Sample 1: Grade 6

Topic: Fashion Show

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Communicating

It is expected that students will:

respond to simple instructions
interact in simple, predictable exchanges and learning situations

Acquiring Information

It is expected that students will:

extract specific information from German-language resources to complete authentic tasks
convey acquired information in oral and visual forms

Overview

Over a two-week period, the teacher developed a series of activities based on fashion. Evaluation was based on participation in oral activities, labelled pictures of students' favourite clothing, and fashion commentary presentations.

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

Students had previously learned the vocabulary for size, colour, and numbers.

The teacher provided students with a variety of German fashion magazines. Students then formed groups of two or three. Each group identified three German words related to clothing from the magazine advertisements and articles (students were asked not to use dictionaries during this activity). As each group presented its words to the class, the teacher created a chart listing clothing vocabulary. Words and expressions included:
- der Schal
- das Kleid
- die Hose
- die Handtasche
- die Socken
Students then worked in pairs, describing their own clothing. They included colours and used other adjectives they knew or found in German-English dictionaries. Each pair shared one of its descriptions with the class. The teacher recorded their phrases on the board, so that the class could associate the written and spoken forms.
Each student sketched five favourite clothing items, including shoes and other accessories (e.g., baseball hats, backpacks). They labelled their pictures, finding appropriate words in a variety of classroom resources including the fashion magazines, class charts, and dictionaries. The sketches were posted around the room to provide additional vocabulary models for students to use.
The teacher explained that students would be presenting a classroom fashion show, and the class brainstormed a list of German words and phrases that would be helpful. Students then suggested new vocabulary and patterns that might be needed. The teacher modelled some of the new vocabulary and provided patterns they could use. For example:
- Sie trไgt ein rotes Kleid.
- Hier ist ญญญญญญญญญญญญญ .
- Er trไgt ญญญญญญญญญญญญญ .
- Sie trไgt ญญญญญญญญญญญญญ .
- Er hat ญญญญญญญญญญญญญ .
The teacher provided the class with a dress-up box and invited students to add contributions from home. Students worked in pairs, each combining two or
three items to present in a fashion show. Together, using frames provided by the teacher, the class wrote two or three short sentences about each outfit. Students then rehearsed their commentaries and fashion displays.
In pairs, students took turns displaying and describing the clothing. Some students chose to wear the clothes; most simply held the clothes up or attached them to clips above the chalkboard.

Defining the Criteria

As students worked on the assignments and practised their fashion commentaries, the teacher outlined the requirements and discussed the following criteria.

Participation in Oral Activities

To what extent does the student:

take risks; make efforts to speak German
follow simple directions for classroom routines
use practised structures to ask and answer questions
show interest and perseverance in using German resources

Labelled Picture or Diagram

To what extent does the student:

use classroom resources to accurately label the items of clothing (including colours)
take risks to include new or unfamiliar language that enhances each description

Fashion Commentary Presentation

To what extent does the student:

speak comprehensibly
accurately identify and describe the items of clothing (including colours)
take risks to include new or unfamiliar language that enhances each description
correctly use the frames and vocabulary provided
use gesture and expression to support communication
attempt to self-correct
read or recite with some fluency (speak in phrases or sentences rather than word by word)

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

The teacher used a checklist and performance rating scales to evaluate students' work in this unit. Students were given copies of the rating scales, and discussed them in English before they began working on their assignments.

The teacher used a checklist to record observations of students' participation in oral activities. From time to time, students were asked to complete the rating sheets as self-assessment. The same rating sheet was used throughout the year.

The teacher and students used a rating scale to evaluate the oral presentations. Students recorded the ratings they felt best described their work, and listed two strengths and one area for improvement in their journals. Where there was a difference between the self-rating and the teacher's evaluation, the teacher and student discussed and resolved the discrepancy.

Participation in Oral Activities
Name: ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ	Date
Name: ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ
Criteria	Rating
takes risks; makes effort to speak German
follows simple directions for classroom routines
uses practised structures to ask and answer questions
shows interest and perseverance in using German resources

Key:
3--Independently/minimal support.
2--With some support.
1--With continuing support.
0--Not demonstrated.

Labelled Picture or Diagram
Rating	Criteria
Outstanding	Goes beyond the basic requirements to demonstrate additional learning (e.g., includes adjectives not presented in class).
Very Good	Complete and accurate. Uses the structures and vocabulary provided to present required information. May include minor errors.
Satisfactory	Basic. Includes required items using structures and vocabulary provided. May omit colour for some items, or use the wrong word in places.
Requirements Not Met	May be incomplete, inappropriate, or incomprehensible.

Fashion Commentary Presentation
Rating	Criteria
Outstanding	Commentary exceeds basic requirements. Easy to understand. Includes some interesting or unusual detail. May use vocabulary and structures not practised in class. Speech shows some fluency and expressiveness. Uses effective strategies to support communication and self-corrects where needed.
Very Good	Meets task requirements. Comprehensible (may need some inferences by the listener). Uses a variety of appropriate vocabulary and structures practised in class to describe the clothing. Speech shows some expression and flow, but may be stilted in places. May attempt to self-correct.
Satisfactory	Presentation is largely recited, with frequent pauses. Speech is comprehensible with some effort on the part of the listener (the teacher may understand easily; students may have difficulty). May offer little elaboration, providing only basic information. Tends to use the same pattern repeatedly. Communication is stilted; often word by word. May ignore or fail to recognize errors.
Not Demonstrated	Inappropriate, incomprehensible, or incomplete.