German Level 4, Activity #07: Karneval / Carnival (Online)

Description: Students will learn about the Carnival holiday in Germany, as well as what it is called in the different parts of Germany. Students will also give their opinions on a variety of different topics that go with this celebration.
Semantic Topics: Carnival, Holidays, Celebrations, Fastnacht, Fasching, Karneval, Adjective Use, Adjektivgebrauch, Conjunctions, Konjunktionen.
Products: Karneval, Mardi Gras.
Practices: Traditions related to Karneval in a German speaking country. Traditionen im Zusammenhang mit Karneval in einem deutschsprachigen Land.
Perspectives: Value attached to the cultural tradition of Karneval in a German speaking country. Wert auf die kulturelle Tradition des Karnevals im deutschsprachigen Raum gelegt.
World-Readiness Standards:
- 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 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 understand cultural aspects of Carnival.
- I can compare celebrations in the U.S. with those in German speaking countries.
- I can express and respond to opinions on celebrations.
Materials Needed:
Warm-Up
- Discuss the Can-Do Statements with the Students
- Have you heard of Carnival before?
Habt ihr den Begriff Karneval schon mal gehört? - What do you know about Carnival already?
Was versteht ihr schon über Karneval?
Main Activity
- We will watch this video about Carnival
Wir werden dieses Video über Karneval sehen! - Discussion Question:
- What did you learn from the video?
- Was habt ihr aus dem Video gelernt?
- Why do Germans celebrate Karneval?
- Warum feiern die Deutsche Karneval?
- What do you do during and after Karneval?
- Was macht man während/nach des Karnevals?
- What do you eat and what do you drink?
- Was isst man und was trinkt man?
- Is there a similar holiday in the US?
- Gibt es in den USA ein ähnliches Fest?
- Would you join a political or funny parade there?
- Schließt ihr euch einem politische oder lustig Wagen an?
- How do you think Karneval should look during the Covid Pandemic? Do you think it is the same as normal?
- Wie soll Karneval in der Coronazeit aussehen? Denkt ihr dass es das gleiche als normal ist?
- What did you learn from the video?
Wrap-Up
- Discussion Question:
- Would you visit Karneval?
- Würdet ihr Karneval besuchen?
- If yes, do you think you would enjoy it?
- Wenn ja, glaubt ihr dass es euch gefallen würde?
- What would you dress up as?
- Wie würdet ihr euch verkleiden?
- Would you visit Karneval?
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 understand cultural aspects of Carnival.
- I can compare celebrations in the U.S. with those in German speaking countries.
- I can express and respond to opinions on celebrations.
Cultural Notes: Linked is a video from Deutsche Welle, Karnaval in Köln, Mainz und Rottweil.
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