3 - Der Tag

3 - Der Tag

Der Tag A

Learning Objectives

In these activities, you show that you can:

  • distinguish between countable and non-countable items (as in many vs. much) - using the German high-frequency words “viel” vs. “viele” and “etwas” vs. “einige”
  • identify similarities and differences between Germans’ and Americans’ cultural attitudes and activities on a typical Sunday
  • interpret short texts and a video and identify relevant information about the use of the popular activity “I spy….” involving colors
  • communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to Sunday activities, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions

Scenarios

You are making plans for a typical Sunday but with someone from a German speaking country in mind.

  1. You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
  2. You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  3. You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, and habits related to Sunday routines and activities, using high-frequency words.
  4. You engage with each other in a popular activity “Ich sehe etwas, was du nicht siehst…” using German.
  5. Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
  6. You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”

Tools

Vocabulary

  • die Aktivitäten
  • essen / schlafen / brauchen / halten / nehmen / laufen / singen / sprechen / spielen /
  • die Farben
  • schwarz - weiß / rot - blau / grün - …
  • die Details
  • echt / genau / erst / dann / nie / immer / interessant / wichtig / gut / schlecht /fair /

Grammar and Structures

These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.

Structure
Usage
stem-changing verbs with changes in stem vowel in 2nd and 3rd person sg. only
schlafen: du schläfst, er schläft  lesen: du liest, sie liest laufen: du läufst, es läuft nehmen: du nimmst, man nimmt
Describing countable and non-countable items using “viele” and “einige” vs.“viel” and “etwas”
Viele Leute essen am Sonntag Brunch. Einige trinken am Nachmittag nur Kaffee. Viel Zucker im Kaffee ist nicht gut. Etwas Zucker im Kaffee ist nicht schlecht.

Cultural Knowledge

Note the following information:

Fact
Effect
Using different forms for countable and non-countable items
Making accurate statements about high-frequency words; understanding that “etwas” can be abbreviated to “was”
Identifying typical Sunday routines and practices in the US and Germany
Demonstrating your ability to differentiate between cultures and identifying similarities; becoming better prepared to function on your own in a German-speaking environment, whether it’s with Germans here or while you’re abroad.

Tasks

Activity 1: Interpreting Information

  1. Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming conversational part, please listen to and view these videos and take written notes using the questions below:

Nicos Weg: “Ich nehme…”

Nicos Weg: “Ich sehe etwas…”

Next, google the phrase “Ich sehe etwas cartoons” and click on the tab for images. Select three images and comment on them in the activity below.

  1. Interpreting Information
Please write down notes to the following prompts:

The individuals in the video episode Nicos Weg: “Ich nehme…” are getting ready to order pizza – something that many Germans might do on a typical Sunday. Note the forms of the high-frequency verb “nehmen” for the English equivalent “I take” – then write out your own order for your own use.

The individuals in the video episode Nicos Weg: “Ich sehe etwas…” play the popular children’s game “I spy…”. Playing games with friends or family is also a popular activity for Sundays. Note the structure for the game’s prompt and the colors – then write out your own for your own use.

Once you have identified three cartoons from your google search of the phrase “Ich sehe etwas cartoons”, note some details in German using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.

These notes will naturally lead you to do the following activities. Use the vocabulary, grammar and structures, and cultural knowledge to talk about yourself and to engage with your partners.

Activity 2: Presenting Information

Present pertinent information about yourself.

Using your notes from the previous activities, please share what kind of pizza you would order and how you would say that in German.

Next, briefly describe the three images you found in your google search “Ich sehe etwas cartoons” and how you liked/disliked them.

This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Activity 3: Exchanging Information

Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).

Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with partners covering the following topics:

  • Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
  • Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  • Imagine that you are getting ready to order pizza, share your choice and summarize what the others are ordering.
  • Play the game “I spy…” with your partners taking turns – whoever “got it” goes next.
  • Share with one another what plans your making for a typical Sunday. Take turns pretending to be a person from a German-speaking country sharing what you can and cannot do.

These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Take-Aways

Self-Reflection

Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:

Problem
Strategies
I don’t know a word
Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime
I don’t understand my partner
Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question. Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte?”

Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities

  • Research and note additional things that you would (or could not) do on a typical Sunday in Germany. You might be surprised!
  • Formulate your opinion about what you find out – do you like / dislike what the Germans do?

Why might they have decided to have these conventions?

Der Tag B

Learning Objectives

In these activities, you show that you can:

  • describe concepts with additional details - using adjectives in German
  • identify similarities and differences between Germans’ and Americans’ cultural attitudes and activities on a typical Sunday (e.g. shopping, going to church, going to vote, watching a soccer game)
  • interpret short texts and a video and identify relevant information about what Germans do on a Sunday – and what they don’t do
  • communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to the Sunday activities, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions

Scenarios

You are making plans for a typical Sunday, but with someone from a German speaking country in mind.

  1. You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
  2. You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  3. You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, and habits related to Sunday routines and activities, using high-frequency words.
  4. Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
  5. You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”

Tools

Vocabulary

  • die Familie / die Freunde am Sonntag
  • der Besuch – besuchen

    • die Kirche – glauben – Gott

    die Bewegung – draußen

    die Ruhe – stören

  • “Wann….?
  • manchmal – oft – früh – nie – selten –

    • am Morgen – am Vormittag – am Nachmittag –

    am Abend

    um … Uhr

    von … bis… / … Stunden dauern

Grammar and Structures

These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.

Structure
Usage
General statements
lange schlafen: Man schläft … lange zusammen essen: Man isst … zusammen spazieren gehen: Man geht … spazieren Kaffee trinken: Man trinkt … Kaffee laufen gehen: man geht … laufen
Combinations with “gehen”
einkaufen gehen – schwimmen gehen – wandern gehen joggen gehen – in die Kirche gehen – wählen gehen
Adjectives and Nouns w/ der-words,w/ ein-words,and w/out articles
Das ist der alte Mann / die junge Frau / das kleine Kind Das ist ein alter Mann / eine junge Frau / ein kleines Kind alter Mann / junge Frau / kleines Kind

Cultural Knowledge

Note the following information:

Fact
Effect
Germany is a fairly secular country
Many Germans do not go to church on a regular basis; many German churches do not provide programs and social support systems like many churches do in the US (e.g. Sunday school, Wednesday night services, child care, etc.)
Elections in Germany
Elections are held on Sundays in order to allow most voters to cast their ballots without having a work day schedule conflict
Sunday is “Ruhetag”
Many businesses are not open on Sundays and people are using it to catch up with friends and family or to engage in leisure time activities

Tasks

Activity 1: Interpreting Information – Medien

  1. Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming activities, please review these websites and take written notes using the questions below:

Shoppen am Sonntag?

Statistik: Online Shoppen

  1. Interpreting Information
Please write down notes to the following prompts:
  • Based on the infographic Shoppen am Sonntag? - How do Germans feel about stores being open on Sundays? What is the difference between younger and older Germans?
  • Based on the infographics in Statistik: Online Shoppen - What relevant information does the website share Germans’ practices related to online shopping? When do they do it, what do they purchase?
  • How does this information compare to your experience? How would someone else in your family or friend circle answer?
These notes will naturally lead you to do the following speaking activities. Use the vocabulary, grammar and structures, and cultural knowledge to talk about yourself and to engage with your partners.

Activity 2: Presenting Information

Present pertinent information about yourself.

Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself giving pertinent information about your real (or imagined) opinions about stores being open on Sundays and practices related to online shopping.

Please use high-frequency words and provide as much detail as you can.

This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Activity 3: Exchanging Information

Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).

Taking the previous activity as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with a partner covering the following topics:

  • Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like / dislike etc.
  • Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  • Imagine that you are making plans for a typical Sunday. Take turns pretending to be a person from a German-speaking country sharing what you can and cannot do (consider details such as going to church, going shopping, going to a restaurant, going to watch a soccer game, going to vote, doing yard or house work, going for a walk, etc.).
  • Share your opinion (likes / dislikes) about these cultural conventions in Germany

These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Take-Aways

Self-Reflection

Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:

Problem
Strategies
I don’t know a word
Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime
I don’t understand my partner
Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question. Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte?”

Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities

  • Research and note additional things that you would (or could not) do on a typical Sunday in Germany, in GA, and in the US. You might be surprised by what you find out!
  • Formulate your opinion about what you find out: Do you like / dislike these rules and conventions?
  • Why might they have come about? Do / did they make sense for the people?

Der Tag C

Learning Objectives

In these activities, you show that you can:

  • give information about yourself and your real or ideal activities and experiences on a typical Sunday - in German
  • describe high-frequency experiences with separable prefix verbs
  • interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information for your use
  • communicate by addressing an audience and by interacting with others in spontaneous spoken conversation on both very familiar and everyday topics, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions

Scenarios

You are meeting someone from a German speaking country in a context that is not clearly informal, e.g. a school event, a study abroad fair, a post-lecture networking event, or where there is a significant age or status difference between you and the other person.

  1. You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
  2. You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  3. Share about your real or ideal routines on a Sunday and what you know about US-German differences related to what people do and do not do. Use high-frequency words in German and giving as much detail as possible.
  4. Ask about relevant real or imagined past experiences related to weekend routines and use high-frequency verbs “haben” and “sein“ to express as much detail as possible.
  5. Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy.
  6. You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”

Tools

Vocabulary

  • Sonntagnachmittag
  • das Gespräch – die Sache

    • ein*laden – bringen

    gemeinsam – zusammen

    der Weg – zu Fuß

    das Haus – der Hund

    langsam – schnell

    wieder – überhaupt

    gefallen: Das gefällt mir (nicht) gut

    finden: Das finde ich (nicht) toll / schlecht

Grammar and Structures

These grammatical structures can help you in this conversation.

Structure
Usage
High-frequency separable prefix verbs
an*fangen – an*kommen – auf*stehen – aus*gehen – ein*laden – mit*bringen – zurück*kommen
Describing experiences in the past with“haben” and “sein” using forms of“hatt-“ and “war-“
Ich war am Sonntag müde. Ich hatte viel Spaß auf der Party. Du warst da. Du hattest auch viel Spaß. Das Wetter war ideal. …..
Using “man”, the impersonal you
Man steht spät auf.

Cultural Knowledge

Note the following information:

Fact
Effect
You might really need something on a Sunday
In German culture, people with an emergency need can still go shopping at smaller convenience stores, gas stations, train stations, and airports. Some cafés and restaurants will be open, and all pharmacies will take turns to offer night and weekend emergency services. However, keep in mind that regular stores and the mall are closed on Sundays.
You might not know what not do on a Sunday
In principle, all noisy activities are verboten (prohibited) during Sundays, holidays and during quiet days (weekdays during the night and during the lunch hours). But, if you talk to your neighbors and check the (written) house rules, some things might be erlaubt (permitted).

Tasks

Activity 1: Interpreting Information

  1. Listening/viewing/reading

    2. In preparation for the upcoming activities about German rules for Sundays, please view these videos. Also, please take some written notes using the questions below.

  1. Interpreting Information

    2. Please write down notes to the following prompts:

  • In the video Geschichte Sonntagsruhe: Please note three of the reasons (by piecing images and audio together) for why Sonntagsruhe was implemented as a rule in Germany?
  • In the videos Was erlaubt ist and Was nicht erlaubt ist relevant information for what is allowed and prohibited is shared. Please note three details (by piecing images and audio together) using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.
  • With the help of the website Apotheken Notdienst Münster, find out where you will find a pharmacy in the city of Münster if you were to have an emergency
  • Note how many emergency pharmacies are available in Münster on the day of your search. Next check out how many are available the day after. Are they the same?
These notes will naturally lead you to do the following speaking activities. Use the vocabulary, grammar and structures, and cultural knowledge to talk about yourself and to engage with your partners.

Activity 2: Presenting Information

Present pertinent information about yourself.

Based on your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself summarizing the above. Your summary should contain the following:

  • three historic aspects about the history of Sundays in Germany
  • three activities that are verboten on Sundays, and three that are erlaubt
  • the number of pharmacies that are available to you on two consecutive days.
  • Please use high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.

This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Activity 3: Exchanging Information

Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).

Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with a partner covering the following topics:

  • Greet your partner(s) and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
  • Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  • Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy / sincerity by responding with details and contrasts to discuss the topics of relationships:
    • Share about what you gleaned from the videos and website, using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible by asking and answering each other’s questions
    • Share about similarities and differences between Germany, GA, and the US based on what you learned from the sources
  • Take turns and allow everyone to build on what you said or to ask questions.

This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 2-3 minutes.

Take-Aways

Self-Reflection

Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:

Problem
Strategies
I don’t know a word
Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime
I don’t understand my partner
Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte?”

Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities

  • How about a virtual day trip on Sunday? Here are some recommendations for “Sonntagsausflüge” in Switzerland: Look at the pictures and click on the one that interests you spontaneously. Enjoy the journey!
  • Look up more phrases to express interest, enthusiasm, and empathy as well as likes / dislikes and simple ways to agree or disagree, and to affirm and negate statements.
  • Look up more words for high-frequency experiences and activities related to weekend routines, using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.
  • Ask your partner(s) about these topics and formulate your own opinion about the cultural similarities and differences between Germany and the US as they relate to cultural conventions and practices.

Der Tag D

Learning Objectives

In these activities, you show that you can:

  • give information about yourself and your real or imagined likes and dislikes related to a very popular Sunday evening TV show in Germany- in German
  • describe high-frequency experiences with separable prefix verbs
  • interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information for your use
  • communicate by addressing an audience and by interacting with others in spontaneous spoken conversation on both very familiar and everyday topics, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions

Scenarios

You are meeting someone from a German speaking country in a context that is not clearly informal, e.g. a school event, a study abroad fair, a post-lecture networking event, or where there is a significant age or status difference between you and the other person.

  1. You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
  2. You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  3. Share about your real or ideal routines on a Sunday evening and what you know about US-German differences related to what people do and do not do. Use high-frequency words in German and giving as much detail and contrast as possible.
  4. Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy.
  5. You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”

Tools

Vocabulary

  • die Meinung sagen
  • das Gefühl – das Problem

    • stimmen – das stimmt – genau

    finden – meinen – richtig – falsch

    jemand – niemand

    viel / viele – wenig /wenige

    verschieden – anders – offen – frei

    finden: Das finde ich (nicht) gut

    gefallen: Das gefällt mir (nicht)

    und – oder – aber – denn – sondern

Grammar and Structures

These grammatical structures can help you in this conversation.

Structure
Usage
Review of negation using “nicht” (not) and “kein-“ (not any)
Diese Apotheke ist heute nicht offen. Das ist keine Apotheke – das ist ein Supermarkt.
Placing “nicht” before the item it negates,except when it negates the verb entirely:Then “nicht” goes to the end.
Wir gehen nicht heute Abend aus, sondern morgen Abend. Ich verstehe das alles nicht. Mir gefällt Tatort nicht.

Cultural Knowledge

Note the following information:

Fact
Effect
Germans tend to like their routines
In German culture, people tend to favor reliable routines rather than spontaneity – although young people are evidently more open and flexible than older folks. The TV show “Tatort” is an example for the longevity of cultural practices – it’s been around for decades, and for many people, the Sunday murders and crime stories are a must not miss.
Germans tend to have more free time
Granted there are exceptions to every rule, but Germans tend to value their work-free time and enjoy filling it with their interests and the friend- and family-relationships they maintain.

Tasks

Activity 1: Interpreting Information

  1. Listening/viewing/reading

    2. View these websites (by just skimming) to note pertinent information in support of the prompts below:

View these videos to see what they communicate about two episodes in the series
  1. Interpreting Information

    2. Please write down notes to the following prompts:

  • Having accessed the website Tatort: Ein Kult-Krimi, what information do you have about how old and long-lasting the series is on German TV? What new activity do the producers offer the fans for summer 2020 to celebrate the anniversary?
  • Having accessed the website Tatort: Public Viewing, what information do you have about how many public viewing sites there are in and around Berlin? What do you think about watching an episode in a public setting?
  • Having accessed the website 12 Dinge am Sonntagabend, what information do you have about how many Germans spend their Sunday evening – when they don’t watch Tatort? What do you think about the activities named? Which of them are (not) part of your Sunday evening? Why (not)?
  • In reviewing the video trailers Tatort Trailer und Tatort Trailer, why (or why not) might you become a fan watching this crime show? Each episode takes place in a different German city, but the city’s investigators remain a constant. Is this something that might appeal to you?
These notes will naturally lead you to do the following speaking activities. Use the vocabulary, grammar and structures, and cultural knowledge to talk about yourself and to engage with your partners.

Activity 2: Presenting Information

Present pertinent information about yourself.

Please record yourself giving pertinent information based on the prompts above, using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.

This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.

Activity 3: Exchanging Information

Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).

Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with a partner covering the following topics:

  • Greet your partner(s) and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
  • Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
  • Imagine that you are making plans for a typical Sunday evening. Take turns pretending to be a person from a German-speaking country and share what you may want to do as part of your real or ideal Sunday evening routine. Argue with details why watching Tatort together is (not) a good idea, and what you may (not) want to do instead. Use high-frequency words to express likes/dislikes, your opinion and disagreement, and come to a mutually acceptable compromise or solution.

These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 2-3 minutes.

Take-Aways

Self-Reflection

Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:

Problem
Strategies
I don’t know a word
Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime
I don’t understand my partner
Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte?”

Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities

  • More Tatort, this time at the Goethe-Institut Dänemark in Copenhagen, Denmark. Watch the video and listen attentively: What can you understand? Jot down a word list of all the words you can understand. You will be surprised about what you can already understand!
  • Research: Is there a Goethe-Institut in your area? Where? What activities are offered that you may be interested in?
  • Look up more phrases to express interest, enthusiasm, and empathy as well as likes / dislikes and simple ways to agree or disagree, and to affirm and negate statements.
  • Look up more words for high-frequency experiences (about what you do as part of pertinent activities and experiences, what you like / dislike about them, and about your favorite / ideal experiences) using high-frequency words and as much detail as possible.
  • Ask your partner(s) about these topics and formulate your opinions.
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