
New Jersey State Standard 7.1.AL.B – Interpersonal
The mode of communication in which students engage in direct oral and/or written
communication with others (e.g., conversing face-to-face, participating in online discussions or
videoconferences, instant messaging and text messaging, exchanging personal letters or e-mail
messages).
New Jersey State Standard 7.1.AL.C – Presentational
The mode of communication in which students present, through oral and/or written
communications, information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers with
whom there is no immediate interaction. Examples of this one-to-many mode of communication
are making a presentation to a group, posting an online video or webpage, creating and posting a
podcast or videocast, and writing an article for a newspaper.
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Extr@ German video series - Episodes 1-4
Essential Questions:
What is everyday life like for young people in an apartment in Berlin?
What difficulties might an American with limited knowledge of German encounter on a first trip
to Germany?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 improve vocabulary and listening skills while viewing episodes 1-4 of Extr@ German
 describe characters and events
 compare themselves and their experiences to those in the episodes
NJ State Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. pre-viewing practice of new vocabulary
oral questions with vocabulary in context
B. view episode with German subtitles
C. complete activities that accompany episodes
answer content questions
multiple choice, true false, put items in sequence
grammar activities taken from script (modal verbs, possessive pronouns, conditional, etc.)
describe characters
write journal entries for characters
make predictions – what will happen next
D. written test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Word Order
Essential Questions:
How can word order affect meaning and communication?
What factors affect word order in German?
What similarities/differences are there between English and German word order?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 correctly use normal word order when speaking, writing
 increasingly use correct inverted and dependent word order in speaking and writing
 identify what factors affect word order
 identify subordinating and coordinating conjuctions and their effect on word order
NJ State Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Review of normal, inverted and dependent word order. Students read examples and discover
rules.
B. Practice with inverted word order:
oral/pair question/answer practice
open-ended written assignement (my daily routine)
writing direct and indirect questions
C. Practice with dependent word order:
identify subordinating conjunctions
written practice with coordinating/subordinating conjunctions, normal vs. dependent
word order
written and oral practice with simple and compound tenses, separable and modal verbs.
D. Written and speaking Quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Diskussion Noten (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
Are grades important? Would I study if I did not receive grades?
How are grading policies different in German speaking countries from the U.S?
How are secondary school programs in German speaking countries different than U.S. high
schools?
Objectives: SWBAT:
 identify differences in secondary school programs and grading in German speaking
countries compared to U.S. schools and discuss these differences in German
 read, speak and write in German about the importance of grades, and what school would
 be like without grades
NJ Core Content Standards:; 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Pre-reading discussion, journal entry: Are grades important?
B. Read Diskussion Noten, exercises:
answer content questions
vocabulary practice
class discussion
answer personalized questions about teachers and grades (oral and written responses).
C. Prepared class debate about pros and cons of the importance of grades in school.
D. Written and oral Test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Review of irregular and stem-changing verbs in the present tense
Essential Questions:
What patterns can I identify to help remember forms of irregular verb?s
What forms are important for clear communication?
Objectives- SWBAT:
 Correctly use irregular and stem-changing verbs in the present tense in speaking and
writing
 Produce 100% accurate use of the verbs haben, sein and werden!
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments:
Textbook and teacher designed practice and activities:
A. practice of singular/plural present tense forms:
du/ich question/answer – oral and written
re-narrate in third person to emphasize stem-changes,
Oral and written practice
B. Written and oral Quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Familienleben (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
What issues typically lead to arguments between parents and teenagers?
What vocabulary and expressions do I need to talk about getting along, solving problems and
offering advice?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 Discuss and write in German about issues that lead to arguments between parents and
teenagers
 Talk and write about ways to solve problems and offer advice to others
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Pre-reading discussion and journal entry: Hast du manchmal Krach mit deinen Eltern?
B. Read Familienleben
answer content questions
personalized questions
interview partner
C. classroom discussion about causes for arguments between parents and children and how they
are resolved.
D. Students work in pairs to write and present dialogues about giving advice to a friend with
problems at home.
E. Written and oral Test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Command forms
Essential Questions:
What signals the difference between making a statement and a command?
When do I need to use command forms?
What command forms are there in German?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 Identify when command forms are needed
 Choose appropriate command forms depending on the person(s) being addressed
 Correctly use regular and irregular forms in speaking and writing
 Recognize forms when reading/listening
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Elicit need for and types of commands
B. Brief review of regular and irregular, informal and formal command forms.
C. Oral and written practice with new and irregular forms:
change statements to commands
open-ended activities: create commands different scenarios (teacher/student,
parent/children, babysitter)
TPR activity – students command each other, and me, to perform various tasks.
D. Written quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Suppen Kaspar (with reading selection from Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
Who is Struwwelpeter and why is this book so famous?
How have ideas about child rearing changed in the last hundred years?
Objectives- SWBAT:
 become familiar with the iconic figure Struwwelpeter and several episodes from this book
 talk about babysitting and taking care of children
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Pre-reading activities:
discuss and write about babysitting experiences.
Read introduction to Suppenkaspar (about babysitting).
Practice vocabulary, answer content questions.
B. Read Suppenkaspar silently and aloud.
View video of Suppenkaspar and other selections from Struwwelpeter.
Students re-narrate the story in standard German
Students write an original text to go with pictures.
C. Written vocabulary/content test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Modals
Essential Questions:
What are modal verbs?
What patterns can I identify in their forms?
How do modal verbs add or change meaning to communication?
Objectives- SWBAT:
 use correct present and past tense forms of all 6 modal verbs
 correctly use modal verbs for meaning, including idiomatic expressions
 use correct word order with modal verbs in various types of sentences
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Brief review of present tense forms and meanings of modal verbs
pre-test
oral practice
written sentence and open ended practice (what you can, must, should, etc.)
B. Practice idiomatic expressions with modal verbs
written sentence and open ended practice (what Mom says, what teacher says)
C. Practice with past tense of modals
idiomatic expressions
Students write and and make presentations about activities they wanted (but could not)
do, were or were not allowed to do, etc.
D. written and oral quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Max und Moritz (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
Who was Wilhelm Busch and why are his stories still popular?
Who are Max and Moritz?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 identify facts about author Wilhelm Busch
 identify the iconic figures Max und Moritz and become familiar with their famous pranks
 renarrate episodes in standard language (taken from verse)
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Students read introduction
answer questions about author
B. read fünfter Streich – silently and aloud
Practice vocabulary
answer content questions.
Students rewrite the story, in standard form (taken from the verse)
students re-narrate the story in their own words, looking only at the pictures.
C. Students view Video of all of the Max und Moritz episodes
practice additional vocabulary
renarrate stories
D. Students listen to disco version Daumenlutscher
practice vocabulary
complete cloze exercise
E. Written Test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Future Tense
Essential Questions:
When is the future tense used in German?
How is the future tense formed?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 use correct forms of the future and future perfect tense appropriately
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Brief review of the forms of werden and the future
sentences and open ended practices (why I won’t go to the party)
B. practice with future perfect.
Use of the future with wohl to express probability.
C. Students write and perform fortune-teller activity, telling their classmates’ futures.
D. written quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Weihnachten bei der Familie Jäger (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
How do German speaking countries celebrate Christmas?
How do German traditions compare with American Christmas traditions?
How do German traditions compare with other cultural and religious celebrations, and my own
traditions?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 Compare German holiday traditions with the U.S
 describe their own family’s traditions and compare them to German traditions
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Pre-reading: students discuss and write about their own holiday traditions.
B. students read Weihnachten bei der Familie Jäger
practice vocabulary
answer content questions
create Venn diagrams to compare German traditions to their own
interview classmate about their traditions
write about their classmate’s experiences
C. written test
D. practice holiday songs in German
perform for classrooms and offices throughout the building
perform for local senior citizens
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Overview of Tenses
Essential Questions:
What major tenses are there in German?
Are past tenses in German used the same way as in English?
When do I need to use the Imperfect? The Perfect?
What forms are important to recognize, and which must I master?
When is accuracy critical for communication?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 distinguish between the imperfect and perfect tense forms
 know when to use the imperfect vs. the perfect
 master the past tense forms of haben, sein and werden
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Students view sample texts in German and identify the various past tense forms they find.
B. recognize the difference in usage of the narrative past and conversational past
C. practice the imperfect and perfect of haben, sein and werden
sentence practice
open ended practice (personalized questions)
interview partner and report back
D. read poem ,,Zeitsätze”
answer content questions
students write original poems in the same format
E. written and oral quiz
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Fußball
Essential Questions:
Why is soccer so popular in German speaking (and other) countries?
How are sports and school sports different in German speaking countries than in the US?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 discuss the popularity of soccer in other countries vs. the US
 identify types of leagues and teams in Germany
 talk about their own sports interests
 follow the results of a German team
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Pre-reading discussion (in German) of the popularity of soccer worldwide vs. US
B. Pre-reading journal entry about personal interest in sports
C. Read: König Fußball (LMS)
practice new vocabulary
answer contents questions
answer personalized questions
D. view websites of German national teams
E. read an article about womens’ soccer
answer content questions
F. view a video (Deutsch Direkt) about a couple going to a major league soccer game in
Germany
complete worksheet activities associated with the video
G. Written Test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
review of weak verbs in the past
Essential Questions:
What patterns can I identify in weak verbs?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 distinguish weak verbs from strong verbs
 correctly use weak verb forms
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Simple past endings in the imperfect
sentence practice
B. past participles – the perfect
use of sein as auxiliary
open-ended practice with household chore verbs (which are mostly weak).
C. written and oral quiz - students view a picture of people doing various chores around the
house and orally describe what has been done, and write paragraphs about what chores they and
others have completed at home.
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Karneval in Köln (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
Where is Carneval celebrated around the world?
What are the origins of Carneval celebrations?
How is Carneval celebrated in German speaking countries?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 describe Karneval traditions in Cologne and other German speaking countries
 compare old traditions with current ones
 recognize narrative past forms and renarrate in the conversational past
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Pre-reading discussion of students’ previous knowledge about Karneval around the world.
View websites and live webcams of Karneval in various cities in Germany.
B. Read Karneval in Köln, (LMS)
practice vocabulary
answer content questions
Students compare previous to current traditions
contrast use of present/imperfect of Modal verbs
fill in a calendar with highlights of the Karneval season.
C. Written and oral test
D. Prepare traditional food: Faschingskrapfen in class on (or near) Faschingsdienstag (Fat
Tuesday).
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Principal Parts of Strong Verbs
Essential Questions:
What are strong verbs and why is it important to practice them?
When is accuracy important?
When do I use the imperfect/perfect tenses?
What patterns can I identify to help me learn strong verb forms?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 know when to use imperfect vs. the perfect
 recognize imperfect forms used in narratives
 master perfect forms of most commonly used strong verbs
 distinguish strong from weak verbs
 use correct verb forms when speaking and writing about past events
 find correct past tense forms in dictionaries
NJ Core Content Standards 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Review overview of tenses, with emphasis on real life use of verb forms in the past
identify variety of verb forms used in a narrative
B. identify patterns in strong verbs and isolated practice by groups
oral pair drill practice
oral pair question/answer practice
sentence completion
sentence re-writing
C. written quiz of forms
D. use time phrases and dass clauses to practice inverted and dependent word order.
E. read poem Partizip Perfekt
identify past participles in the poem
students write and original Partizip Perfekt poems about their lives and present to class
F. Pair interviews about past experiences
pairs create Venn diagrams, drawing pictures to represent experiences
pairs present interview results to class (no text – refer only to drawings)
G. Dictionary practice, looking up unknown verbs
H. When I was a Baby Project
students use variety of strong, weak and mixed verb forms to write about their childhood
share projects – students view each others’ and guess classmates’ identities
I. pair interviews about middle school
students write about classmates’ middle school experience based on partner interview
J. Challenge Assignment – Red Riding Hood
Students read Red Riding Hood in German, identifying imperfect verb forms
Students work in small groups and create (write and illustrate) an original fairy tale, using
the imperfect tense
K. Written and Oral exam
students write about given past event
oral interview with teacher about past events
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Eine Radtour vom Neckar zur Donau (Lesen Macht Spaß)
Essential Questions:
What is a bike tour, and what activities do people undertake on one?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 describe in German what a bike tour is and actitivities undertaken on a bike tour
 describe the city of Heidelberg and sights of interest
 describe another city of interest in Germany
 locate cities on a map
NJ Core Content Standards: 7.1.AL.a, b, c
Learning Activities/Assessments
A. Practice new vocabulary
B. Read: Eine Radtour vom Neckar zur Donau (LMS)
answer content questions
answer personalized questions
identify sites on a map
describe areas of interest in Heidelberg
renarrate events from reading (oral, using picture prompts only)
C. research another German city and take a virtual bike tour
create a postcard from that city
describe sights of interest
describe a problem encountered
D. written and oral test
German IV Honors – Unit Plan
Keine Panik (Hörspiel, Langenscheidts)
Essential Questions:
How can I improve my vocabulary and listening skills using recorded materials?
Objectives – SWBAT:
 improve vocabulary and listening skills
 describe characters and events in the story
 compare characters and events in the story to themselves and others
 make predictions
Learning Activities/Assessments:
A. Practice new vocabulary (by episode)
B. pre-listening activities:
view episode picture and make predictions about what will happen
identify objects/events in the pictures
C. listen to episodes
answer content questions
describe characters
interview/survey partner about characters/events in story
write journal entries for characters
write personal journal entries, comparing characters’ experiences with students’ own
D. Listen to song Susanna
practice new vocabulary
answer content questions
compare the song to the story
E. Work in pairs or small groups to write an original or “lost” episode
F. Written and oral test