10  Fifteen-minute programs
Grade(s):  9 - 12, College
Curriculum:  Foreign Language/German

Lernexpress is a multimedia beginners German course with lively and useful material reflecting the Germany of today. The accent is on authentic language situations that relate to the everyday world of students. The programs film young people in Hamburg, Nordfriedsland, Munich and other locations at home, at school, with their friends and in their free time.  Featured are Sonia Zimmer, a charismatic student of English, and an exuberant cast of young people talking candidly about their lives. Their multi-ethnic backgrounds realistically represent today's German population, reflecting a variety of lifestyles-a welcome departure from the stereotypes of the past. Lemexpress is enhanced by the warmth and vitality of the youth and their contagious love of life-all presented naturally, clearly, and with great charm. Fun, fresh, and contemporary, the focus is on the excitement, as well as the trials and tribulations, of German life through the eyes of today's younger generation. Lernexpress serves beginning-level students an authentic, unique slice of life, language, and culture from their German peers. An upbeat musical score provides a fitting accompaniment. Lernexpress stresses spoken German at a natural pace. A small amount of English functions to orient student viewers, establishing contact by setting the tone and clearly stating the topic that follows.

Support Materials
Lemexpress I Student Textbook; Teacher's Guide for Modules I and 11

Program Titles, Lengths & Outlines

11.  Winterferien  (14:23)
Sonja takes a trip on the train to Garmisch Partenkirchen.  She stays at the youth hostel; has a skiing lesson; goes skating; visits the sk-jumping stadium where we show archive footage of ...

12.  In den Bergen  (14:32)
Sonja meets the locale: Christina Kitnecker who goes husky-dog racing with her father and Anton who is an apprentice violin maker in Mittenwald.  She has a tour of the village and sees the colorful winter carnival, Pasching. 

13.  München stellt sich vor  (14:25)
Sonja goes to the Bavarian capital, Munich.  She says that many visitors come here as business people.  Two teenage boys make a video for us on the sights.  Two girls make a video on hotel accomodations.  We visit a Trade Fair for sport, and witness the celebrations for the founding of the city.

14.  Wir treiben Sport  (14:36)
Sonja introduces footage from the 1972 Munich Olympics.  We meet fans from the P. C. Bayern v Dortmund match and see some of the game.  Sonja has a Tai Kwon Do lesson and we see the rest of the class in action.  We meet Julia Buckley (American father), the young Bavarian ice-skating champion and see her in action on the rink.  Gymnasts give a display for us and talk about their training.  We show boys playing Faustball.

15.  Du bist was du isst  (14:36)
This program is all about healthy easting.  Sonja opens the program in the fruit and vegetable market, Viktualienmarkt.  She asks people about their eastng habits, what makes a healthy diet, etc.  She looks at snacks, buys a wicked cake; we visit McDonalds and see ehat's on offer.  She talks through a hotel buffet breakfast and discusses what people have.  Sonja visits a Biergarten and asks what people are drinking - alcohol not good for you?  She talks about people being overweight and asks if they follow a diet.

16.  Kleider machen Leute  (14:36)
We visit the Munich fashion week and see the latest models on the catwalk.  we come down to earth and see what's being worn in the school playground.  We visit a second-hand colthes flea market.

20. Servus Bayern!  (14:25)
We leave the big city and travel out to Starnberg where a French week is happening.   We go on the lake and see some rowing.  Sonja takes a wind-surfing lesson.   We visit the Castles of Linderhof and Seuschwanstein, and take part in a "Trachtenrug", where a thousand people in their traditional costumes progress through the Bavarian countryside..