My time at school
Meine Schulzeit
- Learn about the country's education system.
- Talk about your time at school and childhood memories.
- Perfect vs. Simple Past: Usage
Explore German school life with key vocabulary like Grundschule (elementary school), lernen (to learn), and erinnern (to remember). Practice discussing the German school system, sharing school memories, and comparing past and present experiences.
Vocabulary (14) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Die Gesamtschule
Comprehensive school
2
Die Klasse
The class
3
Der Stundenplan
The timetable
4
Die Ferien
The holidays
5
Sich erinnern
To remember
Übung 2: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- Beschreibe Evas Bildungsweg. (Describe the education path of Eva.)
- Beschreibe, wo du die Schule besucht hast. (Describe where you studied at high school.)
- Sprich darüber, was du in der Schule gelernt hast. (Talk about what you studied at school.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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In den ersten Jahren war Eva in der Grundschule. For the first years Eva was in primary school. |
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Dann war sie in der Sekundarschule. Sie war immer eine fleißige Schülerin mit guten Noten. Then she was in secondary school. She always was a hard-working student with good grades. |
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Sie beendete die Schule, als sie 18 Jahre alt war. She finished high school when she was 18 years old. |
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Ich bin zur Universität gegangen und habe Jura studiert. I went to university and studied law. |
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Ich habe die Schule mit 18 Jahren abgeschlossen. I finished high school when I was 18 years old. |
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Jetzt arbeite ich in einer Schule und unterrichte. Now I work in a school and teach. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ich habe mich gut an meine Schulzeit _____.
(I remembered my school time _____.)2. Letzte Woche habe ich viel für den Test _____.
(Last week I studied a lot for the test _____.)3. In der Grundschule _____ der Unterricht sehr interessant.
(In elementary school, the class _____ very interesting.)4. Meine Klasse _____ sofort die neuen Regeln.
(My class _____ the new rules immediately.)Exercise 5: My time at school – Memories and learning
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Sein - Sein
Präteritum
- ich war
- du warst
- er/sie/es war
- wir waren
- ihr wart
- sie/Sie waren
Lernen - Lernen
Präsens
- ich lerne
- du lernst
- er/sie/es lernt
- wir lernen
- ihr lernt
- sie/Sie lernen
Sich erinnern - Sich erinnern
Präsens
- ich erinnere mich
- du erinnerst dich
- er/sie/es erinnert sich
- wir erinnern uns
- ihr erinnert euch
- sie/Sie erinnern sich
Haben - Haben
Präsens
- ich habe
- du hast
- er/sie/es hat
- wir haben
- ihr habt
- sie/Sie haben
Vergessen - Vergessen
Perfekt
- ich habe vergessen
- du hast vergessen
- er/sie/es hat vergessen
- wir haben vergessen
- ihr habt vergessen
- sie/Sie haben vergessen
Exercise 6: Perfekt vs. Präteritum: Gebrauch
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Perfect vs. Simple Past: Usage
Show translation Show answersvergessen, haben, habe, war, gelernt, gehört, gelesen, waren, erklärte
Grammar Share Copied!
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Lesson Overview: My Time at School
This lesson focuses on discussing and reflecting on personal experiences related to school time, specifically within the German school system and individual memories. It is designed for A2 level learners and covers practical vocabulary, verb conjugations, and common expressions tied to school life and childhood.
Key Topics Covered
- German School System: The structure of German schools is explained, including primary school duration, and the transition to different school types like Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium, based on pupils’ abilities and interests.
- Personal School Memories: Sharing fond memories about teachers, fun experiences during lessons like sports, and general sentiments about school life.
- Comparison of Childhood and School Experience: Learners compare their own childhood and schooling with those of others, discussing changes over time such as the introduction of digital media and different disciplinary approaches.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- die Grundschule – primary school
- die Schulzeit – school time
- der Lehrer / die Lehrerin – teacher
- die Hausaufgaben – homework
- erinnern (sich an) – to remember
- lernen – to learn
- besuchen – to attend (school)
- der Stundenplan – timetable
Grammar and Verb Practice
The lesson includes useful verb conjugations for verbs commonly used when talking about school and memories. For example:
- Sich erinnern (to remember), Präsens: ich erinnere mich, du erinnerst dich, er/sie/es erinnert sich
- Lernen (to learn), Präteritum and Perfekt: ich lernte, ich habe gelernt
- Sein (to be), Präteritum: ich war, du warst, er/sie/es war
Contextual Example Sentences
Some example sentences from the lesson include:
- Wie lange dauert die Grundschule in Deutschland? – How long does primary school last in Germany?
- Ich erinnere mich gut an meine Grundschule. – I remember my primary school well.
- Letzte Woche habe ich einen schwierigen Test geschrieben. – Last week I wrote a difficult test.
Notes on Language Differences and Useful Phrases
Instruction is in English while learning German, a language with different sentence structure and verb placement rules. For example, the reflexive verb sich erinnern (to remember) requires the reflexive pronoun to match the subject, e.g., "ich erinnere mich", which can be challenging for English speakers not accustomed to reflexive forms.
Useful phrases include:
- Ich erinnere mich an... – I remember...
- Wie lange dauert... – How long does ... last?
- Es gibt... – There is/are...
Understanding the German school terms Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium is important because they represent different educational pathways, unlike the often more unified systems in English-speaking countries.
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