• HU (Humanities) designation
  Overall, this course addresses the ability to deal with questions of values, ethics, and aesthetics as they are represented in literature and related fields within the Humanities which will be the focus.  This course emphasizes the history and appreciation of the Humanities, rather than simply the ability to perform tasks at the written level.
  
  
• COURSE DESCRIPTION
  This course is the first in a two-course sequence. It will introduce you to main aspects of the civilization of the German speaking countries from the beginnings up to the 19th century through online readings and class presentations and discussion. We will focus on history, literature, architecture, and art.
  
  
• LEARNING OUTCOMES / COURSE OBJECTIVES
  In this course you will obtain a broad understanding of the history and culture of the German speaking area from the beginnings through 1832.
  In this course you will
  - gain an understanding of main historical events while exploring the significance of cultural history for the present.
  - explore definitions of culture.
  - develop an awareness of your own cultural identity.
  - raise the level of German language competency in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
  
  We will investigate definitions of culture and the meaning of culture shock. We are all part of a culture as well as subcultures without being necessarily aware of that. Acquiring knowledge about other cultures raises the awareness of differences and contributes thus to a deeper understanding of one's own culture(s). Raising this level of awareness of one's own culture is thus one objective of this course.
  At the same time you will review and strengthen your use of the German language in simulated real-life, discursive contexts. Assessment of your advancement in the knowledge of the language and culture of the German speaking countries follows the guidelines of ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. The course will accordingly focus on your ability to communicate successfully in writing and speaking. An oral presentation with a questioning and answering time will further help you and me to assess your progress in this course.
  Excerpt from the Standards: Knowing how, when, and why to say what to whom. All the linguistic and social knowledge required for effective human-to-human interaction is encompassed in those ten words. Formerly, most teaching in foreign language classrooms concentrated on the how (grammar) to say what (vocabulary). While these components of language are indeed crucial, the current organizing principle for foreign language study is communication, which also highlights the why, to whom, and the when. So, while grammar and vocabulary are essential tools for communication, it is the acquisition of the ability to communicate in meaningful and appropriate ways with the users of other languages and cultures that is the ultimate goal of today's foreign language classroom.
  
  
• TUTORIAL SERVICE
  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask me.
  The German Program offers also a free tutorial service. Information will be made available at the beginning of the semester, you can also check the German program web page, or ask me.
  
  
• ATTENDANCE - MAKE-UPS - PARTICIPATION-PREPARATION
  Participation and preparation count as 10 % of your grade. When you come to class, have your homework finished. For this course, this refers mostly to the reading of the assigned texts and preparing worksheets. In the beginning of a class session I will check from time to time your reading comprehension with small mini-quizzes.
  
  You will have an initial 28 points in your participation/preparation account. For every session you come prepared you receive participation/ preparation credit for that class session. For every session you miss I will deduct one point. You cannot earn preparation/participation credit if you have not prepared your homework or if you are absent. I will begin taking attendance the first Tuesday of classes.
  Regular attendance is essential. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS for missed quizzes and other assignments. On rare occasions when absence is unavoidable due to serious illness or family emergency, I may require proof of your reason of absence before we discuss the possibility of make-up work.
  
  
• ASSESSMENT / ASSIGNMENTS
  You will have a variety of tasks to complete in this course allowing to employ a variety of assessment tools.
  Assignments listed on the syllabus are to be prepared for the day they are listed. You will probably spend one to two hours work outside of class for each class session. This includes preparing reading and writing assignments.
  
  * You will prepare Arbeitsblätter (worksheets) that cover reading assignments and grammatical items if necessary.
  
  * You will be required to write six short essays on a given topic. Mark the total of your words (at least 200) at the end of your essay. You can earn 20 points per essay.
  I will deduct points:
  1. If subject and verb do not agree.
  2. If you the verb is in the wrong position.
  3. If your total of words is less than 200 words.
  4. Incomprehensible sentences will be deducted from the total of words, so that you could end up with less than 200 words.
  5. You can earn extra points if you write more. If you wrote 260 words, made three errors with subject/verb or verb position, then these errors will not count, because you wrote more.
  6. I will deduct also points if your essay is not in MLA style.
  
  Consider all written assignments a preparation for the quizzes and exams. Your essays have to be submitted via Turnitin. All assignments have to be double-spaced and follow MLA Style (please follow the links on the left to view a sample paper and a sample works cited page).
  
  * You will prepare a Power Point presentation of about 20 minutes in length. For this Power Point Referat, you will choose a topic of interest that you will discuss with me and that has to be approved. We will discuss possible topics in class. Be ready to talk for at least 20 minutes. I encourage you to run a test presentation in order to prepare for your actual Referat. You will be evaluated on content, delivery, and the presentation overall.
  Here are some hints:
  -You may not simply read from the slides.
  -Slides should be a backdrop for your presentation that allows you to speak freely.
  -Make use of photos, illustrations, maps etc. in your slides.
  -Make sure that your presentation does not contain any spelling or grammar errors.
  -Rehearse your presentation.
  I will provide you with a rubric so that you can see the criteria for grading your PowerPoint presentation.
  
  * At the end of the course you will prepare a cultural artifact based on the knowledge you acquired in this class. This artifact should represent one aspect of the culture of the German speaking countries. The specifics of this artifact is your choice and entirely up to you. During the last session you will explain to the class your artifact, what it represents, why you chose to make it, and how it relates to the course. Again, I will provide you with a rubric in advance, so that you can prepare and present your artifact accordingly.
  
  All your written assignments have to be typed. This will facilitate the editing of your text immensely. German characters: Please make sure that you use in your writing the appropriate German characters (ss for ß or ue for ü etc are not acceptable). If you need help with typing German characters on your computer, please consult this link.
  
  Please prepare your assignments on time and note that I will not accept any excuses for the lateness of your written work because of any kind of computer related problems. Written assignments may be turned in personally, at my office or via e-mail before class. Assignments are due at the beginning of class.

• EXAMS / FINAL
  There will be a midterm exam and a final covering the assigned material and the class presentations.
  
  
• GRADING SYSTEM

  Participation/Preparation	10%
  Arbeitsblätter, essays, minitests, quizzes,	20%
  Oral presentation (Power Point Referat)	20%
  Cultural Artifact	10%
  Midterm Exam	20%
  Final	20%

  The Grading Scale used in this course is the standard +/- scale used by the University:

  A+ 97-100	A 93-96	A- 90-92	B+ 87-89	B 83-86	B- 80-82
  C+ 77-79	C 73-76	C- 70-72	D+ 67-69	D 63-66	D- 60-62
  F 59 below

  
  

• STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
  Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the official Code of Academic Conduct provided in the Online Catalog.

• STATEMENT ON DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
  Contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) as detailed in the Online Catalog.
  
  
• PREGNANT STUDENT ACCOMMODATIONS
  Title IX protects against discrimination related to pregnancy or parental status. If you are pregnant and will need accommodations for this class, please review the University’s FAQs on the UAct website.
  
  
• RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
  Under the Guidelines for Religious Holiday Observances, students should notify the instructor in writing or via email during the first two weeks of the semester of their intention to be absent from class for religious observance. The instructor will work to provide reasonable opportunity to complete academic responsibilities as long as that does not interfere with the academic integrity of the course. See full guidelines at Religious Holiday Observances Guidelines.
  
  
• UAct STATEMENT
  The UAct website provides an overview of The University's expectations regarding respect and civility.
  
  
• SEVERE WEATHER PROTOCOL
  Please see the latest Severe Weather Guidelines in the Online Catalog.

• STATEMENT ON COVID-19
  

  All University faculty, staff, and students are expected to maintain a commitment to the health and safety of our campus community. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, specific health and safety standards are in place to minimize exposure and community spread on campus. In the interest of your health and safety and that of all UA students, faculty and staff, the University reserves the right to change the mode of instruction or schedule of instruction at any time, based upon prevailing public health and other guidance. While the method of delivery may change, educational instruction and opportunities will continue. As such, the University will not provide a refund of tuition, in whole or in-part, based on any such changes. Detailed information on changes in format or schedule can be found at studentaccounts.ua.edu and financialaid.ua.edu.

  All students must be familiar with and abide by the requirements outlined in the UA Return Plan | UA System Comprehensive Health and Safety Plan. Students must (1) wear a mask or face covering at all times while participating in face-to-face class; (2) adhere to social distancing standards; and (3) comply with all other health and safety restrictions. If a student refuses to comply with the requirements, the student will be asked to leave the class and reported for a conduct violation. Unless a student has an exemption from the requirement to wear a face covering, (more information can be found at ods.ua.edu/covid-19-disability/), the student will be reported to Student Life for further disciplinary action. More information on these requirements and UA Healthcheck system and screening can be found at healthinfo.ua.edu/returnplan. You are expected to visit the site and comply with all noted requirements related to in-person class attendance.

  
  SEMESTERPLAN check the syllabus often for updates and new links.
  
  ACHTUNG Links change constantly - please email me if a link does not work any more.

Wörterbuch

WOCHE 1	Was Sie machen müssen	Was Sie machen können
1. Do, 20. 8.	0. EINFÜHRUNG: What is culture? Kultur - culture? Culture Lag and Shock; Culture and Cognitive Science Intro - Was ist germanisch? Wer waren die Germanen?
WOCHE 2
2. Di, 25. 8.	Lesen: 1. DIE GERMANEN Lesen: Wer waren "die Germanen"?; Varusschlacht; Mythos Arminius - Hermann; Die Germanen:Gesellschaft; Gefolgschaft; Frauen und Männer; Themen heute: Gesellschaft, Varusschlacht, Kampf usw. Themen für PowerPoint Referate	Die Germanen,  (on youtube, 43:33 min); Immigrant Song; Tacitus, Germania (engl.); Tacitus, Germania (dt./lat.); The Battle in the Teutoburg Forest Languages: Misc: Proto-Indo-European.
3. Do, 27. 8.	Lesen: The Ambush That Changed History ; Crisis of the 3rd Century; please click on the play button to see the map change; Sehen: Kampf um Germanien (44 Minuten!); Hildebrandslied (bitte deutsche und engl. Übersetzung lesen) Themen heute: Völkerwanderung / Hildebrandslied Mehr zum Thema: Übersicht zum Thema Germanen: Die Germanen
WOCHE 3
4. Di, 1. 9.	Schreiben: 1. Die Germanen (kurze Zusammenfassung, 200 Wörter, MLA style, via Blackboard Turnitin); Do NOT use a translator = academic misconduct GERMAN SPELL CHECK (online) 2. DIE ANFÄNGE DES REICHS Lesen: Die Entstehung des Frankenreiches; The Staffordshire Hoard.	Extra: Wikinger; Wikinger Museum Haithabu; Runestones ;
5. Do, 3. 9.	Lesen: Die Entstehung des Frankenreiches; The Early Middle Ages;	Extra: The Conversion of Clovis; Bonifatius
WOCHE 4
6. Di, 8. 9.	3. KARL DER GROSSE Lesen:  Karl der Große - Privatleben; Karl der Große; Fränkisches Reich;Die Franken; DAS FRANKENREICH UM 700 - ZEITTAFEL: VON DEN ALAMANNEN ZU DEN KAROLINGER; PowerPoint: Karl der Große (Braden)
7. Do, 10. 9.	Arbeitsblatt "Das Reich der Franken" (bitte in Blackboard beantworten ODER per Email in Word an mich schicken) Lesen: Die Franken; Karolingische Renaissance; Sehen: Karl der Große und die Sachsen (43min)	Battle of Tours 732; Charlemagne; The pope makes the Carolingians kings; Einhard: The Life of Charlemagne.
WOCHE 5
8. Di, 15. 9.	Woher kommt das Wort "Deutsch"? Lesen Sie hier. Althochdeutsche Literatur(doc); 8. Jahrhundert; 9.Jahrhundert (Heliand); 10. Jahrhundert (Notker Labeo) Arbeitsblatt "Karl der Große" (per Email schicken) PowerPoint: Der Aachener Dom (Fatema)	Otto und das Reich (43 min); Heinrich und der Papst (43min);
9. Do, 17. 9.	Karolingische Kunst (pdf) 4. DIE HÖFISCHE KULTUR DES HOHEN MITTELALTERS Lesen: 500-1500; Middle Ages; Sehen: Europa im Mittelalter - von Rittern und Turnieren (Film 51:40) PowerPoint: Das Kloster im Mittelalter (Ben) PowerPoint: Hildegard von Bingen (Paige)	Extra: Medieval Writing; Otto I.
WOCHE 6
10. Di, 22. 9.	Schreiben: 2. Karl der Große und das deutsche Bildungswesen - Karolingische Renaissance (200 Wörter, via Blackboard Turnitin) Lesen: Ritter im Mittelalter (einfach); Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters; Nibelungenlied (short summary in English); PowerPoint: Lehenssystem (Wes)	Extra: Büstenhalter aus dem Mittelalter; Das Nibelungenlied to go (12:30 min)
11. Do, 24. 9.	Lesen: Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters; Gothic Architecture; Kölner Dom; Gotik; Architektur -Gotik; PowerPoint: Der Kölner Dom (Jack) PowerPoint: Siegfried und die Nibelungen (Victoria)	Der Kölner Dom
WOCHE 7
12. Di, 29. 9.	Lesen: Minnesang; Walther von der Vogelweide crusades; Kreuzzüge; Sehen: Ritter und Burg (24:20 min) PowerPoint: Minnesang (Trinity) PowerPoint: Die Manessische Liederhandschrift (Jocelyn)	Der Codex Manesse
13. Do, 1. 10.	Lesen: Frauen im Mittelalter; Hildegard von Bingen und die Macht der Frauen (nur lesen); Sehen: Friedrich II. und der Kreuzzug (43 min) PowerPoint: Frauen im Mittelalter (Amanda)	Extra: Friedrich I. Barbarossa; Eine spätmittelalterliche Pestvorschrift; Die Hansekogge von 1380;
WOCHE 8
14. Di, 6. 10.	Lesen: Schutz vor der Pest (Bild); Die Pest - Der Schwarze Tod; Die Geschichte der Pest; Die Pest als Strafe Gottes; Schreiben: 3. Die Rolle der Frau im Mittelalter (200 Wörter, via Blackboard Turnitin) PowerPoint: Die Pest (Sarah H.)	Extra: Die Pest in Allendorf; Eine spätmittelalterliche Pestvorschrift;
15. Do, 8. 10.	MIDTERM TEIL 1 (due 6 pm) MIDTERM TEIL 2 (Essay, im Kurs)	Fernsehserie: Die Deutschen
WOCHE 9
16. Di, 13. 10.	5. DIE ZEIT DER REFORMATION Lesen: Humanismus, Renaissance (1350-1600); Deutsche Bibeln vor Luther; Luther und die deutsche Sprache; Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen: deutsch und englisch. Sehen: Luther und die Nation (43 min) Bild: Luther verbrennt die Bannandrohungsbulle;	Extra: Martin Luther
17. Do, 15. 10.	Lesen:Renaissance - Humanismus - Reformation; Gutenberg und seine Zeit; Die Reformation; Power Point: Martin Luther (Josh)
WOCHE 10
18. Di, 20. 10.	Arbeitsblatt Luther (abgeben) Albrecht Dürer - Werke Power Point: Hexen und Hexenwahn (Gilian)	Extra:Albrecht Dürer (engl.); Mathematik und Kunst;
19. Do, 22. 10.	6. DER 30JÄHRIGE KRIEG / DIE EPOCHE DES BAROCK Lesen: Das Zeitalter des Barock (1600-1720); Museum des Dreißigjährigen Krieges (Info und Dokumente); Lesen: Barock; Barocklyrik; Sehen: Das Barock - Epoche großer Widersprüche (59 min); Bis Sonntag, 25. Oktober, 22 Uhr (10 pm) Schreiben: 4. Martin Luther und die deutsche Sprache (200 Wörter, via Blackboard Turnitin)	Architektur des Barock; Wallenstein und der Krieg (43 min);
WOCHE 11
20. Di, 27. 10.	Lesen: Vanitas; Historische Kostüme: Barock; Sehen: Das Barock - Epoche großer Widersprüche (59 min), Fim von Donnerstag.	Info: Die heilige Munditia (Nummer 8); Bejeweled Skeletons
21. Do, 29. 10.	7. DER AUFSTIEG PREUSSENS / AUFKLÄRUNG Lesen: Fürstenmacht und Allianzen in Europa; Friedrich Wilhelm I. in Preußen; Preußen - Chronik eines deutschen Staates"
WOCHE 12
22. Di, 3. 11.	Schreiben: 5. Vanitas, Memento Mori und Carpe Diem (200 Wörter, via Blackboard Turnitin Lesen: Aufklärung (~1600 - 1800); Friedrich II. von Preußen; Immanuel Kant: What is Enlightenment? Was ist Aufklärung? Aufklärung; PowerPoint: Friedrich II. von Preußen (Aramis)
23. Do, 5.11.	Lesen: Aufklärung; Lessing, Nathan der Weise - Ringparabel; PowerPoint: Immanuel Kant (Sarah S.)	Extra: Nathan der Weise
WOCHE 13
24. Di, 10. 11.	8. STURM UND DRANG, KLASSIK, NATIONENBILDUNG Lesen: Französische Revolution bis zum zweiten deutschen Kaiserreich; Friedrich Schiller; Timeline Schiller; Kabale und Liebe;	mehr Info: Sturm und Drang;
25. Do, 12. 11.	Lesen: Klassik; Kurzbiographie Goethe; Timeline zu Goethes Leben (klicken Sie auf die Links) PowerPoint: Goethe (Natasha)
WOCHE 14
26. Di, 17. 11.	Sehen: Faust to go (Goethe in 9 Minuten) Lesen: Goethe; Kurzinhalt zu "Faust" (look for: -Autoren -Goethe- Werke -Faust)	What the Myth of Faust can teach us (BBC)
27. Do, 19. 11.	"Heidenröslein"; "Erlkönig"; Schreiben: 6. "Die deutsche Klassik" (200 Wörter, via Blackboard Turnitin, due Friday 11 am)
WOCHE 15
Di, 24. 11.	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Do, 26. 11.	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
WOCHE 16
28. Di, 1. 12.	Lesen: Die Brüder Grimm- Zeitstrahl; Die Brüder Grimm - Märchen und Sagen; Die Brüder Grimm - Sprache und Literatur; Arndt: Des Teutschen Vaterland ; The German Fatherland; Culture and Nationalism; PowerPoint: Die Brüder Grimm (Michael)
29. Do, 3. 12.	Present and submit your cultural artifact
Mittwoch  9.12.	Wednesday: Final Take Home section DUE at 11 pm
FREITAG  11.12.	FINAL 08:00 am - 10:30 am. You will receive an email with instructions at 8 am.

Und jetzt - viel Spaß!