Gründliche Gründstücke

After beginning with a short work of poetry, students and instructor will go to the College Garden. Students and instructor will spend a period of time, usually approx. 15 minutes, observing what they see. At that point, students note their observations, and discuss those observations with the group. Circumlocution is preferable to dictionary use at this point. Each person posts a short (one paragraph max) blog on Blackboard prior to the next class period, having had a chance to look up unknown vocabulary.

After this introductory exercise, students will choose a location on campus, in Pella or nearby for use in a plot project. Each student will visit their chosen spot for 20 minutes every other week for a pre-set period of time. For each visit to the plot, students will be given a specific vocabulary, grammar, or communication task to be completed. In-class activities during this period will include discussions of the Germans' relationship to nature, Schrebergärten, food production and land ownership patterns.