Kindergarten

We meet twice during German week and once during English week for 40 minutes each

Who We Are

Central IDEA

Everyday I can learn about who I am and my responsibilities as a child.

We learn through singing each other's names, body parts, colors, simple verbs like “go, walk, drive, hop…”

INQUIRY Into

* who I am

* what I can do


Activities

- Ich bin da

- Ich bin anders

- Sind die Arme noch müde

- Ich fahre in die Schule

- Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuss

- Hey, hey Kinder kommt

- Blau sind alle meine Farben

- Wir machen eine Reise

- ABC der Tiere

Where we are in place and time

Central IDEA

Living, learning, and playing has changed for children over time.

We learn about old German traditions, like St. Martin, St. Nikolaus, and Christmas and how children still celebrate these traditions.

We play old German games and sing traditional folk songs.


INQUIRY Into

* how living has changed over time

* how children celebrated and still celebrate Christmas, St. Martin and St. Nikolaus

* how games/songs we play/sing today are related to games from a long time ago


Activities

-Ich bin ein kleiner Tanzbär

-Brüderlein komm tanz mit mir

-Ringlein, Ringlein du musst wandern

-Es tanzt ein Bi-Ba Butzemann

-Nikolaus: Lasst uns froh und munter sein

-St. Martin: Lantern Songs

-Story of St. Nikolaus and St. Martin

-Christmas: Kling Glöckchen

How we express ourselves

Central IDEA

Non-verbal communication allows us to send messages to others without words.

We use instruments and body parts to produce sounds and rhythm.


INQUIRY Into

* different types of nonverbal communication

* the ways non-verbal communication is understood by others


Activities

-different ways to move to different rhythms

- Exploring a variety of rhythm instruments

-Lied: Ich hab ein Instrument entdeckt

-Moving to the tunes of a recorder

-Identify and copy sounds

- Act out music piece "Kater Carlos"

How the world works

Central IDEA

Weather patterns shape the way communities live.

We explore different types of weather, act it out, and create weather situations with different instruments.



INQUIRY Into

* Different types of weather

* The way weather is measured

* Human adaptations to weather


Activities

-Wetterlied

-Danke für die gute Sonne/Wasser/Wind

-Different weather situations: Es tröpfelt, es regnet, es blitzt, es donnert

-Sound story: Das Gewitter

-Klanggeschichte: Reise eines Regentropfen

-Lied: Es war eine Mutter

Sharing the planet

Central IDEA

Living things can balance the environment.

We use songs to make connections between animals and the environment they live in.



INQUIRY Into

* how different types of animals live with each other

* animals in their environment


Activities

-Sound story with instruments “Auf dem Bauernhof”

-Lied: 5 kleine Fische

-Die Katz’ die zupft die Maus am Schwanz

-Tanzbär

-Löwenjagd

-Die Henne hat ein Ei gelegt

-Zauberer Schrappelschrut

-Katzen Tatzen Tanz