Das Märchen 3: Der Riese und Das Kind (Intermediate German)

Improve your reading, practise asking questions, do extra work focussing on Präpositionen, and practise your declension skills - all while enjoying a unique German fairy tale!

Plot Summary

A giant visits a fisherman and his family, and challenges the poor man to a game of chess. They bet on the game, using the poor man’s son as a wager. The fisherman loses the game, and the boy’s mother is distraught, so the giant decides to offer the family a way to keep their child. If they can hide the boy so well that the giant cannot find him, they can keep him. Will the child remain safe with his parents, or leave with the giant?

This story is divided into five short sections. For each section there are basic assignments and bonus assignments. Teachers may pick and choose which assignments to use. Detailed instructions are included.

Basic Assignments:

· a chart in which to translate unfamiliar vocabulary and identify parts of speech

· three statements that are ‘answers’, for which the student will write the questions

· a short assignment to practise parsing individual words (answer key provided)

Bonus Assignments:

· use 10 prepositions correctly within various phrases

· Explore extra Grammar topics (using other materials such as a dictionary or Grammar reference): herein/dahin, darauf/daraus, auf as part of a trennbar verb, ‘Dativ or Akkusativ ‘rule for in and auf, ‘Dativ or Akkusativ ‘rule for an, hinter, unter and vor.

Further assignments apply to the full story, including a ‘Fill in the Blanks’ quiz, discussion, and more exercises using prepositions.

Note: Students who work through the Märchen series in numerical order will be challenged by progressively more difficult texts and assignments. For each story, a different part of speech is given special attention. Der Riese und Das Kind puts a special emphasis on Präpositionen. It is suitable for students who can figure out the meaning of a variety of sentence structures, and are learning the Präteritum.