26.Sep '15 - Kochen mit Sardinen und Nutella

Guten Tag,


Gestern haben wir viel Spaß gehabt! Es wurd gequatscht, geschrieben, gelernt, gesehen, und Deutsch gesprochen. Ich habe's mir gewünscht, es war auch unter uns etwas essen worden, aber leider hat niemand Snacks mitgebracht.

The day began as it tends to, with Herr Walker talking about something. He has an interesting habit of doing that.

This week we introduced the "Mitmachen Tabellen," where students gauge their own participation (with my prompting) in each class period. Whenever someone volunteers to do something, or makes an honest attempt to answer a question, they get to write a point on their sheet; the goal is to get at least 5 points per day. These sheets are taken up every quarter, and based on their score, I determine their "Fleiss" (effort, participation) grade at semester's end.

As is uns gewöhnlich, we started with Meine Woche which is always nice for working up Mitmachen points.

Then, we did our listening comprehension for the day, a satirical "cooking show" by one of my favorite German podcasters called, "Kochen mit Kimberly." This week's recipe (a conglomeration of Twitter follower-suggested ingredients) was "Nutella-Ingwer-Sardinen Suppe" which was exactly what it sounded like.

To review (and wrap up) the lesson from last week over expressing preferences, we did a Kahoot on the topic, whereupon the winner was "Grape Juice." We then reviewed the previous week's content and covered use of gern, lieber, and am liebsten with haben (to refer to objects and people) and verbs (to refer to preferred activities).

After lunch, we paired/trioed up and made and presented dialogues as an in-class assessment and wrap-up of that lesson. This was an easy topic to start the year with and to help me gauge the Sprachkenntnisse of the new 7th graders.

I'm not certain whether we will have a combined 7th and 8th again next year or whether there will be another teacher with a separate class--as soon as I know for sure, I will let you know, because I have been asked several times so far this year.

As this week was a wrap-up, there was no homework assigned.

~Mit Vergnügen

19.September '15 - Vorstellen und Obst werfen

Welcome to another exciting episode of the Chicago Donauschwaben!

Today's class period began with an acquaintance building activity, as is the grand tradition of academia on the first day and a mainstay of teachers who must learn the names of a dozen people as quickly as they can. There was dialogue, a sparkling ball that no one (myself included) was particularly good at catching, and just enough laughter to start the day off right.

Both as another acquaintance builder and as a lead-in to our lesson, the students all filled out short questionnaires over their likes/preferences auf Deutsch and then went around asking for one another's likes/preferences and logging them down, which we then shared as a class.

We then engaged in what I hope to make a tradition, "Meine Woche" wherein I conduct a presentation auf Deutsch summarizing the highlights of my week, including plentiful pretty pictures and anectdotes, and the kids answer questions back to me about what they believe they heard.

After a short break, we watched a video in response to which the students were tasked with answering comprehension questions, including learning from context such vocabulary as "Freizeit" and the grammar point, the use of "gern" "lieber" and "am liebsten."

After lunch, we spoke about the grammar a bit, including taking notes and doing examples.
From this, each student made their own questions, and we went once more around the room asking one another about likes and preferences.

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for..... The Homework!

• 5 written full sentences auf Deutsch
• Something you like to do
• Your favorite thing to do
• What you like to eat
• Your favorite thing to eat
• Something nice about Sean der Schaf (class mascot)

Mit Vergnügen~

16.Mai '15 - Abschlusstag

In all honesty, this is my favorite day of the year. I always look forward to the day when I get to see former students up on stage, talking to dozens of witnesses about all the experiences they had in German school, all the while using the knowledge they have acquired over years upon years of Saturday sessions to express those very sentiments.

Also, the food is always great.

Thank you all for an excellent school year. I look forward to the years to come.

Once more with feeling...

MIT VERGNUGEN~

9. Mai '15 - Die Schlacht

Today we made history; or rather, we made a picture of history (plus ponies, cartoon characters, and gratuitous fire).

We had a mixed class of 7th and 8th grade today, and we all had projects to work on. The 8th graders finished up their graduation speeches and, for reasons that become immediately apparent when it's revealed that the theme of their presentation is "Memory Lane," they made a giant car out of cardboard.

The class we all know and love, our 7th grade, discussed and then immediately set to work on this year's mural of the Battle of Teutoburg. The planning, creation, and clean-up took the entire day, allowing time for lunch and for hunting down (and then later returning) all of the manifold supplies required for such a work of art.

On a related note, once my student teaching is done (it takes up just slightly more than all the time I have), I will edit down the video made two weeks ago and post it here for all to enjoy.

Next week will be the final meeting of German school for the 2014-15 school year. I hope to see everyone there!

~Mit Vergnügen

25.April '15 -- Die Nacht vor der Schlacht

Guten Tag,

Today we filmed our penultimate summative activity, "die Nacht vor der Schlacht" or "Twas the Night Before Teutoburg," portraying one of many possible interpretations of what probably happened between Publius Q. Varus, Arminius, and Segestes before that fateful clash between a ragtag coalition of Teutonic tribes and and 3 entire legions of Augustus' finest.

There were some casualties of filming:

• An entire roll of duct tape
• 5 plastic shot glasses
• A Christmas candle
• my dignity as a filmmaker

But the result was incredible. Once I have permission from all parents to post, the video (and outtakes!) will be displayed online. 

Mit Vergnügen

18.April '15 - Prüfungtag

Despite some technical difficulties, all managed to take the AATG exam and finish within the time limit this morning, both in the 7th and 8th grade classes.

With the test behind us, the class went over the historical figures they had looked up for homework: Arminius/Hermann, Segestes, and Publius Quinctillius Varus, two rival Germanic tribal chieftans and the Roman governor of Germania, respectively.
We discussed the background of each and how they interacted with one another in order to prepare us for next week's activity. As has become tradition, one of our two culminating activities for the year is a short play, "Die Nacht vor der Schlacht" or "'Twas the Night Before Teutoburg." We will practice, and film, the play next week.

Each student is requested to bring either:

• Furs or furry looking cape-like objects, including furry bathrobes
• White sheets for togas
• Plastic food
• Plastic medieval weaponry

Once filmed, the skit will be posted here online. 

Viel Glück und viel Spaß!

11.April '15 - Pause vorbei

Guten Tag,


Our day began rather normally with a song and a listening comprehension exercise, one that touched on the topic we had covered just before the break, the perfect or spoken past tense.

We reviewed formation of the perfect, and using this talked briefly about what we had all done over the Spring Break.

After the PAUSE, wherein the class took their turn cleaning up the lunch room (yay for not taking out the garbage anymore!), we diagrammed out the following concepts based on what we had learned so far this year in our cultural unit:

• Advantages of living in Imperial Rome
• Advantages of living as a tribe in Magna Germania
• What both stood to gain from interacting with each other

And then we had Singprobe. 

The homework for this week, both for those present today and for those who will be present next week, is as follows and will assist us in the activity I have planned for us. 

"Who's Who? Of Teutoburg" 

-Choose one of the following characters from history:

• Publius Quinctilius Varus (Governor)
• Segestes
• Arminius

All of these played a role in the failed colonization/invasion (which one it was is a matter of opinion) of Germania by the Romans. 

Describe auf Deutsch your chosen person while answering the following questions:

1. Woher kommt er?
2. Was hat er gedacht, wenn die Römer in Deutschland einkammen?
3. Was war sein Job/was hat er hier gemacht?
4. Was hat er gemacht, das macht diesen Konflikt besser or schlimmer? 

Completion of this assignment will greatly aid us in completing our goals for this unit in the few weeks we have remaining.