The World Language program at Brandywine Heights Area School District supports and guides its students along their language acquisition journey. In our Grade 8 - 12 sequence we offer the study of Latin, German, and Spanish. Additionally, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Sign Language are offered through our Brandywine Heights Virtual Academy. The program seeks to help students communicate in the target language through speaking, writing, listening and reading. As students gain knowledge, they begin to formulate an understanding of other cultures and develop a sensitivity to cultural similarities and differences. From these learning experiences, connections with other disciplines are made, fostering a deeper insight into one’s own language and culture. Through the teaching and learning of world languages, students develop skills to communicate effectively and empower them to make real world connections as global citizens in an ever-changing and competitive world.In all, the curriculum strives to reflect the real world by providing students with authentic communication experiences and exposure to life-long learning opportunities.
Description:
German IV will give more depth to the topics, which student will be responsible for within the German language. It is a course designed primarily to provide the student with intermediate to advanced intermediate abilities in the four skills areas: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Emphasis is on both the receptive abilities (listening and reading) and productive abilities (speaking and writing). Class will be conducted in the target language as possible and appropriate.
Units:
- Unit 1: What’s Happening? - Was ist los?
- Unit 2: I’m New Here - Ich bin neuhier
- Unit 3: Living Environments - Wohnwelten
- Unit 4: Media and Advertising - Medien und Werbung
- Unit 5: That’s Important to Me - Das istmirwichtig
- Unit 6: Communication - Kommunikation
- Unit 7: History - Geschichte(n)
- Unit 8: That’s How It Is With Us - So ist das bei uns
Subject: German IV / Grade:12 / Suggested Timeline: 4 weeks
UnitTitle: What’s Happening? - Was ist los?
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Students will learn how to talk about free time. Students will be able to make suggestions and express assumptions. More complex sentences will contain dependent clauses before the main clause. Students will develop necessary skills to express themselves in the subjunctive with forms of würde and hätte. Students will become familiar with using separable prefix verbs in dependent clauses. Students will also be working with verbs that take specific preposition due to idiomatic usage. An appropriate assessment may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a discussion about free time activities and something they might like to do together and “when”.
Unit Objectives:
Students will focus on learning:
- Talking about free time
- Making suggestions
- Expressing assumptions
- Creating complex sentences containing dependent clauses before the main clause
- Expressing oneself in the subjunctive with forms of würde and hätte
- Using separable prefix verbs in dependent clauses
- Working with verbs that take specific preposition due to idiomatic usage
Focus ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 1.1 -Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- 1.2 -Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
- 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Important ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 2.1 -Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 2.2 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
- 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- 4.2 - Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culture studied and their own.
- 5.1 - Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
- 5.2 - Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Misconceptions:
- Word order in sentences, main clauses and dependent clauses can be challenging and will need repetition and practice. Students are not well practiced in the use of subjunctive in English, thus making the application of previous knowledge or skills more difficult.
Concepts/Content:
- Talking about free time
- Making suggestions
- Expressing assumptions
- Creating complex sentences containing dependent clauses before the main clause
- Expressing oneself in the subjunctive
- würde
- hätte
- Using separable prefix verbs in dependent clauses
- Working with verbs that take specific preposition due to idiomatic usage
- Develop the vocabulary and skills needed to talk about free time
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to make suggestions or express assumptions
- Create complex sentences with dependent clauses before the main clause
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to express oneself in the subjunctive
- würde
- hätte
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to use separable prefix verbs in dependent clauses
- Develop an understanding of a specific set of verb preposition pairings and their idiomatic usage
- Exercises and activities from the textbook
- Listening activities
- Listen and repeat activities
- Reading and writing activities
- Exercises and activities created by the instructor
- Other activities
- Hangman or Jumbo scrabble (spelling practice for vocabulary)
- Vocabulary review games
- Skits/dialogs (student created)
- Posters (student created)
Assessments:
- Formative and summative assessments, which may include vocabulary and grammar exercises.
- Performance task – may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a discussion about free time activities and something they might like to do together and “when”.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
N/A / Additional Resources:
- duolingo.com, quizlet.com, youtube.com
- Approved District resources
Subject: German IV / Grade: 12 / Suggested Timeline: 4 weeks
Unit Title: I’m New Here - Ich bin neu hier
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Students will learn how to talk about peers, specifically “a new student”. Students will be able to make suggestions. Students will develop necessary skills and vocabulary to read authentic blog entries. Students will become familiar with relative clauses in nominative and accusative case. This will require application of preexisting and new knowledge as it relates to gender and case of nouns. Students will also express unreal situations with ‘wenn’. An appropriate assessment may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as an introduction of a peer group using relative clauses or a blog introducing a student’s “host” family.
Unit Objectives:
Students will focus on learning:
- Talking about peers, specifically “a new student”
- Making suggestions
- Reading authentic blog entries
- Incorporating relative clauses in nominative and accusative case
- Expressing unreal situations with ‘wenn’
Focus ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 1.1 -Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- 1.2 -Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
- 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
- 5.1 - Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Important ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
- 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- 4.2 - Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culture studied and their own.
- 5.2 - Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Misconceptions:
- While students do use relative clauses in English, there are more grammatical steps involved in German, therefore some students may have difficulty with them. Specifically those students, who do not have a strong grasp of noun genders or their impact on articles by case.
Concepts/Content:
- Talking about peers, specifically “a new student”
- Making suggestions
- Reading authentic blog entries
- Incorporating relative clauses in nominative and accusative case
- Expressing unreal situations with ‘wenn’
- Develop the vocabulary and skills needed to talk about peers
- Phrasing suggestions
- Reading authentic blog entries
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to incorporate relative clauses in nominative and accusative case
- Exercises and activities from the textbook
- Listening activities
- Listen and repeat activities
- Reading and writing activities
- Exercises and activities created by the instructor
- Other activities
- Hangman or Jumbo scrabble (spelling practice for vocabulary)
- Vocabulary review games
- Skits/dialogs (student created)
- Posters (student created)
Assessments:
- Formative and summative assessments, which may include vocabulary and grammar exercises.
- Performance task – may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as an introduction of a peer group using relative clauses or a blog introducing a student’s “host” family.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
N/A / Additional Resources:
- duolingo.com, quizlet.com, youtube.com
- Approved District resources
Subject: German IV / Grade: 12 / Suggested Timeline: 4 weeks
Unit Title: Living Environments -Wohnwelten
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Students will learn how to talk about living arrangements (types of houses). Students will be able to ask and answer basic questions concerning where one lives (type of house and city/country). Students will develop necessary skills and vocabulary to agree or contradict. Students will learn to use indefinite numerals, such as alleand viele. Students will become familiar with relative clauses with wo. Students will also become familiar with indefinite pronouns. This will require application of preexisting and new knowledge as it relates to gender and case of nouns. An appropriate assessment may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a presentation to a peer who has been selected to be hosted by your family. Tell him/her about your home and community.
Unit Objectives:
Students will focus on learning:
- Talking about living arrangements (types of houses)
- Asking and answering basic questions concerning where one lives (type of house and city/country)
- Expressing ones agreement or contradiction to a statement or situation
- Using indefinite numerals, such as alle and viele
- Using relative clauses with wo in phrases
- Incorporating indefinite pronouns in sentences or expressions
Focus ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 1.1 -Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- 1.2 -Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
- 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
- 5.1 - Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Important ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 2.1 -Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
- 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- 4.2 - Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culture studied and their own.
- 5.2 - Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Misconceptions:
- Relative clauses with wo are generally “easier” and student have less trouble. In comparison, indefinite pronouns can be troublesome – which one to use and does it need an ending.
Concepts/Content:
- Talking about living arrangements (types of houses)
- Asking and answering basic questions concerning where one lives (type of house and city/country)
- Expressing ones agreement or contradiction to a statement or situation
- Using indefinite numerals, such as alle and viele
- Using relative clauses with wo in phrases
- Incorporating indefinite pronouns in sentences or expressions
- Develop the vocabulary and skills needed to talk about living arrangements and/or types of housing
- Ask and answer basic questions concerning where one lives
- Type of house
- Location rural/urban/suburban
- Express agreement or contradiction to a statement or situation
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to use indefinite numerals
- alle
- viele
- Using relative clauses which begin with ‘wo’
- Incorporate indefinite pronouns in sentences or expressions
- Exercises and activities from the textbook
- Listening activities
- Listen and repeat activities
- Reading and writing activities
- Exercises and activities created by the instructor
- Other activities
- Hangman or Jumbo scrabble (spelling practice for vocabulary)
- Vocabulary review games
- Skits/dialogs (student created)
- Posters (student created)
Assessments:
- Formative and summative assessments, which may include vocabulary and grammar exercises.
- Performance task – may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as a presentation to a peer who has been selected to be hosted by your family. Tell him/her about your home and community.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
N/A / Additional Resources:
- duolingo.com, quizlet.com, youtube.com
- Approved District resources
Subject: German IV / Grade: 12 / Suggested Timeline: 4 weeks
Unit Title: Media and Advertising -Medien und Werbung
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Students will talk about interests. Students will be able to give and receive directions to complete a task. Students will develop necessary skills and vocabulary to make comparisons. Students will learn how to express a complaint. Students will become familiar with showing possession through the use of the case endings for genitive case for both definite and indefinite articles. This will require application of preexisting and new knowledge as it relates to gender and case of nouns. Infinitive clauses with the preposition zu will be incorporated into sentences. An appropriate assessment may be a skit or dialog which showcases the focus skills and vocabulary – such as explaining how to text or email to someone who is not very “tech” or explain how to get out of a bad phone contract (theme in chapter).
Unit Objectives:
Students will focus on learning:
- Talking about interests
- Giving and receiving directions to complete a task
- Making comparisons
- Expressing a complaint
- Showing possession through the use of the case endings for genitive case for both definite and indefinite articles
- Creating infinitive clauses with the prepositionzu
Focus ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 1.1 -Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- 1.2 -Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
- 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
- 2.2 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 5.1 - Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Important ACTFL Standards Addressed in this Unit:
- 2.1 -Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- 3.1 - Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
- 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
- 4.2 - Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the culture studied and their own.
- 5.2 - Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Misconceptions:
- When giving directions to complete a task, breaking the task into smaller steps is the biggest challenge for most students. Genitive case is tricky for students because in English one needs only an‘s to create a possessive it is more involved for common nouns in German. Additionally, the word order to express possession is not intuitive for most students.
Concepts/Content:
- Talking about interests
- Giving and receiving directions to complete a task
- Making comparisons
- Expressing a complaint
- Showing possession through the use of the case endings for genitive case for both definite and indefinite articles
- Creating infinitive clauses with the preposition zu
- Develop the vocabulary and skills needed to talk about interests
- Give or receive directions to complete a task
- Express a comparison
- Develop the vocabulary and skills to express a complaint
- Show possession using genitive case
- Create infinitive clauses
- Exercises and activities from the textbook
- Listening activities
- Listen and repeat activities
- Reading and writing activities
- Exercises and activities created by the instructor
- Other activities
- Hangman or Jumbo scrabble (spelling practice for vocabulary)
- Vocabulary review games
- Skits/dialogs (student created)
- Posters (student created)