European Geography & Cultures Lesson Plan 5 ~ Germany

This post is part of the European Geography and Cultures Series. Please the Introductory Post for a list of countries covered with links to all of the blog posts of this series.

This is a Geography Lesson Plan for Germany.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I am an affiliate of Amazon, and will receive a small commission if a link on this page is used to make a purchase.

You can download this lesson plan (including checklists) as a PDF file. Click on the thumbnail below and open the PDF file in Adobe Reader to read and print. If you open in a browser window, the text may be garbled. You may share this online and use the image above without permission, but please have all links point to this blog post, not to the PDF file. Thanks!

Introduction to Germany

Bring a mini Schultuete for each student if not brought on the first week of coop. See my Germany Pinterest Board for several examples and tutorials.

Read

Galloping the Globe page 91 (optional)
Children Just Like Me page 34
Germany (A to Z) (The images in the PDF file provided below and my sample cards are based on this book.)

Map Folders and Stamp Albums (Follow General Instructions.)

Pass out Folders and Stamp Albums.
Pass out postage stamps from Germany and stamp hinges.

Physical Geography of Germany

Where on Earth?

Find the continent of Europe and Germany on a globe. Have students color Germany on the map on their folder.
Find Europe and Germany in the Atlas: start on page 76 of Where on Earth? Atlas, then find the countries on page 78. Move on to page 80 to view the landscape, and to page 94 to see it by night.

Climate, Population and Wildlife

Germany’s climate is moderate: see https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Germany.htm.
To see pictures of some of the animals living in Germany visit http://www.living-in-germany.net/must-knows/wildlife-in-germany-2.
Read page 56 – 57 of the DK Children’s World Atlas about The British Isles. Find out about agricultural products, major landforms, and water bodies.

Card File (Follow General Card File Instructions.)

Listen to Around the World Stories from Germany while working (subscription required).
Flag and Map Country Cover Card PDF File (see below)
Country Information Card PDF File (see below)
Category Cards – plain index cards or pre-printed PDF File (you may want to provide samples for students to copy)
Images PDF File for Category Cards (see below)

PDF Files to Download for Card File

Click on the thumbnails below and open the PDF files in Adobe Reader to read and print. If you open in a browser window, the text may be garbled. You may share this online and use the images above without permission, but please have all links point to this blog post, not to the PDF file. Thanks!

People

Choose the activities that interest you the most. Add to your Card File as you learn new things and complete activities. Listen to related music and/or stories while doing projects if possible.

1. Artists

* Hans Holbein the Younger (1533) * Caspar David Friedrich (1817) * Max Liebermann (1901) * Paul Klee

Look at art by Caspar David Friedrich https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspar_David_Friedrich on the iPad or in a library book.
Paint a picture inspired by Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.
Make art in the style of Paul Klee: http://www.classic-play.com/art-school-paul-klee/

2. Authors & Poets

* The Brothers Grimm * Johann Wolfgang von Goethe * Heinrich Heine * Hermann Hesse

Read or listen to a Brothers Grimm or another German story (list on page 92 of Galloping the Globe).
Watch a movie based on a Brothers Grimm story.
Make a fairy tale craft.

3. Composers

* Bach * Beethoven * Mendelssohn * Schumann * Wagner * Brahms

Listen to the Story of [one of the composers above] in Words and Music (VOX Music Masters CDs)

4. Ministers, Missionaries and Caregivers

* George Müller

Read or listen to George Müller: The Story of Bristol’s Orphans. (George Müller is also listed in the United Kingdom lesson plan.)

5. Prominent People

* Johannes Gutenberg * Anne Frank * Henry Kissinger * Alexandra Feodorovna

Read or listen to an age-appropriate story about Anne Frank.
Read or listen to a story about Johannes Gutenberg.

6. Scientists

* Alois Alzheimer * Werner von Braun * Albert Einstein * Gottlieb Daimler * Cornelia Lüdecke

Read or listen to a story about a German scientist.
Do a related experiment.

Places & Food

Choose the activities that interest you the most. Add to your Card File as you learn new things and complete activities.

1. Landmarks & Attractions

* Charlottenburg Palace   * Aachen Cathedral    * Neuschwanstein Castle    * Reichstag
* Brandenburg Gate    * Monument to the Battle of the Nations    * Sanssouci Palace
* The Black Forest    * Miniatur Wunderland

Make a castle: https://www.pinterest.com/cottonridgellc/world-geography-cultures/germany/ or https://www.pinterest.com/cottonridgellc/world-geography-cultures/united-kingdom/
Take a virtual tour of Miniatur Wunderland: https://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

2. Food

Read page 43 – 45 of Eat Your Way Around the World Cookbook.
Make Pretzels, Bratwurst and Sauerkraut, and Apple Strudel.

Find more ideas on my Germany Pinterest Board!

Checklists

Checklist for Basic Materials:

- - - Schultuete Gift Cone for each student (optional)
    - Globe
    - Galloping the Globe
    - Children Just Like Me
    - DK Where On Earth? Atlas
    - DK Children’s World Atlas
    - Germany (A to Z) (or similar book)
    - Map Folders, Stamp Albums, Stamps & Hinges
    - Card File materials including printed PDF files (see general instructions)
    - Music and/or Story CDs
    - Stories from Germany by https://www.aroundtheworldstories.com
    - iPad or Computer with internet connection for research (optional)

Checklist for Projects:

- - - - __________________________________________________
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Checklist for International Food Dishes:

- - - - Eat Your Way Around the World Cookbook or German Recipes
      - Recipe ingredients: ______________________________
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      - __________________________________________________

Please comment below with your questions and suggestions – I will respond as soon as I can! Thank you for visiting Cotton Ridge Homeschool!