Meet and Greet

Lesson 5 of 20 — "German Language Adventures"

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Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Languages
Language: German
Year Level: Foundation (Preparatory)
Curriculum Reference: Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 – Languages: German Foundation to Year 2

Relevant Achievement Standard (Foundation–Year 2):

• Students respond to greetings and farewells
• Use simple modelled German language to introduce themselves and express simple personal information, such as their name and age
• Participate in simple conversations and interactions using cues and visuals

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Lesson Title

Describing Myself: Ich heiße...

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Duration

45 minutes

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WALT

(We Are Learning To):

• Say our name and age in German
• Introduce ourselves in a fun and polite way
• Use simple German greetings confidently

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Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will:

✔ Be able to say “Ich heiße [Name]” (My name is...)
✔ Be able to say “Ich bin [age] Jahre alt” (I am… years old)
✔ Participate in a Meet and Greet activity using German phrases
✔ Recognise peers' German self-introductions

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Resources Required

• Flashcards with greetings and sentence starters (Ich heiße..., Ich bin...)
• Name badges or stickers
• Puppet or plush toy (e.g., “Frau Bär”) for demonstrations
• Large mirror or interactive display for pronunciation practice
• Cue cards with age numbers (e.g., "Ich bin fünf Jahre alt")
• Classroom poster with key phrases and visuals
• Soft ball or plush item for circle-time speaking game
• “Germany Says Hello” song track
• Reward stamps or stickers for encouragement

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up & Brain Break (5 mins)

🎵 Song: “Germany Says Hello” (teacher uses a simple greeting song in German)

• Encourage waving and repeating “Hallo!” and “Guten Tag!”
• Stretching and movement with music to energise learners

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge about German greetings and focus energy

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2. Teacher Modelling (10 mins)

👩‍🏫 Teacher introduces Frau Bär puppet

• Puppet says: "Hallo! Ich heiße Frau Bär. Ich bin fünf Jahre alt!"
• Repeat 2–3 times with clear gestures and emphasis on pronunciation
• Teacher models with own name and age: “Ich heiße Frau Smith. Ich bin sechsunddreißig Jahre alt.”
• Call-and-response with class using “Ich heiße ___” & “Ich bin ___ Jahre alt”

Purpose: Build comprehension through repetition and engaging modelling

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3. Guided Practice – Mirror Talk (10 mins)

🪞Mirror, Mirror Time

• Students pair up with mirrors or face the interactive display
• Practise: “Ich heiße ___.” and “Ich bin ___ Jahre alt.” while looking in the mirror
• Focus on clear, confident speaking
• Teacher circulates, offering praise and gentle corrections

Purpose: Reinforce self-introduction skills and confidence in pronunciation

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4. Interactive Activity – Meet and Greet Carousel (15 mins)

🔄 Students stand in two rotating circles (inner & outer)

• Greet each other using “Hallo!”
• Say: "Ich heiße [Name]" and "Ich bin [Age] Jahre alt"
• Switch partners every 1–2 minutes

✔ Teacher observes for language use and partners students who need support with confident speakers
✔ Students wear name/age badges for support (visual aid)

Purpose: Promote fluency and social interaction using target language

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5. Cool-Down Activity – “Soft Ball” Speaking Circle (5 mins)

🐻 Students sit in a circle.

• Whoever catches the soft ball says: “Ich heiße ___.” and “Ich bin ___ Jahre alt.”
• Toss to another classmate.

Purpose: Consolidate learning in a relaxed, low-stress environment

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Differentiation Strategies

Support for Diverse Learners:

• Use visual cue cards with printed phrases and pictures
• Assign peer buddies for lower-literacy learners
• Provide language scaffolds with step-by-step oral prompts
• Use name and age stickers for reference throughout the lesson
• Extra language support from teacher or teacher’s aide during rotations

For EAL/D Students:

• Allow use of L1 (first language) to help understand the meaning of phrases before German repetition
• Use gestures and expressions to embed understanding in context

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

🌟 Stretch Challenge Foldable Booklet:

• Create a mini “About Me” booklet with drawings and German labels: Name (Ich heiße...), Age (Ich bin...), Favourite Colour (Meine Lieblingsfarbe ist...)

🎓 Advanced Dialogue Skit:

• Pair up to create a short greeting skit between “two friends” meeting for the first time
• Introduce each other by name and age, and incorporate simple questions: “Wie heißt du?” (What’s your name?)

These learners can later perform their dialogues for the class or record them for digital portfolios

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Cross-Curricular Links

• Drama: Role-playing and puppetry
• Health & PE: Personal identity and belonging
• The Arts: Singing and movement during greetings song

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative Assessment:

• Observe student participation during Meet and Greet Carousel
• Listen for correct use of sentence structure and pronunciation
• Use a simple thumbs up / sideways / down system at the end of class to gauge confidence

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Teacher Reflection Prompt

📝 After lesson:

• Which students demonstrated confidence in German self-introductions?
• Who may need more scaffolded visual support in upcoming lessons?
• Is the carousel format engaging all students equally?
• How can music be further integrated in future sessions?

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Key Vocabulary

• Hallo! – Hello!
• Guten Tag – Good day!
• Ich heiße... – My name is...
• Ich bin... Jahre alt – I am... years old
• Wie heißt du? – What’s your name?
• Tschüss! – Bye!

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This lesson sparks enjoyment for early learners discovering another language by placing them at the centre of communication. It promotes confidence, identity, and cultural playfulness – the very foundations of global citizenship.