Based on the Disney/ Pixar movie, my 6th graders designed their Islands of Personality, core memories and headquarters. I love how they turned out and how much these kids were willing to share of themselves. Thanks guys, what a wonderful glimpse into your lives!

In 6th grade we have been learning about the advantages and disadvantages of the internet and various social networks. For their final project all 6th graders worked together to make an anti mobbing video. 

One of my favorite thing about seeing my 8th graders every day, is the fact that this allows us to have cultural units and some projects. For my cultural unit about East and West Germany the students are asked to show what they learned about  the differences about the two countries at that time in a creative project. The choices are to write a story, poem or song or to draw a picture or make a model or poster. This year's 8th grade has produced some fantastic creative work. For the first time, I have gotten a song that was actually performed. The classes produced lots of great models as well as some well written stories and poems. These are just some examples of what the students produced. Well done!!

Both 7th and 8th grade classes finished their current chapters with oral projects. Some recorded their own video and some were presented live in class. Here are some of the videos from the 2013 7th and 8th grades. 7th grade presented some basic getting-to-know-you dialogues, while the 8th graders presented their schedules.

For a take home assessment to our mini unit, "Separation and Reunification of Germany," the 8th graders had to create pictures, stories, poems, songs or even a 3D-model to show what they learned. I picked some of the best work to show cast it here. Enjoy these wonderfully creative projects.

Scroll through the document below to read some fantastic writing by our very talented students. Some chose to tell a story out of a family's perspective, others rhymed and managed to put so much of what they learned in a poem or rap.

There were many more great examples. Fantastische Arbeit!

Homework is probably no student's favorite part of school. First you have to go to school and do all the work in class and then you should do more at home?

But even though it seems like just another way to keep you busy, homework is giving you a way to practice your skills at home by yourself. In your homewok choice packet you have 20/39 different choices (depending on if you are in 7th or 8th grade) of what to do for homework for each due date. Each choice is practicing a particular skill: reading, listening, speaking, writing and cultural awareness. You may choose what to focus on each time. So while it may feel to you like I am just keeping you busy, I am actually helping you advance one of your skills on your own.

It can be so hard to practice German outside of class when there is no one else to talk to and it is important that you find ways to do it regardless. A language lives from practice and use.

The picture here shows you the bulletin board that we have in class with some of your homework assignments that turned out really nice and serve as great examples for what a good finished product should look like. I also save the nicest flashcards in a box so that everyone can use them for review if you want to come to visit during RECAP or before/ after school. I love going through your finished work. The best thing about being a teacher is seeing what amazing things your students can do!

With the school year just behind us, I would like to share a small video clip that was taken from the final presentations for 7th grade. Many of the presentations really displayed what the kids learned and how far they have come. The clips I chose, have both been chosen for the quality of the presentations as well as the quality of the videos. Unfortunately many of the videos didn't have the greatest sound.