- Die Stadt A
- Learning Objectives
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Stadt B
- Learning Objectives
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Stadt C
- Learning Objectives
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Stadt D
- Learning Objectives
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
Die Stadt A
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- communicate using high-frequency vocabulary and structures such as modal verbs.
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about planning travel within Germany.
- communicate with others in scripted presentations and unscripted conversations on topics related to planning travel within Germany.
Tools
Vocabulary
| Topic | Words and Phrases |
|---|---|
Travel | der Blick, die Entwicklung, das Ereignis, die Grenze, die Vorstellung (incl.event)
erwarten, gelten + als, nennen, verändern, ziehen (to move/change residence)
ähnlich, als, nun, sogenannt, sowie, vor allem, wirtschaftlich |
Grammar and Structures
These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
modal verbs | allowed/prohibited (dürfen)
want (wollen, möchten)
plan to do (können, sollen) |
Navigating German websites while speaking in German with a partner | Wo siehst du das?
Hast du das gefunden?
Können wir nach unten / nach oben scrollen?
Wo soll ich klicken?
Was bedeutet ______?
Ich denke, ____ bedeutet ____ .
Mir gefällt…
Ich verstehe nicht . . . |
Cultural Knowledge
Note the following information:
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Germans value privacy much more than the typical American and EU law contains many privacy safeguards. Germany and the EU also have an opt-in standard (vs. opt-out in the U.S.), which means your data cannot be used by businesses unless you allow it. | Google StreetView caused a public outcry, eventually leading Google to discontinue the project there. Therefore, only 20 German cities are available for streetview. Try it out here: Is it in Hamburg? What about Paderborn? Do you see any houses or apartment buildings that have been blurred to respect residents’ wishes? |
Vacation rental apartments were very common in Germany long before AirBnB existed. AirBnB has, however, now all but destroyed its competition in Germany. Germany, however, is also facing a housing shortage and massive increases in rent over the past decade. | The vacation rental market is partly to blame for these problems. Its future may be impacted by public policy. How do you feel about this issue? Is the chance for visitors to stay in more authentic accommodations worth the trade-off? Can you imagine a public policy compromise? |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
- Interpreting Information
Imagine you are studying abroad in Paderborn and want to visit Germany’s second-largest city, Hamburg, for a long weekend. But first, you need to decide how you will get there and where you’ll stay. In preparation for the upcoming activities, please review one of these websites and take written notes using the questions below. The search may work well in pairs, with each pair using a different website. There can also be overlap since different teams will find different options. If your instructor allows pair-work, remember to use the “navigating websites” structures in the table above to communicate in German during your search.
Travel options to/from Hamburg:
Stay options:
Transit options in Hamburg:
Using the German versions of the websites above to improve your reading comprehension, gather notes to the following prompts:
Before starting your search:
Your class should agree on the dates of the trip.
To convert Euro prices to dollars, use this Währungsrechner.
Familiar website such as Google maps will default to English; manually switch to the German version by using the .de web address ending.
Stay options:
What is the cost? Per night or per week? Are there additional cleaning or booking fees? Number of beds?
What is the exact address? How far is it from the Hamburg main train station (Hauptbahnhof) via public transportation?
What is included in the accommodation? Wifi (WLAN)? Bed sheets and towels (Bettwäsche, Badetücher)?
Travel options to/from Hamburg:
How much does a one-way ticket/ride cost (einfache Fahrt) per person? Round trip? (Hin- und Rückfahrt?)
For ride-shares only: How many seats are available? How much space for luggage? Where does the ride depart from?
How long is the trip? Departure/arrival times? Trains only: do you have to change trains (umsteigen) anywhere?
Are there discounts for students?
Transit options in Hamburg:
How much does a one-way ticket (Karte) cost? A day-pass? A multi-day pass? A week pass?
Are there discounts for students? And/or for small groups?
Check out the Verkehrsangebot (transit options) in the Über uns tab. How many subway lines (U-Bahn Linien) are there? How many commuter rail lines (S-Bahn Linien)? If you scroll toward the bottom, you’ll notice another type of transit option unique to Hamburg. What is it? (Here’s a hint.)
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself presenting to your classmates the details of your search. Each student should take notes as they listen to the other presentations since you’ll need to discuss options in activity 3. Include at least one relevant photo of Hamburg in your presentation.
Please use high-frequency words and provide as much detail as you can.
This activity should take you 20 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 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:
Role-play: imagine that you and your partner are both studying abroad in Paderborn and want to visit Hamburg. Using the details learned in the previous activities, plan your visit together, including travel to/from Hamburg, the type of transit pass you’ll buy in Hamburg itself, and where you’ll stay. This should be a bit of a debate back-and-forth. Do not agree right away! Be sure to explain the pros/cons of the options.
One way to begin preparing for the conversation is by quickly reviewing your notes and individually ranking the options based on what you heard. Then you can begin to mark or make a list of pros/cons for each.
These activities should take you 15 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 5 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
Explore the transit system map to get a better sense of how to get around Hamburg. Also explore walking distances using German Google Maps, for instance, between the Hauptbahnhof and the Rathaus.
Small, locally owned German hotels (i.e., not chains) are another economical option. You can find many of them listed on the German version of Booking.com.
Review the cultural knowledge section above and try out StreetView in both cities.
Die Stadt B
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- communicate using high-frequency vocabulary and structures such as modal verbs.
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about selecting sites and attractions to visit.
- communicate with others in scripted presentations and unscripted conversations on topics related to selecting sites and attractions to visit.
Tools
Vocabulary
| Topic | Words and Phrases |
|---|---|
Travel | der Blick, die Entwicklung, das Ereignis, die Grenze, die Vorstellung (incl.event)
erwarten, gelten + als, nennen, verändern, ziehen (to move/change residence)
ähnlich, als, nun, sogenannt, sowie, vor allem, wirtschaftlich
das Alter, das Angebot, der Grund, der Preis, der Raum,
bieten, erreichen, fehlen, kriegen, ein- und aussteigen, suchen, treffen, verschwinden, versuchen
einzig, gerade, irgendwo, öffentlich, voll |
Grammar and Structures
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
modal verbs | allowed/prohibited (dürfen)
want (wollen, möchten)
plan to do (können, sollen) |
Navigating German websites while speaking in German with a partner | Wo siehst du das?
Hast du das gefunden?
Können wir nach unten / nach oben scrollen?
Wo soll ich klicken?
Was bedeutet ______?
Ich denke, ____ bedeutet ____ .
Mir gefällt…
Ich verstehe nicht . . . |
Cultural Knowledge
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Hamburg was where the Beatles got their start. The area—St. Pauli—is both touristy and not for everyone. It’s both a touristy area and a red-light district. For other fun facts about Hamburg, check out Hamburg Spezial. | Check out Wikitravel for information on specific neighborhoods, including how safe they are, before deciding to visit. Keep in mind that areas such as St. Pauli can have very different feels during the day, versus at night, or on the day of a soccer match. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
- Interpreting Information
Imagine you are studying abroad in Paderborn and want to visit one of Germany’s biggest and most exciting cities, Hamburg, for a long weekend. Now that you’ve decided how you will get there and where you’ll stay, it’s time to plan your activities in Germany’s second-largest city! In preparation for the upcoming activities, please review one of these websites and take written notes using the questions below.
Hamburg Attractions (Sehenswürdigkeiten):
Using the German versions of the websites above to improve your reading comprehension, gather notes to the following prompts:
After perusing the options, identify the top 3 attractions you would like to visit. Take notes on each using the questions below. Then rank the three in order of your preference. If your instructor allows pair-work, remember to use the “navigating websites” structures in the table above to communicate in German during your search.
Focus on the basics: What? Where? When? Why? How much? (And are their student or group discounts?). Pro tip: some of these websites include multiple sights grouped by category if you scroll down. Remember, you’ll need to justify your choices in the subsequent activities so choose something you’re actually interested in, even if it take a bit more time to find.
If you have extra time, plan your travel route and time from the Hauptbahnhof using the HVV website and/or the German version of Google maps.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself presenting to your classmates the details of your search: a brief outline of your top 3 options (what, where, how much) followed by more detail about your top choice (why). Each student should take notes as they listen to the other presentations since you’ll need to discuss options in activity 3. Include at least one relevant photo of your top choice in your presentation.
Please use high-frequency words and provide as much detail as you can.
This activity should take you 20 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 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:
Role-play: imagine that you and your partner are both studying abroad in Paderborn and want to visit Hamburg. Using the details learned in the previous activities, plan your visit together with a focus this time on what 5 attractions you’ll see and in what order. This should be a bit of a debate back-and-forth. Do not agree right away! Be sure to explain the pros/cons of the options, taking into account each partner’s different tastes.
One way to begin preparing for the conversation is by quickly reviewing your notes and individually ranking the options based on what you heard. Then you can begin to mark or make a list of pros/cons for each.
These activities should take you 15 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 5 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
The most popular tourist attraction in Germany is in Hamburg (and is much cooler than it sounds.) The second half of the video some of the humor of the place.
Guided walking tours are another great way to get to know a city. Check out this list of options and select the one that sounds most interesting.
For off-the-beaten-path adventures, check out the Hamburg page on Atlas Obscura.
Die Stadt C
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- communicate using high-frequency vocabulary and structures such as modal verbs.
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about getting to know a city in Germany.
- communicate with others in scripted presentations and unscripted conversations on topics related to getting to know a city in Germany.
Tools
Vocabulary
| Topic | Words and Phrases |
|---|---|
Travel | der Blick, die Entwicklung, das Ereignis, die Grenze, die Vorstellung (incl.event)
erwarten, gelten + als, nennen, verändern, ziehen (to move/change residence)
ähnlich, als, nun, sogenannt, sowie, vor allem, wirtschaftlich
das Alter, das Angebot, der Grund, der Preis, der Raum,
bieten, erreichen, fehlen, kriegen, ein- und aussteigen, suchen, treffen, verschwinden, versuchen
einzig, gerade, irgendwo, öffentlich, voll |
Grammar and Structures
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
modal verbs | allowed/prohibited (dürfen)
want (wollen, möchten)
plan to do (können, sollen) |
Navigating German websites while speaking in German with a partner | Wo siehst du das?
Hast du das gefunden?
Können wir nach unten / nach oben scrollen?
Wo soll ich klicken?
Was bedeutet ______?
Ich denke, ____ bedeutet ____ .
Mir gefällt…
Ich verstehe nicht . . . |
Cultural Knowledge
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Much of the old Paderborn was destroyed by Allied bombing in spring 1945. Like many German cities, you’ll see a mix of old and new architectural styles in Paderborn, but the many of the older looking buildings were in fact rebuilt after World War II. | Check out “Paderborn: Früher und heute“ for a self-guided tour with photos from then and now throughout the old town. Click on the “Stadtplan” tab at the top to begin, then click on the blue dots for each location. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
- Interpreting Information
Imagine you are studying abroad in Paderborn. Sure, you plan to visit some of the big cities every American has heard of. But you also want to make this place your home and there’s more to see and do in Paderborn and at the university than you expected. In this unit, you will explore the sites and attractions in Paderborn itself. In preparation for the upcoming activities, please review one of these websites and take written notes using the questions below.
Using the German versions of the websites above to improve your reading comprehension, gather notes to the following prompts:
After perusing the options, identify the top 3 attractions you would like to visit in the city and/or activities you would like to participate in at the university. Take notes on each using the questions below. Then rank the three in order of your preference. If your instructor allows pair-work, remember to use the “navigating websites” structures in the table above to communicate in German during your search.
Focus on the basics: What? Where? When? Why? How much? (And are their student or group discounts?). Remember, you’ll need to justify your choices in the subsequent activities so choose something you’re actually interested in, even if it take a bit more time to find.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself presenting to your classmates the details of your search: a brief outline of your top 3 options (what, where, how much) followed by more detail about your top choice (why). Each student should take notes as they listen to the other presentations since you’ll need to discuss options in activity 3. Include at least one relevant photo of your top choice in your presentation.
Please use high-frequency words and provide as much detail as you can.
This activity should take you 20 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 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:
Role-play: imagine that you and your partner are both studying abroad in Paderborn and want to see and do more at the university and in the city. Using the details learned in the previous activities, plan your visit together with a focus this time on what 5 attractions and activities you’re most interested in, ranked from most to least favorite. This should be a bit of a debate back-and-forth. Do not agree right away! Be sure to explain the pros/cons of the options, taking into account each partner’s different tastes.
One way to begin preparing for the conversation is by quickly reviewing your notes and individually ranking the options based on what you heard. Then you can begin to mark or make a list of pros/cons for each.
These activities should take you 15 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 5 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
Guided walking tours are another great way to get to know a city. Check out this list of options and select the one that sounds most interesting. The city of Paderborn also offers free, self-guided walking tours via the Actionbound app.
Die Stadt D
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- communicate using high-frequency vocabulary and structures such as modal verbs.
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about getting to know the local region.
- communicate with others in scripted presentations and unscripted conversations on topics related to getting to know the local region.
Tools
Vocabulary
| Topic | Words and Phrases |
|---|---|
Travel | der Blick, die Entwicklung, das Ereignis, die Grenze, die Vorstellung (incl.event)
erwarten, gelten + als, nennen, verändern, ziehen (to move/change residence)
ähnlich, als, nun, sogenannt, sowie, vor allem, wirtschaftlich
das Alter, das Angebot, der Grund, der Preis, der Raum,
bieten, erreichen, fehlen, kriegen, ein- und aussteigen, suchen, treffen, verschwinden, versuchen
einzig, gerade, irgendwo, öffentlich, voll |
Grammar and Structures
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
modal verbs | allowed/prohibited (dürfen)
want (wollen, möchten)
plan to do (können, sollen) |
Navigating German websites while speaking in German with a partner | Wo siehst du das?
Hast du das gefunden?
Können wir nach unten / nach oben scrollen?
Wo soll ich klicken?
Was bedeutet ______?
Ich denke, ____ bedeutet ____ .
Mir gefällt…
Ich verstehe nicht . . . |
Cultural Knowledge
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Paderborn is located in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany’s most populous state and its industrial heartland. It’s also home to 30 of Germany’s 80 largest cities. | With 10 cities of 300,000 to 1 Million residents in close proximity, there’s lot to see in the Ruhrgebiet as it’s called. Check out the Wikitravel “Ruhr” landing page for information on the area and links to individual city pages. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
- Interpreting Information
Imagine you are studying abroad in Paderborn. Now that you’ve gotten to know your new hometown and visited a big city, it’s time to explore other cities in the region. Thankfully, your student fees include a transit pass (Semesterticket) that allows you to travel on certain types of trains—usually, the slowest ones—to other cities in the region for free! In this unit, you will explore another city in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. In preparation for the upcoming activities, please review both websites and take written notes using the questions below.
First, review the map and FAQs for details of where and how you can travel for free with your Semesterticket.
Second, select a city you’d like to consider traveling to such as Münster, Düsseldorf, or Aachen.
Third, google the name of the city you’ve chosen with the word “Tourismus” to find the city’s official tourism site. Using your experience in the previous units, navigate the German website looking for attractions of interest as indicated below. Here are three examples:
Please note, if you use google, the sites may default to English. Simply remove the “/en/” at the end of the URL or select “DE” at the top of the webpage to return to the German version.
Using the German versions of the websites above to improve your reading comprehension, gather notes to the following prompts:
After perusing the options, identify the top 3 attractions you would like to visit in the city of your choice. Take notes on each using the questions below. Then rank the three in order of your preference. If your instructor allows pair-work, remember to use the “navigating websites” structures in the table above to communicate in German during your search.
Focus on the basics: What? Where? When? Why? How much? (And are their student or group discounts?). Remember, you’ll need to justify your choices in the subsequent activities so choose something you’re actually interested in, even if it take a bit more time to find.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself presenting to your classmates the details of your search: a brief outline of your top 3 options (what, where, how much) followed by more detail about your top choice (why). Each student should take notes as they listen to the other presentations since you’ll need to discuss options in activity 3. Include at least one relevant photo of your top choice in your presentation.
Please use high-frequency words and provide as much detail as you can.
This activity should take you 20 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 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:
Role-play: imagine that you and your partner are both studying abroad in Paderborn and want to see another city in the region. Using the details learned in the previous activities, plan your visit together with a focus this time on which city and which 3 activities or attractions in that city you’re most interested in, ranked from most to least favorite. This should be a bit of a debate back-and-forth. Do not agree right away on the city or attractions! Be sure to explain the pros/cons of the options, taking into account each partner’s different tastes.
One way to begin preparing for the conversation is by quickly reviewing your notes and individually ranking the options based on what you heard. Then you can begin to mark or make a list of pros/cons for each.
These activities should take you 15 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 5 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
You may have noticed an especially dense middle section of Semesterticket map with a high number of cities: the Ruhrgebiet. Once Germany’s industrial heartland, this area is now full of a surprising breadth of cultures, cultural attractions, and outdoors activities. To get a feel for this area, check out the short video “Drei Gründe für…das Ruhrgebiet.”