E a r l y S t a r t G erman Pack 1
4. Wie heißt du? What's your name? In this section, pupils learn two phrases to introduce themselves and exchange names with a German-speaker; a new letter; and how to say what a third person is called. They will see the register called in German classrooms, hearing some German names spoken - introducing more typical German sounds they can try saying. Children will also find out about changing patterns of common first-names. They can find out the names of some famous German-speakers in history - and what they achieved in various fields.
Scene from film 4: “Ich heiße Antonia.”
Frau Fischer calls the register - “Who is here?”: NOTE: Some of the language used in both register sequences is intended for "gisting". Pupils will be able to follow the gist of what happens without understanding every word.
NEW WORDS AND PHRASES
ich heiße ... ich bin ... wie heißt du? das ist ... -
my name is ... I'm ... what's your name? that's ...
Frau Fischer: “Guten Morgen!” Pupils: ”Guten Morgen, Frau Fischer!” Frau Fischer: ”So, dann wollen wir mal gucken, wer da ist ...” (Right, now let's see who's here ...) Frau Fischer calls out pupils' names and they answer: "Hier!", "Ja!" and "Ich bin hier!". One chair is empty: Frau Fischer: ”Dennis? Ist Dennis nicht da?” Joshua: ”Der Dennis ist krank.” (Dennis, he's ill). Frau Fischer: Dennis ist krank. (Dennis is ill).
Some German boys' and girls' names
die Lorelei - the Lorelei Rumpelstilzchen - Rumpelstiltskin der Rattenfänger - the Ratcatcher von Hameln of Hamelin*
* German name for “the Pied Piper”
ja - yes
nein - no
Audio CD Track 28
DVD / VIDEO: film 4 Children saying their names Antonia, Sophie, Tomas, Christina, Rebekka, Alex, Silvia, Valentin, Marsha, Maxi, Deneva Children introducing themselves Ich heiße Antonia. Ich heiße Sophie. Ich heiße Tomas. Ich heiße Christina. Ich heiße Rebekka. Ich heiße Alex. Ich heiße Silvia. Ich heiße Valentin. Ich heiße Marsha. Ich heiße Maxi. Ich heiße Deneva. Children greeting each other by name: Rebekka: Hallo! Christina: Hallo, Rebekka! Sophie: Hallo! Silvia: Hallo! Hier ist Silvia! Sophie: Hallo!
Scene from film 4: Frau Fischer calls the register.
Herr Dünnwald’s register - “Who isn’t here?” Herr Dünnwald: ”Ja, schönen guten Morgen.” Pupils: ”Guten Morgen, Herr Dünnwald!” 40
1.4 Wie heißt du? Herr Dünnwald: “Wer fehlt denn heute? (Who's not here today then?) Julian fehlt, (Julian's not here) Julian Romberg.” (There is a knock at the door and Julian enters in a great hurry. Julian: “Entschuldigung, ich bin zu spät.” (I'm sorry, I'm late) Herr Dünnwald: “Guten Morgen, Julian. (Good morning, Julian) ...Dann setz dich bitte, ja ? (Sit down then, please - OK?) ...Und nimm deine Sachen heraus.” (And get your things out).
Story characters say who they are: Ich bin die Lorelei. Ich bin Rumpelstilzchen. Ich bin der Rattenfänger von Hameln. People say who others are, using the structure “Das ist ...“ Rebekka introduces herself and her friend Christina: Ich bin Rebekka und das ist Christina. We see pictures of different children and their teachers. Each person is identified: Das ist Christina und das ist Rebekka. Das ist Thomas und das ist Sophie. Das ist Frau Fischer und das ist Frau Harling. Das ist Herr Dünnwald und das ist Herr Ottenbreit. Finally, Sophie speaks to the camera, and asks viewers: “Und wie heißt du?”
QUESTION AND ANSWER
Children reply to the question “Wie heißt du?” Story characters saying who they are: Ich heiße Lorelei. Ich heiße Rumpelstilzchen. Ich heiße der Rattenfänger von Hameln.
M
DVD MARKERS
1. Names only - German names 2. Ich heiße ... - introductions 1 3. Out and about - language in context 4. Registers - language in context 5. Story characters 1- language in context 5. Question & answer - language in context 6. Ich bin... - introductions 2 Use the skip key on your remote control
Inter-cultural understanding
From film 4: “Ich heiße der Rattenfänger von Hameln.”
Your name is YOUR name all over the world
Children saying who they are using the structure “Ich bin ...“: Ich bin Antonia. Ich bin Sophie. Ich bin Tomas. Ich bin Christina. Ich bin Rebekka. Ich bin Alex. Ich bin Silvia. Ich bin Valentin. Ich bin Maxi. Ich bin Marsha. Ich bin Deneva.
If your name is “John Black”, that is what you are called, wherever you are! “What’s my name in German?” When children ask this, the answer is that some names used in other countries may have evolved over time from the same origin - but names are not translated! Some children are named after a Saint of the Catholic Church, e.g. St. John, who is called Hans or Johannes in German, Jean in French, Juan in Spanish. Speakers of each language grow up using one set of sounds and find it difficult to say others. They adapt strange words to be easier to say. So Hans is named after the same Saint as John. But if John Black visits Germany, he does not become “Hans Schwartz”!
Scene from film 4: “Ich bin Alex.”
41
E a r l y S t a r t G erman Pack 1
Planning your lessons
S/he catches the ball and says “Ich heiße Z (his/ her name)” and throws the ball back to you. Continue this until everyone has had a turn. At this early stage, do repeat the phrase "Ich heiße Frau X“ each time you throw the ball.
Before watching film 4, have a brief “warm up” talk about names. You can also remind pupils of greetings, etc. they know already. After watching film 4, children may ask: what’s my name in German? The real answer is that names are not translated, and should be pronounced normally. But you can use simple role-play games to give children the chance to say a range of German names. Introduce them to the names of some famous German people. Pupils can find out more about their significance from the CD-ROM and on-line sources. If you have a German partner school, plan to exchange information about names.
❑ When all the children are confident with the new phrase, the child catching the ball can throw it on to another as s/he says "Und du?" ❑ A variation on the game described above involves everyone forming a circle again. You start the game by saying “Ich heiße Frau X (your name), und du?” to the pupil standing next to you. S/he tells you his/her name then turns to the next person and says “Ich heiße ... (his/her name), und du?” This continues round the circle.
Activities
❑ You can also try a “Mexican wave”. Pupils form a circle with their chairs. Each pupil says “Ich heiße ... ”(his/her name) one after the other in rapid succession. As they speak, they stand up and promptly sit down again as soon as they have said who they are. Alternatively, the “wave” can take place around each of the class tables if the children normally sit in groups. See which table completes the circuit first.
1. Warm up ... You could open the lesson using the German greetings and ask some children how they are. Talk about different ways people introduce each other. Establish a common understanding about terms used, e.g. “first name”, “family name”. Talk about when have pupils been asked to give their name?
2. Watch the film
When you are sure that everyone is confident with using "ich heiße ..." to introduce themselves, repeat activities as necessary with "ich bin..." .
❑ Watch film 4: “Wie heißt du?” Stop before the written words are shown.
3. Get used to the sounds..... HOW GERMAN WORKS 1: Asking ‘What is YOUR name?’
❑ Greet the class and introduce yourself: “Ich heiße Frau X.” (pronounce your name - “X” -as you would normally).
We offer two ways for you to give your name in German: ✓ “ich heiße X” (I am called X) ❑ ✓ “ich bin X” (I am X). ❑ Either is acceptable. However, if you then want to ask the other person's name, it is OK to say: ✓ “Wie heißt du?” (What are you called ?) ❑ or simply, "...und du?“ (...and you?) ✗❑ but NOT "Wer bist du?" (Who are you?) - which would be more appropriate at (say) a fancy dress party, if you were asking what character someone was meant to be.
❑ If your class has a puppet that you pretend is German, let him introduce himself: “Ich heiße Z (his name)." ❑ Introduce yourself to the puppet, then ask his name: e.g. “Ich heiße Frau X (your name), und du?” The puppet says his name.
4. Respond with understanding ❑ Everybody stands in a circle. You start the game by saying “Ich heiße Frau X ( your name).” As you ask “Und du?” throw a soft ball to the pupil you wish to answer. 42
1.4 Wie heißt du? The next activities involve children saying names other than their own, to introduce them to a wider range of German sounds.
KEY SOUNDS Listen to the sound of ...
“ ”(ch) as in ich, Rumpelstilzchen
❑ Invent different names for yourself (the teacher) , e.g. celebrities, or famous Germans from history (see “talking points”). When you say your real name, the class calls out “Ja!“ (“yes”); but “Nein!” (“no”) when you use a fantasy name.
Heard before in:
nicht so gut
“ ” as in wie heißt du? das Klassenbuch Heard before in: gut, guten Tag
Inter-cultural understanding ❑ Having practised some of the language from the film, this is a good time to talk with pupils about the interesting cultural points linked with German names. See this chapter's “talking points.”
“ ” [an English example is loch] as in...
das Klassenbuch
“ ” [an example in English is yet]
❑ Pupils may like to choose a German “name” that they always answer to in German lessons - perhaps writing it on a badge to wear when using that name! See www.earlystart.co.uk for help with picking names.
as in...
ja
“ ”[an example in English is pants] as in
das Eszet -ß
(Listen to the native speakers try to copy these typically German sounds)
❑ If pupils adopt fantasy names and characters for themselves, you can engage the “character” in conversation, e.g. You: “Hallo! Wie geht's?” Pupil: “Danke, gut.” You: “Ich heiße Frau X, und du?” Pupil: “Ich heiße Rumpelstilzchen.”
Audio CD Track 28
❑ Play “Chinese whispers”: Work in groups. Each group lines up in a row. You give the first child a soft toy or puppet, and whisper its name - possibly a German one from the film, e.g. “Das ist Valentin.”. Each child whispers the name to their neighbour as they pass the toy along the line. The last child holds up the toy and calls its name out loud to you. The fastest correct group wins.
❑ Play “Find your partner”: Make pairs of name cards, e.g. “Tom” and “Jerry”, “Hänsel” and “Gretel”. Give each pupil a card - with one half of a pair. They go round the class asking “Wie heißt du?” until they find their partner.
AUDIO CD for the teacher: Calling the Register The German Klassenbuch is not only a record of pupils’ attendance, but also of their behaviour and of the topics taught in each lesson. Film 4 shows two teachers call their registers: one by who is present, the other by who is absent (which is more common). When the class is ready, you could try using these additional phrases to call the register every day in German. Chapter 17 and its film “Im Klassenraum” present more useful vocabulary.
EXTRA WORDS AND PHRASES
- list of pupils - class register - who? - who's absent today? hier! - here! (present!) X ist krank - X is ill.
die Klassenliste das Klassenbuch wer? wer fehlt heute?
Audio CD Track 28 43
E a r l y S t a r t G erman Pack 1 HOW GERMAN WORKS 2: How to say ‘ß’
5. Introduce the written word After watching the film, your class will soon be able to recognise and perhaps write the words for someone giving their name. When they read “ich heiße” , they will see an unfamiliar letter - “ß” (das Eszett). You can also mention that “ich” (unlike the English “I”) does not always have a capital lettersee “How German Works” 2 and 3.
When children read “ich heiße ...”, they may notice the special letter “ß” (das Eszett) - that Germans sometimes write instead of a double “ss”. They pronounce “ß” or “ss” the same: like the “s” in “sack” or “mouse”. “ß” only exists in lower case. If you write a word like “heiße” in capitals, it becomes “HEISSE” - with “SS” instead of “ß”. Because "ß" and "ss" sound identical, it can be difficult even for Germans to know which to use when spelling a word. This is why it was so controversial in the recent German Spelling Reform. Find out more in Ch.1.10 “Das Alphabet”- see “Talking point”.
ß
❑ Show film 4 "Wie heißt du?" again, including the end part, where the children and story characters introduce themselves again with their names written on the screen. They should be ready to explore how the written word connects with its pronunciation.
6. Watch the film again ❑ Show film 4: “Wie heißt du?” again for reinforcement, and so the class can see how much they have learned. Ask them to listen for the word “und” - and show when they hear it.
HOW GERMAN WORKS 3: More about capital letters Ask children to read some German phrases they know, and compare how English and German use capital letters. Can they spot: ■ “I” is always has a capital; you see “Ich” only at the start of a sentence; ■ sentences start with a capital in both ■ people’s names start with capitals in both ■ all nouns start with a capital in German (see Ch.1.1 for more).
❑ Ask different children to say a sentence in German using “und” - e.g. “Das ist Janet und das ist John.”.
7. Get used to more sounds..... ❑ Look at the typical sounds in some German names.
CROSS CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
After repeating this several times, say “Hallo!“ instead. The pupil greeted this way runs after you round the circle. If you get back to their place first, s/he becomes the person walking round the circle and the game continues.
❑ Classroom routines - taking the register: Why not start taking the register in German? In Germany, the teacher may call out the roll of names for pupils to reply, or may simply note the names of anyone who is absent. We see examples of both in film 4. As a daily routine, you can call each pupil’s name, and they answer “Hier!”, “Guten Tag!” or "Guten Morgen!". Alternatively, you can ask “Wer fehlt heute?” for pupils to offer the names of those absent, perhaps even with an explanation:“Julia ist krank?” , “Ja, Julia ist krank.”
❑ PE: The pupils line up in three teams. The child at the front of each line turns to the person behind and says “Ich heiße ... (his/her name) Wie heißt du?” The second child then says his/her name and turns to the person next in line and asks “Wie heißt du?” and so on. The child at the back of the line runs to the front and the sequence is repeated. The winning team is the first one back in the original order.
❑ PE: Everyone stands in a circle. You walk round the outside of the circle tapping each pupil on the shoulder and saying “Guten Tag!”. The pupil who has been tapped says “Guten Tag! Ich heiße...”(his/her name).
❑ Drama: Pupils can use their puppets to have a conversation. They can greet each other, ask how they are and introduce themselves. 44
1.4 Wie heißt du? Pupils work in pairs. Each pair decides which emotions or characteristics they are going to express through their puppet's conversation, e.g. “happy”, “shy”, “angry.” The rest of the class has to guess which emotion is being portrayed. Before starting this activity, be prepared to give some examples to stimulate ideas.
Talking point 1 Famous German people You may like to introduce pupils to the names of some famous German people, such as those suggested here. You can use the names in games such as “Fantasy Names”, or find out what they did as part of work in different curriculum areas. Hear how to pronounce each name on the teachers' audio CD and the CD-ROM.
❑ PE/ Music / PSHE: Learn to Waltz! “Eins, zwei, drei! Eins, zwei, drei!” Find a couple who can waltz, and ask them to demonstrate basic waltz steps to the class. Practise to the music of the “Blue Danube” and have a ball in PE! Ask a group to find out about the Strauss family and the Viennese Waltz, and make a brief presentation to the class. You can talk about why waltzing was so popular in the 19th century - and why it was considered almost improper!
Literature: The Brothers Grimm - “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” Jakob Grimm (1785-1863) Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859). The brothers collected traditional folk-tales from their friends and people they met in the Kassel area in north Germany. The stories had been passed down the generations by word of mouth, but the Grimms feared they would be lost as few people remembered them accurately.
❑ Citizenship: Rumpelstilzchen See ‘talking point 3‘ for a simple summary of the Grimms’ story. Talk with children about the powers of kings, and the morals of the tale.
Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm wrote down folk-tales that evoke the atmosphere of Germany in the “olden days”.
The Grimms wrote down the folk tale of “Rumpelstilzchen”, as told to generations of German children.
They preserved the tales by writing them down. Their first book in 1812 had 86 tales; the last edition in 1857 had 210. They made many of the stories and their characters worldfamous: names like: Rumpelstilzchen, Hänsel und Gretel, Rapunzel and the Pied Piper. They also wrote versions of fairy tales from French collector Charles Perrault: “Little Red Riding Hood” (Rotkäppchen), “Snow White”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”. The brothers believed the stories were an important record of the “olden days” in Germany: the values of ordinary German
❑ Geography: Places in their Lives Choose some of the famous German-speaking people from this chapter's ‘talking point 1’. Mark on a map of Germany the places that were important in their lives.You could use the activity sheet from Ch.1.7, which shows adjoining German-speaking countries. ❑ History: Time-line Choose some of the famous German-speaking people from this chapter's ‘talking point 1’. Make a time-line showing important dates and events in their lives. 45
E a r l y S t a r t G erman Pack 1 people, their myths and superstitions, and how they saw their land and its history. The Grimms tried to retell the tales faithfully, but also made changes to “improve” the plots. They became professors in Berlin university and studied “sound shifts”, like the change between “apfel”and“apple”. Pied Piper of Hamelyn (See Ch.1.7) a Grimms’ tale of life in a medieval walled town like Hameln, and the dangers beyond the walls. ● Why are rats a problem? (public health) ● Should the mayor have kept his promise? ● Who is the mayor of your community? What are their powers? What would they do if your community had a plague of rats? (you could ask). ● Consider performing the play, “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” (see web site for more details). The CDROM has ideas for making your own performance. ■ Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) - writer born in Düsseldorf. He wrote “Die Lorelei” poem in 1827 (possibly invented the legend - see Ch.1.3).
His father had started composing waltzes in Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. He based them on “German Dances”, folk dances with a fast rhythm and lots of twirling round. Waltzes are played ”The Waltz King” in a fast tempo: 'um cha cha um cha cha'. Father Strauss and sons led the family orchestra (strings and piano) which toured Europe. His most famous waltz is “Blue Danube”.
Technology and industry: ■ Johannes Gutenberg (1395-1468) born in Mainz, invented printing (see Ch.1.10). ■ Margarete Steiff (1847-1909) world-famous teddy bear manufacturer. Crippled with polio, as a young disabled women from a small village in S W Germany, she looked for a suitable occupation and started to sew cuddly toys. When US President “Teddy” Roosevelt refused to shoot an injured bear while hunting, it started an American craze for “teddy-bears”. Steiff made the best quality, most characterful designs: they are sold world-wide, and are collectors’ items. ■ Werner von Braun (1912-1977) rockets & space pioneer. Born in a part of Germany that is now in Poland, he helped develop the V2 rocket in World War 2, which was fired at London, and maybe later New York. In 1945 von Braun and his team of German scientists surrendered to American troops, and were sent to the USA to help with research. They worked on guided missiles that could carry nuclear warheads all the way to Russia (America’s rival in the “Cold War”). When President Kennedy announced the “Space Race”, von Braun realised his dream of building giant space rockets. In 1969 these landed a man on the moon.
Artists: ■ Paul Klee (1879-1940) (see Ch1.13). ■ Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) print-maker (engraving) and painter.
Film & Theatre: ■ Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) German actress from Berlin, became a Hollywood star. ■ Claudia Schiffer (1970-) successful German fashion model was discovered in a discotheque
Music: ■ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) settled in Leipzig in 1723, where he was organist and choirmaster for St Thomas’s School which provided choirs for the Lutheran churches of the city (see Ch.1.7 and film 7 “Wo wohnst du?”). Bach wanted his music to inspire players, singers and listeners with religious feelings. ■ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) died before his 35th birthday. ■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) his father hoped to make him another childprodigy like Mozart, who he met in Vienna in 1787. ■ Richard Wagner (1813-1883) wrote ambitious operas. Saved from financial ruin by patronage of King Ludwig II of Bavaria (south Gremany). ■ Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) known as the “Waltz King”, he composed nearly 400 popular waltzes, a dance craze that swept Europe.
Motor cars: ■ Carl Benz (1844-1929), Gottlieb Daimler (1834-1900) motor car pioneers, made early cars for rich German aristocrats and industrialists in the German Empire (18711918). 46
1.4 Wie heißt du? ■ Siegmund Freud (1856-1939) pioneer of psychoanalysis in Vienna. He treated patients with the “talking cure”; they laid on a couch, and told him about their thoughts and dreams.
They worked separately: Benz built his first motor-car in 1885: it had 3 wheels, gears, electric ignition and a water-cooled petrol engine (the first light enough to power a car).
Thinkers, people with great ideas: ■ Martin Luther (1483-1546) started the Reformation. A priest and professor of theology, he criticised the Pope for selling “indulgences” to raise money. These were pardons, that said your sins were forgiven and you could go to heaven. He spoke against pilgrimage, saints and relics and the status of priests, and was “excommunicated” from the Catholic church. He translated the Bible into German, so ordinary people could understand it, and have their own faith in God, not just do as they were told. His ideas created years of religious wars in Germany: some of the small kingdoms became “Protestant” (protesting about the “abuses” in the church); others stayed Catholic. The building of Köln cathedral ground to a halt. The Lutheran church became the largest in Germany, and is also important in USA.
Carl Benz’s first car (1885).
Daimler produced a motorised carriage around the same time. Their ideas were rapidly copied and improved upon all over Europe. Their companies merged in 1926. In 1998 Daimler-Benz took over the giant US car manufacturer Chrysler. ■ Ferdinand Porsche Austrian engineer who designed the Volkswagen (people’s car) in the mid-30s. Known as the Beetle or Bug, it became the most popular car ever built.
Influential in politics ■ Karl Marx (1818-1883) born in Trier, became a journalist in Köln. Exiled after criticising Prussian king; lived in Paris and London. Worked in the British Library, writing “Das Kapital” and the Communist Manifesto. He inspired the 1917 Russian Revolution (Soviet communism ended in 1991). ■ Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) founder of the German Empire. ■ Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) founder of the racist Nazi movement, ruled Germany 1933-1945. ■ Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) As a young German student from Munich, Sophie and her brother formed a resistance group, the “White Rose”, to oppose the Nazi War by leaving leaflets in the streets. They were tracked down, arrested by the Nazis, and killed.
21 million Volkswagen “Beetles” were made world-wide.
Volkswagen became the world’s 4th largest carmaker, based on high quality engineering and well-trained workers. German cars have a high quality reputation, like Mercedes, and BMW, who now make Rolls-Royce cars. ■ Michael Schumacher (1969- ) born near Köln, Formula 1 motor-racing driver since 1991. The most successful Formula 1 driver ever, as star of the Ferrari team, he is also the highest-paid. By 2005, he was 7-times World Champion (“Schumi ist Weltmeister x7!”) and holds world record for most race victories in one season. He started racing karts when he was 5; by age 15, he was German Junior Karting Champion.
inter-cultural understanding ❑ Find out if pupils know of any famous people from Germany, Austria or Switzerland - including sports personalities, film- or pop-stars? Ask them if they know any of the famous German people in the “talking points” list?
Scientists: ■ Albert Einstein (1879-1955): famous scientific genius who measured the speed of light, and whose theories about matter and the universe led to nuclear power and bombs. 47
E a r l y S t a r t G erman Pack 1 ■ Do children think such a law is a good idea? [Be sensitive to any children in the class who may be teased about their own names. It may not be appropriate to raise this topic].
Talking point 2 German first-names
■ Should parents be allowed to call a child “Rumpelstilskin”? ■ Do children know names which do not clearly identify a boy or girl? ■ What names would they ban in your community?
First Names Traditional German first names for boys: Erich Ernst Franz Georg Hans Heinrich/Heinz Hermann Karl Kurt Ludwig Otto Rolf Wilhelm Wolfgang Traditional German first names for girls: Anna Charlotte/Lotte Lisel Ilse Erika Frieda Gertrud Helga Hanna Klara Lore Margarete/Gretel Martha Renate Sophie Ursula These seem to be dying out in the 21st century, to be replaced by international names. The list below shows the Top 10 names in 2000. Fashions change - especially in girls’names: Boys: 1.Alexander, 2.Maximilian, 3. Lukas, 4. Leon, 5. Tim, 6. Paul, 7. Niklas, 8. Jonas, 9. Daniel, 10. Jan Girls: 1. Marie, 2. Sophie, 3. Maria, 4. Anna, 5. Laura, 6. Lea, 7. Julia, 8. Michelle, 9. Katharina, 10. Sarah
The British Royal Family Did you know? ... In the 18th century, Britain had kings who could only speak German? George I was the Elector of Hanover in Germany when he was asked to succeed Queen Anne in 1714. As son of James I’s grand-daughter, and a Protestant, he was George I came from Germany the closest eligible relative - the others were all disbarred by being Catholics. He left much of running the British government to his Prime Minister (though the title was not used) - with whom he spoke in French. George III’s German wife, Queen Charlotte, brought the new German fashion of Christmas trees to the royal household (see Ch.1.15). Did you know? ... the Queen’s family name used to be “Saxe-Coburg-Gotha”? That was the family name of Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert. George V changed to “Windsor” in 1914, when Britain fought Germany in the First World War. At that time, King George V of Britain was closely related to Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Emperor of Germany, and also to Tsar Nicholas of Russia. His father, King Edward VII, was known as the “Uncle of Europe” because his many sisters (daughters of Queen Victoria) had all married into European royal families. ❑ If you are linked with a school in a Germanspeaking country, ask them to do a survey to find the most common first names in their class (or use the Klassenbuch list on the activity sheets). ❑ You could also ask both classes to collect a list of their parents’ first names, and swap by e-mail.
Family Names Common German family names: Bäcker Bauer Fischer Kaufmann Krüger Lehmann Meyer Müller Richter Schäfer Schmidt Schneider Schuhmacher Schulz Spengler Wagner Weber Zimmermann
German Name Law Germany is one of the countries that has a law restricting the names that people can give their children. The first and second names must clearly show whether the child is male or female, and must not cause offence or bring ridicule; the last name must be a family name. ● the name “Adolf Hitler” is illegal; ● A German judge said a Turkish couple could not name their boy “Osama Bin Laden”; ● Laurie Stein and Albrecht Pyritz could not call their daughter Isabelle Stein Pyritz. ● Jörg and Daniela Kepurra could call their daughter Jona (an Israeli girl’s name) only if her middle name was definitely a girl’s. 48
1.4 Wie heißt du?
Talking point 3 Rumpelstilskin and the “name of the helper” Do children know this story? It is a traditional German folk tale, told to children by parents, carers and story-tellers for generations; collected and written down by the famous Grimm Brothers (see “talking point 1”).
Rumpelstilzchen - the plot Here is a brief summary of the plot: ● Miller boasts to the greedy King that his daughter can spin straw into gold. ● 3 times he locks her in a room in his castle to prove it or die; ● 3 times, a strange little man appears and offers help in exchange for valuables. ● the third time, she has no more valuables, but promises to hand over her first-born baby. ● King asks daughter to marry him; she has a baby. ● Liitle man appears and claims what is promised - but relents and offers not to take the baby if the Queen can guess his name. She has 3 chances. ● After 2 unsuccessful guesses, the Queen is desperate ... ● King mentions a strange sight he has seen while out hunting in the forest: a little man dancing, and singing a song about his name. ● Queen realises this IS the secret name. She teases the little man; when she says the right name, he disappears and is never seen again.
In German or English from www.earlystart.co.uk.
■ When someone threatens you, does it reduce their power if you know their identity? ■ If a teacher or a policeman sees a child misbehaving, why do they ask them for their name (and address)? ❑ Citizenship: Rumpelstilzchen Children can read the story in English, or when the class is ready (maybe after Ch.1.14), you can read it to them in German (to obtain books see website). Work out the gist of it together, without trying to translate it word-for word. Talk with the class about the King’s power: ■ could the Prime Minister, the Queen (or political leader of your country) today wield the power that the King did in the story? Talk about the Miller: ■ why do you think he boasted about his daughter?
Morals of the story
EXTRA WORDS AND PHRASES der Müller - miller die Tochter - daughter der König - king die Königin - queen das Männchen - little man
■ Perils of boasting ■ keep your promises Also: ■ power of the King (what ruler today could wield such power over the Miller and his daughter?) ■ a glimpse of the old Germany -strange things out in the forest - lots of little kingdoms.
sie kann Stroh zu Gold spinnen... she can spin straw into gold... dein erstes Kind your first child
The name of the helper This is a common theme forming the key plot in many other European folk tales (see examples on the website, www.earlystart.co.uk.)
Audio CD Track 28 49
Ich heiĂ&#x;e .....................
My famous person is When were they born? ................ When did they die? ............... Which places in German-speaking countries are they associated with? ...................... where this happened: ................................................................ ...................... where this happened: ................................................................ What is this person famous for?
What is remarkable about what they did?
What difficulties or opposition did they face?
What impact did they have on the world at the time?
Why should we remember them today?
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Š 2005 Early Start Languages
Wie heißt du? Ich heiße.................
This page may be photocopied for classroom use.
© 2005 Early Start Languages
Wie heißt du? Ich heiße.................
KLASSENBUCH Bayer, Floriane Eichholz, Thomas Fischer, Tim Graffé, Nicolas Gransow, Emma König, Richard Kracht, Manuela Kreft, Ulrike Kreßner, Daniel Krohn, Nina Krüger, Sabine Lenschow, Jens Lewandowski, Alexander Liber, Hanna This page may be photocopied for classroom use.
Müller, Przibylla, Rau, Schaller, Schleicher, Schnebel, Schröter, Schuster, Simon, ¨ Sporbeck, Uger, Walter, Winter, Yilmaz,
Lena Kolja Matthias Sonja Johannes Anna-Maria Franziska Moritz Mark Philippa Aishe Dominik Christina Ahmet
© 2005 Early Start Languages