Word Labels

Usually each year when we get to the classroom objects, I have students make labels and stick them up around the room.  Generally, the rules are:
- there has to be a picture of the object on the label
- it has to have the German word and the article
- it has to be big enough to be seen across the room
- the sign has to be hung up in the room near the object it's identifying (put the der Fernseher sign on the actual TV, etc.)
- the sign has to be checked for spelling before it can be hung up

I like doing it since it's a great reference for students as we go through the unit.  But for the last two years, German 1 has met every other day.  With the snow days we've been having thrown in, I don't get to see them as much as I'd like.  I wanted the same supports to be available for students even when they weren't in class... So this year, in addition to making class labels, they had to do individual ones to hang up at home.

As a homework assignment, I told them to pick any ten words from the current vocab unit and make labels for them similar to the ones in class.  It had to have the German word (with the article!) on it and it had to be taped to the actual object.  They needed to do this around their house OR in another classroom - assuming they got that teacher's permission first!  Then to prove they did the assignment, they had to bring in a picture of the labels they made.

Since I thought the photography aspect might take some time, I gave them time over winter break to do it.  I just got their results today - not bad!  Here are some of the digital versions I received:

Personally, I love activities like this where students get a chance to show what they're learning to their family.  It's no longer just something they do at school and that shows up on their report card, but a living language that's starting to appear in their living room or office :)

- Frau Leonard