KS2 MFL: 'The Weather' in German with Mwaksy Mudenda

Super Movers > MFL

Blue Peter presenter Mwaksy Mudenda performs this Super Movers song introducing pupils to German phrases relating to the weather.

Teacher Notes

After viewing, singing and dancing along, your class could try some of these activities to further explore their learning:

Speaking:

• Practise the weather phrases from the song with the children. Say each one with an action to aid memorisation. You could use the moves that Mwaksy does or ask the children to help you to make up your own. Notice the different constructions- the ones where the weather comes down from the sky (Es regnet, es schneit, es donnert und blitzt) use the weather word as a verb (it rains, it snows, it thunders and lightnings), whereas all the others have ‘ist’ (is) as the verb in the sentence. This could be reflected by a focus on coming down actions for the first three.
• Perform one of the actions and ask the children to call out the correct weather phrase. Repeat all the phrases several times, in different orders, so that the children have plenty of opportunities to practise saying the phrases and to work on their recall. You could ask for a volunteer to perform the actions so that you and the children can call out the phrases.
• Tell the children that you are going to use the weather actions to give a short weather forecast. Ask the question Wie ist das Wetter heute? (Notice in German you ask HOW the weather is not WHAT the weather is). Perform a sequence of three weather-phrase actions, and ask the children to work in pairs to decipher the actions and to say the three phrases in your weather forecast. They might like to use the conjunction und (and) to help them with this. Then ask the children to make up their own sequences for the rest of the class to decipher.
• Practise the names of the two seasons mentioned in the video with the children. Again, you might like to use the moves that Mwaksy does to aid memorisation, or you could ask the children to help you to work out your own actions. Practise the names of the seasons using the actions in the same way as you did for the weather phrases. Be careful when you add a time phrase to the start of a sentence in German, it moves the verb, as the verb should usually be the second idea in the sentence. This is why the seasons have been put at the end of the sentences in the song.
• Use a bilingual dictionary to find out the names of the other seasons and use them in sentences, the same way that Mwaksy used summer and winter.
• Perform a weather-phrase action followed by a season action. Explain that you would say (for example) Es regnet im Winter. Try some more combinations.
• Once the children have practised putting together seasons and weather they can create their own combinations. They could say a sentence for the rest of the class, who then have to decide if it’s true or false. For example Es ist heiß im Sommer would be a true sentence, while Es ist heiß im Winter is false. The children can put their thumbs up for a true sentence and down for a false sentence.

Listening:

• Say one of the weather phrases without doing the action, and ask the children to do the correct action to show that they have understood. Repeat the phrases several times, in different orders, so that the children get used to hearing them and linking the sound with the meaning. After some more practice you could ask for a volunteer to say the phrases for you and the rest of the class.

Cultural Understanding

• Use a map of and some cut out weather symbols for the children to work in pairs to produce their own weather report. They could use the weather phrase and then add in Berlin at the end of the sentence.
  • Es regnet und es ist wolkig in Berlin.
  • Es schneit in München heute.

to start each sentence with the weather phrase.

• Create a weather chart for the week and ask the children to write the weather phrase of the day in a box each day. They could add a weather symbol to help them the words.
• One of 's most popular children’s entertainers is 'Rolf Zuckowski', who has a song about the weather that offers opportunity for exploring more complex language.
• Ask the children to research and make a list of countries where German is spoken, and their capital cities.
• Use BBC Weather to find out what the weather is like in the capital cities of those countries on the day you have your lesson.
• Use webcams online to look at live weather pictures. For example, the ones on the top of the Zugspitze and on the Island of Sylt.
• Do some further research to find out how the weather in some of those countries differs from the weather in on an annual basis. For example, look at the climates in different parts of the German-speaking world. The weather in Austria and Switzerland will have some similarities with parts of for example, although the mountains will make a difference. Further afield, places such as Brazil and Namibia have large German-speaking communities and could provide a bigger contrast.

Links:

• Classroom resources for KS2 German lessons from BBC Teach
• For more information about the weather in and some games
• Rolf Zuckowski: Das Wetter song

Language introduced

Curriculum Notes

The Super Movers song The Weather and these activity notes address the following learning objectives from the curriculum guidance of the four UK nations.

England
From the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum programme of study for Foreign Languages:

• listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by ing in and responding
• explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
• appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
• engage in conversations; ask and answer questions
• speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
• present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences
• read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
• broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
• write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
• describe places and things orally and in writing
• understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): … conjugation of high-frequency verbs ; key features and patterns of the language (question forms);… and how these differ from or are similar to English

Northern Ireland
It is not statutory for primary schools to teach a language other than English or Irish (in Irish-medium schools).

Scotland
Modern Languages - CfE Experiences and Outcomes, Second level

• I explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and show understanding and enjoyment by listening, ing in and responding. (MLAN 2-01a)
• I can listen to and respond to familiar voices in short, predictable conversations using straightforward language and non-verbal techniques (MLAN 2-02a)
• I can take part effectively in prepared conversations by sharing information about myself…or interests of my choice, using familiar vocabulary and basic language structures. (MLAN 2-03b)
• I can participate in familiar collaborative activities (MLAN 2-05b)

Wales
From the Curriculum for Wales (2022)

• Progression step 2:
  • I have heard international languages being used.
  • I have experienced opportunities to use international languages.
• Progression step 3:
  • I can communicate using familiar phrases and sentences.
  • I am beginning to reflect on my language use in order to improve the quality of my communication.
  • I am beginning to interact with others, sharing information, feelings and opinions.
  • I can construct my own sentences using the vocabulary and patterns I have learnt.
  • I can recognise high-frequency words and phrases and understand the general meaning in what I hear, read and see.
  • I can listen and read empathetically, recognising the differing opinions of others.
  • I can listen and read to build a bank of words and sentences and use these to improve my own communication.
  • I can listen and read to gain an understanding of how grammar and punctuation affect meaning.