YK were showing their lanterns during our annual “Laternenumzug”.They were singing the song “Laterne, Laterne” while they paraded through our school. Elise Walsh was leading us with her guitar and OK helpers made sure that we stayed together.
In Germany, lantern parades are held every year in honor of St.Martin who, the legend says, spent his whole life to help the less fortunate. 
Every year on October 3rd Germans celebrate the day they were unified again.
YK made a German flag.
MK colored the flag and searched for Germany’s capital, population and 3 cities/states in computer class. Back in German class they located one city or state on the map and shared interesting facts with all students. Here are some of them:
Bremen: It’s the smallest state Berlin: There was a wall in the middle / Has 35 universities and 50 theaters Bavaria: Produces fine wine / Has a magnificent alpine scenery Hamburg: Has the largest port Hessen: Has major industries including Opel
OK students talked about Germany after WWII, the reason why it was divided into two separate countries and about the unification. We had a great discussion about aspects of the war and what all the change must have meant for the people.
YK learned about animals and colors and worked hard to make their own version of Eric Carle’s book “Hallo, roter Fuchs” (Hello, red fox). The book will come home in this week’s Friday folders. Please take some time to look through it with your child and she/he might even sing a German song for you. MK have been studying the rooms of the house, things we do in them, furniture, prepositions that describe location. Students were given the choice to furnish one room of a house by drawing and will be writing a small paragraph about it. OK are working in the textbook “Planetino” on the topic “Schule” (School). They are writing short dialogues about things they like, do like not so much, or dislike in school.
It felt so good to see everybody again. We spent the first week to refresh our German skills, for some to start learning a new language and to get to know each other. Soon we will be starting with our topics and I will post information here. So, please check in from time to time.
We had another exciting year in our German classes.
Younger Kids got to know Hans Hase, his family, and friends.We sang, learned rhymes and made animal masks.
Middle Kids studied the book “Der Grueffelo”. They learned how to use a vocabulary sheet, how to invite someone for tea, milk……and about the Grueffelo and other animals in the woods. Each student then illustrated lines from the book and they presented a choral reading to younger students. The pictures turned out beautiful.
The Older Kids classes performed their skits for the school. Each of the skits had a humorous twist and the students showed their German and their acting skills. Prima!!
During our spring program the OK and MK sang “Das Regenbogenlied” with perfect pronounciation. What a nice way to celebrate our graduating class.
Have a wonderful summer!
Our Younger and Middle Kids classes learned about Germany’s three largest cities: Hamburg, Berlin and München (Munich). We looked at famous buildings, the code of arms, the surrounding landscapes and traveled from the Northern Sea to the Alps. Older Kids found out that there are many countries in Europe where German is an officially spoken language.
December is a very special time in Germany. Families are spending quality time together while baking, making crafts, singing and listening to music. Kids can not wait to visit the very festive Christmas markets. We try to capture some of this spirit in our German classes. Watch for a craft coming home with your child before break, ask him/her to sing a song or recite a German poem for you.
YK have been making lanterns and practicing the song “Laterne, Laterne” in German class. The legend says that Martin saved a poor man from freezing to death by cutting his cloak in half and sharing it with him. In the month of November children all over Germany participate in lantern parades to celebrate this good deed. Tomorrow during our normal class hours we will parade through the school with our lanterns(no candles). My friend Elise, a retired German teacher, will be leading us with her guitar.
The German people celebrate their National Holiday on October 3rd. This week in our German classes we learned about Germany and German history.
YK made a German flag.
MK colored the flag and found the information about the population and the capital of Germany and the names of three big cities in computer class. Here are a few facts your students find interesting about Germany:
OK classes watched a documentary about the years after WWII, the building and the fall of the Berlin wall. On Friday we will have a discussion about the film.
We are off to a great start in our German classes!
OK classes are working with the Planetino workbook and textbook.
MK classes are learning how to greet people at different times of the day. Soon we will start to learn about animals.
YK classes are warming up to a new language with numbers and colors. We learned our first German song and all of the kids are singing along.