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German Comparisons — Vergleiche

Ninth graders learn to make comparisons in German — größer als (bigger than), so groß wie (as big as) — so they can compare people, things, and ideas auf Deutsch.

Grade 9Vergleiche55 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…

  • ✓Make comparisons.
  • ✓Use “-er als.”
  • ✓Use “so … wie.”
  • ✓Compare things.
Essential Question

Which is bigger? Better? Comparisons let you weigh things. How do you compare 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
Explore · Interactive

German Comparisons Check

Project each item and have students answer about making comparisons in German.

⚖️ Understand German comparisonsTry it
Answer each question about comparisons in German.
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 — Which Is Bigger?

6 min

Comparisons let you weigh things — how do you compare in German?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare two objects.
  • Ask how to say it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Vergleiche

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to German Comparisons Check.
  • Note “-er als.”
  • Note “so … wie.”

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare two things.
  • Use “größer als.”
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare.
  • Say it.
  • Say.
4

Speak — Speak

15 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare two classmates’ things.
  • Say “so … wie.”
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare.
  • Say it.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Make one comparison.
  • Explain “-er als.”
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare.
  • Explain 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-Low).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand comparisons.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: compare things.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare comparison structures.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to reasoning.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Comparison example cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ ist größer als ___.”
  • Use paired objects.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “größer als.”
  • Use one clear pair.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add the superlative (am größten).
  • Compare three things.
  • Write comparisons.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ⚖️Comparison cards
  • 💻German Comparisons Check
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

der Vergleichcomparisongrößerbiggerkleinersmalleralsthanso…wieas…asbesserbettermehrmoreder Superlativsuperlative
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
What does “größer als” mean?
Bigger than.
QUESTION 2
What does “so groß wie” mean?
As big as.
QUESTION 3
How do you often make a German comparative?
Add ‑er (klein → kleiner).

Reflect: die Vergleiche.

Have students make one comparison in German (like “Der Hund ist größer als die Katze”). A printable comparisons 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 Comparisons (Vergleiche)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
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 Comparisons (Vergleiche)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 Comparisons (Vergleiche)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: als, besser, der Superlativ, der Vergleich, größer, kleiner, mehr, so…wie
  1. superlative
  2. than
  3. better
  4. more
  5. as…as
  6. smaller
  7. comparison
  8. bigger

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does “größer als” mean?
  2. What does “so groß wie” mean?
  3. How do you often make a German comparative?
Answer key — Part A: 1) der Superlativ · 2) als · 3) besser · 4) mehr · 5) so…wie · 6) kleiner · 7) der Vergleich · 8) größer
Part B: 1) Bigger than. 2) As big as. 3) Add ‑er (klein → kleiner).