Notes of Lessons: German Grammar, Class III

Notes of Lessons: German Grammar, Class III

[We have thought that it might be of use to our readers (in their own families) to publish from month to month during the current year, Notes of Lessons prepared by students of the House of Education for the pupils of the Practising School. We should like to say, however, that such a Lesson is never given as a tour de force, but is always an illustration or an expansion of some part of the children’s regular studies (in the Parents’ Review School), some passage in one or other of their school books.—Ed.]

Subject: German Grammar • Group: Languages • Class III • Time: 20—30 minutes

By Ida C. Fisher
The Parents’ Review, 1903, pp. 307-308

Objects

I. To show the pupil that although the German construction of sentences may seem very much complicated, yet with the help of a few simple rules it can be made much clearer.

II. To draw these rules from the pupil by means of examples.

III. To teach two or three of these elementary rules.

IV. To strengthen the relationship with the foreign language.

Lesson

Step I.—Begin by finding out what Georgie knows of compound sentences in English, i.e., that they consist of two or more clauses depending on each other, etc., and let her give one or two examples. Connect this lesson with a former one on the arrangement of words in German sentences by letting Georgie put one or two compound clauses on the board in German, and then giving the rule they illustrate.

Rule.—Dependent clauses take the verb at the end of the clause.

These sentences Georgie can probably give herself.

Step II.—Get the old rule that the past participle comes at the end of the sentence with a few examples, one or two of which Georgie may write upon the board to compare with those illustrating the new rule.

Let Georgie put several sentences on the board illustrating the new rule.

Rule.—In dependent clauses the auxiliary follows the past participle.

Sentences

„Ich kehre zurüch, wenn sie angekommen ist.”

„Das Kind, welches verloren war, ist gefunden.”

Let Georgie translate these literally into English, and with the simple German clauses already on the board and the translation let her find the rule. Let her translate a few sentences into German to show that she thoroughly understands the rule.

Step III.—Treat the next rule almost in the same way, but have each sentence put on the board twice in different order and find the rule by comparing these.

Rule.—If the subordinate clause comes first the principal clause takes its verb at the beginning.

Sentences.—

(1) „Sie gab den Armen viel, weil sie gut war.”

(2) „Wiel sie gut war, gab sie den Armen viel.”

(1) „Er ging immer fort, obwohl er müde war.”

(2) „Obwohl er müde war, ging er immer fort.”

Step IV.—Recapitulate.