German IV & V

Full-year course. This course builds on the foundation established in German III.  Students will prepare themselves for the types of knowledge and skill expected on the AP exam. 

German IV and German V are offered as a combined course. Students are able to take the course twice and receive full high school credit for each year. The course will alternate readers between Year A and Year B, as well as which part of the textbook we are using. The course makes use of the Neue Blickwinkel over two years. This allows students to spend more time with the German language, and the cultures and literatures of the German-speaking world.

It  does not matter in which order students take the courses.  Students completing both years will complete the full German high school offerings at the Well-Trained Mind Academy and be prepared for ongoing study at the intermediate college level. 

Over the course of the year, students will deepen their understanding of German grammar. They  will also further develop their reading, speaking, and writing skills by exploring historical, artistic, literary, and political topics in greater detail. In German IV/V, there will be a greater focus on reading and analyzing literary texts as well as literary samples which are contained in the textbook Neue Blickwinkel. This exposure to language will further written and oral comprehension and  expression for the student. At the end of the year(s), students will be able to make arguments and counterarguments, discuss works of art,understand history, and cultural nuances,  plan for trips, understand ads, and create a job application. 

Students will use skills in the following areas and build global competency skills for future careers and experience based on the World Readiness Standards from the ACTFL: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.

Students completing a fourth or fifth year of language study at the Well-Trained Mind Academy are in a great position to apply for the Global Seal of Biliteracy and to take the College Board’s Advanced Placement test. Eligible students receive information about applying for the Seal and testing from their instructors in the late fall of each year.

Click here to read about the Well-Trained Mind Academy’s approach to world language learning. Note: We do not offer a delayed section for this course due to the live interaction that is key to learning language.

Prerequisites: German III; German IV Placement Test


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German IV & V Information




  • Example Syllabus
  • Class meets three times per week for 50-55 minutes, or twice per week for one hour and fifteen minutes.
  • Class cap: 15 students.
  • Designed for grades 10-12.
  • High school students may be awarded 1 World Languages credit upon completion of this course.

Course Materials




  • Click here to purchase the course texts.
    • Neue Blickwinkel  2nd Edition, Wayside Publishing 
    • Yildiz heißt Stern, Isolde Heyne


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