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German Storytelling

Eleventh graders bring their past tenses together to narrate a story in German — setting the scene, telling the events, and building to an ending — the capstone of intermediate narration.

Grade 11Eine Geschichte Erzählen55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Narrate a story.
  • ✓Use past tenses.
  • ✓Order the structure.
  • ✓Tell a tale.
Essential Question

Now you can narrate! A good story sets a scene and tells what happened. How do you structure a story in German?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Storytelling Steps

Project this and have students put the German storytelling steps in order.

📖 Put the storytelling steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Now You Can Narrate

6 min

A good story sets a scene and tells what happened — how do you structure it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Start a story aloud.
  • Ask what comes next.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Eine Geschichte Erzählen

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present the story structure.
  • Note the scene.
  • Note the events.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Order the Steps

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Storytelling Steps.
  • Put them in order.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

15 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Tell a short story.
  • Set the scene, then act.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tell it.
  • Build it.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the first step.
  • Say how to begin a story.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Mid).

ACTFL
Communication 1.3

Presentational: narrate a story.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: tell events.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare narration across languages.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to storytelling.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Story-structure cards.
  • Sentence frame: “Es war einmal ___.”
  • Use a story map.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with beginning and end.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use a short story.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Tell a full story.
  • Add dialogue.
  • Write a short tale.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📖A story map
  • 💻Order the Storytelling Steps
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

die Geschichtethe storyEs war einmalonce upon a timeder Schauplatzthe settingdas Ereignisthe eventdas Problemthe problemam Endein the enderzählento tellder Charakterthe character
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How do you begin a story in German?
With “Es war einmal…” (Once upon a time...).
QUESTION 2
What do you do after setting the scene?
Tell the main events.
QUESTION 3
How do you end a story?
With the ending (Am Ende…).

Reflect: eine Geschichte erzählen.

Have students begin a story in German with “Es war einmal…” and one setting detail. A printable storytelling sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 German Storytelling (Eine Geschichte Erzählen)Flip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 German Storytelling (Eine Geschichte Erzählen)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ German Storytelling (Eine Geschichte Erzählen)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: am Ende, das Ereignis, das Problem, der Charakter, der Schauplatz, die Geschichte, erzählen, Es war einmal
  1. the event
  2. the story
  3. the character
  4. once upon a time
  5. in the end
  6. the problem
  7. the setting
  8. to tell

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How do you begin a story in German?
  2. What do you do after setting the scene?
  3. How do you end a story?
Answer key — Part A: 1) das Ereignis · 2) die Geschichte · 3) der Charakter · 4) Es war einmal · 5) am Ende · 6) das Problem · 7) der Schauplatz · 8) erzählen
Part B: 1) With “Es war einmal…” (Once upon a time...). 2) Tell the main events. 3) With the ending (Am Ende…).