Prepared by Brittany Smith

Welcome to Memphis City Schools’ Instructional Guide for German Level I.
This document is NOT a collection of lesson plans, nor is it NOT an exhaustive list of all the activities you will need or want in order to teach the new curriculum.
You’ll still have to find some resources on your own, and you’ll still be able to personalize your lessons to your own teaching style.
HOWEVER, this guide IS a useful starting point for an engaging classroom for your students. It IS a springboard for your creative genius. It provides a variety of instructional strategies that have been put into specific contexts, but it is up to you as an innovative educator to adapt these strategies to new themes and language functions in your classroom. If any of the ideas here don’t work for you, you do not have to use them. Feel free to adapt and edit them as you see fit.
The guide is structured to go along with themes found in the Instructional Map for Level I, and in each section, you will find suggestions in the following categories:

PATs (Performance Assessment Tasks)

Projects

Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities

In-Class Activities (Communicative, Written, Pair, & Group)

Resources
Anytime you see the phrase “see resources” it means that that resource can be found in the appendix. Again, feel free to use them as they are, or modify them to better suit your classroom needs.
Viel Spaß dabei!
Note: There is a writing rubric in the appendix, but for most speaking and writing tasks I usually use the rubrics available from Fairfax County. These are available at: http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/OHSICS/forlang/PALS/rubrics/

Travel luggage……………………………………………………………………….…………………..…1
Transportation and directions..…………………………………………………..………….4 and giving
Daily Routine verbs)…….…………………….………………………………….……………7
(reflexive
Describing past events (vacations, youth hostels and camping)……….…….…….10
Weather forecasts…………………………………………………….………………….….……..………13
Housework (describing chores with modals).……………………..…..……………….………16
On the farm (caring for animals)…………………….…………..………………………………….19
In a restaurant or at the market…..…………………………….………………………………….21
Cooking (making a recipe)……………………………..…….…………………..……….………………25
The Joy of the
Case……………………………………………………….…………….…..…28
Amusement Parks, Sports and
Activities..……………..…………………………..31
Cultural Festivals
Holidays…………………………………………………………………………33
Genitive
Leisure and

Around the house prepositions)………………………….………………………………35
Computers
Technology………………………………………………………………………………38
(2-way and
Health and Illness/Professions……………..…………………………………………………………40
A Car Accident………………………………………………………………………………………………….42
Applying for a Job……………………………………………………………………………………………44
Appendix: Resources………………………………………………………………………………………..47
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Performance Assessment Tasks (PAT)
Interpretive Communication (Reading Comprehension) Assessment: You and your family have just arrived in Switzerland for your long-awaited summer vacation. When you enter the terminal at the airport, you pass the information desk to pick up different brochures for various guided tours to take with you.
Once at the hotel, you look through them to decide which would be the best for you based on where the tour goes, types of activities, how long it lasts, etc. After looking through them, you write down the features and benefits of two to share with your non German-speaking family. (Teacher provides brochures)
Speaking Assessment: You are a travel agent for a German travel agency. A customer has just called and asked for information about a vacation package to
Bavaria. Describe the package in detail. Include information such as, dates of travel, duration of trip, activities included, transportation, accommodations, etc.
Interpersonal Speaking Assessment: When you go sightseeing in Germany you take your backpack along to carry your camera, your umbrella, and other things you might need while you are out. After stopping to eat at a local restaurant, you accidentally leave without your backpack. You walk a mile toward your next destination before you realize that it is missing. Go back to the restaurant and explain to the manager that you have lost your bag. Many tourists leave their bags behind so you will have to describe it to him in detail and include what is inside. Make sure you thank him when he locates your backpack.
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
Place pictures of various types of luggage and bags on the board along with the word for them in German (zB: Die Schultasche, Der Koffer, Die
Aktentasche, Die Einkaufstasche usw.) Students have to match the picture with the German name.
2.
Place a picture of a German landmark on the board and have students write down as many adjectives as they can to describe it. (zB: alt, neu, groß, altmodisch, usw.)

3.
Tell the students they are going on an imaginary trip to Germany. They must write down in German as many things as they can think of to take with them on the trip and what kind of bag they will bring.
4.
Put a list of winter and summer clothing and objects (like skis and beach balls) on the board along with a picture of a summer and winter vacation destination. Students must match the articles to their correct picture.
5.
Place a picture of two vacation destinations on the board. Students create a sentence stating which one they would rather (lieber) visit and why (weil + kicked verb). Students share their sentences with their neighbor and/or the teacher.
In-Class Activities
1.
In meiner Tasche habe ich…: Students get in a circle (can be done in 2 circles if the class is large) and the teacher begins by saying “In meiner Tasche habe ich…(an object or article of clothing)” and then tosses a beanbag or other soft object to one of the students. The student then repeats what the teacher said and adds an object or clothing article to the list and passes the beanbag to another student (who has not gone yet). Each student must repeat what has been said and add something. Play continues until each student has had a turn.
2.
Nicht hinsetzen!: Students stand at their desks. Teacher begins by saying
“Ich fahre nach Deutshland und ich bringe ______ mit” then tosses a beanbag to a student. Student responds by saying “Ich fahre auch nach Deutshland und ich bringe (different item) mit”. The student tosses the beanbag to another student and sits down. No student may sit down until they have said a sentence in German. A level of complication can be added if students are asked to give a different destination (such as a German city) as well as object.
3.
Fastest Thumb: Students in pairs share a set of pictures of travel objects
(such as different bags, a hair dryer, different clothing articles, a camera, passport, etc.) Teacher calls out an object. The first student to touch the correct object with his/her thumb gets a point until all objects are called.
(Recommended: Students place both thumbs in front of them on different edges of the same desk. They can only touch the object with a thumb. This cuts down on the number of bruised and battered students.)
4.
Wer hat…? Using the same set of travel objects used in Fastest Thumb, teacher calls out ¿Wer hat…(travel item)? and students respond by holding up
2

corresponding items.
Resources needed
Pictures of luggage, German landmarks, travel destinations
Beanbag or soft ball
Classroom set of pictures of travel objects (preferably laminated)
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Performance Assessment Tasks (PATs)
Interpersonal Speaking Assessment: You have been out sightseeing in … and have gotten lost. You need to find your way back to your hotel so you ask a passerby (your partner) politely for directions. He/she is glad to help you, but you need to give him/her the name and address of the hotel first. The passerby proceeds to give you directions and you repeat them back just to make sure you’re clear on them. Thank him/her as you leave. NOTE: Have a map available for students to look at. (place on screen when students present)
Interpretive Communication (Listening Comprehension) Assessment: Your host sister wants you to meet her and some friends for a party. She has to be there early to help set up so she gives you directions on how to get there. Listen as she gives you instructions and indicate with your finger the route you will take on the map. (Teacher provides map and plays the role of host sister)
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
Place several phrases used for giving directions on the board, such as nach
rechts, nach links, geradeaus usw. Also place images on the board that can be matched with these phrases. It’s easiest to do this with clip-art and an
LCD projector. Students match the image with the phrase.
2.
Draw a map of a German town on the board (or place on the overhead) with several buildings labeled (zB: die Apotheke, der Markt, das
Krankenhaus usw.) Underneath write directions to one or more of the locations and ask students to identify where the directions have led them.
3.
Place a list of real German street names on the board (zB:
Rotenhäuserdamm, Melanchtonstrasse, Am Veringweg, Weimarerallee,
Adolf-Menge Platz, Felsring, Am alten Bahnhof, usw) and ask students to identify the meanings of the street types (i.e. alley, way, street, place etc.).
This can lead to a class discussion on how literal the German language is.
Milchstrasse is literally a street lined with cows (It’s in Hamburg, you can google it. The cow are fake, but the street is entertaining. They even have a
4

cow on a surfboard! The students will get a kick out of it.)
4.
Using the same map from the first bellwork, have students write their own directions to one of the locations. They can then tell their directions to a partner and have the partner guess the location.
5.
Using the same map from the first bellwork, give a set of incorrect directions. Students are allowed to change one word to make the directions correct.
In-Class Activities
1.
TPR: Teacher and students create actions to go along with the words and phrases for giving directions. Teacher calls out a phrase, students complete the action.
2.
Simon Says: Using the same actions from TPR, teacher leads students in a game of Simon says.
3.
Listen carefully and don’t stumble!: A student volunteer is blindfolded.
Teacher calls out directions in German and the student follows them not knowing where he/she is headed. Other students listen in and see if the student is understanding correctly. Once the student has reached the destination (chalkboard, window, etc) he/she may remove the blindfold and pass it to another student. 2 -3 student volunteers is enough.
4.
Providing directions: Students work in pairs and each is provided with an identical map of a German town and a bingo chip. Students face each other, but hold their books up in between them so they can’t see each other’s maps. Each student places the bingo chip at a location on the map that they would like to meet their friend. They are to assume their friend doesn’t know how to get there and give directions. The partner listens to the directions and guesses where their partner’s bingo chip is.
5.
Vocabulary face off: Two students from each row face off. The teacher calls out a vocabulary word or phrase from the unit (transportation and giving directions) in German or in English and the students must call it out in the language the teacher did not. The first student to call it out remains standing to face off with another student, the other student sits down. If you notice the students are not trying and just want to sit down, switch it up on them and have the student who gets it right be allowed to sit down and the other student has to remain standing until answering a question right. Students will generally participate actively in this game if there is a
5

prize at the end (a pencil, pin, or a few extra credit points should do the trick)
Resources needed
Map of German town
Blindfold
Copies of map of German town for students
Bingo chips
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PATs
Speaking Assessment: You have just arrived in Heidelberg for a 1 month study abroad trip. Your host mother has several foreign exchange students this month and only 2 bathrooms in the house. She needs to know what time you need the bathroom and for what so she can make sure there is enough hot water for everyone. Tell her what time you normally shower, how often you wash your hair, how long you need to get ready in the morning, and any other information you think she may need to know.
Project: You are helping your host mom who works in a Kindergarten. She is teaching the children about proper hygiene and how get themselves ready in the morning. The students are learning how to read, but still need pictures to help them out. Create a picture sequence card that each child can hang up in his/her bathroom showing them the steps of what they should do each morning to get ready. The card should include at least 6 steps. It should have a picture for each step and a sentence written in first person describing what is going on in the picture. For example: If I had a picture of a girl putting on her shoes, my sentence might say “Ich ziehe mir die Schuhe an.” Teacher may create a rubric and grade on task completion, use of language and vocabulary, neatness, etc.
Alternate Project Idea: We will be taping our own version of Sesamstraße and our episode has to do with getting ready in the morning. (We want the kids to know the importance of brushing their teeth and combing their hair). Create a video in which you describe in detail what you do every morning to get ready for school.
Make sure to tell your routine in the correct order (starting with waking up) and give a reason why you do each thing (ex. I wake up so I can get to school on time).
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Matching: Place several pictures of kids doing their morning routine
(brushing hair, brushing teeth, waking up etc.) on the board along with the phrases that go along with them. Students have to match the phrase with the picture.

2.
Identify the direct object: Write several daily routine phrases on the board such as: Ich wasch mich, Ich wasche mir die Hände, Ich ziehe mir die Jacke
an, usw. Students have to identify the direct object in each sentence.
Discuss as a class the direct object, indirect object, and case.
3.
What’s wrong: Write several sentences about daily routines with reflexive verbs on the board. Each sentence should contain a mistake. Students identify and correct the mistake. Discuss them as a class.
4.
Change the tense: Place several phrases about daily routine on the board in present tense. Have students rewrite them in conversational past tense.
5.
Wie hast du dich für die Schule vorbereitet? Teacher asks the students to write 1 or 2 sentences about what they did in the morning to get ready for school.
In-Class Activities
1.
TPR: Students and teacher agree on actions for each daily routine phrase.
Teacher calls out the action, students do the action. A student can then be the leader and call out the actions.
2.
Did you brush your teeth today?: Students work in pairs. Each pair is given a stack of cards with a daily routine phrase on each card. One student draws a card and does not let his/her partner see it. The partner then proceeds to ask questions about what the student did this morning to get ready (zB: Hast du dir die Zähne geputzt? Hast du dir die Haare
gewaschen? usw.) If it is not the phrase on the card the student answers in the negative (Nein, ich habe mir nicht die Haare gewaschen). The partner keeps asking until he/she guesses the phrase on the card. If he/she guesses correctly within the time limit (teacher sets a timer for each round) he/she collects that card. The partner with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner. NOTE: If combining past tense with reflexive is too much for the students at this point, the game can be played using the present tense (i.e. Do you brush your teeth, rather than did you brush your teeth).
3.
White boards: Teacher calls out an incomplete reflexive daily routine phrase (zB: Ich wasche ____, Sie duscht ____). Students write the missing word on their white boards and hold them up (mich, sich).
4.
In order: Students will work in groups of 4 or 5. Each group receives a set of daily routine cards. They must ask each other in German Wie bereitest
du dich vor? and then arrange themselves in an appropriate order based on
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their answers. For example: getting dressed must come after waking up and taking a shower.
5.
Pass the question: Use a beanbag or other soft, object that will not cause physical harm. Teacher begins by asking a question and then tossing the object to a student. Student answers the question and then asks the same question. He/she then tosses the object to another student. No repeats!
(When applicable, students may use more than one question in the activity.)
Resources needed
Pictures of daily routines
Sets of cards with daily routine phrases
White boards and markers
Beanbag
9

PATs
Interpersonal Speaking Assessment: You have just returned home from a trip to
Austria. Your best friend (your partner) has also just returned from a study abroad trip to Germany. You are so eager to tell him/her about your trip, but you want to show how much you learned so you speak in German. Have a conversation about your trips and tell each other about the experiences that you had, such as places you visited, people you met, food you ate, things you learned, how the weather was, etc. Be sure to listen to your friend’s experiences too, and compare them.
You are an engaged listener and have enthusiastic responses to all of your friend’s comments .
Project/Written Assessment: Have students use internet resources to look up information about youth hostels and camping in Germany, Austria, or
Switzerland. Websites in German are preferred. They use the information to plan a pretend trip which they will then write about in the past tense as if they had actually taken the trip. Their report should include, what they saw, did, ate, and enjoyed the most on their trip.
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
On board write one column of questions and one column of suitable responses related to vacationing. Students match questions with possible answers or responses.
2.
Write a simple conversation about vacationing on the board with words missing. Students copy conversation and fill in appropriate responses. zB:
A: Wie waren deine Sommerferien?
B: Sehr ____. Das Wetter war ______.
A: Was hast du alles gemacht?
B: Ich bin _______ gegangen.
There can be more than one correct answer to go in the blanks so no two conversations need be alike. Students then practice the conversation with a partner alternating who plays A and who plays B.
3.
Teacher lists several activities that one might do on vacation on the board.

Students write sentences stating that they did (or did not) do those activities on their vacation. Students share their answers with the teacher who checks for appropriate use of past participles and helping verb.
4.
Teacher lists several other activities that may be done on vacation.
Students write questions to ask their classmates about if they have done these activities. Students can ask each other their questions. They may insert the word je to ask if their classmates have ever done the activity.
This can be useful if some of the activities are a little out there (like bungee jumping or rock climbing).
5.
Ask students to write 2 or 3 sentences about what they did on their last break from school (snow day, long weekend etc.).
In-Class Activities
1.
Andenken: Teacher begins the activity by saying “Letzte Woche war ich in
München und ich habe (name of souvenir) gekauft”. The game then continues around the room as each student has to add a souvenir to the list after repeating all the souvenirs that have already been mentioned.
You may choose to allow them to write them down as some students will not be able to remember all of them. Students must remember to place the past participle “gekauft” at the end of their sentence. This may be done in two teams (circles) if the class is large.
2.
Internet Search: On a day when you can take the students to the computer lab, have them research an actual youth hostel in Germany,
Austria or Switzerland. They should look for information such as: prices, living arrangements (private, shared rooms and bathrooms), food, nearby attractions, and amenities (such as access to internet, TV, etc). You may choose to have them search in German or English. Either way you will need to research the best sites ahead of time and guide them in their search.
3.
Zum Geburtstag eine Reise: Students watch the i-Culture video Zum
Geburtstag eine Reise then as a class answer the comprehension questions.
In pairs, students answer the “Fragen an dich”. As a homework assignment students complete the “Internet Aktivität”.
4.
Wir planen die Klassenfahrt: Students watch the i-Culture video Wir
planen die Klassenfahrt then as a class answer the comprehension questions. In pairs, students answer the “Fragen an dich”. In groups of 3 or 4 students plan their own imaginary Klassenfahrt that they would like to
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take with your class.
5.
Wohin reisen die Deutschen?: Students listen and follow along with the i-
Culture news article Wohin reisen die Deutschen? (Teacher prints off a class set of the article and then plays the accompanying audio). Students are given a certain amount of time (as determined by the teacher) to study the article on their own. They may use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar terms. Thereafter they must answer the accompanying questions as a quiz grade.
Resources needed
Internet sites for hostels i-Culture videos: Zum Geburtstage eine Reise, Wir planen die Klassenfahrt i-Culture news article: Wohin reisen die Deutschen (Grundstufe)
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Weather Forecasts
PATs
Speaking Assessment:
Context: You are creating your video submission for the foreign language fair and the theme this year is weather. You decide to make a 5-day weather forecast.
Task: In your forecast describe the weather conditions for the next 5 days.
Include the high and low temperatures and some suggestions for how to dress for the weather.
Writing Assessment: It is the last day of your 4-day trip to the island of Mallorca and soon you will be heading back to your host family in Berlin. Your host sister wanted to go with you, but her vacation days didn’t match yours, so she will be arriving in Mallorca just as you are leaving. She wants to know how the weather is in Mallorca so she can pack the right clothes. Send her an e-mail telling her how the weather was on each day of your trip, what you wore to dress for the weather, and what type of activities the weather was good for (zB: Das Wetter
war gut zum Grillen).
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
Whole-Class Conversation: Have students copy a simple A-B conversation from the board or on butcher paper. Divide the class into Group A and
Group B. After the teacher models phrases for each group, the class completes the conversation aloud. Groups switch roles and repeat. (This can be used with various conversations and is useful in introducing new phrases.) Sample conversation:
A: Na, wie sieht das Wetter aus?
B: Ich denke es wird regnen. Was meinst du?
A: Ich hoffe nicht. Ich wollte heute Fußball spielen.
B: Das klingt gut. Darf ich mitspielen wenn es nicht regnet?
A: Na klar!
2.
Write a simple conversation on the board with words missing. Students copy conversation and fill in appropriate responses. (See sample above.)
3.
On board write one column of questions and one column of suitable

responses. Students match questions with possible answers or responses.
4.
On the board write several different temperatures in Celsius and several weather expressions in German. Students make a T chart on their paper and separate the good weather phrases and temperatures from the bad weather ones.
5.
Ask students to write 1 sentence about what the weather is like today, 1 about what it was like yesterday, and 1 about what they think it will be like tomorrow.
In-Class Activities
1.
Mingle-Mingle: Teacher passes out one question card to each student.
(Wie ist das Wetter heute? Wie war das Wetter gestern? Was macht das
Wetter morgen? Regnet es heute? Gefällt dir der Schnee? Hast du Angst vor
Gewitter?) Students move around the room and ask each other the question on their cards. After answering, students exchange cards and move on to another partner.
2.
Musical Conversations: Teacher creates 3 mini-conversations based on current theme and gives each student a copy of the conversations.
Students begin circulating the room when they hear music. When the music stops, they turn to a partner and have the conversation. When the music plays, they move on. Repeat until students have had all three conversations.
3.
Clara fährt ski: Students watch the archived i-Culture video Clara fährt ski then as a class answer the comprehension questions. You may wish to have a class discussion on the benefits/drawbacks of an indoor ski hall.
4.
Gunner surft? Students watch the archived i-Culture video Gunner surft then as a class answer the comprehension questions. Alternatively you can use the comprehension questions as a comprehension quiz.
6.
Schnee und Eis – Winterreifen an die Autos: Students listen and follow along with the i-Culture news article Schnee und Eis – Winterreifen an die
Autos (Teacher prints off a class set of the article and then plays the accompanying audio). Students are given a certain amount of time (as determined by the teacher) to study the article on their own. They may use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar terms. Thereafter they must answer the accompanying questions as a quiz grade.
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Resources needed i-Culture videos: Clara fährt Ski, Gunner surft i-Culture news article: Schnee und Eis – Winterreifen an die Autos (Grundstufe)
Mingle-Mingle conversation cards
German music for musical conversations
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PATs
Interpersonal Speaking Assessment: Your friend in Germany is curious about what chores you have to do around the house. Give him a breakdown of what chores you have to do on each day of the week. Then ask him about what he has to do.
Writing Assessment: Many times in German fairy tales and stories children will come up with creative excuses why they cannot do their chores. Your job is to be one of these funny characters and come up with excuses for not doing chores.
Your mother has given you the following list of chores:
1.
Den Rasen mähen
2.
Das Geschirr spülen
3.
Den Hund füttern
4.
Die Fenster putzen
5.
Das Auto waschen
Tell your mother that you cannot do each of these chores and why. Remember that when using the word weil (because) you must kick your verb!
Project
Comic Creations: Have students create a one-frame comic or a multi-frame comic strip depicting basic conversational exchanges between two or more people regarding household chores. You can have the students draw the comics themselves or you can use a comic creation site such as toondoo.com.
Aschenputtel Skits: In groups of 3 or 4 students create and perform a skit depicting Cinderella and her 2 stepsisters (and stepmother). Students use the command form to order Cinderella around and tell her what to do. Cinderella agrees to do the chores and asks for permission to go to the ball.
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
Teacher writes several household chores on the board. Students match them with the room(s) in the house that they would go along with.
2.
Whole-Class Conversation: Have students copy a simple A-B conversation
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from the board or on butcher paper. Divide the class into Group A and
Group B. After the teacher models phrases for each group, the class completes the conversation aloud. Groups switch roles and repeat. (This can be used with various conversations and is useful in introducing new phrases.) Sample conversation:
A: Mutti, darf ich ins Kino?
B: Hast du deine Hausarbeit gemacht?
A: Welche Hausarbeit (denn)?
B: Hast du dein Zimmer aufgeräumt?
A: Nein, noch nicht.
B: Dann darfst du nicht ins Kino gehen. Ab in dein Zimmer!
3.
Teacher asks students to write a few sentences about the chores they have to do at their house.
4.
Teacher writes several chores on the board then asks students to create questions asking their classmates if they have to complete those chores.
Students may then have a conversation with a partner.
5.
Teacher writes several chores on the board then asks students to write sentences saying that they will complete those chores (using the verb
werden).
In-Class Activities
1.
Around the house: Teacher holds up a flashcard of a room in a house. And tosses a beanbag to a student. That student states the name of a chore that he/she must do in that room of the house. For example: if a student sees the picture of the kitchen he/she might say “Ich muss das Geschirr
spülen”. The student then passes the beanbag to another student who says another chore that can be done in the same room. Play continues until students can think of no more chores for that room at which point the teacher writes the number of responses on the board and holds up a new flashcard. The goal is to see if they can beat their top score each time.
2.
What are your chores?: Each student is given a flashcard of a household object (broom, oven, etc.) or a room in the house. They then circulate the room asking their classmates Was musst du zu Hause machen? to which their classmate must respond with a chore that would match the flashcard, such as “Ich muss den Rasen mähen” for a front yard flashcard. After
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telling each other what they must do, students exchange flashcards and go to ask another classmate.
3.
Comparing Schedules: Using the Talking Squares Template (see resources), teacher creates an exercise where students circulate and ask each other questions to find out when they might have time to hang out. Teacher can fill in the template with chores for the students or allow the students to fill the squares in with their own chores (without showing others). Students then walk around the room asking classmates if they have time on certain days and times. Students respond with ja (if that square is free on their sheet) and write each other’s names in the square, or nein (and report why they are not free at that time).
4.
Merlin trennt Müll: Students watch the archived i-Culture video Merlin
trennt Müll then as a class answer the comprehension questions.
Alternatively you can use the comprehension questions as a comprehension quiz.
5.
Memory: Teacher creates or has students create sets of memory cards to practice recognition of descriptive words (image on one card, word on the other). Students play memory in pairs or small groups. Example: Student
A flips over a picture of a lady washing clothes and tries to find the card with the phrase die Wäsche waschen.
6.
Quick Interview: Teacher makes a list of five-ten questions using current vocabulary. Teacher (or a native speaker or an exceptional student) conducts an oral interview asking each of the questions. The interviewer checks yes or no according to whether or not the student being interviewed could answer the question (short answer or complete sentence).
Resources needed
Flashcards or pictures of rooms in a house
Memory cards i-Culture video: Merlin trennt Müll
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PATs
Writing Assessment: Students choose their favorite animal and write a short report on how to care for that animal. If it is not a domesticated animal, they should assume that the animal lives in the zoo and is cared for by zookeepers.
Students should use the impersonal man when writing their report. For example:
Man soll den Tiger nicht streicheln. Reports should contain 3 things one should do and 3 things one should not do when caring for the animal.
Possible Bellworks/Introductory Activities
1.
Teacher finds several images of signs in Germany calling for a certain behavior: zB: Rauchen verboten, Nicht auf den Rasen gehen, usw. Students try to identify what each of these signs means. (This has nothing to do with animals, but rather infinitives used as nouns which is part of the same chapter in the book).
2.
Teacher writes several lengthy phrases on the board such as Sie sollen hier
nicht rauchen and asks the students to rewrite the phrases so they would fit better on a sign. (i.e. Rauchen verboten)
3.
Teacher writes a list of objects used to complete certain tasks. Students are asked to write a sentence about what task would be done with each object.
For example: If the object were a swimming suit. The sentence would read
“Zum Schwimmen braucht man einen Badeanzug”. *can also be done in reverse with the students providing the object and the teacher providing the verb.
4.
Vocabulary check: On the board, teacher writes list of farm animals and non-farm animals. Students make a T-chart and divide the farm animals from the non-farm animals. Then they try to expand the list by adding as many animals as they can think of to each side.
5.
Richtig oder Falsch? Teacher puts phrases on the board such as: Man
braucht Kopfhörer zum Lesen. Students tell whether each phrase is true or false and correct false phrases.
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In-Class Activities
1.
Odd one out: Think Sesame Street—“One of these things is not like the other…” Students are given a list of terms in German and must decide which word does not belong. After completing teacher given examples, students can work in pairs to create their own examples and have other students solve them.
2.
Zum ____braucht man____: Teacher calls out Zum ____ braucht man and students write down an object that can be used for that purpose on their whiteboards. Example: Teacher calls out: Zum Lesen braucht man…
Students write: ein Buch (eine Brille, eine Zeitung). It is ok for students to have different answers as long as they fit.
3.
Multi-tasking: Teacher places several verbs on the board (one at a time though) and students are given 1 minute to create a sentence stating what they do (or can do) while doing that verb. For example: if the verb on the board is essen a sentence could say “Beim Essen sehe ich fern”. After each round the teacher asks for volunteers to share their sentences. This can also be done on white boards to make sure everyone participates.
4.
Advertisement: Working in pairs students create an advertisement to sell a farm animal. They must include a description of the animal (age, what it looks like, demeanor, etc.) and information about how to care for it.
5.
Prove it! Teacher makes up a list of can-do statements for students to use to prove what they can do. (See instructional map). The students self-verify that they can do each of the functions on the list. They circle ja or nein according to what they can do in the language. At the teacher’s signal, students move around the room and get a classmate to verify that they can indeed do what the list says. (They get a signature from the different verifiers.)
Resources needed
Images of signs (such as
Can do statements
)
20

PATs
Interpersonal Speaking Assessment: You are staying with a host family in Essen,
Germany and your host dad (your partner) is planning to open an American style restaurant. He is so happy that you are there so he can ask for your suggestions about what to put on the menu. Ask him questions about the type of restaurant, the location, the price range, etc. Then answer his questions about your favorite main dishes, desserts, drinks, etc. He may also ask you about what to serve (or not serve) certain foods with and about famous American dishes.
Speaking Assessment:
Context: You are staying in Dortmund, Germany on a foreign exchange and your host mom is out of town for the week. She has left you in charge of planning the family meals for the week. Your host dad will do the shopping on his way home from work.
Task: Leave a voicemail for your host dad explaining to him what he should pick up from the store. Include how many and/or how much of each food item.
Make sure to include 5 fruits, 5 veggies, 2 dairy products, a meat choice, and anything else you need. Remember that products are not measured in pounds or ounces in Germany. Use the metric system.
Alternate Speaking Assessment:
Context: On your trip to Köln, you had an awful experience at a restaurant.
Many things did not meet your expectations. You are so upset after you leave that you decide to call and leave a message for the manager.
Task: Leave a detailed message for the manager explaining why your experience at the restaurant was so negative. Talk about things such as, the quality of the food, the service, the atmosphere, etc.
Project
Menu Project: You and a friend enjoyed your time in Germany so much that the two of you have decided to open a restaurant that features cuisine from your
21

favorite region of your favorite German speaking country. Decide what types of foods will be served. Write a sample menu (Speisekarte) and be sure to include both food and drink, prices and at least one special of the day (include which day!).
The menu should contain:
1. Name of restaurant
2. Hours of operation
3. 3-4 breakfast, 3-4 lunch, and 3-4 dinner options. These should be items that would realistically be found in a German restaurant and should be expressed in detail. (Ex. rather than just saying “cake” I would say “chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream”)
4. At least one of the menu items is to be a special of the day and include which day it is to be served.
5. Include at least 2 German Menü selections (i.e. Full course meal choices).
6. Make your menu visually appealing by including pictures.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several German menu items on the board. Include drinks, desserts, main dishes, side dishes etc. Students try to identify which type each item is.
2.
Show students a list of vocabulary words (food items). Students make three columns: smiley face, straight face, sad face. Have them list the foods in the appropriate column according to their own opinions, then write sentences about how they feel about the food item. (zB: Ich mag
keine Suppe)
3.
Word Scramble: Teacher writes a list of vocabulary words on the board in
German, but each word is scrambled. Students unscramble each word then put the list in alphabetical order according to the English word.
4.
Put a list of vocabulary words on one side of the board. On the other side of the board, put a group of pictures that corresponds with SOME of the words. Ask the students to list the words that are not pictured. (Or ask students to list the words that ARE pictured).
5.
List 3 separate full course Menüs on the board. Have students decide which one they like the best and write a sentence stating why. zB: Ich mag
Menü Nummer zwei weil man Schwarzwaldkirschtorte bekommt.
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In-Class Activities
1.
Mmmmm lecker!: In pairs students are given an image of a food item
Together they must come up with a menu description for that item (must be detailed). When they are satisfied with their description, they bring it to the teacher who approves or disapproves the description. If it is approved they receive a point and are given a new food item to describe. Teams try to accumulate as many points as they can in the time limit.
2.
Gestern war ich im Supermarkt: Teacher begins the activity by saying
“Gestern war ich im Supermarkt und habe (name of food) gekauft”. The game then continues around the room as each student has to add a food to the list after repeating all the foods that have already been mentioned.
You may choose to allow them to write them down as some students will not be able to remember all of them. Students must remember to place the past participle “gekauft” at the end of their sentence. This may be done in two teams (circles) if the class is large.
3.
Suppenkasper isst kein(e)(n)_______: Teacher gives each student an image with a food on it. Students form two large circles in opposite areas of the classroom. To warm up, each student takes a turn introducing his/her food by saying “Suppenkasper isst ____(food).” Teacher sets timer for about a minute. One student in each circle begins the game by saying
“Suppenkasper isst ____(food).” (Student fills in the blank with the food pictured on ANOTHER student’s card.) The student holding that food card continues the game by responding with “Nein, Suppenkasper isst kein(e)(n)
____(food)(his/her own activity card); Er isst_____. (image on ANOTHER student’s card)” Play continues until timer goes off. The students in each circle who are speaking when the timer goes off switch circles. Repeat as time allows. A level of difficulty may be added by changing from what
Suppenkasper eats to what he ate.
4.
Ticket Out the Door: Students have to tell the teacher one food that they ate yesterday as they leave the classroom.
5.
Scavenger hunt: Teacher creates and distributes scavenger hunt lists in
German to pairs/small groups. Using magazines/newspapers, students cut out images that represent words/phrases from their lists and collage and label the images.
Resources needed
23

Rubric for menu project
Images of food items (food flashcards)
Scavenger Hunt lists
Magazines/Newspapers etc. for scavenger hunt
24

PATs
Cooking Show Project: For this assessment students will become hosts of a
German cooking show. They are each to select a simple dessert or something that can be BAKED and research a recipe for their item. They then create instructions in German for how they will present their recipe. The recipe must have at least 5 steps. They will be speaking to an audience, so they will need to use the formal Sie command form. Most recipes that they find in German will be written in the passive, so they will need to adjust them for speaking to a live audience. Be sure to tell the students that they will NOT simply be reading their recipe from a paper. They will be graded on how well they PRESENT their recipe.
They therefore need to make sure they understand each step of the recipe. For example: When the recipe says to beat the eggs, their hands should be pantomiming the motion of beating eggs. This makes it clear that they actually understand the words they are saying. Teacher brings props and sets up a table in the front of the classroom for the pretend TV cooking show. Each student presents their recipe as you film it. To begin, they announce what they will make, then take the audience through the steps. They will be graded according to the rubric (see appendix). Note: In order for this project to run smoothly, it is recommended to have intermediate steps. For example: Have students create a rough draft of what they will say and give them feedback on how to improve.
Have students practice presenting their recipes in small groups before presenting them in front of the camera. Also, a few students will likely be too nervous or afraid to stand in front of the class. You may wish to have an alternative option that they can complete for a slightly lower grade, such as presenting in afterschool tutoring, or simply doing a voice-recording of their presentation. Or you could make them suck it up and do the assignment or take a zero (it’s your call).
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several cooking verbs on the board, such as schlagen, schmelzen,
backen, aufstreichen. Have students write as many food names as they can think of that can be prepared using that cooking verb. zB: under
backen they can list Kekse, Kuchen, Brot usw.
2.
Write a German food on the board such as Reibekuchen or Kartoffelsalat. It
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should be a food that the students have already heard of. Give students 2 minutes to write down as many ingredients for the recipe as they can in
German without consulting their dictionary. Call on students to share the ingredients and see if you have a complete list. If you are missing ingredients, give students 2 additional minutes to look up the remaining ingredients in their dictionary.
3.
Cooking verbs search. Write a simple dessert on the board that most students will already know how to make, such as sugar cookies or brownies. Give students a few minutes to think of all the verbs that might be involved in making that recipe in English and write a list. Their list should include things like pour, stir, spread, melt etc. See in class activities
#3 to continue this activity.
4.
What’s cooking? Write down several nouns in German on the board that are part of a recipe. Put them in the order in which they appear in the recipe. Students guess what you are cooking based on the nouns.
5.
Odd one out – Write a few lists of 4 words related to cooking where one word does not match the rest of the group. Students identify which word in each group does not belong.
In-Class Activities
1.
How is it prepared? As a class, review food flashcards. Then go through the flashcard set again and have students identify how each food is prepared.
Use the following preparations: deep-fried, pan-fried, boiled, baked, grilled, served raw (frittiert, gebraten, gekocht, gebacken, gegrillt, roh serviert).
2.
I-Culture: Have students watch the i-Culture video Patrick Beim Bäcker from the i-Culture archives. They will learn about Patrick who is training to become a baker. Have them listen carefully and try to understand the ingredients that Patrick says go into the bread that they bake. You can then do the comprehension questions as a class, or have them answer them individually as a video quiz.
3.
Place students in groups of 3 or 4 and have them use their dictionaries to find the German words for the verbs they are unfamiliar with. Show them how to identify if it is a cooking term by using dictionary abbreviations.
Then have them write a simple version of the recipe in German. They don’t need to worry about measurements. They can just say, “add the butter” for example. Award stickers or some other prize to the group that has the most accurate and grammatically correct version of the recipe.
26

4.
Gestern hatte ich Hunger…. Teacher begins the activity by saying “Gestern
hatte ich Hunger und habe (name of food) gebraten ”. The game then continues around the room as each student has to add a food to the list after repeating all the foods that have already been mentioned. You may choose to allow them to write them down as some students will not be able to remember all of them. Students must remember to place the past participle “gebraten” at the end of their sentence. This may be done in two teams (circles) if the class is large. You can play multiple rounds by switching gebraten for gekocht or gebacken and students must choose foods that match the preparation.
5.
Kochen mit (insert teacher name): Take a basic recipe that has several steps and give each student a step on a 3 x 5 card or strip of paper. Set up a table in the front of the room with cooking props. If you have plastic food and empty cartons of sugar, flour, etc. it will make it more entertaining for the students. Put on an apron. You are the chef, but you are only allowed to do what the students tell you to do. Students do not know what the recipe is for. They can only see their own step and do not know the order.
Only the first and last steps are labeled. Give the students a few minutes to attempt to put themselves in the correct order. Then the student with the first step must stand up and read the step. You complete the first step.
Then the student who believes he has the next step reads it aloud and you complete that step. By watching you act it out, the students will be able to identify if they have put the steps in the wrong order. If the class is too large, you can divide up 2 or 3 recipes so that everybody can have a step.
Then just do them one at a time.
Resources needed
Props for cooking show assessment: bowl, spatula, baking pan, apron, oven mitt, wire wisk, large spoon, and any other kitchen tools that might be used for baking.
Video camera for filming
Plastic food props
A set of food flashcards
Recipes and 3 x 5 cards
27

PATs
Written Assessment: Write about a real or imaginary date to the movies. You must use the conversational past and you must include all 4 of the genitive prepositions: anstatt, trotz, während, wegen. You must also include one instance of the genitive case that does not use a preposition.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several phrases involving the genitive case on the board, such as Der
beste Film der Welt, Das Buch des Jahres, usw. Have students identify and underline articles that look incorrect based on what we’ve learned in the nominative case. Have students share before you begin teaching them about the genitive case.
2.
Fill in the Blank: Write several sentences on the board with the genitive article missing and have students fill in the blank with the correct article. zB: Das Auto _______ Fotografs ist verschwunden.
3.
Write several sentences involving the genitive case on the board with some articles missing. Some should have genitive prepositions and some should not. Have students go through and underline all the genitive prepositions before going back and filling in the missing articles.
4.
Write several simple nouns on the board that could be belongings specific to a profession. On the other side of the board, write the profession (Arzt,
Fotograf, Rechtsanwalt usw.) Give students a few minutes (allow them the use of their dictionaries) to match the words to the profession, then write sentences stating what belongs to whom. zB: Das ist die Kamera des
Fotografs.
5.
Whole-Class Conversation: Have students copy a simple A-B conversation from the board or on butcher paper. Divide the class into Group A and
Group B. After the teacher models phrases for each group, the class completes the conversation aloud. Groups switch roles and repeat. (This can be used with various conversations and is useful in introducing new phrases.) Sample conversation:
A: Ist das dein Regenschirm?
B: Nein, das ist der Regenschirm von Paul. Ich habe keinen
28

Regenschirm.
A: Warum nicht? Das Wetter ist doch schlecht.
B: Ja, ich weiß. Aber trotz des Wetters trage ich nie einen
Regenschirm.
In-Class Activities
A: Das finde ich komisch!
1.
Wem gehört es? Teacher has several items in a box in the front of the classroom (a pretend lost and found). Teacher removes one item at a time and asks who it belongs to. Students are not allowed to claim the item for themselves, but they may say that it belongs to someone they know (such as their father, friend, boyfriend etc.). In order to claim the item the students must use the genitive case correctly (zB: Das ist die Armbanduhr
meines Vaters.). This can be done individually or in groups. The individual or group with the most items at the end wins.
2.
Movie Titles: Students work in pairs. Begin by writing a movie title on the board in English. All titles should involve the phrase “of the” or other use of the genitive case. Pairs work together to figure out what the title is in
German. When they think they know, they come to you to show you the title. If it is correct, you show them the next one on the list of 6 that you have. The pair to get through all 6 the fastest is the winner. 2 nd and 3 rd prizes can be awarded as well to keep everyone else motivated. Here is a list of 6 titles (and answers) you may like to use:
1.
The Lord of the Rings – der Herr der Ringe
2.
Star Wars (war of the stars) – Krieg der Sterne
3.
Lord of the Flies – Herr der Fliegen
4.
War of the Worlds – Krieg der Welten
5.
The Lion King (king of the lions) – König der Löwen
6.
The Call of the Wild (call of the wilderness) – Ruf der Wildnis
3.
Write several sentences on the board in English and have the students identify which sentences would take the genitive case in German. Example:
I don’t like my roommate’s music = genitive case needed. My roommate’s name is Jenny = genitive case not needed.
4.
Use a set of household object or clothing flashcards and ask “Wessen
_________ ist das?” to one student at a time. That student must state who
29

it might belong to using the genitive case. zB: Das ist die Lampe meiner
Schwester.
5.
Choose an article from the archives of i-culture, print enough copies for each student to have one, then have them read the article and underline or highlight each instance of the genitive case in the article. After the time limit reveal the answers and have students determine how well did.
Resources needed
Items for pretend lost and found
Flashcards i-Culture article of choice (with several examples of the genitive case in it)
30

PATs
Speaking Assessment: Describe a sporting event such as a soccer game or a boxing match to a friend who didn’t get to see it. You must include who won the game, what the final score was (or finishing time for races), and 2 or 3 highlights.
Written Assessment: Your German friend Markus has just visited a new
Freizeitpark that opened in his neighborhood. In his e-mail he said that he wants you to go there with him when you go to Germany to visit this summer. Write him back asking 3 questions about the park which will help you determine if it’s something that you are interested in. Use a modal verb in each of your questions.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several celebrity names on the board that the students will be familiar with. Have them label each one with a superlative in German, such as the strongest, oldest etc. (der Stärkste, der Älteste, usw)
2.
Place several pictures of amusement park rides, foods, games, etc on the board and then write their names on the board in German. Students match the German name with the picture.
3.
Richtig oder falsch? Teacher puts phrases on the board about sports such as: Man spielt Tennis mit 6 Spielern. Students tell whether each phrase is true or false and correct false phrases.
4.
Word Scramble: Teacher writes a list of vocabulary words on the board in
German, but each word is scrambled. Students unscramble each word then put the list in alphabetical order according to the English word.
5.
Das kann ich genießen! Write a list of activities on the board. Have students write sentences about which ones they can enjoy and which ones they can’t. zB: Wandern kann ich genießen weil ich die frische Luft so mag.
In-Class Activities
1.
Wie bereitest du dich vor? Tell students to imagine that they are on a famous German sports team and the press would like to interview them to
31

see how they prepare themselves mentally and physically before a big game. Each student is required to make a comment to the reporter
(teacher). (It’s more fun if you walk around with an actual microphone and ask the questions like a real reporter). Students should use weil or damit to express why they do what they do.
2.
Es ist gesund!
Using infinitive verbs as nouns, have students say why certain activities are healthy. Write a list of infinitives on the board, such as: das Wandern, Schwimmen, Tanzen, Klettern, Gehen, Auto Fahren,
Wasser Trinken, Rauchen, usw. Students must use each verb in a sentence stating that the activity is healthy or unhealthy and why (using weil and kicking the verb!) Have students share the sentences they created.
3.
Ich esse lieber: Students express what they would rather eat using lieber.
Teacher holds up a flashcard of a food item and then calls on a student saying “Zum Abendbrot esse ich gern ____________.” Student answers in the negative saying, “Nein, ___________ ist _____________(ekelhaft/nicht
lecker). Ich esse lieber _______________“ They then pass to the next student by asking if the next student likes what they like. Play continues until all students have answered.
4 I-Culture video: Have students watch the i-Culture video Gunnar surft! about a teenager who works as a surfing instructor. You can then do the comprehension questions as a class, or have them answer them individually as a video quiz.
5 I-Culture article: Have students listen and read along with the article
Handball WM: Deutschland hat schwere Gegner. You can find the article if you click on read current articles and then do a category search for SPORTS.
Print off enough copies of the article for students to follow along, and then have them answer the comprehension questions. For added practice you can have the students identify the genitive case and the uses of the superlative in the article.
Resources needed
Pictures of amusement park rides, food and games
Flashcards
Copies of i-Culture article:
32

Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Christmas in Germany vs. Christmas in the U.S. T chart or Venn Diagram.
2.
Show a picture of a Fasching celebration and have students try to identify what the occasion is and what is going on.
3.
Have students write down their family traditions for the 4 th of July, and then discuss der Tag der deutschen Einheit which is celebrated October 3 rd .
4.
Have students list as many things about the Oktoberfest as they can think of (besides the obvious beer drinking). Then have them share and determine what is accurate and what is not.
5.
Have students list as many holidays they are familiar with that they think would likely take place in Germany (based on the religion and culture of the people). Have the students compare lists and defend them with what they know about the culture. Then you can reveal which holidays are celebrated in Germany and which are not. Note: Some may be celebrated, but not widely (like Halloween for example).
In-Class Activities
1.
Virtual Tour to a Christkindlmarkt: Locate a video clip on youtube or another source that shows the highlights of the Weihnachtsmarkt. There is one called Impressionen vom Duisburger Weihnachtsmarkt that can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMLFmEh-ZE . Allow the students to watch it and then share with the class their impressions of the
Weihnachtsmarkt.
2.
I-Culture video: Have students watch the i-Culture video Lisa auf dem
Weihnachtsmarkt about a young lady who works as a Christmas market.
You can then do the comprehension questions as a class, or have them answer them individually as a video quiz.
3.
I-Culture video: Have students watch the i-Culture video Fasching about some teenagers getting ready for a Fasching party. You can then do the comprehension questions as a class, or have them answer them individually as a video quiz.
4.
Bring art supplies, paper and stencils for making Fasching masks. Have students make their own masks in class.
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Resources needed
I-culture video:
Art supplies, paper, and stencils for masks
34

PATs
Video Project: In groups of 4 students create a video demonstrating the difference between when a 2-way preposition should be accusative or dative.
They can watch a similar video made by another German class to give them ideas.
See youtube video entitled German Two-Way Prepositions at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkXZmQ-osis
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several phrases on the board using 2-way prepositions. Have students identify the reason why the accusative or dative is used in each case.
2.
Enlarge these images and put them on the board for students to see. They should write sentences about the images using 2-way prepositions. Note: an arrow denotes motion. zB: Das Schwein steht unter dem Tisch. Ich lege den Teddybär auf den Tisch.
3.
Enlarge this image and have the students write as many sentences about the cats in the picture as they can. zB:
35

zB: Eine Katze sitzt auf dem Auto.
Eine Katze springt über das Auto.
4.
Questions that are asked using Wo take the dative when there is a 2-way preposition. Questions that are asked using Wohin take the accusative when there is a 2-way preposition. Write several statements on the board and have the students rewrite them as questions to determine if they will take dative or accusative. Here are some sample sentence:
Das Auto steht in der Garage.
Sie hängt das Bild and die Wand.
Das Buch liegt auf dem Boden.
5.
Have students select which question word should go in the blank, then come up with a plausible answer to the question.
___________ hast du die Zeitung gelegt?
___________ spielen die Tigers am Samstag?
In-Class Activities
1.
Design your dream room. Place students in pairs and tell them to use their books as a barrier between them so that they can’t see what the other is drawing. Each should take a few minutes to draw their dream room with everything where they want it. They should only include things that they can say in German. Next they must describe the room to their partner who
36

will attempt to draw it exactly as they say it. After each has described their room they will compare drawings to see how close they match.
2.
Label your dream room. Students will use the drawing that they made of their dream room and label each of the items in the room in German. Next they will write sentences in German about what is in their room. They may add objects in their room if they need more to write about. Each student should have 5 sentences about their room. zB: Das Bild hängt an der
Wand, usw.
3.
Sentence correction: Write sentences on the board that have common mistakes. (incorrect case with 2-way prepositions) Students must find the errors and correct them.
4.
Review household flashcards, then place 10 flashcards on the board in 2 rows of 5. Do “Ask-pause-call” with the students by asking where a certain item is. zB: Wo ist die Lampe? After a short pause call on a random student to answer the question. The student should say “Die Lampe ist neben dem
Bett” or “Die Lampe ist zwischen dem Regal und dem Sofa“ depending on where the lamp is on the board.
5.
Continuing from activity 4. Allow volunteers to come to the board and tell them to move certain flashcards to new places. zB: Häng bitte den Spiegel neben die Lampe.
Resources needed
Household flashcards
Enlarged images for 2-way preposition practice
Camera’s for video project
37

Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Place several pictures of technological and computer terms on the board.
Write the German words on the board as well and have the students attempt to match them up.
2.
Logisch oder unlogisch: Make a list of statements, some of which make sense, and some of which do not make sense. Students use a T-chart and write the logical sentences in one column and the illogical sentences in the other. (zB: Ich brauche einen Bleistift um eine SMS zu schicken.)
3.
Teacher provides a simple dialogue between two friends. Students fill in missing words/phrases related to technology.
4.
Teacher places several words on the board related to e-mail and snail-mail.
Students make a T-chart and identify which is which.
5.
Have students write 2 or 3 sentences about why they prefer to send e-mail instead of snail-mail (or vice versa).
In-Class Activities
1.
Have students work in groups of 3 or 4 and create a Reklame (flyer) for a product involving technology (such as a cell phone, video gaming system, computer etc.). Their flyer should include a headline, a picture of the item, a price, and a short description. Each group then presents their flyer to class and the class votes on the best one.
2.
Tischcomputer oder Laptop (Desktop or Laptop): Students play the roles of salespeople and must help a customer decide on a desktop or laptop computer. Each student should come up with 3 to 4 questions in German that a salesperson might ask in order to determine the best computer for the customer. Students must use the formal Sie. (example: Spielen Sie oft
Videospiele?)
3.
Gestern habe ich im Internet gesurft... Teacher begins the activity by saying “Gestern habe ich im Internet gesurft und ich habe (name of item)
gesucht”. The game then continues around the room as each student has
38

to add an item to the list after repeating all the items that have already been mentioned. You may choose to allow them to write them down as some students will not be able to remember all of them. Students must remember to place the past participle “gesucht” at the end of their sentence. This may be done in two teams (circles) if the class is large. Play can continue with “gesucht” being swapped out for “gekauft, gefunden or
gespielt”.
4.
In groups of 2 or 3 students create an argument to their parents for why their computer is too old and they deserve a new one. They should give several reasons defending why, such as: the mouse is broken, the screen is cracked, it has a virus, they need a faster one for school, etc. Groups will then present their arguments to the class and the teacher will select the best argument (based on how convincing and grammatically correct it was).
5.
Pass the Question: Use a beanbag or other soft object teacher begins by asking a question (related to technology) and then tossing the object to a student. Student answers the question and then asks the same question.
He/she then tosses the object to another student. (When applicable, students may use more than one question in the activity.)
Resources needed
Pictures of technology terms (flashcards)
39

PATs
Skit: In groups of 2 students create and perform a skit dealing with the following topic: You are feeling sick and do not want to go to school today. Convince your parent that you are too sick to go to school. The student playing the role of the parent must ask about symptoms, try to provide a remedy and decide if the child should be allowed to stay home from school.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Write several careers on the board in the masculine and have students write the feminine forms for each one. (example: der Rechsanwalt/die
Rechsanwältin)
2.
Write several other careers on the board in the feminine and have students determine the masculine. They must remember to take the umlaut away if there is one.
3.
Place a picture of an unlabeled human body on the board or overhead.
Students should understand that the word “Schmerzen” means ache, therefore they can place it after any body part to say that that body part aches. Bauchschmerzen = Stomachache, Halsschmerzen = sore throat etc.
Students should use their knowledge of the body parts in German to write as many phrases about aching body parts as they can.
4.
Write several sentences on the board with the helping verb missing.
Example: Ich ____ gegangen. Sie ____ zwei Scheiben Brot gegessen. etc.
Students must place the appropriate conjugation of the helping verb in the sentence in the past perfect tense (war, hatte).
5.
Students must write a full sentence answer to this question: Wie fühlst du dich heute? Und Warum?
In-Class Activities
1.
Write and Share: Using the past perfect tense, students write about four or five activities they did on the weekend. They then share them with the class.
2.
Role play: Students pretend they have an ailment and their partner must
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ask yes or no questions to determine what is wrong. The object is to guess the ailment with the least number of questions. Once the partner guesses, they can either switch roles or switch partners.
3.
Class discussion: Students read Für dich on p. 322 of their textbook.
Teacher describes some of the differences between the German and
American health care systems. Students make a list of pros and cons and decide on which system they would prefer and why.
4.
Short Journal Entry: Students write a journal entry on the following topic:
Der Unfall: Your friend has had an accident. Describe how the accident occurred and what you did to help him/her.
5.
Employee search: Divide class into groups of 3 or 4, and then give each group a company type (gas station, airline, hospital, theater company etc.).
Each group is looking for a new employee and must come up with several questions that would be present on the application form. Each group must then send one group member who has decided on a career change to go and interview for a position in another group.
Resources needed
Picture of human body (unlabeled)
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PATs
Skit: In groups of 3 or 4 have students draft a script and then act out a scene surrounding the aftermath of a car accident. 2 students will play drivers of the cars that have collided. The other students will play police officers or passengers.
The skit should include the drivers’ reactions and views about who’s at fault, the exchange of personal information with the police officer, and anything they would like to add to make the scene funny or entertaining. Each student must have at least 2 lines.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Place a picture of a car on the board with arrows pointing to 11 different car parts. (see p. 334 in the textbook for what to point the arrows to). Next to the car, list more than 11 car parts and have students try to correctly label the car. Inform students that they are not allowed to use their book for this bellwork activity.
2.
Richtig oder falsch? Teacher puts phrases on the board about cars such as:
Das Steuerrad soll im Kofferraum bleiben. Students tell whether each phrase is true or false and correct false phrases.
3.
On board write one column of questions and one column of suitable responses related to cars and other forms of transportation. Students match questions with possible answers or responses.
4.
Place several sentences on the board. Some sentences should include dative verbs, some should not. Have students make two columns on their paper and divide the verbs from the sentences between dative and nondative verbs. Note: just because the dative case is used after a verb, does not mean that the verb itself is dative. Example: Ich fahre mit dem Bus.
(fahren = non-dative verb). Ich gratuliere ihm. (gratulieren = dative verb).
5.
Odd one out – Write a few lists of 4 words related to cars and transportation where one word does not match the rest of the group.
Students identify which word in each group does not belong.
In-Class Activities
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1.
Write and Share: Have students write in the present perfect tense about a trip they took in a car (short or long trip). They should tell about where they went, how long it took to get there, what they did there etc. They then share what they wrote with the class.
2.
Sorry! Little Susi’s toy got ran over by a car and she demands an apology.
The problem is: everybody’s denying that they did it and are therefore apologizing on behalf of other people. One student will play Susi and stand in the middle of the circle. She will ask the student holding the ball “Haben
Sie mein Spielzeug überfahren?” The student will respond by saying “Nein ich habe dein Spielzeug nicht überfahren. _________ hat dein Spielzeug
überfahren und es tut ihm/ihr sehr Leid.” Student will pass the ball to another student and Susi will ask the question again.
3.
Have students read Für dich on p. 338 of their textbook. Discuss with them the process of getting a driver’s license in Germany. Have a class discussion comparing the process with the process in the U.S. and have students weigh in with their opinions.
4.
Discuss verbs with prepositions such as sich freuen auf and sich
interessieren für and have students discuss in groups what they are looking forward to after high school and what their interested in.
5.
Have students write sentences about their dream car. What is the make, model, color etc.
Resources needed
Picture of an automobile (unlabeled)
Ball or beanbag
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PATs
Speaking Assessment: You are applying for a job at a German company and they are very interested in hiring you. However, they need to be confident about your
German skills before they can offer you the job. They understand that you will not know every word, but they want to know that you can still communicate and ask how to say the things that you don’t know. You are going to draw a card from the stack and there will be a German word for an object on the card.
Your task is to ask how to say that word without mentioning the word in English or German. You can only describe it. For example: If the object was a beach ball, you might say “How do you say an object that is round and colorful, that I can throw around and blow up with air?” I would not be allowed to say “beach” or
“ball”. For this assessment you will be drawing 3 cards and you will have 1 minute to describe each item. You will be graded on how well you are able to describe each item, how many details you are able to include, and the correctness of the grammar and vocabulary used.
Possible Bellwork/Introductory Activities
1.
Odd one out – Write a few lists of 4 words related to jobs and job searches where one word does not match the rest of the group. Students identify which word in each group does not belong. Here are some suggestions (odd one out is in bold):

Firma, Büro, Namenschild, Betrieb
 informieren, nachfragen, suchen, Beruf

Beruf, Job, Stelle, Ausbildung
2.
Write several personality characteristics on the board in German and have students divide them into qualities that a potential employer would like them to have and would not like them to have. Here are some characteristics you can use:
 arrogant, erfahren, hilfsbereit, ungeduldig, motiviert, konfus, kreativ, selbstständig, qualifiziert, künstlerisch, kollegial, engagiert, organisiert, flexibel, aggressiv, begabt, zuverlässig, pünktlich, schüchtern
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3.
Gegenteile: Write several personality characteristics on the board in
German and have students attempt to write the opposite to each one.
Inform them that simply putting nicht in front of the word, does not count.
4.
Synonyme: Write several personality characteristics on the board in
German and have students attempt to write a synonym for each one. (This can be quite difficult so you may choose to allow them to use their dictionaries on this one.)
5.
Word Game: Write a word on the board that relates to jobs and professions such as Teilzeitjob. Students write that word on their paper.
Once you set the timer (1 minute) they write a word beneath that one that begins with the last letter of that word. Then they keep going writing words that begin with the last letter of the previous word until the time runs out. The student with the most words without any repeats wins.
Check to make sure all words are correct and in the target language! You can make this game more challenging by stating that the students can only write noun, or verbs, or words on a certain topic, etc.
In-Class Activities
1.
Write and Share: Give the following as a writing prompt. Eine Sekretärin
ist…. Sie muss…. Sie kann…. Inform the students to write several sentences in place of the dots. Students can then share and see how each person’s writing is different.
2.
Using flashcards for the professions hold up a flashcard and ask the students what characteristic a person in that profession should have. For example: Wie soll ein Feuerwehrmann sein? You may call on volunteers or use the beanbag. Students should respond by saying “Ein Feuerwehrmann
muss _________________ sein” and fill in the blank with an appropriate characteristic (mutig). Repeat with negative characteristics and nicht sein.
3.
Give each student a copy of a sample resume from the U.S. and a
Lebenslauf from Germany. Give them approximately 5 minutes to look at them both and then create a Venn diagram with the differences and similarities between the two. Differences include: Picture included, age included, chronological order.
4.
Have a proper reaction! : Teach the students the following expressions:

Alles Gute!
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
Bis dann!

Das hat keinen Zweck.

Das kann nicht schaden.

Das klingt gut.

Es tut mir Leid.

Hals- und Beinbruch!

Ich drücke dir die Daumen.

Machen Sie sich keine Sorgen.

So ein Pech!

Toi, toi, toi!

Viel Glück!
Then say several statements that the students should give a reaction to, such as: Ich spiele kein Instrument, aber ich suche eine Stelle im Orchester.
After you say each phrase you toss a ball or beanbag to a student and they give a reaction in German to what you are saying. For the first few round you may wish to have the phrases on the board, but later erase them to increase difficulty. There is more than one correct answer, but some are definitely incorrect. For the example sentence used above “Das hat keinen
Zweck” is probably the best reaction, but “Viel Glück” can also work if said in a sarcastic tone. If the student’s reaction is acceptable, say another statement and have the student toss the beanbag to someone else. If the reaction is incorrect, simply repeat the same phrase again and have the student pass the beanbag for someone else to try and give the correct reaction for the statement.
5.
Partner Interview-Jobs: Students will interview each other about their experiences in the job world. They will discuss if they have ever had a job before, and if not, what kind of job they would like. After the interviews they can report on what they discussed. The interview guide can be found in the appendix.
Resources needed
3x5 cards with objects written on them in German (for speaking assessment)
Example Resume and
Ball or beanbag
Flashcards for professions
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47

Scientists:
Rudolf Diesel – inventor of the diesel engine
Johannes Gutenberg – inventor of modern bookprinting
Albert Einstein - physicist
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen – physicist, detected the X-ray
Gregor Mendel – Austrian, pioneer of genetics
Athletes:
Dirk Nowitzki – NBA star
Steffi Graf – Tennis player
Katarina Witt – figure skater
Actors/Actresses:
Sandra Bullock
Arnold Schwarzeneggar
Til Schweiger
Franka Potente
Supermodels:
Claudia Schiffer
Heidi Klum
Composers:
Johann Pachelbel
Johannes Brahms
Ludwig van Beethoven
Georg Friedrich Händel
Robert Schumann
Richard Wagner
Hans Zimmer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austrian)
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Musicians and Singers:
Sarah Connor
Xavier Naidoo
Nena
Rammstein
Tokio Hotel
Kool Savas
Silbermond
Writers:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Erich Kästner - (childrens’ book author)
The Brothers Grimm
Thomas Mann
Wolfram von Eschenbach (author of the German epic poem
Miscellaneous:
Sigmund Freud – Austrian neurologist, father of psychoanalysis
Martin Luther – protestant reformist
Albrecht Dürer – artist, painter
)
Siegfried and Roy - magicians
Ferdinand Porsche – Austrian engineer, designed the Volkswagen. Under his son (also Ferdinand) the company began designing sports cars.
Wolfgang Puck – Austrian celebrity chef
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50

Do we understand you?
(Comprehensibility)
How well do I use the language?
(Language Control &
Vocabulary Use)
How well do I capture and maintain my audience’s attention?
(Impact)
How well do I organize the presentation?
(Communication
Strategies)
How well would I pass for a native speaker?
(Cultural Awareness)
5
Exceeds
Expectations

The reader understands me without difficulty.

I am mostly correct when producing simple sentences and make errors when creating with the language.

My writing is rich in appropriate vocabulary.

My writing is engaging and shows effort to appeal to the audience’s interest.

My writing is well organized.
All of the required elements are present.

I demonstrate awareness of cultural appropriateness.
4
Meets Expectations

The reader understands me with occasional difficulty.

I am mostly correct with memorized language.

My vocabulary reveals basic information.

I make some effort to maintain reader’s attention.

My writing is organized. Most required elements are present.

I demonstrate limited awareness of cultural appropriateness.
3
Does Not Meet
Expectations

The reader does not clearly understand me.

I am correct only at the word level.

My vocabulary is limited and/or repetitive.

I make no effort to maintain reader’s attention.

I present information randomly.
Several required elements are missing.

I demonstrate no awareness of cultural appropriateness.
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Uhrzeit
9:00
Montag
10:45
11:30
13:00
17:00 Klavier üben
Dienstag Mittwoch Donnerstag Freitag
20:30
Example dialogue:
Frage : Hast du am Montag um 17:00 Uhr Zeit?
Antwort :
Nein, ich muss Klavier üben.
hat er/sie jetzt einen Job?
Samstag Sonntag
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 wenn ja: i.
wie gefällt ihm/ihr der Job? macht es Spaß? ist es schwer? ii.
wann und wo arbeitet er/sie? iii.
wieviele Stunden in der Woche? iv.
hat er/sie ein gutes Einkommen (=income)? verdient er/sie viel
Geld?
 wenn nein: i.
warum nicht? ii.
was für Jobs hat er/sie früher gehabt? was für eine Arbeit will er/sie später im Leben haben?
 möchte er/sie allein oder mit anderen Menschen arbeiten?
 möchte er/sie mit Kindern arbeiten? i.
mit Computern? ii.
mit Tieren? iii.
mit den Notbedürftigen?
(=’those who need help’, e.g. disabled, low-income or other people with special needs)
 möchte er/sie von 9 bis 5 Uhr arbeiten? oder wann?
 möchte er/sie für die Arbeit viel reisen?
 wieviel möchte er/sie verdienen? wieviel wird er/sie wirklich verdienen?
 in welchem Bereich (=field, area) möchte er/sie arbeiten: i.
in den Wissenschaften? (=sciences) ii.
im kulturellen Bereich? (=culture/humanities)
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iii.
im öffentlichen Dienst? (=public service) iv.
im Geschäftsleben? (=business)
54