1 - Meet the Person Beside You ~5 mins
Think of one English sentence that introduces you by name and one simple fact. Two or three of you will share with the class. Ready?
Today you will learn to do that in German: say who you are, ask a classmate, and swap a little about where you come from.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Introduce yourself by name in German
- Ask a classmate their name and where they come from
- Notice what people choose to say about themselves
Take two or three English introductions only. Thank each volunteer warmly ("Lovely clear sentence, thank you") and move on; do not correct content. The point is to make self-introduction feel natural before the German words arrive. A quick reminder of Hallo (HA-loh) and Guten Tag (GOO-ten tahg) from earlier helps if the class is rusty.
2 - Seven Ways to Introduce ~10 mins
Listen to each introduction phrase on the board, then say it back together as a class. Notice which lines tell people your name, which ask a question, and which talk about where you are from.
Picture two new pupils meeting on the first day at a Berlin Grundschule (primary school). Your teacher will model one short chat with a German name such as Lukas or Emma, then you will join in.
Polite tip: In the formal name question, Sie means polite "you" (said "zee"). It is not a girl's name here.
Lead with the high-use set first and have the class repeat each twice (all together, then by table): Ich heiße (ikh HY-suh), Wie heißt du? (vee HYST doo), Und du? (oont doo), Woher kommst du? (vo-HAIR komst doo), Ich komme aus... (ikh KOM-uh ows), and Ich bin (ikh bin) as a handy extra before a name. Park Wie heißen Sie? (vee HY-sen zee) as a quick listen-and-repeat "polite version you might hear from an adult": same idea as the informal question, but for teachers and strangers. Stress the ß as a sharp hiss, like a polite snake; play class versus teacher and ask who hisses cleaner. Model one Berlin day-one chat slowly with pupil names from the class mixed with a German name (e.g. Lukas, Emma) so it feels real: Wie heißt du? → Ich heiße … Und du? → name back → Woher kommst du? → Ich komme aus ….
3 - Match the Introductions ~10 mins
Volunteers will flip two cards at a time on the board. Before each flip, the whole class tries to say the German aloud together. When a match is found, everyone repeats the German phrase once more.
Default to whole-class IWB play with volunteers only (if your school uses pupil devices, pairs may play at seats as an optional aside). Keep energy high: choral "say it before we flip" so every pupil speaks each match, not only the volunteer. Listen for the difference between Wie heißt du? (vee HYST doo) and Wie heißen Sie? (vee HY-sen zee); if a pupil mixes them, pause and re-say both, reminding them that Sie here is polite "you". If a pair is missed twice, stop and say it together before moving on.
4 - Into Your Copy ~3 mins
Keep the word list and these two model lines on the board while you write.
Ich heiße Cara.
Ich komme aus Cork.
Open your copy and write the same two sentences about you. Take care with capital Ich and the special letter ß in heiße (sharp double-s sound, not a plain B).
Pause the interactive. Everyone writes; this is the only three minutes where every pupil's pen is moving. Leave the word-table and the two model sentences on screen. Look for two full lines, for example Ich heiße Cara. and Ich komme aus Cork. Check the ß is written, not a plain B or ss. Whisper praise for neat ß shapes. Do not collect these.
5 - Partner Introductions ~10 mins
Stand up and face a partner. Run the short name-and-home chat your teacher models: one of you asks, the other answers, then you swap and add where you come from. When you finish, find a new partner and try again.
After a few rounds, your teacher will ask some of you the polite form, as an adult would. Answer with your name phrase.
Pin this four-beat informal script on the IWB for the whole step (roles A/B). Partner practice is informal only.
A: Wie heißt du? (vee HYST doo)
B: Ich heiße … (ikh HY-suh) Und du? (oont doo)
A: Ich heiße … / optional Ich bin … (ikh bin)
A or B: Woher kommst du? (vo-HAIR komst doo)
Partner: Ich komme aus … (ikh KOM-uh ows) Und du?
Model one full round with a volunteer first, then launch a stand-and-mingle: each pupil should complete the chat with at least two partners. Circulate and say, "I want to hear every pair keep the chat going with a clear Und du?" If a pair freezes, point them back to the script on the board. In the last two minutes, whole-class formal beat: you (as adult) ask three or four pupils Wie heißen Sie? (vee HY-sen zee); each answers Ich heiße …. Recognition and answer only; peers do not use the formal form with each other.
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