School Launch

Parent guide · Grade 2 German · Unit 2

Lesson 2.2 Buch, Heft und Stift

Written for the parent. The Read aloud parts are written to your child; read them as they are. Do this parts are for you. Answers for you are marked Listen for.

At a glance

Time
3 sessions of 15–20 minutes
Goal
Name six school things in German. Say Ich habe… (I have…). Learn where wisdom begins.
You need
  • A small box or a pencil case
  • Paper labels, tape, markers
  • Your school things
  • A sketchbook or plain paper, and crayons
  • A King James Bible
Print
Worksheet A · the lesson page (it also has a short video (2:38))

Steps

  1. Do this together: Empty your school bag or pencil box onto the table. What do you have? Name each thing in English. Today you learn them in German.

  2. Read aloud: The story. King Solomon was the wisest king who ever lived. When God asked him what gift he wanted, Solomon did not ask for gold or for a long life. He asked for wisdom to rule God’s people well, and God gave it to him. The Bible says: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Books, notebooks and pencils help us learn many things, but the most important learning starts with loving and honoring God.

    Read aloud: How German sounds. Bleistift has ei (eye) and st said sht: BLY-shtift. Schere starts with sh: SHAY-ruh. Heft is just like it looks: HEFT. To say I have, use Ich habe, and for der words say einen: Ich habe einen Bleistift. For das words say ein: Ich habe ein Heft. For die words say eine: Ich habe eine Schere.

    Read aloud: Say it and move. Open a pretend book: das Buch! Write in the air: der Bleistift! Snip with two fingers: die Schere! Hold up something and say: Ich habe ein Heft!

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

    • das Heft [dahs HEFT]: notebook
    • der Bleistift [dehr BLY-shtift]: pencil
    • der Kuli [dehr KOO-lee]: pen
    • die Schere [dee SHAY-ruh]: scissors
    • das Lineal [dahs lee-nay-AHL]: ruler
    • ich habe [ikh HAH-buh]: I have

  4. Show: Hold up a pencil. Say I have a pencil.

    Say this: “Pencil is der Bleistift, a der word.”

    Say this: “With der words say einen.”

    Answer: Ich habe einen Bleistift.

    Show: Hold up a notebook. Say I have a notebook.

    Say this: “Notebook is das Heft, a das word.”

    Say this: “With das words say ein.”

    Answer: Ich habe ein Heft.

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

    Ask: Say book in German.

    Listen for: Das Buch.

    Ask: Say pencil in German.

    Listen for: Der Bleistift.

    Ask: Say scissors in German.

    Listen for: Die Schere.

    3 more on the lesson page.

  6. Read aloud: Decorate a pencil box and label every school thing inside in German.

    Steps:

    1. Decorate the box with your name and Meine Sachen (my things).
    2. Make a small label for each thing: der Bleistift, der Kuli, die Schere, der Radiergummi (eraser), das Lineal (ruler).
    3. Tape each label to its thing.
    4. Take each one out and say Ich habe…

    Tips for you:

    • Color the labels blue for der, red for die and green for das.
    • Add das Buch and das Heft to your school bag with labels.

    Done when your child can say:

    • My school things are labeled in German.
    • I can say Ich habe… with each one.

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

    1. In your German notebook, draw a book, a notebook, a pencil, a pen and scissors. Label each with der, die or das.

  8. Read aloud: German school children carry a stiff backpack called a Ranzen or Schulranzen. Many German students write with a fountain pen, called a Füller, from about the third grade.

    • Saying Bleistift with st. Say sht: BLY-shtift.
    • Saying Ich habe ein Bleistift. Bleistift is a der word: einen Bleistift.

  10. Put five school things on the table and name them in German. Close your eyes while a parent hides one. Open your eyes and say what is missing: der Kuli!

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

    Listen for: Name six school things in German.; Say Ich habe… (I have…).; Learn where wisdom begins.

  12. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

    Psalm 111:10 (KJV)

    In the German Bible of Martin Luther (1912 revision), this verse reads: <i lang="de">Die Furcht des HERRN ist der Weisheit Anfang.</i> Wisdom begins with honoring God. We learn reading and writing and numbers, but the most important lesson is to love and obey the Lord.

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.