Families of Germany

Gr 1–6—This winning production offers a snapshot of German children living in both rural and urban environments. Seven-year-old Sophia lives in the shadow of Marburg Castle in Brothers Grimm territory, and her narration adds charm and realism to the presentation. Viewers see Sophia learning English in her second grade classroom, visiting the neighbor's farm to collect milk and eggs, and celebrating St. Martin's Day with coffee and cookies. Ole, 10, from the capital city of Berlin, provides a contrast with his narration of a typical day riding his bicycle to school and work, taking the subway to museums, and watching tourists on boats and pedaling "conversation bikes" with multiple riders. The children are followed with a video camera through their day, and are gently observed at meals, at work, and at play. Viewers will come away with an accurate picture of how children and their families live in Germany, inviting compare and contrast opportunities with their own experiences. A useful 30-page teacher's guide (www.familiesoftheworld.com) includes the script, post-viewing discussion questions, facts about Germany, and a German recipe and craft for children to try. The filming is done from the vantage point of children and speaks in the voices of those children, making it especially relevant and valuable to schools and libraries needing current materials to support the social studies curriculum.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY