German 3

English is a Germanic language and out of all the European languages it is most closely related to German. In this course, we will continue to study the German language and culture through conversations, stories, and paragraph writing, while building a more extensive vocabulary and understanding of German grammar.

Western civilizations have significantly been influenced by German philosophers, theologians, authors, and poets. Studying and “decoding” and discussing and writing about their quotes will be part of this class. The aim of German 3 is to cultivate delight in the language and language learning. I will be speaking German as well as some English, so students can grow more familiar with and be able to identify spoken German. Students are also encouraged to use German as much as possible.

The course map highlights the key points of grammar and topics to be covered each quarter. By the end of the year students will have covered demonstrative pronouns, question words, the four cases, adjectives with definitive and indefinite, adjectives used as nouns, prepositions, and present and past perfect. They will be able to read longer texts as well as produce their own writing in German. Classwork and homework will consist of written exercises, memorization of vocabulary and review for assessments. Students will also be encouraged to build their own German reference grammar in their notebooks. This will enable them to study well for assessments as well as provide a reference for translations and exercises. It is intended to allow flexibility to adapt to the pace of this class if, after correspondence with students and parents, the need should arise to proceed more slowly. Mastery is more important than quantity – multum, non multa!

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.