Course Syllabi (from Student Handbook)
Course Name: German Culture
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, and 12
Textbook: None
Length of Class: One semester
Prerequisite: None
Course Description:
Students in this course will explore various aspects of the German-speaking countries. The broad facts of history and geography, industry, music, art food, dance, and special traditions of Germany and German-speaking nations will be explored along with pertinent expressions in the German language. Open to any student. Does not fulfill the language requirement for college admission.
Class Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- give concrete evidence of the connection between communal culture and language.
- show the relationship between cultural behavior and governmental decisions.
- explain the influence of the culture in the larger region on life in the United States.
Course Outline:
- Geography
- Country Reports
- Holidays
- Art, Music
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Course Name: German I
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Textbook:Deutsch Aktuell 1 (EMC Publishing Co)
Length of Class: Two semesters – Full year
Prerequisite: None
Course Description:
Students taking this course will acquire the basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in the target language. Instruction will be via dramatic tape presentations, written exercises, oral drills, basic readings, audio visual aids, and games. The students will gain an insight into the culture of German speaking countries through various activities including films, music, and experiences with foreign cuisine.
Student participation in the language classroom activities is essential. It is strongly recommended that students have a grade of C or better in English courses before attempting the study of a foreign language.
Class Objectives:
Class Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss with each other and with the teacher their daily lives, likes and dislikes, school activities and school activities.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German in the present tense, future tense, and present perfect tense.
- Demonstrate recognition of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, their plurals, and the forms they take in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases.
- Demonstrate understanding of simple facts about German geography, history and everyday life.
Course Outline:
- Grundstufe (“Basic Training”): an introduction to German through Total Physical Response instruction emphasizing classroom objects, body parts, words for family members, basic actions, numbers, colors, greetings, asking for and answering questions about personal data.
- Total Physical Response Storytelling Units in combination with readings, exercises, and videos accompanying text “Deutsch Aktuell 1”:
- Days, months, ordinal numbers, dates
- Geographical terms
- Weather and seasons
- School subjects and school life
- Sports
- Daily routines, household activities and chores
- Rooms of house with their corresponding objects and activities
- Foods, beverages and dining out
- Transportation, asking for directions, names of public places and activities
- Shopping, buying clothes
- Hobbies and work
- Summer activities and traveling
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Course Name: German II
Grade Level: 10, 11, and 12
Textbook:Deutsch Aktuell 2
Length of Class: Two semesters – Full year
Prerequisite: It is strongly recommended that students planning to take German II achieve a grade of C or better in German I.
Course Description:
Students taking German II will further develop and improve the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through intensified grammar study and wider experiences in writing and verbalization. Presentations will be selected from more advanced material. Students will participate in activities designed to promote cultural awareness. A second year of German is recommended for students planning on attending college.
Class Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss with each other and with the teacher and write about their daily lives, likes and dislikes, school activities and school activities.
- Demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German in the present tense, future tense, and present perfect tense.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German using the past tense and the past perfect tense of German verbs.
- Demonstrate proficiency in using masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, their plurals and pronouns, and the forms they take in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases.
- Engage in class discussions on topics of everyday interest; discuss German cultural situations in the target language; use German to express questions, needs and ideas in the classroom.
Course Outline:
- Review of vocabulary and structural features introduced in German 1 through story
- Inventions cooperatively conducted by the class.
- Continuation of Total Physical Response Storytelling Units in combination with readings,
- exercises, and videos accompanying text “Deutsch Aktuell 2”:
- Family life and home situations
- School and social situations
- Dating and entertainment situations
- Travel and vacation activities
- Daily life and culture in Germany, Austria and Switzerland German, Austrian and Swiss geography and political units
- Education in Germany
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Course Name: German III
Grade Level: 11 and 12
Textbook:Deutsch Aktuell 3 (EMC Publishing Co)
Length of Class: Two semesters – Full year
Prerequisite: Completion of the previous language course with a grade of B or better or teacher recommendation
Course Description:
Students in the regular third-year language classes will expand and develop their target language vocabulary through short readings, story-telling, and oral comprehension activities. Refinement of previously learned grammar will continue with wider practice, and new grammar concepts will be taught with emphasis on real-life situational use. Cultural experiences will enhance understanding of language and beginning literature. A third or fourth year of foreign language is recommended for students planning to attend selective colleges or universities.
Class Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss with each other and with the teacher and write about their daily lives, likes and dislikes, school activities and school activities in greater detail and proficiency.
- Demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German in the present tense, future tense, and present perfect tense, past tense and past perfect tense.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German using the subjunctive mood and passive voice of German verbs.
- Demonstrate proficiency in using masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, their plurals and pronouns, and the forms they take in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in use of accusative, dative, genitive and 2-way prepositions.
- Engage in class discussions on feature films, topics of social, political and cultural interest in the target language; rely on the exclusive use of German in participating in the class.
Course Outline:
- Review of vocabulary and structural features introduced in German 2 through
story
- Inventions cooperatively told and written by the class.
- Continuation of Total Physical Response Storytelling Units in combination with readings, exercises, and videos accompanying text “Deutsch Aktuell 3”:
- Social and political phenomena
- Newspaper and magazine articles
- Short stories and plays by German authors
- Mini-classes in natural science, social science, mathematics, grammar,
business and commerce, and information technology
- Production and performance of a class play
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Course Name: Advanced German
Grade Level: 11 and 12
Textbook:Deutsch Aktuell 3 (EMC Publishing Co)
Length of Class: Two semesters – Full year
Prerequisite: Completion of the previous language course with an A or teacher recommendation
Course Description:
Students in the advanced level of the language will increase second language skills through intense verbalization, study of more complex grammar, and readings of a more sophisticated nature. Simulation of real-life situations will be widely used to encourage communicative efforts. Greater emphasis will be placed on writing skills, and cultural units will be integrated with regular course work to enhance comprehension of language patterns in conversation and literature. An advanced level class of foreign language is recommended for those students who wish to attempt Advanced Placement or other “test-out” exams to receive pre-enrollment college credit or for any student planning to attend a highly selective college or university.
Class Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss with each other and with the teacher and write about their daily lives, likes and dislikes, school activities and school activities in greater detail and proficiency.
- Demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German in the present tense, future tense, and present perfect tense, past tense and past perfect tense.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in listening, speaking, reading and writing German using the subjunctive mood and passive voice of German verbs.
- Demonstrate proficiency in using masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, their plurals and pronouns, and the forms they take in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases.
- Demonstrate basic fluency in use of accusative, dative, genitive and 2-way prepositions.
- Engage in class discussions on feature films, topics of social, political and cultural interest in the target language; rely on the exclusive use of German in participating in the class.
Course Outline:
- Review of vocabulary and structural features introduced in German 2 through story
- Inventions cooperatively told and written by the class.
- Continuation of Total Physical Response Storytelling Units in combination with readings, exercises, and videos accompanying text “Deutsch Aktuell 3”:
- Social and political phenomena
- Newspaper and magazine articles
- Short stories and plays by German authors
- Mini-classes in natural science, social science, mathematics, grammar, business and commerce, and information technology
- Production and performance of a class play
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