German

By the end of each marking period, students can perform the following functions:

Marking Period 1

Unit 1: Joining The Global Community

I can...

Use basic communication skills to understand German in context.

• Use classroom expressions with my teacher and classmates.
• Understand and respond to the teacher's instructions and directions.
• Express basic needs related to school settings.

Recognize the importance of learning German.

• Identify countries where German is spoken and/or their nationalities.
• Discuss stereotypes and recognize similarities between languages and cultures.
• Recognize the diversity of the German-speaking world.
• Discuss regional language variations in English and German.
  Identify cognates (similar words) and borrowed words between English and German.
• Compare traditions and celebrations in German-speaking countries.

Use the German alphabet in context.

• Compare the German and English alphabets.
• Identify German letter sounds.
• Ask and answer how to say and spell words and names in German.
• Identify letters when words and names are spelled out in German.

Communicate in German using simple expressions and sentences.

• Recognize culturally appropriate greetings and etiquette in formal and informal situations.
• Introduce myself.
• Ask for and give the day and date.
• Understand the date when spoken or written.
• Use days of the week and months of the year.
• Use numbers from 0 to 31 in German.
• Talk about seasons and weather using related expressions.

Share personal information.

• Ask for and give names.
• Ask for and state ages.
• Ask for and give birthdates.
• Ask and tell where I am from.
• Request and provide contact information.

Marking Period 2

Unit 2: My Life at School

I can…

Talk about time and numbers in the target language.

• Use the numbers 0–100 in context.
• Understand what time it is by reading a clock.
• Understand when someone is telling time.
• Identify different time systems used in German-speaking countries, such as the 12-hour and 24-hour clocks.

Understand and recognize basic information from memorized words and phrases such as:

• School subjects
• Basic classroom objects
• Locations and places in and around the school
• Clothing: school uniforms
• Identify where objects are located in a classroom.

Talk about my school life and daily activities.

• Understand a school schedule.
• Discuss school schedule and activities.
• Explain the order of classes on a school day.
• Talk about my daily activities using words, phrases, and memorized expressions such as:
• School schedules
• After-school activities, including when and where they are held. (e.g., chess club, robotics, book club, soccer, running club, etc.)

Describe school-related topics.

• Talk about what school supplies I have or need for classes and describe them.
• Compare and contrast different school systems.
• Express likes and dislikes about school and related topics such as:
• School subjects, favorite subjects, and teachers
• Lunchtime
• School activities
• After-school activities
• School places and their locations

Marking Period 3

Unit 3: My Life at Home

I can…

Communicate basic information about myself and people I know.

• Identify family-related vocabulary.
• Describe how family members are related.
• Ask for and give descriptions of family members and friends.

Describe physical appearance and personality traits, including my own and others.

• Identify facial features and basic body parts.
• Describe what other people and I look like.
• Describe personality traits, including my own and others’ (May include pets).

Identify activities that my family, friends, and/or I do during our free time.

• Recognize locations where different leisure activities take place.
• Ask and answer questions about where, when, and how often a leisure activity takes place.
• State information about extracurricular activities and sports.

Express preferences and opinions.

• Ask and give information about what activities people like or dislike and why.

Marking Period 4

Unit 4: My life in the community

I can...

Identify various activities teenagers engage in their community.

• Recognize different locations within the community.
• Discuss the leisure activities I do in my community such as:
• Places I visit (e.g., restaurants, stores, malls, etc.).

Identify various dishes and food items on a menu.

• Discuss personal food preferences.
• Talk about typical meals I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Order a meal at a restaurant.
• Describe the condition of a food and quality of food and beverage items (e.g., fresh, stale, hot, cold, sweet, spicy, etc.)
• Demonstrate appropriate interactions and conversations in a restaurant or other culinary setting.

By the end of each marking period, students can perform the following functions:

Marking Period 1

Unit 1: Travel, Trips, and Tourism

I can…

Talk about travel and trips.

• Talk about travel preferences such as clothing, transportation, accommodations, etc.
• Describe past travel experiences by plane, bus, train, or other forms of transportation.
• Identify and discuss different types of accommodations.
• Use narrative transition words to sequence events in travel experiences.
• Communicate likes and dislikes related to travel or vacation.

Provide information about activities I’ve done while traveling.

• Discuss seasons and weather in German-speaking countries.
• Talk about trips and offer travel and packing tips.
• Compare travel needs to different destinations (e.g., beach vs. mountains, driving vs. flying).
• Talk about how much different currencies are worth.
• Understand and retell stories about past events.

Discuss aspects of travel and/or tourism.

• Become familiar with key traveling procedures (e.g., airport, train station, bus station, etc.)
• Understand conversations or texts about travel experiences.
• Use narrative transition words to sequence events in travel experiences.

Marking Period 2

Unit 2: City Life

I can…

Describe my neighborhood and my city.

• Identify places in a neighborhood and/or city.

• Locate places of interest and attractions within a community and/or city.

• Describe a neighborhood, including its services, businesses, key features, and/or products sold (e.g., food, clothes, etc.)

• Discuss different modes of transportation used to navigate a city.
• Understand and use commands for giving and receiving directions in school, neighborhood, and city settings.

Discuss activities and attractions available in a city.

• Talk about things to do in a city.

• Explore food, shopping, and tourism practices in German cultures.

• Compare major tourist cities and their landmarks in the German-speaking world to learn more about their cultural significance.

• Propose, accept, and decline plans or invitations in a culturally appropriate way.

Marking Period 3

Unit 3: Healthy Living

I can…

Talk about daily routines and personal care.

• Discuss daily routines, personal care, and healthy habits for myself and others.
• Organize and express daily activities using logical sequencing.
• Use time expressions, adverbs of frequency, and sequence words to clearly describe routines.
• Recognize bathroom and grooming items used in daily routines across different cultures.
• Describe lifestyle habits and provide options for healthy living.
• Understand personal care habits and daily routines across various cultures.

Identify healthy habits and food preferences in daily routines from different cultures.

• Compare healthy and unhealthy eating habits in different German cultures.
• Discuss food-related practices using authentic cultural sources, including fictional narratives and informational texts.

Discuss healthy habits and food choices.

• Discuss physical health, common illnesses, and ways to stay healthy.
• Recognize signs of pain or injury.
• Describe pain or injury with relevant details.
• Compare healthy and unhealthy eating habits.
• Design a personal healthy living plan.

Marking Period 4

Unit 4: Fun Memories

I can…

Describe past experiences and fun memories.

• Talk about memorable food-related experiences from the past, such as grocery shopping, cooking, eating together.
• Exchange information about traditional dishes from German cultures.
• Invite others to events and special meals.

Analyze and compare different cultures.

• Compare traditional cuisines in North America and German countries.
• Investigate how food plays an integral part in family, traditions, and celebrations in German cultures.
• Read, view, and listen to recipes, menus, videos, and invitations related to food in German cultures.
• Compare and contrast foods across different eras and German cultures.

Discuss things we enjoyed when we were kids.

• Talk about my favorite family food traditions and explain why they are meaningful to me.
• Explore cultural perspectives by discussing culinary traditions and practices such as invitations and special occasions.

By the end of each marking period, students can perform the following functions:

Italic font indicates themes, topics, or functions intended for extension or acceleration. These may be appropriate to provide additional challenge for heritage learners or other learners at higher proficiency levels. They may or may not be implemented for all students in regular level 3 classes at Teacher discretion.

Marking Period 1

Unit 1: Growing and Changing Together

I can…

Describe changes that occur during adolescence.

• Talk about things I enjoy and that are important to me.
• Talk about my family and friends, including their physical appearance and personality traits.
• Express my opinions about the role of young people in society.
• Understand and describe how my family, my friends, and I feel.
• Explain my emotions to others.
• Ask for advice and make recommendations to solve personal issues.

Understand and tell personal stories and anecdotes.

• Ask for and provide details about a story or anecdote.
• Describe how I met someone special.

Understand and give biographical information.

• Create a biography based on one of my family members.
• Talk about influential people in my community and their life history through a biography.
  

Describe objects and habits from the past.

• Compare past and present situations (Leisure activities, working, studying, etc.)
• Compare past and present items. (Music, movies, technology, clothing, etc.)
  

Understand surveys related to young people’s concerns.

• Design a survey to learn about my family and friends and what we have in common.
• Collect and analyze data.
• Use visual tools to identify and interpret patterns in data (e.g., bar charts, histograms, scatter plots, box plots, etc.).

Marking Period 2

Unit 2: Protecting Our Planet

I can…

Discuss ways people and communities can help protect the planet.

• Understand real‑world materials (videos, charts, infographics, brochures, and articles) to learn how sustainability is practiced in German‑speaking countries.
• Understand authentic texts that explain biodiversity.
• Share information and give advice about what it means to be eco‑friendly.
• Present and explain my ideas for protecting the environment.
• Talk about global challenges related to sustainability.
• Explore how young people in German‑speaking cultures help protect the environment and face global challenges.
• Exchange ideas and advice about environmental responsibility at the local and global level.
• Discuss environmental problems and recommend positive actions to help the planet.

Investigate sustainability issues and communicate ideas and solutions through research, discussion, and digital projects.

• Discuss eco-friendly and/or sustainable eating habits
• Research about eco-friendly tourism.
• Explain what circular economy is.
• Research what communities can do to work with their local government to improve their community.
• Create a blog to discuss global challenges and propose solutions

Marking Period 3

Unit 3: Shaping My Future

I can…

Explore my interests, strengths, and future goals.

• Reflect on my skills to plan for my professional future.
• Talk about people’s interests, skills, talents, and/or dreams.
• Discuss future aspirations, goals, career plans, and/or future expectations.
• Talk about someone’s biography including personal and/or professional accomplishments, interests, skills, etc.
• Understand job experience and job offers.
• Discuss the type of job I would like to have.
• Give advice about future plans and goals.
• Identify key elements of a career path.

Prepare for academic and professional opportunities.

• Build my resume.
• Prepare for and participate in a job interview.

Understand and talk about training, achievement, and career expectations.

Develop a resume using different media.

Write a cover letter for a scholarship.

Research academic/job exchange programs abroad.

Talk about summer jobs.

• Talk about different reasons for studying abroad over the summer.
• Compare the pros and cons of studying abroad
• Compare the pros and cons of working as a volunteer vs working for a salary over the summer.

Marking Period 4

Unit 4: Mindful Communication

I can…

Understand and share information about internet usage habits.

• Express opinions about cell phone use, social media platforms, and digital behavior.
• Discuss responsible internet use and digital etiquette.
• Exchange perspectives on social media behavior.
• Identify best practices for safe and respectful online behavior.
• Discuss the qualities of a responsible digital citizen.
• Explain advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Analyze the impact of social media on mental health.

• Discuss how inappropriate social media use can affect others.
• Recognize signs of mental health challenges (e.g., stress, anxiety, peer pressure).
• Make recommendations about healthy social media use.

Understand the role and impact of assistive technologies.

Recognize and evaluate inaccurate or misleading news.

Explain how algorithms influence internet users’ experiences.

Collect, analyze, and present data on popular apps across different age groups.

Write emails that are clear, efficient, and respectful.

Explain how social media can be used to promote reading and literacy.