German 145-01, Beer, Bread and Brats!

German 145-01, Beer, Bread and Brats!

B. Merten-Brugger, Spring 2016

German 145-001

Views of Germany: “Beer, Bread and Brats!”

Syllabus, Spring 2016

I. COURSE INFORMATION

Course Instructor: Barbara Merten-Brugger; (414)258-7495;

Office: CRT 883; phone: 229-4546

Office Hours: Tuesday 12:30-1:30 /Wednesday 9:30-10:30 or by appointment

Class Hours: 145-001; MO/WED 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm, Holton Hall 180

Guten Tag und Herzlich Willkommen in the course Views of Germany: “Beer, Bread and Brats! Learning German Culture through Cuisine.”

“Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer. “

-- Frederick the Great

II. COURSE DESCRIPTION

We have to eat in order not to starve. But beyond ensuring the basics of life, we can extend the notion of nourishment; to eat is life in all dimensions. No social event can be imagined without certain dishes. The language and facts of political, historical and social life are reflected in food and drink: Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), also known as Schwarzwurst, Rotwurst, Topfwurst, Blunzen depending on the region, is the oldest known sausage variety, being in existence already in ancient times, warriors prepared the Blutwurst on battlefields. When the price of bread or beer rose, riots occurred, the desire for spices led to the discovery of the new world. Local specialties are influenced by the produce of its soil and the degree of prosperity. Neighboring regions might put their stamps on the local cuisine, affecting the overall style of the food available within certain parts of the country. This is true for all countries and certainly for Germany, a country just about the size of Montana, but one that offers incredible variety and differences when it comes to food and dialects. We are what we eat and what we eat is affected by what the region has to offer. German geography, German history, and German contemporary life are part of what makes German culture and cuisine unique. In this course, expect to gain deep insight and perceptive explanations about traditions, dialects, history and geographic differences, which typically have a great influence on eating habits and foods, and to deepen your understanding of German culture. We will focus in particular on the three vital staples of the German diet; Beer, bread and sausage. You will learn to articulate and analyze what specific traditions define the people now living in the various regions of the German speaking countries by “traveling” through those regions.

Prerequisites: NONE. This is a three credit course, meeting twice weekly.

III. COURSE MATERIAL:

1)  Facts about Germany. 2010. For the period from 1990-present day Germany. Sozietätsverlag in collaboration with the German Federal Foreign Office. Frankfurt/Main. ISBN: 978-3-7973-1091-0 (Course calendar reference = FG) + http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/content-home/book.html

2)  A course student package (Course calendar reference = CP) with selected readings, weblinks, and visuals available at Clark Graphic on 2915 North Oakland Avenue for about $20.00.

3)  Eyewittness Travel Guide: Germany by DK publishing. Joanna Egert-Romanowskiej, Malgorzata Omilanowska and Susi Cheshire. You can buy the most recent edition but if you purchase a new or used edition, make sure you purchase an edition that is not from before 2010 or ISBN 978-0-75666-071-0 to save money (Course calendar reference = ETG)

You will also need access to the Desire2Learn course website by going to https://uwm.courses.wisconsin.edu. This site will function as our communication and discussion board and contains all other important documents, information and links you will need in this course.

Most importantly, this site will give you access to the detailed course plan which is essential to you to keep up with the homework and reading assignments. Make sure your course plan is always accessible. I suggest to print it out as we are following it very closely. Familiarize yourself with the site; see how it works to avoid future problems. We are working with different books so knowing where to find important documents is key.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

1.  The students will actively look into and learn about Germany’s geographical, historical, political, cultural and social make-up. The students will become acquainted with the geographical, historical and cultural heritage of the German speaking lands and recognize how this background affects food practices, views about food, the role of food in daily life and ultimately helps the student understand the Germans and Germany.

2.  The students will challenge themselves by trying new foods and examining various issues related to food and society. They will take into account their own personal food experiences and contemporary local situation. Thus, the course is based on the following learning objectives:

Learning Outcomes:

v  Students will analyze important issues of German regions, culture and cuisine in a critical manner, by examining, discussing and writing about significant practices, facts, views about food and the role of cuisine in the life of people. Students will follow guidelines that reinforce basic writing and presentational skills. Reading and information literacy skills will be demonstrated as students locate, analyze, and submit secondary sources [This aligns with the UW-System Shared Learning Goal 3, “Effective Communication Skills including listening, speaking, reading, writing, and information literacy.” Student attainment of this learning goal will be assessed via assignments related to reading.]

v  Students will delve into selected topics and facts about respective food staples such as beer, bread and sausages and identify issues pertaining to historical, geographical and cultural facts of the various food items.

v  Students will make connections with and comparisons to their own perspective in regard to specific cultural, food related issues.

v  Students will study the history, geography, culture, and contemporary life of Germany, identify and outline important issues in a larger context. Therefore, they will review, describe and explain how a respective region and its cuisine was and is reflected in daily life. [This aligns with Humanities GER outcome 1, “Students will be able to identify the formation, traditions and ideas essential to major bodies of historical, cultural, literary or philosophical knowledge.” Student attainment of this outcome will be assessed via the Regions of German Presentation.]

v  Students will apply and use the previously gained knowledge in a different context by conducting personal in depth research into the cuisine of a respective region, trace the development of the regional cuisine and select a typical menu for that region, cook it, document and report this for the class. [This aligns with the Humanities GER outcome 2, “Students will be able to respond coherently and persuasively to the materials of humanities study; this may be through logical, textual, formal, historical analysis argument and/or interpretation.” Student attainment of this outcome will be assed via the final project and related presentation.]

Students will be provided with a rubric evaluating the achievement of each outcome at the time when the project is introduced. For further details and the rubrics for these outcomes see page at the end of the syllabus and the respective module under content of our D2L site.

V. CLASS REQUIREMENTS

What assignments can you expect and how are they assessed?

Assignments:

You can expect a wide variety of assignments, projects and assessment tools.

For instance will you be asked to formulate questions and answers pertaining to reading assignments. You will keep a food journal and give presentations (2). You will view films and video clips and have written tests (2), quizzes (3), class / group / partner discussions. Games, pop-quizzes and bread and sausage tasting will also be part of the course.

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

Activity/Assignment / Categories assessed (see below) / Percentage of grade
Attendance/Participation / TW, CO / 10%
History Test / K, I / 7.5%
Geography Test / K, I / 7.5%
Bread &Sausage, Beer, Daily Life, Typical German - Take-Home Quiz (4 = each 5%) / K, I / 20%
Assignments related to Readings and Films / CO, K, CT, PR, SR / 15%
Food Journal / CO, PR, SR / 10%
Discussions (online) and fieldtrip to brewery/bakery/Event in the German Program / CO, TW, PR, SR, CT / 10%
German Region Presentation / CO, TW / 5%
Final project and presentation / CO, TW, CT, PR / 15%
Grading Scale
A+ 97-100* C+ 77-79
A 93-96 C 73-76
A- 90-92 C- 70-72
B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69
B 83-86 D 63-66
B- 80-82 D- 60-62
F 59 and below
(Missed test or assignments = 0)
(* No A+ for final grades)

Categories will be used to determine specifics of the grade.

1.  To build your intellectual and practical skills the following categories are used:

a.  Knowledge (K): You will learn key facts about Germany that will help you to connect the past and present.

b.  Communication (CO): You will be asked to present information orally and in writing.

c.  Inquiry (I): You will be asked to use course materials as the basis for further investigation of questions that interest you.

d.  Critical Thinking (CT): You will be required to examine issues and questions, and base your findings and conclusions on documents and accounts that not necessarily correspond with your own personal beliefs, experiences or tastes.

e.  Teamwork and Problem Solving (TW + PS): You will be required to work with other students to create projects based on course content.

2.  This course will also engage your sense of personal and social responsibility (PR + SR) by requiring you to:

a.  examine and discuss ethical questions.

b.  display an understanding of cultural differences and their sources.

c.  express how you can apply your new knowledge and skills to your life as a whole.

3.  This course will also ask you to find ways to connect what you learn here to other areas of study or professional activities.

Attendance/ participation:

Classroom participation is an integral part in this course, this includes coming on time

with your homework done. It also includes meaningfully participating while in class,

whether that be in discussion, group/partner work or solitary work. The homework you

prepare before the class will help you and the entire group.

Regular attendance is required. Two excused (excused= doctor’s note or death in the family) absences are allowed for the semester, though test attendance policy always applies. Religious days of obligation will be excused if the instructor is notified in advance. Absences affect your final grade. Your final grade will decrease by one percentage point per absence after two absences. Contact your instructor as soon as possible if you have a legitimate reason for missing class. Please call or email me if you cannot make it to class! Missing hurts the whole class, not just you.

Please note also that not coming to class does not excuse you from (a) turning in

assignments due on the day of absence; (b) knowing about assignments given; (c) test

dates set on the day of your absence. Please keep in mind, that it is your responsibility to

stay informed about the course. Check your course calendar and the course home on a

regular base.

Your participation in these activities will be assessed as follows:

Category / Description and grade
Teamwork/Problem-Solving (TW +PS) / Student was present and took part in group, pair and whole-class discussions, contributing positively and politely to the classroom experience for all students. (0=absent, inattentive, non-participatory or disruptive; 100%=full success)
Communication (CO) / Student expressed ideas and arguments clearly, was capable of understanding the statements of others and incorporating them into the discussion. Student displayed accurate understanding of texts and films viewed in preparation for the class. (0=absent, inattentive, non-participatory, or unprepared; 100%= full success)

Now let’s look at how the other grades will be assessed:

History test: This test (online) will be graded entirely on the accuracy of your responses to test questions (K). It will also require you to find some information on your own about German history, prior to taking the test (I).

Geography test: This test (online) will be graded entirely on the accuracy of your responses to test questions (K). It will also require you to find some information on your own about geographical specifics, prior to taking the test (I).

Beer, Bread, Sausage Quiz: (3 = each 5%) These quizzes will be graded entirely on the accuracy of your responses to test questions (K). It will also require you to find some information on your own about geographical specifics, prior to taking the test (I).

Assignments related to readings: These assignments will be graded partially on accuracy of your responses, and whether or not your responses show that you are familiar with the texts and have read carefully (K). Some long-answer “open-ended” (as opposed to multiple choice or short-answer) questions on these assignments will ask you to take a position in relation to the text, and offer arguments (CT), while others will require you to relate a reading to your own personal life (PR) or to your own society (SR). For all of these open-ended responses, you will be graded based on your ability to clearly articulate your response (CO). [GER outcome relationship: UW-System Shared Learning Goal 3, “Effective Communication Skills including listening, speaking, reading, writing, and information literacy.”] The following scale will be used to assess such questions:

Category
Communication – message
(10 points) / Student clearly expresses the main idea of the response. This main idea may be related to personal responsibility (PR) or social responsibility (SR) depending on the question. (0=no main idea is apparent; 10 = main idea is readily apparent)
Communication – clarity/organization (5 points) / The reader can easily follow the logical flow of ideas expressed. (0 = ideas seem randomly ordered, or unconnected, 5 = ideas flow seamlessly with the relationship between them clearly defined)
Communication – ambiguity (10 points) / Where appropriate, the writer acknowledges his or her own pre-suppositions and recognizes the validity of viewpoints that may conflict with his or her own. This category also corresponds to the critical thinking (CT) skill. (0 = writer flatly states opinion as fact, without acknowledging it as opinion; 10 = writer takes seriously potential arguments and addresses them)
Communication – mechanics (5 points) / The writer use spelling and grammar that allow the reader to easily understand the message. (0 = grammar and spelling errors make it impossible to understand certain parts of the message; 5=while there are some minor errors, there are none that could interfere with the reader’s ability to understand)

(Total =30 points)