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Parent guide · Grade 2 German · Unit 4

Lesson 4.2 Der Fuchs

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 fox, hare, owl and squirrel in German. Describe animals: Der Fuchs ist rot. Sing part of Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen.
You need
  • A paper plate
  • Orange, white and black paint or crayons
  • Scissors (a parent helps), glue
  • A sketchbook or plain paper, and crayons
  • A King James Bible
Print
Worksheet A · the lesson page (it also has a short video (1:57))

Steps

  1. Do this together: Name the forest words from last week: der Wald, der Baum, das Reh, der Hirsch. Who else lives in the forest? Who is sly and red with a bushy tail? Today you meet him.

  2. Read aloud: The story. One night a sly red fox crept out of the forest and stole a fat gray goose from a farmer’s yard! The children saw him and sang: Fox, you have stolen the goose, give it back! Or the hunter will come after you! Then they gave the fox some good advice: Little fox, don’t be a thief, be happy with a mouse for your supper. German children have sung this song for nearly two hundred years. It teaches a lesson too: stealing is wrong, and we should be content with what God gives us. Jesus said that foxes have holes and birds have nests, but He had nowhere to lay His head. He gave up everything for us.

    Read aloud: How German sounds. In Fuchs, the chs sounds like ks: FOOKS. Eule has eu, said oy: OY-luh. Eichhörnchen is a long word: IKE-hörn-khun. To describe an animal, use ist: Der Fuchs ist rot. Die Eule ist klug (the owl is wise). Der Hase ist schnell (the hare is fast).

    Read aloud: Say it and move. Creep on tiptoe: der Fuchs! Blink big eyes and turn your head: die Eule! Nibble a nut: das Eichhörnchen! Waddle and honk: die Gans! Run fast: Der Hase ist schnell!

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

    • der Fuchs [dehr FOOKS]: fox
    • die Eule [dee OY-luh]: owl
    • das Eichhörnchen [dahs IKE-hörn-khun]: squirrel
    • die Gans [dee GAHNS]: goose
    • schnell [SHNEL]: fast
    • klug [KLOOK]: clever; wise

  4. Show: Describe the fox’s color in German.

    Say this: “The fox is red-orange.”

    Say this: “Use ist: Der Fuchs ist…”

    Answer: Der Fuchs ist rot.

    Show: What did the fox steal in the song?

    Say this: “He took a bird from the farm.”

    Say this: “Goose is die Gans.”

    Answer: Die Gans (the goose).

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

    Ask: Say fox in German.

    Listen for: Der Fuchs.

    Ask: Say owl in German.

    Listen for: Die Eule.

    Ask: Say goose in German.

    Listen for: Die Gans.

    3 more on the lesson page.

  6. Read aloud: Make a fox face from a paper plate and describe it in German.

    Steps:

    1. Fold the plate in half, then fold the sides in to make a pointed fox face.
    2. Color it orange with a white chin and a black nose.
    3. Cut two pointed ears from the leftover paper and glue them on.
    4. Hold up your fox and say: Das ist der Fuchs. Der Fuchs ist rot.

    Tips for you:

    • Make an owl from another plate.
    • Act out the song with your fox and a paper goose.

    Done when your child can say:

    • My fox has ears, a nose and a white chin.
    • I can describe it in German.

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

    1. In your German notebook, draw a fox, an owl, a squirrel and a goose. Label each, and write one sentence: Der Fuchs ist rot.

  8. Read aloud: Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen was written in 1824 by a teacher named Ernst Anschütz, who also wrote the words of O Tannenbaum that German children sing today.

    • Saying Fuchs with ch as in church. Chs says ks: FOOKS.
    • Saying Eule like you-lay. The eu says oy: OY-luh.

  10. Play tag: one person is der Fuchs and the others are die Gänse (the geese). The geese honk and run; when the fox tags a goose, the goose says Ich bin der Fuchs! and becomes the next fox.

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

    Listen for: Name fox, hare, owl and squirrel in German.; Describe animals: Der Fuchs ist rot.; Sing part of Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen.

  12. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

    Matthew 8:20 (KJV)

    In the German Bible of Martin Luther (1912 revision), this verse reads: <i lang="de">Die Füchse haben Gruben, und die Vögel unter dem Himmel haben Nester</i> Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but Jesus had no home of His own when He traveled and preached. He gave up the comforts of heaven to come and save us.

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.