GER 101 • Fall 2010
SCHEDULE & ASSIGNMENTS

last modified:
11/10/10

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PSU Academic Calendar & PSU Final Exam Schedule

assignments & due dates for sections: Fischer •

The course this quarter will cover Kontexte 1-8, at a rate of one Kontext per week, with some time taken along the way for tutorials and tests. Since students do not exist for courses, but rather courses for students, the schedule will be adjusted to suit the needs of the learners. Humanity will not be sacrified to expediency. Besides, in good learning the journey is more important than the destination. :-)

There is no ink-on-paper textbook. We use a CD-ROM that contains all the materials that textbooks have, as well as a large collection of multimedia resources. Beyond that, we use many internet-based resources. The CD-ROM is provided at no cost. For replacements go to the WLL tech lab, NH 391.

Dates are in the standard international sequence: dd/mm (example: 10.02 = February 10, NOT October 2). Text altered with strikeout indicates material to ignore. Instructors may modify dates for assignments.
Scoring Guide & A-F Grade Chart Deadline Policy
1 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
27.09 28.09 29.09 30.09 01.10
Kontext 1: "Wie, bitte? Wer? Was?" top of page

Course goals, structure, materials, policies. Importance of classroom for learning the spoken language. Survey of learning styles, exploration of learning strategies. Advice about studying. German from a wider perspective: Why are YOU learning German? Why do people learn German? What can German add to your studies, occupation, life? Course director or assistant presents "Big Picture" view of course. Information about research project being conducted in course.

Assignment #1: Get in touch! Is assigned on first day of class and due by next class meeting; but doing it even earlier gets you a better grade.

Assignment #2: Explore the course materials - instructors set own start and due dates.

Assignment #3: Take the online WebCAPE placement test for German - instructors set own start and due dates.

Resources for Oktoberfest
2 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
04.10 05.10 06.10 07.10 08.10
Kontext 2: "Wo? Wann? Wieviel?" top of page

Course director visits with presentation about assessment, scoring guides, tests and grading.

Practice writing test and self-evaluation tutorial, covering Kontext 1; will be conducted in class; uses the course generic Scoring Guide

Assignment #4: IGNORE THIS ASSIGNMENT. It will be activated later. Let's learn about your learning styles and strategies in relation to language study. Is assigned on the last day of classes the SECOND week of the course and due by the next class meeting (first meeting of third week of classes); but doing it even earlier gets you a better grade.

Listening comprehension test #1 - conducted in class, late in Week 2, IF INSTRUCTOR ANNOUNCES IT IN TIME.

Introduction to regular "Tagesschau" assignment.

Project 1: "German all around me" - Due in two weeks; instructors will activate the assignment and announce specific due dates for their own sections.

Resources for die Wende (German Reunification) & Kristallnacht
3 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
11.10 12.10 13.10 14.10 15.10
Kontext 3 "Fahrkarten und Pässe, bitte?" top of page

Talks & tutorials: how we learn; what it means to study and learn a language; course director visits with presentation about grammar: what it is, what it is not, how to learn it, how not to learn it.

Assignment #5 Rate your own proficiency and your expectations for later proficiency. Due 1 week after instructor activates the assignment.

Practice oral test (ungraded) and self-evaluation tutorial (graded), covering through Kontext 2; will be conducted in class.

Regular self-evaluations with writing samples begin (1 per Kontext)

Writing Test #1 - download and do outside of class; instructors will activate the test and announce due dates for their own sections.
4 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
18.10 19.10 20.10 21.10 22.10
Kontext 4: "Imbiß" top of page

Oral Test #1 - conducted in class; instructors will announce dates for their own sections

Tagesschau Assignment #1 (due in 1 week) - link to come.

Resources for baseball in German-speaking countries (link to come)
5 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
25.10 26.10 27.10 28.10 29.10
Kontext 5: "Im Hotel" top of page

Project 2: "Wir und unsere Familien • About Us and Our Families" - Instructors will activate the assignment and announce due dates for their own sections.

Resources for Allerseelen / Allerheiligen / Halloween
6 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
01.11 02.11 03.11 04.11 05.11
Kontext 6: "Das Restaurant im Hotel" top of page

Regular assignments about internet news and culture begin (1 per Kontext)

Resources about voting and elections (link to come)
7 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
08.11 09.11 10.11 11.11 12.11
Kontext 7: "Am Fahrkartenschalter" top of page

Oral Test #2. Instructors will announce schedules for their own sections.

Writing Test #2. Instructors will activate the test and announce due dates for their own sections.

Resources about Veterans Day;
Resources about the German military
8 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
15.11 16.11 17.11 18.11 19.11
Kontext 7: "Am Fahrkartenschalter" (cont'd.) & Kontext 8: "Reiseproviant" top of page

Project 3: "Meine Traumreise - My Dream Trip" - instructors will activate the project and announce due dates for their own sections.

Resources for Thanksgiving / Erntedankfest
9 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
22.11 23.11 24.11 25.11 26.11
Kontext 8: "Reiseproviant" (cont'd.) top of page
10 Mo Di Mi Do Fr
29.11 30.11 01.12 02.12 03.12
review Kontexte 1-8 top of page

Resources for Christmas and other winter holidays (link to come)
Final Examinations (link to PSU Final Exam Schedule)
Mo Di Mi Do
06.12 07.12 08.12 09.12

1930-2120 final for MW evening section

0800-0950 final for MWF 900-1005 section
1015-1205 final for TR 1000-1150 section

1015-1205 final for MWF 1015-1120 section

0800-0950: final for TR 800-950 section
1230-1420: final for MWF 1130-1235 section

You may take your final with any section, but if you are not taking yours with your own section, please inform both instructors involved.

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