Our Reception students were VERY excited to create their own Schultuete, or School Cone, during week 2 of this term.
Each student decorated a cone and inside received gifts to celebrate them starting their German at Craigburn: a sharpener, an eraser, a pencil, a bookmark and stickers.
We looked at photos of children in Germany receiving their Schultuete and talked about how it is a German tradition.
I hope all of the children enjoy their gifts!
Our Reception children have had their first lesson of German this term! It has been a busy start to the term, with swimming lessons in Week 1, but we have already learnt lots of new German words!
We have been learning colour names, numbers and how to introduce ourselves.
Well done, Receptions!
The Year 4/5 students have been very busy over the past few weeks working towards putting a short iMovie together in German.
Firstly the students had to form groups and then work co-operatively to write their own script. The script was set in a cafe or restaurant and needed to include some key questions and phrases we’ve been learning in class. The students then had other language to work with to make their script flow well and sound natural.
After writing the script the groups started rehearsing. It was very important that groups clearly used our ‘secret language’ or ‘write it as it sounds’ strategy. We know this improves pronunciation a lot!
Most groups are now up to filming with that happening over this week and next week. We will share some final products soon!
Over the past few weeks the Year 3 and Year 3/4 class have been working hard on their ‘Creature Creation’ task in German.
The students first had to draft their creature and construct 5 sentences describing it. This information needed to include the creature’s name, age, birthday, hair colour and style and eye colour.
The students then moved onto creating their creature using paper art.
The finished products have added some lovely colour to our German room!
Over the next week the Year 4/5s will be accessing Languagenut to practise their language with a custom-made unit. Here are the instructions to get to this unit.
2. Click on the purple square with the German ‘Languagenutter’ inside of it. This appears after the dice.
3. Click on the ‘Teacher Content’ square.
4. Click on the ‘Eating Out – Year 4/5 Task’ unit.
5. You will now be able to practice to become familiar with the language, practice it and then go for a medal!
We have a very creative student in our school! After being introduced to and playing the new game I brought back from German, ‘Wie Immer Ich,’ Carys went home and made her own!
Carys found a small Pringles container and poked five holes around the edge and one in the middle. She then sealed up the 5 outside holes and found sticks in her back garden to use for the game. Finally, Carys even made her own dice!
Thank you for sharing your creativity with us, Carys!
This year we have subscribed to a new language learning tool called ‘Languagenut.’
Languagenut generates usernames and passwords for each student and allows them to log in and complete a variety of tasks. The tasks focus on reading, writing, speaking and writing.
The tool allows students to earn medals as they progress and complete tasks that support the language learning happening in our classroom. I can set particular tasks to ensure the current focus language is being practised through the program.
For students that bring their own iPad to school, I encourage you to download the ‘Languagenut’ app at home. This will allow your child to access the tool during German lessons as well as at home.
You can also use this program at http://www.languagenut.com/au/
I will provide login details for your child to glue into their diaries.
Vielen Dank!
Many of the classes this week started their lesson with a choice of a game. The first choice is a favourite in the classroom and is the German equivalent of ‘Who am I?’
The second game was a new one! While I was in Germany this past summer I visited the Nuremberg Christmas Markets. They are one of the biggest and most impressive markets in Germany and I was not disappointed!
While there I found some wooden games called, ‘Wie immer ich?’ This game uses a wooden cylinder, a dice and black sticks to practice numbers. The aim of the game is to get rid of all of your sticks first. The students LOVED this new game and it was wonderful to see them enjoying something I brought back from Germany!
In German the Year 4/5 students have had the task of developing interviewing skills. Students are reading and matching questions and answers and then are interviewing a peer, completely in German!
Eadie and Eliza completed this task today and then decided to film their interview using iMovie. I was VERY impressed with their fluency and pronunciation.
Please click the link ABOVE their photo to watch their interview!
During the first German lesson of the year the Year 3 – 7 students looked at why language learning was important. Students brainstormed ideas and reasons together before watching a short clip showing UK students talking about why language learning is important to them. Finally, students had the task of using iMovie to produce a short and raw video about why they think language learning is important.
Working within such a short time frame was a challenge! I was very impressed with what the students produced and we enjoyed sharing all the videos together at the end of each lesson.
Here are a selection of videos made by students from Year 3 to Year 7. Enjoy!
Video 1 – Year 7 students
Video 2 – Year 3 students
Video 3 – Year 5 students
Video 4 – Year 3 students
Video 5 – Year 7 students
Video 6 – Year 7 students