Lesson 4.2 Der Apfel

Steps

1. Warm-up

   Do this together: Put some fruit on the table: an apple, a banana, a pear, some grapes. Which one do you like best? Today you learn their names in German and how to ask for them politely.

2. Teach the new idea

   Read aloud: The story. Cut an apple in half across its middle, not from top to bottom. What do you see? A star! Inside the star are little rooms, and in each room sleeps a seed. German children sing about it: In my little apple, it looks so cheerful inside: there are five little rooms, just like in a house. In each little room live two seeds, black and fine, lying there and dreaming of the dear sunshine. God put the seeds inside the fruit so that new apple trees can grow. The Bible says a good man is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season.

   Read aloud: How German sounds. Apfel has pf again, said together like a puff: AHP-fel. Banane is said with three clear parts: bah-NAH-nuh. Möchte has the round ö and the soft ch: MÖKH-tuh. To ask politely, say Ich möchte, the thing, and bitte: Ich möchte einen Apfel, bitte. Ich möchte eine Banane, bitte.

   Read aloud: Say it and move. Take a big crunchy bite: der Apfel! Peel a pretend banana: die Banane! Pop grapes in your mouth: die Trauben! Hold out your hand politely: Ich möchte einen Apfel, bitte!

3. New words

   Do this: Say each word clearly; your child says it back twice. Point to a picture or the real thing when you can.

   • der Apfel [dehr AHP-fel]: apple
   • die Banane [dee bah-NAH-nuh]: banana
   • die Birne [dee BEER-nuh]: pear
   • die Trauben [dee TROW-bun]: grapes
   • ich möchte [ikh MÖKH-tuh]: I would like
   • das Obst [dahs OHPST]: fruit
4. Show how

   Show: You want a banana. How do you ask politely?

   Say this: “Start with Ich möchte.”

   Say this: “Banane is a die word: eine Banane.”

   Say this: “End with bitte.”

   Answer: Ich möchte eine Banane, bitte.

   Show: Cut an apple across the middle. What shape is inside?

   Say this: “Look at the seeds.”

   Say this: “They make a star.”

   Answer: A star.

5. Practice together

   Do this: Ask out loud. Let your child try first; help only after a real try.

   Ask: Say apple in German.

   Listen for: Der Apfel.

   Ask: Say banana in German.

   Listen for: Die Banane.

   Ask: Say pear in German.

   Listen for: Die Birne.

   3 more on the lesson page.

6. Project: Apple star prints

   Read aloud: Make prints with an apple cut in half to show the star inside.

   Steps:

   1. Look at the star in the middle of the apple and count the little seed rooms.
   2. Dip the cut side of the apple in paint.
   3. Press it onto the paper and lift it off to see the star.
   4. Make a row of prints and say der Apfel for each one.
   5. A parent writes Ich möchte einen Apfel, bitte across the bottom.

   Tips for you:

   • Try a pear too: die Birne.
   • Count your prints in German.

   Done when your child can say:

   • My prints show the apple star.
   • I can ask for an apple politely in German.
7. Sketchbook

   Do this: Your child picks one or more; you write the date.

   1. Draw an apple, a banana, a pear and grapes in your picture dictionary. A parent writes der Apfel, die Banane, die Birne and die Trauben.
8. From history

   Read aloud: In the fall, many German towns have apple festivals, and families pick apples in orchards. Apfelkuchen (apple cake) and Apfelstrudel are favorite desserts, and Apfelsaft (apple juice) is the most popular juice in Germany.

9. Watch for
   • Saying Apfel without the p. Puff it: AHP-fel.
   • Forgetting bitte. Always add bitte when you ask.
10. Game: Fruit market

    Put real or paper fruit in a basket. One person is the seller. The customer says Guten Tag! Ich möchte eine Birne, bitte. The seller gives it and says Bitte schön! The customer says Danke! Take turns.

11. Narration

    Say this: “Tell me what you learned today.”

    Listen for: Name four fruits in German.; Ask politely: Ich möchte einen Apfel, bitte.; Sing about the little rooms inside an apple.

12. Scripture

    And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

    In the German Bible of Martin Luther (1912 revision), this verse reads: <i lang="de">Der ist wie ein Baum, gepflanzt an den Wasserbächen, der seine Frucht bringt zu seiner Zeit</i> A person who loves God’s Word is like a strong tree beside a river that gives fruit at the right time. God helps us grow good fruit too: kindness, patience and joy.

Spread over the week

3 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

1. Session 1. Warm-up, then read and teach the new idea and the new words. Show how.
2. Session 2. Practice together, then start the project. Finish the project, then the sketchbook.
3. Session 3. Narration, the game and the Scripture.