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Structured Reading in German: Ben liebt Anna (Part 2 of 2)

Become a better reader! Read a funny & heartfelt story about two 4th-graders, the immigrant experience, and life’s challenges. Taught by a former college professor.
Jennifer Bjornstad, PhD (German/Writing)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(193)
Rising Star
Class
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What's included

8 pre-recorded lessons
8 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content
Homework
1-2 hours per week. Each lesson, learners will watch two different 15- to 20-minute videos (one on the content of the book and one on the grammar point of the two-way prepositions), complete a reading guide, read a chapter of the book, and complete a grammar worksheet. For most learners, watching the videos, completing the worksheets, and reading the chapter will take a total of 90 minutes.
Assessment
If you need an assessment beyond the worksheets and accompanying answer keys, let me know.
Grading
If you wish to seek credit for this class from your school district or need information for your homeschool transcript, I can provide you with a Certificate of Completion with 1) my credentials and 2) the topics the class covers.

Class Experience

US Grade 9 - 12
Intermediate - Advanced Level
Guten Tag! In this class, you’ll work to gain more advanced German skills, step by step.
+ You’ll learn new vocabulary
+ You’ll practice adjective endings
+ You’ll become an accomplished reader 
+ You’ll learn about the world of German children’s literature

I have a PhD in German and 25+ years of experience teaching German, so I really know my stuff. I'm also a former homeschool mom who is warm and encouraging. I’m a careful explainer, and I provide lots of straightforward, clear examples. I know that if you take this class you will see a solid advancement in your German skills.

Please read more below for class details. I so much hope you’ll sign up for the class! Ben liebt Anna is a really enjoyable book, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

--Dr. Jennifer

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Peter Härtling was one of Germany’s most important 20th-century authors. He wrote poetry and prose for adult readers, including a number of facinating historical-biographical novels on key German musicians and writers such as Franz Schubert (Romantic composer of “Der Erlkönig” and the song-series “Winterreise”) and E.T.A. Hoffman (Romantic fantasy writer you may know from the plot-weirdnesses of the Nutcracker Suite!).

Härtling also was extremely well-known as a children’s writer. His books for young people canvas a variety of key issues and bring his high literary qualities to a shorter book length and simpler prose style that children (and language learners!) can easily understand.

Ben liebt Anna tells the story of Ben, who falls for the new girl in class, a girl from Poland named Anna whose family faces a variety of challenges as they attempt to integrate themselves into German society. The book is quirky, funny, and accompanied by fabulous illustrations by Eva Muggenthaler. Ben liebt Anna has been read by generations of German schoolchildren and is a classic worth knowing; think Charlotte’s Web, James and the Giant Peach, Wonder.

In this Structured Reading class, you get vocabulary and plot support before reading each chapter. By the end of the 8 weeks, you will have read the whole second half of the book, a great accomplishment! 

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You will probably want to take the first half of the class first: "Structured Reading: Ben liebt Anna (Part 1 of 2).

This Structured Reading class is perfect for…
-	students who have taken German 1 and German 2 with me
-	anyone who has reached the intermediate level in another way, e.g. duolingo, other introductory classes, or speaking German at home

+ Can you puzzle out the meanings of sentences like these?
Ben fragte Holger über die Liebe aus.
Anna trug ein geblümtes Kleid.
Onkel Gerhard machte immer viele Witze, und Ben fand ihn toll.

+ Do you know some basic German words like these?
der Boden, das Zimmer, die Arbeit, die Wohnung, neugierig, reden, wachen, streiten, wissen

If yes, then you’ll enjoy this Structured Reading class!

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The language of instruction is English and German. We read the text, naturally, in German.

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The class offers approximately 90 minutes of learning material per lesson, so a total of 270 minutes (16 class periods).

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This is a self-paced class, which means there are no live meetings on Zoom. Instead, you work your way through the pre-recorded, pre-written learning materials posted in the classroom (reading guides, videos, slide presentations, worksheets, vocabulary lists, and flashcards).

The class is listed as an 8-week class because there are 8 lessons, but you can go through the course at whatever pace works best for you.
- If you finish before the 8 weeks are up, great—you can move on to the next class.
- If you need longer than the 8 weeks, no problem. Just let me know.

If you have questions as you are working on the material, you can message me at any time.

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Here’s what you’ll do each lesson:

1 – You’ll watch a 15-20 minute video on the lesson’s content

2 – You’ll complete a reading guide for the chapter

3 – You’ll read the chapter

4 – You’ll watch a 15-20 minute video on the lesson’s grammar topic
I use two cameras: you’ll see me talking to you & you’ll see what I’m writing at my desk. I use big bright markers on a big sheet of paper so that you can easily follow the notes and examples. 

You can kick back and just soak in the information, or you can sit up straight and take notes along with me—whatever works best for you. You can pause the video at any time to take a break, use the speed controls to move things along, or even repeat the video 2 or 3 times. This is your learning and you can do it your way, at your pace.

5 – You’ll complete a worksheet. 
Each worksheet matches the lesson’s grammar topic. (In this class, everything is focused on two-way prepositions.) I also provide an answer key so that you can check your answers.

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Note: This material is part of the German 3 curriculum.

If you are taking my full curriculum, (German 1, German 2, German 3) and you are not yet in German 3, you may want to wait until then before working through this material. We work on it together, week by week, in German 3.

To see all of my Outschool classes, go here: https://outschool.com/search?q=bjornstad
Send me a message if you have questions or would like a copy of my “German for High Schoolers” information sheet.

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Sign up for “Structured Reading: Ben liebt Anna (Part 2 of 2)” now to work toward more advanced German skills!
Learning Goals
Students who take the Structured Reading classes will be...
+ confident & proficient readers of intermediate-level texts
+ masters of the adjective endings
They will have taken part in a rich, multi-layered cultural experience.
learning goal

Syllabus

8 Lessons
over 8 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Chapter 8
 + listen to a lecture about German children’s literature
+ Reading Guide Chapter 8, “Anna antwortet“
+ read Chapter 8
+ learn adjectives: predicate vs. attributive adjectives 
Lesson 2:
Chapter 9
 + learn about flavoring particles
+ Reading Guide Chapter 9, “Ben macht sich schön“
+ read Chapter 9
+ learn adjectives: examples 
Lesson 3:
Chapter 10
 + explore the word families “das Geheimnis,“ “angewurzelt,“ & “die Schlafmütze”
+ Reading Guide Chapter 10, “Kuttelflecke und Annas Überraschung“
+ read Chapter 10
+ learn adjectives: preceded & unpreceded; using the RESE-NESE chart 
Lesson 4:
Chapter 11
 + describe and discuss illustrations 5-8
+ Reading Guide Chapter 11, “Zwei Besucher“
+ read Chapter 11
+ learn adjectives: nominative & accusative 

Other Details

Learning Needs
This self-paced class works especially well for students with unique learning needs. Students can pause the videos to make notes, rewind to watch a section again for deeper understanding, & do the worksheet at their own pace.
Parental Guidance
Ben liebt Anna is a book that features, among other things, a little love story between two fourth-graders. As is typical in German culture, some aspects of romantic relationships are more open than Americans might be used to. In the book, there is a scene in which the two kids lie down next to each other in Anna’s fort and a scene in which the two of them go skinny-dipping. All fairly tame, but sometimes a bit of a shock for American readers.
Pre-Requisites
You will probably want to take the first half of the class first: "Structured Reading: Ben liebt Anna (Part 1 of 2).
Joined November, 2020
5.0
193reviews
Rising Star
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Indiana Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Indiana Teaching Certificate in Foreign Language
Doctoral Degree in Foreign Language from University of Wisconsin-Madison
I have been teaching German, composition, and arts & humanities for more than 25 years, and I speak German with near-native fluency. I have a PhD in German Literature and was the 2014 Indiana German Collegiate Teacher of the Year. I bring first-rate content knowledge and pedagogical expertise to the online classroom, plus a genuine love of working with young learners.

Because I have extensive experience at the college level, I know just where high school students are headed and can expertly guide them as they prepare themselves for the next step. My focus on learning strategies and study skills is an added benefit, useful for any learner.  

See my Profile Page for my resume.

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Self-Paced Course
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$44

weekly or $352 for all content
8 pre-recorded lessons
8 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content

Completed by 1 learner
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Ages: 13-18

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