Say Hello in German

Lesson Overview

• Unit Title: German Language Adventures
• Lesson: 1 of 20
• Lesson Title: Introduction to German Greetings
• Year Level: Foundation
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Class Size: 20 students

Australian Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Languages – German
Year Level: Foundation (with reference to Early Years Framework and F–2 Languages)
Curriculum Strands:

• Communicating: Socialising – Interact with others to exchange greetings and share information about self
• Understanding: Systems of Language – Recognise sounds, intonation patterns and basic words in German

Curriculum Code (ACARA):

• ACLGER101 – Interact with others and practise using basic German phrases
• ACLGER106 – Recognise and reproduce sounds and rhythms of spoken German

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WALT – We Are Learning To:

• Say common German greetings aloud with appropriate pronunciation
• Recognise German words for “Hello”, “Good Morning”, and “Goodbye”
• Use simple German greetings to role-play morning hellos and farewells with classmates

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Wave and say “Hallo!”, “Guten Morgen!” and “Tschüss!”
• Participate confidently in a paired greetings activity
• Recognise when to use each greeting (hello, goodbye, morning)

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Materials Needed

• Flashcards with German greetings and supporting images
• Stuffed animal (e.g., “Otto the Owl” – class mascot for German lessons)
• Laminated name badges displaying German greeting words
• Bluetooth speaker and German greeting song (pre-downloaded)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed cut-outs of German words with pictures
• Small mirrors for pronunciation practice (1 per pair)

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Learning Sequence

1. Welcome & Warm-up (5 mins)

• Gather students on the floor and introduce today’s WALT using visual cards.
• Say in a cheerful tone: “Guten Morgen! Can we all say that together? Guten … Morgen!”
• Display a large sun image when saying “Guten Morgen” to connect contextually.

Teacher Tip: Use exaggerated tone and gestures to emphasise sounds and rhythm.

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2. Introducing the Words (10 mins)

• Show flashcards one by one and teach students to repeat:

  • “Hallo” (Hello) – wave hand enthusiastically
  • “Guten Morgen” (Good Morning) – stretch arms as if waking up
  • “Tschüss” (Bye) – twinkle fingers or blow a kiss

• Use Otto the Owl to demonstrate:

  • Otto wakes up and says: “Guten Morgen!”
  • Otto meets a friend and says: “Hallo!”
  • Otto leaves the room and says: “Tschüss!”

Visual Connection: Pin images to a “Greeting Weather Board” linking greetings to time of day and feeling.

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3. Sound & Pronunciation Practice (5 mins)

• In pairs, students use hand-held mirrors. Say each greeting slowly while students observe their mouths and repeat.
• Emphasise initial sounds – e.g., “Guh” in “Guten”, “Tsch” in “Tschüss”.

Use call-and-response:

• Teacher: “Hallo!”
• Class: “Hallo!” – louder each time in ascending voices

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4. Greeting Song & Movement (5 mins)

• Play a pre-recorded German greeting song (simple, repetitive).
• Encourage students to dance and wave when they hear each greeting word in the song.
• Freeze and shout out the word they hear each time the music stops!

Teacher Tip: Provide visual cue cards for auditory learners who benefit from image-word connection.

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5. Pair Role-Play Activity (10 mins)

• Hand out name tags with a greeting word to each student (e.g. one half has “Hallo”, the other has “Tschüss”).
• Students must walk around and find their corresponding pair.
• Once matched, pairs practise:
  1. Walking to each other
  2. Making eye contact
  3. Saying their greetings confidently

Repeat twice and swap cards with new pairs.

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6. Review & Reflect (5 mins)

• Regather on the floor and review:
  • “What do we say in the morning in German?” cue: sun card
  • “How do we say goodbye?” cue: wave hand
• Quick thumbs up/down check:
  • “Are you happy to say ‘Hallo’ to someone tomorrow?”
  • “Would you like to teach your family ‘Tschüss’ tonight?”

Stick up today’s “German Word of the Day” feather onto “Otto’s Vocabulary Nest”.

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Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:

• Use gesture-rich teaching and visual aids
• Provide buddy support for EAL/D students
• Reinforce auditory patterns with rhythm clapping

For Students Needing More Support:

• Keep mirrors during partner work to focus on visual imitation
• Assign peer mentors during pair activities
• Offer a “repeat-after-me” station using Otto the Owl

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Extension Activities (For Fast Finishers / Advanced Learners)

• Encourage students to create greeting word posters using drawings and write their favourite word
• Introduce one extra phrase: “Guten Tag” (Good day) and ask advanced students to match it in a drawing puzzle
• Record a simple video of students saying greetings to share with families or display on a class digital wall

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Assessment (Informal – Observational)

Teachers will:

• Observe participation in repetition and role-play
• Note correct pronunciation or attempts thereof
• Use a simple checklist:
  • ☐ Said “Hallo”
  • ☐ Said “Guten Morgen”
  • ☐ Said “Tschüss”
  • ☐ Engaged in pair activity

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Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson Notes)

Save space for:

• Which greetings students remembered without prompting
• Which visuals or games were most effective
• Anecdotal notes on engagement and pronunciation

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🎉 Next Lesson Preview:
Students will expand their German vocabulary by learning how to introduce themselves with “Ich heiße ...” (My name is ...). Otto will help them create name cards and play introduction games!