German | High School

Topic/Title/Duration:

Guten Tag! Willkommen (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements:

• I can give and understand classroom commands
• I can provide information by responding to simple questions about myself, with the help of gestures or visuals
• I can ask someone their name and how to spell it
• I can give simple details about the calendar, the weather, and the season of the year

Structures:

• 8 foundational verbs: hört sieht denkt sagt liebt schläft spielt zerstört
• Yes/No questions
• Expressing approval/disapproval

Vocabulary:

• Colors
• Greetings
• Days of the Week
• Numbers 0-12
• Weather

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Match the description of the weather to its proper photo. 
• Listen to names being spelled and write down what you hear; Read and answer questions about a conversation where two people are being introduced to each other.

Presentational: 

• Practice pronunciation of six German cities, researching English fun facts about each
• Write an email to a German pen pal introducing yourself. 

Interpersonal: 

• Write, rehearse, and perform a dialogue with a friend about the weather this weekend

Topic/Title/Duration

Nicos Weg (5 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can distinguish between formal & informal modes of address and understand the cultural context for each
• I can greet people and say goodbye in culturally appropriate ways
• I can differentiate between true and false statements
• I can reassemble a short narrative into proper sequence

Structures

• Coordinating conjunctions und oder aber
• German alphabet
• Negations with nicht kein
• Question words (W-Wörter)

Vocabulary

• Oktoberfest
• Family members
• Top 20 verbs

Assessments (Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Tasks)

Interpretive: 
Answer questions about Nico and our video series

Presentational: 
Create a flyer in German to help Nico find his lost bag

Interpersonal: 
Participate in simple dialogues about greetings and farewells

Topic/Title/Duration

Pets and Hobbies (5 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can ask and answer simple questions about family members and pets
• I can list my hobbies and favorite activities
• I  can write simple notes, emails, or text messages to friends
• I can present basic information about myself using memorized phrases and some original sentences
• I can describe what I like to do in my free time

Structures

• Yes/No questions
• Commands for a dog (sitz! komm! bleib! etc.)
• Time of day, seasons of the year
• Negations (nicht / kein)
• I like it, I don't like it

Vocabulary

• Yes/No questions
• Giving opinions
• Opposites and adjectives

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Based on short texts expressing family / personal preferences and needs, select the "ideal pet" for each person or family.
• Match the hobby activity to the proper time of day when it typically occurs

Presentational: 

• Make and present a slide giving information about your pet
• Create a 6-page booklet that shows your hobby

Interpersonal: 

• Write a dialogue about going to the pet store to get a cat/dog/exotic animal

Topic/Title/Duration

Festivals (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can explain how Germany celebrates its winter holidays using specific dates and vocabulary
• I can ask for help or clarification when I don't understand
• I can scan advertisements for relevant information to reach judgments or make decisions 
• I can highlight the main points in a magazine article about the Wintermarkt

Structures

• Question words (W-Wörter)
• Likes and dislikes, expressing opinions
• Time phrases 

Vocabulary

• verb + gern
• Holiday vocabulary, esp. about Nikolaus & Krampus
• Food items, eating, and drinking
• Portions, servings, and placing a food order
• Prepositions (introduction)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive:

• Find the main ideas and fill in the blanks in an article about German winter/holiday traditions
• Students write a "reader's report" on a German text they have selected

Presentational: 

• Students learn to sing "O Tannenbaum" with their teacher
• Draw an illustration of our Christmas Tree Character and tell their story, based on cues provided

Interpersonal: 

• Respond to an email from a German pen pal that highlights some holiday traditions in their house. 

Topic/Title/Duration

Wintersport und Ferien (5 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can express my likes and dislikes about foods, activities, and subjects
• I can recognize familiar words and phrases on posters, signs, and menus
• I can ask how much something costs and understand simple price information
• I can participate in a discussion about everyday items and situations
• I can state my preferences using simple comparative statements

Structures

• Comparative/superlative adjectives
• Expressing opinions
• Noun case and Gender
• Personal pronouns (ich, mich, du, dich, …)
• V2 verb placement

Vocabulary

• Transportation and movement
• The Alps
• Fitness and winter sports
• Vacation / free time activities
• Prepositions für mit ohne um zu …
• Parts of the body and clothing

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Read and evaluate text passages about a wintertime Ski holiday to find the best option for your family.
• Participate in taste tests for German mineral water and rank the results.

Presentational: 

• Create an interactive web flyer about the Via Claudia Augusta bike trail over the Alps
• Write and record a 30-second audio about a German food item

Interpersonal: 

• Write a series of postcards to your family, detailing your progress day by day over the Alps via bike trail

Topic/Title/Duration

Berlin und Deutschland (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can write simple notes, emails, or text messages to friends
• I can describe what I like to do in my free time or while traveling
• I can recognize and name some German-speaking countries and major cities
• I can reconstruct a timeline of historical events related to Berlin
• I can demonstrate understanding of the importance of unique German biospheres and habitats
• Read and understand simple stories, articles, and blog posts with some detail

Structures

• Modal verbs
• Possessive pronouns (mein, dein, unser…)
• Prepositions 
• Accusative and Dative Case
• Directions and orientation (vor, hinter, links, rechts, vorwärts, rückwärts)
• Negations review (modal verbs, Perfekt tense)

Vocabulary

• Berlin Wall
• Wattenmeer
• City life and locations
• Forest & Hiking
• Tourism vocabulary, including clothing

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Based on written directions, students navigate a city map and search for answers in text passages about the locations
• How to best enjoy your trip to the Wattenmeer nature preserve on the North Sea

Presentational: 

• Students create posters about what visitors must do, should do, can do, and may not do while visiting major cities in Germany (Berlin - Dresden - Köln - Freiburg - Hamburg - Augsburg - München)
• Students write an email to a friend, detailing their travel plans to one of the cities above

Interpersonal: 

• Students role-play a hiking trip up the Teufelsberg in Berlin, based on structured input

Topic/Title/Duration

Germany from A to Z (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can identify some German cultural products (foods, celebrations, famous landmarks)
• I can understand simple questions and statements about familiar topics when spoken slowly and clearly
• I can compare German-speaking cultures with my own culture

Structures

• Perfect Tense
• Modal verbs
• Inverted word order (V2)
• Semester review

Vocabulary

• As determined by the A-Z items

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students write MCQ worksheets (review worksheets) for one another, based on the topics studied.

Presentational: 

• Students create a five-item  "ABC" in German, focusing on prominent locations, inventions, products, or cultural resources from the St. Louis region

Interpersonal: 

• Students summarize the information gathered from classroom resources
• Students collaborate on a spoken-word vocabulary review game

Topic/Title/Duration

Sauerkraut und Supermarkt-Food and Society in Germany Today (5 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can discuss food preferences and evaluate choices based on personal choice or setting
• I can identify key information on a German menu or restaurant advertisement
• I can understand the main idea and gather key details in a short text about familiar topics
• I can conduct a short interview in German and synthesize information

Structures

• Negation using nicht/kein
• Interjections and Rejoinders
• Plural forms
• Comparative & superlative review

Vocabulary

• Food vocabulary
• Shopping and commerce
• Expressing opinions

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

Read and evaluate authentic resources describing how German supermarkets produce and import chocolate

Presentational: 

Film a short video about German foods and teach a non-speaker of German about exotic foods and how to pronounce them 

Interpersonal: 

• Write an email to a friend about going out to eat this weekend
• Post comments on cooking show videos

Topic/Title/Duration

Begrüßungs paket - Unsere Schule (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can explain the basic differences between the American and German school system
• I can make suggestions for Health & Wellness in a school setting
• I can speak about student stress, performance pressure, illness – and how to take care of yourself
• I can draft, revise, and record a Podcast episode

Structures

• Modal verbs 
• Pronoun review, including Akkusativ and Dativ

Vocabulary

• School vocabulary, school situations
• krank, müde, gestresst – and how to deal with that
• School locations and school subjects

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Evaluate and comment upon authentic resources describing German schools, and how best to welcome new students into a school
• Create a Fragebogen (questionnaire) to assess students' extracurricular activities

Presentational: 

• Record an audio Podcast promoting health and wellness for a high-school student audience
• Create a poster for "Mein Tag @ LHWHS"

Interpersonal: 

• Prepare a Welcome Packet in German for a new student at LHWHS, to help in their orientation and first days of class
• Create an optimal Stundenplan (course schedule) for a new student at LHWHS, providing context for the classes and activities

Topic/Title/Duration

Kinder und Jugendkultur (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can give detailed information about the Brothers Grimm and their Märchen
• I can explain basic facts about the Nazi book-burning of 1938, and why children' s books were included
• I can grasp the cultural significance and historical impact of Struwwelpeter and other works of German literature for children
• I can contextualize how different generations read and respond to German children's books
• I can explain how a German Waldkindergarten works and why young children seem so happy there

Structures

• Subordinate word order (dass obwohl weil wenn)
• Possessive pronouns
• Sequencing 
• Review of Present Tense

Vocabulary

• Sequence vocabulary (first, then, later, at the end)
• Particle words (doch wohl ganz)
• Advanced negations including nie, niemals

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Evaluate book blurbs for German children's books, evaluating them for theme/audience/topic/setting/style
• Reassemble the jumbled sequence of a fairy tale

Presentational: 

• Generate a list of 10 do's and don'ts for a German Waldkindergarten
• Make an Infographic about German teenager milestone experiences (driver's license, ability to get tattoos, etc.)

Interpersonal: 

• Write a "parents advisory" in German for a contemporary German TV show (streaming)
• Write a commentary about a German fairy tale
• Compose a fan email to a German author comparing the print vs. audiobook experience of their book

Topic/Title/Duration

Theater Skits Kurzfilme (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can give voice to my emotions, and explain context of feelings and motivations
• I can summarize a longer narrative, highlighting its key points
• I can modulate the tempo, tone, and register of my voice, to suit different social contexts
• I can explain why the Ampelmännchen in Berlin is so beloved and famous
• I can articulate some key differences between West Berlin and East Berlin during the era of the Berlin Wall (1961-1989)

Structures

• Imperatives and Suggestions
• Comparative/
• Superlative in sentence structures
• Noun gender
• Adjectives
• 2-way prepositions (an, auf, hinter, in…)
• Questions with W-Words (was wann wo warum…)

Vocabulary

• Compliments and Acknowledgements
• Emotions and motivations
• City vocabulary

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Research and write an interior monologue for a character in one of our short films
• Read and compare different views on what is "typisch Deutsch"
• Evaluate what information can be gained from different  text-types about the Berlin Wall

Presentational: 

• Write, direct, or perform in a very short German play
• Give a presentation about the Ampelmännchen in different countries around the world

Interpersonal: 

• Collaborate on rehearsing and memorizing a short German scene
• Give compliments to classmates in a culturally informed way

Topic/Title/Duration

March Madness - Music Videos (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can express in detail why I like/dislike a particular song or music video
• I can evaluate song lyrics for tone and register, including slang or casual expressions
• I can appreciate how formal song structures such as stanza, chorus, repetition build meaning
• I can accurately map song lyrics to emotional or cultural  situations that are specific and distinct for Germany or a youth audience 
• I can deduce unfamiliar words from context clues

Structures

• Conversational past tense
• Separable-Prefix verbs (anrufen, vorbeikommen, mitnehmen…)
• Expressing likes and dislikes

Vocabulary

• Drawn from the 12 songs (variable each year) 
• Strong focus on contemporary expressions, youth dialects, slang, and phrases

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Compare and contrast older German musical "hits" like Erlkönig (Schubert), Loreley (Heine), and Seeräuber Jenny (Brecht/Weill) with today's musical tastes
• Using a graphic organizer, evaluate the 12 songs according to different thematic criteria (setting / style / approach / etc.)

Presentational: 

Make a presentation about a German band or musical artist

Interpersonal: 

• Give fan feedback to some Eurovision artists about their songs, costumes, and overall presentation
• Draft and write an "argument" with a friend about musical preferences

Topic/Title/Duration

Ein Wochenende in … (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can research and plan a weekend trip to a German city for my family or my friends
• I can explain how German transportation systems work (and contrast with American city life)
• I can identify Stadtbilder (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, 19th Century, Bauhaus, Brutalist) by silhouette
• I can navigate German websites and information sources about tourism and travel
• I can ask questions and solicit feedback about activities in a city

Structures

• Subordinate prepositions
• Past Tense
• 2-way prepositions

Vocabulary

• Giving directions
• Transportation and Tourism 
• Calendar and Times of Day (review)
• Possessive Pronouns review
• Asking questions

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Summarize what tourism/travel options would be best for different kinds of families
• Compare  the highlights of what Augsburg - Dresden - Bodensee have to offer as travel destinations

Presentational: 

• Make a slideshow presentation about a fun weekend in a German city
• Prepare a handout about Old & New architecture in the target city

Interpersonal: 

• Exchange information with a German teenager about "my city" and what visitors love to do there
• Write and perform three imaginary dialogues with city dwellers in the target city

Topic/Title/Duration

Deutsche Speizialitäten (4 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can initiate and sustain a conversation in a German shop or business
• I can accept / reject invitations in a culturally-appropriate way
• I can describe settings accurately (location - direction - placement)
• I can speak to Lepizig's history as well as its appeal to younger adults in Germany
• I can give advice about how to have a great Oktoberfest experience

Structures

• 2-way prepositions review
• Polite requests (Würden Sie vielleicht…)

Vocabulary

• Preferences: good better best…
• Expressing doubt, expressing support
• Oktoberfest terms and history

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Compare and contrast a number of prominent ice-cream shops in Leipzig
• Design a "comprehension quiz" about the city of Leipzig

Presentational: 

• Create a chart about Do's and Don'ts for Oktoberfest
• Write a blog post giving advice about what to do in Leipzig

Interpersonal: 

• Write and perform a dialogue about a visit to a German bakery

Topic/Title/Duration

Das Haus an den Klippen (5 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can employ reading and comprehension strategies while reading a short novella
• I can give a detailed presentation about a northern German city
• I can highlight the key facts about German wildlife conservation efforts in the North Sea
• I can set events in the proper order by using sequencing vocabulary (first, then, later, at the end) 
• I can articulate what makes me nervous, scared, anxious

Structures

• Conversational past vs. Narrative Past
• Reflexive verbs
• Coordinating conjunctions
• Time-Manner-Place (TMP)
• Würde + Infinitive
• Relative clauses

Vocabulary

• Party and social events
• Family members (review)
• Teenager social relationships
• Landscape and maps
• 3 ways of "knowing" (wissen - kennen - glauben)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students read and respond to Urban Legends and spooky stories in Germany
• Writing "between the lines" of our story, to further explore character motivation and theme

Presentational: 

• Students research a northern German city and give a detailed presentation about it
• Students write an invitation to a birthday party

Interpersonal: 

• Write and respond to emails about "Halloween" in Germany vs. the USA

Topic/Title/Duration

Vinted - 2nd Hand Fashion (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can talk about clothing and style choices as to style - fit - context - setting
• I can obtain information and viewpoints from target language media  
• I can use comprehension strategies such as prediction, background knowledge, cognates, and context clues to assist understanding
• I can speak about German attitudes toward sustainability and consumption

Structures

• Indefinite pronouns (dieser, welcher …)
• Adjectives and case
• Giving positive/negative feedback constructively
• Würde + infinitive

Vocabulary

• Clothing 
• Compliments, suggestions, feedback
• "Like like like" - context and setting
• Dative verbs and expressions 

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

Students write summaries of video episodes of our telenovella "Nicos Weg"

Presentational: 

Students research and write a news article about a young person in Germany who is pursuing a traditional handcraft or trade

Interpersonal: 

Students write and film a brief sales video for an item of used clothing they want to "sell"

Topic/Title/Duration

Lola Rennt (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can propose solutions to issues and problems 
• I can write a summary about the plot or characters in our materials
• I can compare different versions of a story and highlight key differences
• I can put major historical events relating to Berlin on a timeline

Structures

• The narrative past
• Imperatives (review)
• Subordinating conjunctions 
• Sequencing

Vocabulary

• Time expressions
• Berlin city vocabulary
• Film / video interpretation (camera angle, edits, foreground/background)
• W-Wörter review

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students describe several key differences in the plot strands of Lola Rennt
• Students predict "what happens next' based on their understanding of character and plot
• The impact of the Berlin Wall

Presentational: 

• Students create their own audio tracks for the dialogue in a specific scene of the movie
• Students write a letter from Lola / Mannie to the other character
• 40 Minute timed-writing about one version of the movie

Interpersonal: 

• Students write collaboratively to put events into proper sequence.
• Debate about character choices and who is at fault for the outcome in version 1, version 2, etc.

Topic/Title/Duration

GAVE Exchange (3 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can maintain an online conversation with my German counterpart
• I can ask and answer questions about school situations and my personal life
• I can name some key structural / curricular differences between an American high school and a German school 

Structures

• Expressing agreement, articulating an opinion
• Greetings and farewells

Vocabulary

• Social media and the Internet (posten, chatten, hochladen, downloaden, Passwort…)
• Introductions and small talk
• Expressing differences  (obwohl, aber, dagegen, hier bei us…)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

Students read and comment upon authentic sources about their German counterparts' hometown and school

Presentational: 

Collaboration on a joint presentation about "unsere Schule LHWHS"

Interpersonal: 

• Students post messages on the message board
• Discussion and collaborative writing about how to improve both schools in some small way (student suggestions)
• Write an email to a visiting German student, expressing how their first day at LHWHS will go

Topic/Title/Duration

Dasslers & Wunder von Bern (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can explicate the novel's main ideas in historical context ( German recovery 1945-1960)
• I can connect main characters to prevailing beliefs rooted in the postwar German perspective
• I can speak to the importance of sport in German school life / urban and rural experience
• I can explain why Adidas and Puma share a close connection
• I can identify major German companies / corporations today

Structures

• 4 cases - introduce genitive case
• Subject-verb agreement (review)
• Explaining "why" using denn, weil, deshalb, daher, sodass, aus diesem Grunde…
• Relative clauses review
• Conditional statements using würde + infinitive

Vocabulary

• Expressions for managing conversations, such as interruptions, clarifications, apologizing, finding agreement
• Idiomatic expressions
• Sports vocabulary
• Health & Wellness in Germany

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

Reading comprehension checks after specific chapter of "Das Wunder von Bern"

Presentational: 

• Presentation about a prominent Olympic sport
• Writing a summary of a specific scene in the "Dasslers" movie

Interpersonal: 

Students write a sports biography about themselves 

Topic/Title/Duration

Nibelungenlied - das Mittelalter (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can plan a day's tourism outing in detail, including transportation, entry fees, food options, sightseeing etc.
• I can discuss the rise of the German film industry against the cultural / historical backdrop of Berlin in the 1920's. 
• I can compare specific scenes from the medieval epic with their representation in the 1927 film version
• I can express and defend my opinions on topics with supporting details
• I can participate in discussions about literature, film, and art
• I can investigate and explain how previous cultures influenced German culture in the 20th- and 21st-century

Structures

• Imperatives
• Infinitives with zu …
• Relative clause review

Vocabulary

• Particle words 
• Reflexive verbs
• Sleep, dreaming, memory
• Tourism vocabulary
• Word-formation suffixes like -heit, -keit, -tät, -tion, -ung

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Comment in detail on the cinematography and narrative choices made in the 1927 Nibelungen movie
• Using a variety of sources, identify the main idea and supporting details in fiction and non-fictional texts

Presentational: 

• Give a detailed presentation about a visit to a German castle
• Explain what happens to us when we fall asleep, when we dream
• Write an op-ed (as if for a newspaper) about Siegfried's complicity in the deceptions that are central to the Nibelungen story

Interpersonal: 

• With a partner, write and perform a dialogue in the form of an argument between Kriemhild and Brünhild's retinue
• Participate in a debate about which castle the class should visit on its next field trip to Germany

Topic/Title/Duration

Kurzfilme (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can identify specific examples of how German society promotes Accessibility and Inclusion in transportation systems, museum access, and public buildings
• I can write a detailed summary with proper sequencing and transitional phrases
• I can explain hypothetical situations using conditional statements
• I can summarize the historical background of the late-medieval Witch Burning craze, and highlight Germany's role in that injustice

Structures

• Subordinate prepositions
• Indirect questions
• Subjunctive 
• Infinitives with zu…
• Negation (review)

Vocabulary

• Disability and Accessibility
• Modes of communication 
• Witches and witchcraft (Halloween)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students read non-fictional texts about historical topics, highlighting the main idea and finding supporting details
• Describe the characters and their motivations
• After reading or viewing a variety of texts and videos, students will evaluate a public building in Hamburg as to its accessibility for persons with limited mobility

Presentational: 

• Create a web series (e.g., Instagram posts) on "The Truth about Witches" for a German-speaking audience
• Write a petition to the Admin at LHWHS about how to improve accessibility at our school for students with visual, audio, or mobility issues

Interpersonal: 

• Using the subjunctive, express what could have happened (or should have happened) in our three short films

Topic/Title/Duration

Im Klub Musik & Kultur (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can interact in culturally-appropriate patterns of behavior in social settings
• I can accept, modify, and reject invitations appropriate to varied situations
• I can use short rejoinders to manage conversations (asking for attention, interrupting, clarifying, concluding)
• I can describe my musical tastes in detail and find points of connection or difference with others
• I can comprehend idiomatic expressions and cultural references in context

Structures

• Indirect questions and statements
• Reflexive verbs

Vocabulary

• Music, audience, attending a concert
• Discussing, finalizing, and confirming social plans (time, date, location) 
• Expressing Pos-Neg-Neutral feedback in social settings
• Slang expressions 

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students read interviews and biographies of major German DJs on today's scene (male and female) and highlight key aspects of their engagement with fans
• How can a dance club work to promote positive social change?

Presentational: 

• Students create a fictional German radio station that broadcasts music, and produce a 2-minute audio segment of music, news, and commentary in German

Interpersonal: 

• I respond to a fan mail email written to my radio station

Topic/Title/Duration

Kunstwerke des 20. Jahrhunderts / Kulturpolitik zwischen 1933-1945 (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can follow an extended discourse on historical/cultural topics with some use of context clues
• I can differentiate major artistic styles of 20th-century art based on visual examples
• I can accurately describe a visual resource (painting, photo, sculpture, woodcut, etc.)
• I can navigate a German museum or cultural institution
• I can speak to the dominant cultural/artistic context within Germany from 1933 to 1945

Structures

• 2-way prepositions (review)
• Extended sentence structures damit, sodass, deshalb
• Imperatives (review)

Vocabulary

• Going to a museum
• Locational phrases vor, hinten, im Vordergrund, im Hintergrund

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students extract detailed information from texts and videos about the "Entartete Kunst" exhibit of 1937
• After listening to several audio descriptions of artworks, students assign each audio passage to the correct image

Presentational: 

• Students research and present on a major German artist active during the period 1933-1945 who suffered political repercussions due to their art

Interpersonal: 

• Based on a fragmentary description of a painting, complete the written text based on the image provided (text reconstruction using visual and context clues)
• Write a formal letter to the Jewish owners of a long-lost painting, informing them that their confiscated property has been found.

Topic/Title/Duration

Widerstand und Erinnerung: Die Weiße Rose und 'Stolpersteine' (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can place the actions of the Weise Rose resistance group in their political/historical context
• I can express an opinion and defend it
• I can evaluate connections between cause & effect
• I can understand different perspectives and points of view in debate-style discussions
• I can comment on major differences between German / American attitudes towards remembrance and commemoration
• I can read an extended narrative, keeping track of its theme, major plot developments, and character development

Structures

• Passive voice
• Subjunctive (review)
• Cases and Pronouns
• Präteritum/past tense

Vocabulary

• Time phrases (review)
• Memory and Remembrance Denkmal, Mahnmal, Gedenkstätte
• Words and phrases relating to the Holocaust and Nazi repression

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students watch, discuss, and comment on an episode of the children's show "Pfefferkörner," which brings a challenging historical moment into today's viewership
• How and why were the first Stolpersteine laid in Cologne, Germany?
• Students evaluate the choices made by the Weiße Rose resistance group, charting their successes, challenges, and ultimate demise

Presentational: 

• Students research the history of an individual commemorated on a Stolperstein in a major German city, and make a biographical presentation about him/her

Interpersonal: 

• Students write responses to the characters in our videos and texts

Topic/Title/Duration

Familie und Gesellschaft (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can understand implicit meanings, tone, and cultural nuances in authentic materials
• I can speak with nuance and clarity about family relationships and familial structures in contemporary Germany
• I can fill out an application for a volunteer project, providing personal details and context about my background

Structures

• Imperatives
• Infinitives with zu …
• Relative clause review
• Reflexive verbs (review)

Vocabulary

• Family structures and relationships
• Reflexive verbs
• Family vacations
• Generations 
• Arguments and familial conflict

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students review applicants for the 'Taschengeldbörse', sorting them according to suitability for task; then explaining which candidates will be accepted into the program
• Responding to MCQ and close-text assessments, based on assigned readings

Presentational: 

• Write a formal email to a travel agency, expressing your interest in booking a family vacation

Interpersonal: 

• With a partner, practice the AP Skills - Conversation; then record your exchange

Topic/Title/Duration

Sprache und Identität (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can follow rapid-fire speech in films, news broadcasts, and conversations among native speakers
• I can analyze and discuss cultural products, practices, and perspectives with depth and nuance
• I can recognize the important role played by the Gastarbeiter and their descendants in shaping today's multicultural Germany
• I can demonstrate understanding of sociolinguistic norms in German-speaking communities

Structures

• Genitiv
• Subordinate prepositions
• Subjunctive

Vocabulary

• Difference and discrimination
• Heimat and its analogues
• Bullying and its antidote: Zivilcourage
• Komposita with schwarz-

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• After viewing the short film "Schwarzfahrer", students highlight the key themes expressed by the old woman – linking them to contemporary challenges in the social/political framework of modern Germany  
• Read and evaluate interviews and biographical sketches of contemporary authors writing in German who have a "Migrationshintergrund" in Germany

Presentational: 

• Write a 3-fold "report" on the incident of that specific day shown in Schwarzfahrer – as seen through the eyes of the Motorcycle Rider, the Boy Sitting Nearby, and the S-Bahn Fahrkarteninspektor

Interpersonal: 

• Write a brief report on your family's history in the United States

Topic/Title/Duration

Wissenschaft und Technologie (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can discuss and debate complex issues from multiple perspectives, adjusting my argument based on others' input  
• I can participate accurately in a discussion about AI and its applications in modern society
• I can present detailed information about complex topics such as historical events or scientific concepts

Structures

• Präteritum
• AP Skills structures (review) as needed

Vocabulary

• Machines, Technology, and related fields
• Vocabulary related to AI
• Data security, passwords, hacking

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students learn about the invention of the X-ray, and fill out an MCQ assessment

Presentational: 

• Students research and give a 2-minute presentation about a German invention, including how our world would be different if that item was never invented  (review of Subjunctive)

Interpersonal: 

• AP Skills:  Email review

Topic/Title/Duration

Lebensqualität (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can synthesize information from multiple sources on the same topic
• I can analyze how beliefs, perspectives, and attitudes affect behaviors within the culture studied
• I can compare and contrast cultural attitudes toward work-life balance in German-speaking countries vs. my own
• I can use circumlocution effectively when I don't know specific vocabulary

Structures

• Passive (review)
• Comparison and causation (daher, deshalb, aus diesem Grunde…)

Vocabulary

• Komposita verbs (like anstellen, aufstellen, bestellen…) 
• Injury and rehabilitation
• Communality and togetherness (gemeinsam, zusammen, Zusammengehörigkeit…)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students respond to various examples of how citizens in German cities improved their quality of life through community or communal action

• After learning about these initiatives, students relate them to their own lives in St. Louis

Presentational: 

• AP Skills: Kulturvergleich  
• Students develop a quality-of-life proposal to improve their local communities (the city, their neighborhood, their school)

Interpersonal: 

• Students track their own performance statistics (self-generated) and formulate a written plan for incremental improvement

Topic/Title/Duration

Ein Globaler Blick (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can recognize and explain historical references and their contemporary relevance
• I can engage with authentic cultural materials (literature, film, news, art) at a near-native level
• I can explain how beliefs, perspectives, and attitudes affect behaviors within the culture studied
• I can compare philosophical, political, and social movements across cultures

Structures

• Future Tense
• Infinitives with zu… (review)

Vocabulary

• Presentational vocabulary (review)

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

Students practice AP Skills: MCQ strategies and Article-Chart comprehension
 
Presentational: 

AP Skills: Cultural Presentation

Interpersonal: 

AP Skills: Conversation and Email

Topic/Title/Duration

Märchen und das Moderne (6 weeks)

Can-Do Statements

• I can understand and analyze complex authentic texts, including literary works, academic articles, and technical reports
• I can adapt  the themes expressed in Märchen and relate them to a contemporary social/cultural/environmental challenge in today's Germany
• I can adjust my register and style to suit different audiences and contexts (formal, informal, academic)
• I can use extended discourse features like connectors, transitions, and cohesive devices effectively

Structures

• Argumentation 
• Point/counterpoint
• Review AP Skills: Essay & Cultural Comparison / Conversation and Email / Reading and
• Comprehension / Strategies for MCQ / Conversation and Chart

Vocabulary

• Argumentation and persuasion
• Verbal presentations 
• Märchen and the Brothers Grimm
• Other vocabulary specialized to the Märchen studied

Assessments (Interpretive, Presentational, and Interpersonal)

Interpretive: 

• Students read, discuss, and analyze Märchen, mapping out points of contact between the Märchen and a contemporary challenge that Germany is facing

Presentational: 

• Preparation for AP Exam

Interpersonal: 

• Preparation for AP Exam