SYLLABUS: GERMAN 336 Länder und Städte, Fall 2002

Last Update: 17 December 2002

Dr. Bradley Holtman, G05B Belknap Hall (downstairs), tel. 662-4596, e-mail bholtman@mnsfld.edu

Office Hours: Mon 13:00-14:00, Tues 9:30-11:00 and 13:00-14:00, Thurs 13:45-15:15 or by appointment

In case of questionable weather, be sure to call my phone and listen for a possible cancellation message. I will also post course cancellations on the university TV channel.

Attendance is mandatory and built into the grading system (see below). Call or e-mail me before the absence if you cannot make it to class for a legitimate reason. Quizzes (including daily quizzes) cannot be made up without valid excuse.

This schedule is subject to change according to the needs of the class. Dates in red mean NO CLASS that day.

The aim of this course is to give you an overview of the regional geography of Germany, major cities and tourist destinations within each region, as well as pertinent information about economy, customs, items of cultural interest, etc. We will use one portion of Tatsachen über Deutschland as our official textbook. All quiz material (see below) will come from this source, except for extra credit questions. (Those can come from any class presentation material.) You are encouraged to find more info in other sections of Tatsachen as pertinent to any given topic.

For a Microsoft Word version of Tatsachen, CLICK HERE. You may wish to print this out and use it for reference instead of carrying around the book. (You just won't have the pictures!) Note that this Word version contains the text of the 1999 edition and not the one we are using. However, the differences are only slight.

No one can claim to know everything about a country or even a region. The course aims to expose you to lots of information, but to require only a certain amount to be memorized. The rest will be simply of an informational nature and will also serve toward language development. All presentations are to be given in German, and class discussion will be primarily, if not entirely, in German as well. The intent is to create a relaxed, non-pressured atmosphere in which you can find out about some really interesting places to visit on your next trip to Germany! We will all share with each other things that we know or are interested in. I plan to learn as much as you will.

You will have a basic set of points (“Group A”) that are mandatory. If you get all of these points, you will have at least a C in the course.By choosing projects to complete from Group B, you can bring your grade to any level that you desire. We will use the final exam time for remaining projects, if there are any. If everyone is done with all projects by then, we will have no final exam commitment.
You will sign up for and present your projects to the class as your topic occurs in the syllabus in order to obtain credit for them. You may not do more than one activity from Group B in the last two weeks of class, and no more than one in any given week. This is meant to keep you from “letting things go” and trying to cram it all in at the end of the semester. It is entirely possible for everyone to earn an A, but you must plan ahead as well as work steadily throughout the course. It’s quite possible that you may have your A earned well before the semester ends.

Group A—all items mandatory

Group B—all items at students’ choice

Suggested activities include the following, to pertain to the region being studied (a city, a regional particularity, a tourist route, etc.). You may do the same sort of project twice but about a different region each time. The list is meant to give you flexibility in choosing something that matches your talents and interests.

Have fun! This promises to be a fascinating and enjoyable “trip” to Germany.

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