The German American School Experience

The German School Experience

GAPP Inc.

Goethe-Institut New York

72 Spring Street, 11th Floor,

New York, NY 10012

p. 212.439.8700

email:

http://www.goethe.de/gapp

Foreword

This activity booklet is based on “The German School Experience”, first developed at a GAPP workshop in 1995. It has been revised and updated by Frank Schnurr, Hauppauge High School, NY Gabrielle Frawley, a student and Jane Mooney, GAPP Coordinator at Farmingdale High School, NY and Ester Gladisch, GAPP.

Chapter 11 of the GAPP Handbook outlines suggestions for integrating your students into the home, school and community of your partner school, the most challenging part of many exchanges. We hope that the activity sheets contained in “The German School Experience” booklet will help you accomplish that goal. You can photocopy any of the activity sheets that you feel are appropriate to use either in “homeroom”, in small group discussions with German students or when the students are at home with their host families. The first few pages contain questions that your students can use to obtain necessary information about their home stay. Other activity sheets encourage students to become “cultural detectives” and to challenge their powers of observation.

We hope the various activities will enrich your students’ experiences in Germany by giving them tasks to complete and by facilitating discussions. By using the booklet in conjunction the with “GAPP Travel Journal” your students can document what they have seen, heard and learned and thus strengthen their understanding of the special characteristics of their host home, school and community.

Whether you are a new or an experienced GAPP coordinator, we hope you will find “The German School Experience” useful to you and your students.

Sincerely,

Jane Mooney

The German Family Experience

Am ersten Tag

Ankunft und Einleben

Wohin kann ich meinen Koffer stellen?

(Where can I put my suitcase?)

Wo kann ich meine Kleidung aufhängen?

(Where do I hang my clothes?)

Soll ich die Tür zumachen oder offen lassen?

(Shall I close the door or keep it open?)

Darf ich das Fenster öffnen/schließen? Kann mir das bitte jemand zeigen!

(May I open/close the window? Please show me how to do it!)

Wo ist das Badezimmer? Wann darf ich duschen?

(Where is the bathroom? When am I allowed to take a shower?)

Wo ist der Lichtschalter?

(Where is the light switch?)

Wo kann ich Sport treiben (joggen, Fußball spielen, etc.)?

(Where can I work out (jogging, playing soccer, etc.)?

Survival questions

Wie darf ich Sie nennen? Darf ich du sagen? - Nett Sie/dich kennen zu lernen!

(How do I call/address you? - Nice to meet you!)

Was sind die Pläne für den Abend/ das Wochenende?

(What are the plans for the rest of the day/the weekend?)

Wie kommen wir morgen zur Schule? Kann mir bitte jemand den Fahrplan erklären! Wo muss ich einsteigen/ aussteigen? (Wo) muss ich umsteigen?

(How do we get to school tomorrow? Can you please explain the bus/train schedule to me! Where do I have to get on/off? (Where) Do I have to change?)

Wie und wo kann ich Geld wechseln?

(How and where can I change money?)

Wo ist der nächste Supermarkt? Wie komme ich dorthin? Ist es sicher allein dorthin zu laufen?

(Where is the nearest grocery store? How do I get there? Is it safe to walk there on my own?)

Wo tue ich meinen Abfall hin? Wird recycelt? Wie geht das?

(Where do I put my garbage. Do you recycle? How does it work?)

Mahlzeiten

Wann wird gefrühstückt? Was gibt es normalerweise zum Frühstück?
(When do we have breakfast? What do you normally eat for breakfast?)

Wann gibt es Mittagessen? Muss ich mittags zuhause sein?
(When is lunch? Do I have to be at home for lunch?)

Wenn ich zwischendurch Hunger habe, kann ich mir etwas nehmen?
(When I get hungry may I help myself?)

Was darf ich trinken und wo finde ich es?
(What am I allowed to drink and where can I find it?)

Was und wann gibt es Abendbrot/-essen?
(When is dinner? What do you usually eat for dinner?)

Ich bin allergisch gegen …. (Nüsse, Zitrusfrüchte, künstliche Geschmacksstoffe, ...)

(I am allergic to .... (nuts, citrus fruits, artificial flavors,…)

Hausregeln

Darf ich meine Familie und meine Freunde hier in Deutschland anrufen?

(Am I allowed to phone my family and my friends in Germany?)

Wenn das Telefon klingelt, darf ich abheben? Was sage ich?
(If the phone rings am I allowed to pick it up? What shall I say?)

Gibt es Internet? Darf ich es benutzen, um Emails zu schreiben? Wie funktioniert der Computer?

(Is there Internet? Am I allowed to write emails? How does it work with your computer?)

Kann ich Fernsehgucken? Wann darf ich Fernsehgucken?

(Am I allowed to watch TV? When?)

Wie funktioniert das Radio/ der Videorekorder/ der DVD-Player? Darf ich es/ihn benutzten?

(How does the radio/ VCR/ DVD-Player work? May I use it?)

Wohin mit der schmutzigen Wäsche? Wie oft und wann wird gewaschen?

(Where do I put my dirty laundry? How often and when do you do the laundry?)

Soll ich meine Schuhe ausziehen, wenn ich in die Wohnung/ das Haus komme?

(Am I supposed to take off my shoes when entering the apartment/ house?)

Kann ich im Haushalt behilflich sein? Was kann ich tun?

(Do I have any chores? What are they?)

Wann muss ich abends zu Hause sein?
(When do I have to be at home in the evenings?)

Tagesablauf

Wann steht die Familie auf?
(When does the family get up?)

Werde ich geweckt?
(Will someone wake me?)

Mein Tagesablauf

Wochenende

Do you have any routines on the weekends?

What does your American family do on weekends?

What does your German family do on weekends?

Are there special activities for different family members?

Find out what two or three other German families do on Sundays!

What types of stores are open on Sundays?

Does your German family eat differently on Sundays?

Does your German family attend church?

Wo ich jetzt wohne

Du bist Kultur-Detektiv Krueger und sollst nun folgende Dinge ermitteln. Wenn du Probleme hast, frage deine Gastfamilie! (You are cultural detective Krueger and you are supposed to answer the following questions. Ask your host family if you need help! How keen are your powers of observation?)

Picture of a detective! If space is available please integrate typical detective accessories (reading-glass, etc.)

Diskussion

Als Detektiv muss man Leute fragen, um Dinge zu verstehen. Rede mit deiner Familie über die Dinge, die du herausgefunden hast und die in Amerika anders sind. Unten findest du ein paar Anregungen.

(As a detective you have to talk to people in order to understand things. Discuss the things you found out. What are the differences in Germany and America? Find some ideas)

Please insert the appropriate picture close to the box or behind it (Fenster = window, Tueren = doors, Handys = cell phones, Fernseher = TV, Garten = garden, Essen = food, Einrichtung = furniture, Autos = cars

The German School Experience

Homeroom:

Teachers should arrange to have a time and place at the host school to meet with participants on a daily basis. This time can be used for the following:

Briefing, debriefing and trouble-shooting

·  Language instruction

o  New vocabulary

o  Practice and fine-tuning presentations

o  Reviewing interview questions

o  Local dialect

o  Expressions of courtesy

o  Grammatical structures as needed

·  Preparing and evaluating field trips

·  Reporting and discussion of results of surveys

·  Presentations by German teachers

·  Hands-on – experiences (transactions in post office, store, bakery, bank, etc.)

·  Journal writing or writing an article for the school newspaper back home

Suggested Activities in the German School:

·  Shadowing German partner for at least one day and for lessons where they can participate such as English or Sport

·  Presentations and English lessons to various English classes in the school. The German teacher with whom you are working can arrange these in advance, if possible.

·  Collaborative lessons, discussions and projects planned by and facilitated by both the American and German teacher(s):

o  An American and a German student could work together to write a story about a picture they are shown. The American student can write in German with the help of his partner and vice versa.

o  American and German students working in groups or pairs can write a report in German and/or English about what they find positive about their respective schools.

o  American and German students working in small groups could discuss preconceived notions, clichés, stereotypes and prejudices each one has about each other’s culture, country or lifestyle and the validity or accurateness of them. A report or article for either the American or German school newspaper could result from such discussions.

o  Working in pairs or small groups students can draw up a list of things that they all agree on of things that are most important to them. A report written both in English and German could be the product of the discussion.

·  Interviewing students other than GAPP participants

·  Working on Activity Sheets about the school

o  Classroom observation sheet

o  School activities and facilities sheet

o  Interviews with other students

o  Partner’s schedule

o  Course offerings and extra-curricular activities offered by the school

Der erste Tag in der Schule

Name der Schule:______

Klasse: ______

Mein Partner: ______

Mein Stundenplan in Deutschland

Aktivitäten nach der Schule:

______

______

______

RULES

Your American and German teachers will tell you about rules such as dress codes at your host school. Please write them down and take them seriously!

Important contact information:

Name of the partner school:______

Address: ______

Telephone: ______

Principal’s name: ______

Secretary’s name: ______

German GAPP Coordinator:______

Whom do I call in case of emergency:______

Die deutsche Partnerschule

Kultur-Detektiv Krueger hat eine neue Aufgabe. Es geht um Einrichtungen und Aktivitäten an eurer Gastschule. Vergleicht eure Schule in Amerika mit eurer Partnerschule. Fragt eure PartnerschülerInnen:“ Habt ihr auch ______? “

Mal sehen, was ihr herausfindet.

Ask for the following facilities and activities, add others if necessary, and translate them into German:

Unterschiede

Look at five differences that you as Detective Krueger have discovered and investigate why your American and your German school differ!