OK. It’s not only the last couple of days before Christmas break, but central Wisconsin is supposed to be plastered with nine inches of snow tomorrow, so pretty much nobody is planning on coming to school on Thursday. Which causes a problem for Wednesday because I can’t start anything of a two-day nature, given that my annual gingerbread house contest judging happens this Friday?
So….fortunately we happen to be working over the word “happens” right now with my German I class. The II class and III/IV class are off cooking today (Snickerdoodles, Recipe all in German) so I just have to worry about the Is. What I’m using is a list of videos and will stop them frequently asking “What happens now?”
Warten auf den Fussgaenger (kid jumping in a puddle)
Ein ruetschendes Auto (a car sliding in the snow)
Chile Fahrradfahrer (Mountain Bike race in urban Chile)
Tochter fallen lassen (A guy drops his daughter to catch a baseball)
Schneewagen fahren (Snowmobiling, guy falls off and rolls down mountain)
Lebenskreis (Leopard lies in wait for an antelope)
Ein kleiner frisst scharfes (A toddler eats an atomic warhead)
Kein Boden im Lift (Elevator flor replaced by TVs)
El Camino del Rey (Scary hike)
Dramatisches im Belgischen Dorf (Dramatic happenings; just wierd)
Turnen oben auf dem Berg (guy doing gymnastics on mountain then falling)
Baerenkumpel (Woman chasing away bear)
The time won’t be filled by watching videos as much as by working the room in the middle of the videos (they hate that, he he) and afterwards. What would happen if Chad were on this scary hike? (Nothing, Chad has a jetpack, as everybody knows). What would happen if Herr Black were hiking? (Auf Wiedersehen) What happens when the baseball guy talks to his wife? What happens as the toddler walks up to a puddle? What happens next to the car? What happens when the gymnast guy’s mom sees this video? etc. etc. Basically I’ll try and put my students into the situations as much as possible and play up the possibilities.
MJ's Comprehensible Input 
Nathan, you have a talent in finding gems that will keep teens’ attention. Do you have a secret supplier that combs the net for you for a moderate fee so Herr Black can have a fun day in class with his students? Please, share! Anyway, I hope that you don’t get completely snowed in with prospects of making days up in June. Here, at the S-W of the glorious WI, I only hope we get a few inches to get things white and pretty for Christmas.
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I LOVE this! I am drowning in grading (as I’m sure are many of you) but have had some successes this week that I might try to comment on as I travel shortly to see almost all of one side of the family in one place…
But this is going to be my opening gambit when we return. Thank you so much!!
In the immortal words of Wee Sing Christmas, “Susie, how do you do it?”
(Meaning: Nathan, how do you hit home runs EVERY TIME you post???)
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Thanks Natalia. My general go-to spot for videos is the “Have you seen this” feature you find these videos in. My wife follows them fairly regularly and tips me off to ones that might be useful. So, I just benefit–yet again–from having married well. I’m guessing, though, that you got more than a couple of inches today; at least it will be a white Christmas.
And Michele, the sad but true answer to your question is that I get good stuff in by not posting very often lately :(. New year’s resolution …get back on that horse more.
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Nathan, I second Natalia’s comment, and thank you for giving me food for January.
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