G-4 Preliminary Notes. Click for a sample of what I show students.

G-4-1. If Sabine und Michael were a bit younger, I’d have them carry these Schultüten and these elementary school style Schultaschen to school. In any case, it’s good for a cultural note.

G-4-2. Click for a handy site on the German school system. Note: I have been hearing from my partner schools that  German states will be phasing out the 13th grade in the Gymnasium and extending the contact hours to make up for it.

G-4-2. Click for another handy site about the German school system. I should also note that many schools in former East Germany use a really different system of a Sekundarschule from 5th to 10th grade.

G-4-2. Click for a video that shows the difference between the Gymnasium, the Realschule and the Hauptschule. The video is a half hour long but well worth the time. Perhaps watching this could be assigned as homework.

G-4-2. Klassenzimmer. Typical 2-person desks. Chalkboards seem to be more common than whiteboards.

G-4-3. Take a video tour of a school in Lübeck.

G-4-3. Click to hear a song Michael would sing about his abusive teacher!

G-4-3. Click to hear Falco’s Nie Mehr Schule.

G-4-3. Mensch! Das ist ja ein Lineal!

G-4-4. Stundenplan. Click for a handy site to make a Stundenplan like the one to the side. Great idea for homework. Note: German schools are starting to get away from Saturday classes.

G-4-4. This is Brigitte in Frau Schulz’ Math Class!

G-4-4. Hasst. Click for Rammstein’s Du hasst mich. I don’t care for the darkness of the song, but the students enjoy this when I teach hasst.

G-4-5. An attempt at explaining how to tell time in German.

G-4-5. Click for a very traditional lesson on telling time in German. Also has cardinal and ordinal numbers. I’m glad I don’t use this text and method!

G-4-5. Religion. Click for Wiki’s short article on teaching religion in schools. Scroll down.

G-4-5. So ein Pech!

G-4-6. Brennt. Hurra hurra die Schule brennt by Extrabreit. Very 80’s.

G-4-6. Religion in der Schule!

G-4-6. Feuer. Don’t try this at home!

G-4-6. Bleibt sitzen. Click to read an article from Spiegel about this issue.

G-4-6. Bleibt sitzen. Click to read an article from die Zeit about this issue.

G-4-6. Extended Reading

G-4-7. Ich bin ein Musikante.

G-4-7. Kunst. Click to hear the song Nie Wieder Kunst by the EAV. It’s an old song you just can’t find any more. Ignore the video and listen to the hilarious lyrics.

G-4-7. Kunst. Click for a website about famous German artists.

G-4-7. Klatsch. We use this in English.

G-4-7. Flustert. In a modern sort of way.

G-4-7. Besteht die Prüfung.

G-4-8. Zeugnis. Michael’s supposed report card.

G-4. Click for my review song: Schule.

G-4. Click for Wiki’s description of the Abitur.

G-4. Sample Oral Project

G-4. Click for a test review sheet.

G-4. Below is a sample oral presentation from one of my students. I really like the richness of the language he uses and the fact that a few things go wrong in the video, but they don’t phase him at all. His language ability even in the 8th grade is sufficient to carry him through.

G-4. The reading Schmiere in the Student Workbook is loosely based on Grease.