We opened today with a song that everyone knows and loves, knows and hates, or something in-between, "Lass jetzt Los" from Die Eiskönigin.
As opposed to going over my week, from here for months onward we will have students summarizing their weeks at the beginning of class. The assignment was explained and the first 3 weeks assigned.
Our grammar lesson consisted of finishing up the modal verbs with sollen and müssen. We will quiz on the modal verbs next week.
Our cultural lesson wrapped up our Iron Age Germania and Imperial Rome unit with a discussion over comparative military abilities and strategy, culminating in the story of the Battle of Teutoburg Forest.
Next week, the 3 groups of students into which we divided will be crafting, and later performing (recorded for posterity), their own plays depicting the events leading up to the historical Battle of Teutoburg
Mit Vergnügen
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Saturday, January 23, 2016
23.Januar '16 - Religion in der Eisenzeit
We started the day out like any other day, with riddles and brain teasers and actually that's vastly different from most days.
Instead of a song or a podcast, we did 11 riddles in German as our opening listening activity.
After a lesson over the modal verbs können (can) and dürfen (may), we split up into pairs and created dialogues, wherein there were children and parents discussing what was, and was not, allowed, all while being sticklers for grammar and proper usage. :)
After lunch, we had our lesson comparing Imperial Roman and Germanic tribal religion and ritualism. This was a rather in-depth topic, including the theme of synchretism (forced adoption/integration of one set of beliefs into those of another, subordinate culture) and the effects these religions still have on us today (days of the week, the planets, etc).
Next week we shall go into the comparative militaries, discuss the Battle of Teutoburg and its relevance to this day, and then move on to a different time period altogether.
Mit Vergnügen
Instead of a song or a podcast, we did 11 riddles in German as our opening listening activity.
After a lesson over the modal verbs können (can) and dürfen (may), we split up into pairs and created dialogues, wherein there were children and parents discussing what was, and was not, allowed, all while being sticklers for grammar and proper usage. :)
After lunch, we had our lesson comparing Imperial Roman and Germanic tribal religion and ritualism. This was a rather in-depth topic, including the theme of synchretism (forced adoption/integration of one set of beliefs into those of another, subordinate culture) and the effects these religions still have on us today (days of the week, the planets, etc).
Next week we shall go into the comparative militaries, discuss the Battle of Teutoburg and its relevance to this day, and then move on to a different time period altogether.
Mit Vergnügen
Sunday, January 17, 2016
16.Jan' 16 - When in Rome
A class divided cannot stand. That's ok though; we were sitting in any case.
Before we had to separate the grade levels, we went over my week (as per usual) and watched and discussed a German video.
Then, the 8th graders had the joyous, uproarious, hilarious opportunity to sit and take the AATG exam for most of the day, and I'm certain they had a ball doing so.
As for the 7th graders, who did not have the privilege of engaging in this joyous activity on Saturday, we took this opportunity to go over some material that would have been highly familiar to the 8th graders (and thus boring for them) but was brand new and exciting for the rest of the class.
Unlike last year, where we very gradually went over Germanic tribes and their interactions with Imperial Rome, this year that is only part of a greater historical-cultural unit. In previous weeks, we learned about the Iron Age Germanic tribes. This week, we had an in-depth lesson over comparing their lifestyle to that of Imperial Romans.
This will culminate within the next two weeks in a discussion over why or why not the tribes desired to join the invading Romans, and finally we will cover my favorite part, the Battle of Teutoburg (the mural in the back of the classroom).
From there we will move on to further Germanic history, including (if all goes well) the teutonic kingdoms and the Holy Roman Empire.
I have been asked before "Why are we doing social studies?" To answer, as was drilled into me during undergrad and grad school until I practically started saying it in my sleep, "Language cannot be taught in a vacuum." I feel this cultural orientation is essential as a part of learning German; specifically, the parts we are covering in class are the bits that tend to be glossed over or left out entirely in "real school."
We also began covering modal verbs, beginning with wollen and möchten and their usage differentiation.
After the lesson ended, and the class was re-united, we had a much-deserved break and played some classic games such as "Stazimann" and "Wer hat den Schlüssel?" since 2 hours of testing and learning deserves a reward.
The homework...
Produce for me a minimum 20 sentences describing your personal preference: to live as a Germanic tribesman, or to live as a Roman citizen, and why, using specific examples from class.
Before we had to separate the grade levels, we went over my week (as per usual) and watched and discussed a German video.
Then, the 8th graders had the joyous, uproarious, hilarious opportunity to sit and take the AATG exam for most of the day, and I'm certain they had a ball doing so.
As for the 7th graders, who did not have the privilege of engaging in this joyous activity on Saturday, we took this opportunity to go over some material that would have been highly familiar to the 8th graders (and thus boring for them) but was brand new and exciting for the rest of the class.
Unlike last year, where we very gradually went over Germanic tribes and their interactions with Imperial Rome, this year that is only part of a greater historical-cultural unit. In previous weeks, we learned about the Iron Age Germanic tribes. This week, we had an in-depth lesson over comparing their lifestyle to that of Imperial Romans.
This will culminate within the next two weeks in a discussion over why or why not the tribes desired to join the invading Romans, and finally we will cover my favorite part, the Battle of Teutoburg (the mural in the back of the classroom).
From there we will move on to further Germanic history, including (if all goes well) the teutonic kingdoms and the Holy Roman Empire.
I have been asked before "Why are we doing social studies?" To answer, as was drilled into me during undergrad and grad school until I practically started saying it in my sleep, "Language cannot be taught in a vacuum." I feel this cultural orientation is essential as a part of learning German; specifically, the parts we are covering in class are the bits that tend to be glossed over or left out entirely in "real school."
We also began covering modal verbs, beginning with wollen and möchten and their usage differentiation.
After the lesson ended, and the class was re-united, we had a much-deserved break and played some classic games such as "Stazimann" and "Wer hat den Schlüssel?" since 2 hours of testing and learning deserves a reward.
The homework...
Produce for me a minimum 20 sentences describing your personal preference: to live as a Germanic tribesman, or to live as a Roman citizen, and why, using specific examples from class.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
9.Januar '16 - Totales Gefahr
"Jeopardy" just doesn't translate well.
Well, that is what we did today!
We opened with a classic song from a classic show, specifically this one here. Soon afterward, we went through the traditional "Meine Woche" exercise, and of course there was plenty to discuss given all the events of the holidays.
For the majority of our time, as a comprehensive review, we played Jeopardy with 3 teams competing, pitting their knowledge of German against one another across all manner of topics and themes. We had "Rose flaumige Einhörner tanzen auf Regenbogen," "Fingernagel," and "Regentropfschildkröter." Fingernagel won rather handily.
We ended the day with a rousing game of "Wo ist mein Schuh?" a perennial classic.
Next week the 8th graders will be taking their AATG exam. Frau Rill will proctor while I take care of the 7th graders.
Well, that is what we did today!
We opened with a classic song from a classic show, specifically this one here. Soon afterward, we went through the traditional "Meine Woche" exercise, and of course there was plenty to discuss given all the events of the holidays.
For the majority of our time, as a comprehensive review, we played Jeopardy with 3 teams competing, pitting their knowledge of German against one another across all manner of topics and themes. We had "Rose flaumige Einhörner tanzen auf Regenbogen," "Fingernagel," and "Regentropfschildkröter." Fingernagel won rather handily.
We ended the day with a rousing game of "Wo ist mein Schuh?" a perennial classic.
Next week the 8th graders will be taking their AATG exam. Frau Rill will proctor while I take care of the 7th graders.
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