1 - Best Day, Worst Day ~5 mins
Which day of the week is best, and which is worst? Say why in English, in one short sentence each.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Name all seven days in German
- Join a day and a time to describe your routine
- Spot the day that breaks the German naming pattern
Take four or five quick answers, no more. The point is to put the week in their heads before the German words arrive. Do not teach any German day names yet; the word-table in the next step does that. If someone mentions Wednesday, park it gently: that day gets a special look later.
2 - Seven German Days ~10 mins
Here are all seven German days. Tap each one, listen, then say it back together. We learn them in two groups first, then run the whole week.
Watch for the day in the middle of the week: its name does not match the English pattern.
Naming a day vs saying on a day
When we name the day we say the full form with der:
der Montag (Monday)
When we say what we do on that day, we start with Am (on), not der:
Am Montag um acht Uhr stehe ich auf. (On Monday at eight o'clock I get up.)
Tiny callout: Am Montag = On Monday. The ending stehe ich auf (I get up) is a recycled phrase you already know, not a new day word.
Phase 1 — days only (chunks): Show the full week for overview, then rehearse in two chunks before any full run-through. Chunk 1 (Mon–Thu): der Montag (dair MOHN-tahk), der Dienstag (dair DEENS-tahk), der Mittwoch (dair MIT-vokh), der Donnerstag (dair DON-ners-tahk). Class repeats each word twice (once all together, once by table). Chunk 2 (Fri–Sun): der Freitag (dair FRY-tahk), der Samstag (dair ZAHMS-tahk), der Sonntag (dair ZON-tahk), same pattern. Then one full Monday-to-Sunday chain.
Point out that every day takes der when we name it, and every day name starts with a capital letter. Ask which day looks least like its English twin before you move on.
Phase 2 — Am + day (one model only): Switch to the example box. Show side by side: naming = der Montag; on that day = Am Montag (we say Am, not der, at the start of the sentence). Play the TTS on the model sentence, then echo slowly:
Am Montag um acht Uhr stehe ich auf — am MOHN-tahk oom akht oor SHTAY-uh ikh owf.
Mark stehe ich auf clearly as recycle, not today's new vocabulary. Do not introduce a second model sentence here; save productive sentence building for the oral drill before copywork.
der vs Am rule (say this once out loud): matching and bingo use der Montag; when the day follows Am (on) we do not say der.
3 - Match the Days ~8 mins
Volunteers flip two cards on the board. When a pair matches, we all say the full German name together, for example der Freitag.
Whole class on the IWB: volunteers take turns flipping two cards while everyone else watches and joins the choral reply. Insist on the full form with der: Montag alone is not enough. If the same pair is missed twice, stop and say both sides together before continuing. This is recognition after first contact, not a race. If desk devices or physical pair cards are available, pairs may play at tables after one modelled round on the board; distribute sets before that mode starts.
4 - Into Your Copy ~6 mins
First we build sentences together out loud. Then open your copy and write one or two sentences saying what you do on different days, each with a time.
Write-in frame
Am ______ um ______ Uhr ______.
Keep every day name capitalised and start with Am.
Time bank (phrases you already know):
- um acht Uhr (at eight o'clock)
- um drei Uhr (at three o'clock)
- um eins Uhr (at one o'clock)
- um zwei Uhr (at two o'clock)
- um zehn Uhr (at ten o'clock)
Optional endings (recycle, not new day words):
- stehe ich auf (I get up)
- spiele ich Fußball (I play football)
Gapped starters:
- Am ______ um ______ Uhr stehe ich auf.
- Am ______ um ______ Uhr spiele ich Fußball.
Oral substitution first (about 2–3 minutes): Leave the word-table on screen. Teacher starts: Am Dienstag um… Class completes with a known time and a recycled ending. Swap the day around the room (point at volunteers or go table by table). Model the second pattern once with TTS or slow echo:
Am Freitag um drei Uhr spiele ich Fußball — am FRY-tahk oom dry oor SHPEE-luh ikh FOOSS-bal.
Remind them: after Am there is no der.
Then write (about 3 minutes): Pause the board noise. Everyone writes one or two full sentences on the frame Am ______ um ______ Uhr ______. Keep the day word-table, the time-bank strip, and the gapped starters visible the whole time. Walk the room and check each sentence has a day (capitalised), a time, and starts with Am. Do not collect these. The task is the writing itself.
Support: pupils may copy a gapped starter and fill only the blanks. Extension: a second sentence with a different day.
5 - Days Bingo ~10 mins
Cards show the German day names. Listen for the teacher calling them in German and mark each one you hear. When your card has a full line, shout Bingo!
How to Play Bingo:
Option 1: Students on Devices (Digital Version)
- Use the digital version where your teacher view of the lesson displays the cards that are being called out.
- Play the pronunciation sound of each word and the children mark it off their unique digital bingo card.
- Each student has a randomised bingo card so winners will vary!
Option 2: Print Out the Bingo Cards
- Print out the Bingo Cards from the attachment above, cut out the cards, and give one to each student.
- You call out the vocabulary words and students mark off their sheets.
- First student to complete a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls "Bingo!" and wins.
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