Theme 1: Home Life

Daily Routine

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about daily routines in the home.
• Exchange information about family routines in the home.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify daily routines based on spoken and written description.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe daily routines.
• Describe family members in relation to daily routines.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss daily routines in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss the importance of family in daily routines in German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Explore differences in health and fitness in German-speaking countries and the U.S.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare daily routines of typical American teenagers and teenagers from German-speaking countries.
• Compare the use of myself in English to the use of reflexive verbs in German.
• Compare the use of possessives in English to the use of definite articles in German in relation to body parts.

Communication Across Communities

• Comprehend information about daily routines of individuals in German-speaking countries from print and Internet sources (journal entries, magazine articles, etc.).

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to personal care
• Vocabulary for parts of the body
• Reflexive verbs
• Lack of possessive adjectives with body parts
• Sequencing vocabulary
• Adverbs of frequency

Rooms of the House and Household Chores

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about rooms of the house, furnishings and chores.
• Discuss the home including its rooms, furniture, and household objects.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify the rooms of the house and/or furniture based on spoken and written description.
• Comprehend comments and commands about daily chores and the house, including rooms and furnishings.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe the home including its rooms, furniture and household objects.
• Describe family members in relation to daily chores.
• Describe household responsibilities for self and/or family members.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss different styles of houses and living arrangements in German-speaking countries.
• Understand the importance of privacy in regards to styles of houses and living arrangements.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Make connections between styles of houses and geographic locations.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare household responsibilities of typical American teenagers and teenagers from German-speaking countries.
• Compare and contrast home design (space allocation, floor plan) in homes in the U.S. and German-speaking countries.
• Identify differences in architecture of homes in German-speaking countries and in the U.S.
• Identify home-related cognates (Toilette, Garage, Sofa, Terasse, Couch, Balkon, etc.).
• Discuss two-way prepositions with locations of furniture in a room.

Communication Across Communities

• Explore information about homes in German-speaking countries in print and Internet resources.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to furniture and furnishings
• Affirmative and negative commands
• Two-way prepositions

Food

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions relating to food.
• Ask and answer questions about food at a celebration.
• Order or take an order for a meal in a variety of dining situations.
• Exchange opinions about food.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify foods based on spoken and written description.
• Understand comments and commands about foods and/or celebrations.
• Identify foods based on visual aids.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe foods and/or shopping for food.
• Describe foods and menus in relation to celebrations.
• Describe a menu or recipe from a German-speaking country or region.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss the different eating customs for formal and informal meals in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss the different food shopping patterns in German-speaking countries (frequency, specialty shops, etc.).
• Discuss typical mealtime schedules in German-speaking countries.

Communication Across Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss the influence of German, Austrian and Swiss foods and cooking styles in the United States.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare the differences between Americans and German, Austrian and Swiss cuisines.
• Compare the role of food in celebrations in the U.S. and in German-speaking countries.
• Contrast eating habits and food preparation in the U.S. and in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss the influence of American fast food on German-speaking countries.
• Discuss the influence of German, Austrian, and Swiss foods on the American culture (fondue, chocolate, sausage, breads, mustard, etc.).

Communication Across Communities

• Describe recipes and menus for celebrations in German-speaking countries.
• Identify typical food products from German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to nutritious foods and being healthy
• Use of comparatives and superlatives
• Use of dieser and welcher
• Use of the possessives
• Use of the dative verbs

Theme 2: Student Life

Classes and School Routines

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about classes and school routines.
• Give and understand basic instructions on class and school procedures.
• Exchange information about past, present and future school plans.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Understand announcements related to the school day and schedule.
• Understand procedures for using the computer.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce spoken and written presentations in relation to classes and school routines.
• Present rehearsed and unrehearsed material, such as role-plays, skits, poems, plays, short narratives, and songs.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Identify some aspects of school systems of German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Describe how certain school subjects lead to a variety of occupations.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast school routines in the U.S. and in German-speaking countries.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to classes.

Communication Across Communities

• Describe school routines of teenagers in German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to sequencing events
• Use of time phrases and verb second position
• Use of ordinal numbers
• Use of comparatives and superlatives

School-Related Activities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about school-related activities.
• Exchange information about past school-related activities compared to current school-related activities.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Interpret spoken and written materials about school-related activities.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce spoken and written presentations about school-related activities.
• Present rehearsed and unrehearsed material about school-related activities, such as role-plays, skits, plays, short narratives, and songs.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Describe school-related activities in German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify after-school activities and extracurricular sports available in German-speaking countries.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast the popularity of school-related activities such as yearbook, band, and theater in German-speaking countries and the U.S.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to school activities.

Communication Across Communities

• Identify activities offered through community clubs in German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Adverbs of frequency
• Present and past tenses

Health and Fitness

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about fitness and exercise.
• Ask and answer questions about a nutritional diet.
• Exchange information about maintaining good health.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Understanding directions of a fitness or diet plan.
• Comprehend information advocating a healthy lifestyle.
• Identify body parts based on oral or written information.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce spoken and written presentations about health and fitness.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the importance of health and fitness in German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss the importance of health and fitness in German-speaking countries.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast what is perceived as a healthy lifestyle in German-speaking countries and in the U.S.
• Compare fitness activities and sports complexes (such as gyms) in German-speaking countries and the U.S.
• Compare structures used to express pain and injury in German and English.
• Identify cognates and false cognates for health and fitness items.

Communication Across Communities

• Interpret authentic German language material related to health and fitness.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Affirmative and negative commands
• Use of the modal verbs sollen and durfen
• Reflexive verbs
• Use of jeder

Theme 3: Leisure Time

Indoor and Outdoor Activities

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about indoor and outdoor activities.
• Share opinions about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Comprehend spoken or written narratives about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Understand announcements and advertisements about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Present information about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Describe when, where, and how often one participates in indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Tell about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities that took place in the past.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss how and where young people spend leisure time in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss popular sports and sporting events in German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss famous German-speaking individuals studied in other classes (sports figures, musicians, artists, etc.).

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare indoor and outdoor leisure time activities in German-speaking and American cultures.
• Compare the amount of time and money spent on indoor and outdoor leisure time activities in German-speaking and American cultures.
• Identify cognates and false cognates for indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Compare the use of the past tense in German and English.

Communication Across Communities

• Explore information about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities in German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for expressing enthusiasm or disappointment
• Use of the present perfect tense
• Time phrases
• Use of the imperfect tense haben and sein
• An and in with dative case to express location
• Use of dative pronouns
• Dative forms of ein

Shopping

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to shopping.
• Ask for and give a detailed description of an item being purchased.
• Ask and answer questions regarding where items can be purchased and for how much.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify and comprehend descriptions of items in an advertisement.
• Comprehend oral and written information about where specific items can be purchased.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Tell about the purchase and/or sale of an item.
• Relate a shopping experience.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss the origin and the incorporation of the Euro in the European Union.
• Identify shopping customs in German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Compare merchandise prices in the U.S. to prices in German-speaking countries.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare the Euro to the U.S. dollar.
• Compare shopping venues in German-speaking countries and the U.S.
• Discuss the American influence on stores and products in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss unique crafts and specialties in German-speaking countries.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to shopping.
• Discuss appropriate gifts for different cultural occasions.

Communication Across Communities

• Identify merchandise available on the Internet, through catalogs and/or in advertisements from German-speaking countries or local retail establishments.
• Identify international job opportunities related to retail and marketing.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to clothing and detailed descriptions of clothing, to include specific color, pattern and style
• Vocabulary to express intent, disinterest and indifference
• Adjective endings following definite determiners
• Use of the verbs passen, stehen, tragn, and sich interessieren
• Use of the conjunction wenn
• Use of the indirect object with kaufen, schenken, and geben

Special Events

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to special events (e.g. holidays, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc.).
• Ask for and give a detailed description of a special event.
• Ask and answer questions regarding plans for a special event.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Comprehend descriptions of items needed for a special event.
• Comprehend invitations and announcements for special events.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Invite others to attend a special event.
• Describe a past, present or future celebration.
• Present rehearsed and nonrehearsed material related to a special event, such as a skit, poem, play or song.
• Respond to an invitation orally or in writing.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Identify holidays and typical celebrations of German-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss traditional foods served at special events in German-speaking countries.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare and contrast holidays and celebrations in German-speaking countries and the United States.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to holidays.

Communication Across Communities

• Identify opportunities to attend special events or celebrations of German-speaking countries in the metropolitan area.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to celebrations (food, activities)
• Imperatives
• Extending, accepting, and refusing invitations
• Extending good wishes

Theme 4: Vacation and Travel

Travel Plans and Activities

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Discuss and make travel plans.
• Ask and answer questions about travel and vacations, to include transportation schedules, modes of transportation, destinations and activities.
• Discuss past travel experience.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Interpret materials providing travel information.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe past travel experiences and future travel plans.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss common modes of transportation in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss typical vacation spots and resorts in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss what teens in German-speaking countries enjoy doing while on vacation.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss temperature and weather in German-speaking countries.
• Discuss the use of the 24-hour clock German-speaking countries.
• Identify the geographical locations of German-speaking countries and their neighboring countries.
• Do mathematical computations to figure travel costs.
• Discuss the impact of current events on foreign travel.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Compare travel and vacations in the U.S. and German-speaking countries.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to travel.
• Compare the importance of public transportation in the U.S. and in German-speaking countries.

Communication Across Communities

• Utilize authentic materials to make travel plans to go to or travel within German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for making travel arrangements
• Modes of transportation
• Comparatives and superlatives
• Vocabulary related to expressing opinions
• Use of prepositions nach, an, in, auf, in the accusative when expressing direction
• Interrogatives wo and wohin

Countries and Nationalities

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about nationality and country of origin.
• Ask and answer questions about countries.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify various countries and nationalities.
• Interpret maps of German-speaking regions.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Discuss countries, cities, languages, and dialects spoken in German-speaking regions.
• Give geographical locations for countries, cities, and geographical features in German-speaking countries.
• Present information about nationalities and/or origins in German-speaking countries.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss the impact of geography of daily life.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss or write about news events related to the geography of German-speaking countries.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Increase the awareness of various socioeconomic groups in German-speaking countries and in the United States.
• Identify cognates for countries and nationalities.
• Contrast the use of capitalization with adjectives of nationality and languages in English and in German.

Communication Across Communities

• Locate and use resources with information about German-speaking countries (Internet, brochures, etc.).

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for geography and geographic terms
• Names of major cities
• Use of the prepositions nach, in, and aus with cities and countries
• Use of the definite articles with some countries

Asking for and Giving Directions

Communication

Person to Person Communication

• Ask for and give directions.
• Discuss where various places are located within a German-speaking city.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Understand written and spoken directions.
• Interpret directions with the assistance of a map.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Tell about going to specific places using various time frames (past, present and future).
• Give directions to a destination.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss typical modes of transportation and places found in German-speaking cities and countries.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Use map-reading skills to interpret a map of a German-speaking city or region.

Cultural and Linguistics Comparisons

• Identify similarities and differences between American cities and German-speaking cities.

Communication Across Communities

• Access and interpret maps from German-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Places of interest in German-speaking cities
• Places to go for directions in German-speaking cities
• Typical modes of transportation in German-speaking cities