🚌German Level 4, Activity 04: Berlin! / Berlin! (Online)
Description: In this activity students will discuss the Berlin wall as well as hypothetical situations that families may have faced relating to the Berlin wall during the Cold War.
Semantic Topics: Berlin, Sightseeing, Landmarks, Sehenswürdigkeiten, East Berlin, Ost-Berlin, West Berlin, West-Berlin, Escape Attempts, Fluchtversuche, Fleeing, Flucht, Imperfect, Imperfekt, Perfect, Vergangenheit, Perfekt.
Products: Individual knowledge of Berlin. Individuelle Berlin-Kenntnisse.
Practices: Discussing Berlin, East and West Berlin, the Berlin Wall. Im Gespräch über Berlin, Ost- und Westberlin, die Berliner Mauer.
Perspectives: The division of Berlin and of Germany shaped both individuals and countries. Die Teilung Berlins und Deutschlands hat Menschen und Länder geprägt.
- Standard 1.1 Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- Standard 1.2 Students understand and interpret spoken and written language on a variety of topics.
- Standard 1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
- Standard 2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
Idaho State Content Standards:
- Objective: COMM 1.1- Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
- Objective: COMP 1.1- Observe formal and informal forms of language.
- Objective: COMM 2.1- Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can express my opinions on / explain historical events.
- I can participate in a conversation about the Berlin Wall.
- I can discuss hypothetical situations.
Materials Needed:
Warm-Up
1. Discuss the Can-Do Statements
2. Discussion Questions:
- Was wisst ihr schon über die Berliner Mauer? (What do you already know about the Berlin Wall?)
- Welche Sehenswürdigkeiten gibt es in Berlin? (Which landmarks / sights are in Berlin?)
Main Activity
Discussion Questions:
- Was würdet ihr tun, wenn ihr im Osten leben würdet, aber ihre Familie im Westen wäre? (What would you do if you lived in the East, but your family lived in the West?)
- Was würdet ihr tun, wenn ihr die Chance hättet, aus dem Osten zu Fliehen, aber das würde bedeuten, ihre Familie dort (im Osten) zu lassen? (What would you do if you had to the chance to flee the East, but that would mean leaving your family behind (in the East)?)
- Was sind einige der Fluchtversuche, von denen ihr wisst? Wie würdet ihr entkommen? (What are some of the escape attempts that you know of?)
- Würdet ihr nach dem Fall der Mauer im Osten blieben oder in den Westen gehen? (After the fall of the Wall, would you stay in the East of go to the West?)
Wrap-Up
Ask students the following question(s) to finish the activity:
- Möchtet ihr jemals nach Berlin gehen? (Do you ever want to go to Berlin?)
- Wohin würdet ihr gehen/was würdet ihr tun? (Where would you go / what would you do?)
End of Activity:
- Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. (Use thumbs up/thumbs down)
- Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
- Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future activities!
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can express my opinions on / explain historical events.
- I can participate in a conversation about the Berlin Wall.
- I can discuss hypothetical situations.
Cultural Resources
Linked here is a German language educational video, 1961: Der Bau der Mauer. A second video in German is Die Berliner Mauer.
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