Thursday, June 15

Today, we started with a verb conjugation game, and the students' ability to conjugate German verbs was quite impressive. 

Students also played Pictionary with the words that they learned yesterday while playing "I Spy" or "I see something that you don't see."

This group loves to play cards.  Katharina taught them a card game in her culture class, and a lot of students have been playing this game (and others) during their breaks.

After our classes and support and success groups, we went to the Doppelwendeltreppe (the double spiral staircase).  The stairs divide to the right and left and then reunite on each floor.  Students learned that the division is meant to represent separation or war, and the reuniting is meant to represent reconciliation or peace. 

Here they are entering the staircase.  

And here they are leaving it.  Notice the steps on both sides. 

After the Doppelwendeltreppe, we visited the Grazer Dom (Graz Cathedral) to look at the "Gottesplagebild" or "God's Plagues," a Gothic painting on one of the outside walls. The painting depicts the three plagues that Graz suffered in the year 1480 and is believed to represent "a plea to God for forgiveness and reconciliation" according to the Graz Tourism website. 

Next to the cathedral is a mausoleum.  Students were asked to look for the animals depicted in the building and figure out who was buried there.  They all were able to identify that this is the resting place of Emperor Ferdinand II.  Students also identified several animals, especially the two-headed eagle which represented the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Dual Monarchy.

We'll sign off today with a group picture taken outside of the Graz Cathedral.