Mark Your Calendar for
March 9, 2012
at Saint John’s University
Turn at exit 156
DeutschFest 2012 -- COMPETITION CATEGORIES AND JUDGING CRITERIA
(Please note: the term “German” used below refers to
any and all of the German-speaking countries.)
A.
PERFORMANCE
(In categories 1 through 5, materials
are to be memorized)
1. Commercials Levels 1, 2, 3+
Presentation of any advertisement which markets things “made in Germany.” The slogans can be real or invented and the product may be displayed in the original or in picture or any other mock-up form. Presentation should reflect something characteristically German and/or have intercultural content. Marketing/ advertising props and techniques such as those used in the various media are permissible. Individual presentation or groups of two or more students. Time limit: 2 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Language proficiency (including pronunciation)
b.
Delivery
d. Cultural content
c.
Originality
e. Overall effect
2.
Grimm for the 2010’s
Levels 1,
2, 3+
Enactment of any well-known German fairy tale (Schneewittchen, Tischlein
Deck Dich, Rotkäppchen, Dornröschen, etc.) or episode from a fairy tale,
applied to modern life or put into a modern setting. Levels I and II may use
some English; Levels III and IV, German only.
Presentation
in groups of two or more students.
Time limit: 6-8 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Language proficiency (including pronunciation)
b.
Delivery
d. Creativity
c.
Cultural Content
e. Overall effect
3.
Skits
Levels 1, 2,
3+
Short humorous episodes with real or imaginary connections to German life.
Comical/ satirical events from German political, social and cultural life
would be appropriate material for this category. Skits must be invented and
are not to be copied from a dramatic source.
Presentation in groups of two or more
students. Time
limit: 4-6 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Language proficiency (including pronunciation)
b.
Delivery
d. Cultural content
c.
Originality
e. Overall effect
4.
Drama
Levels 1, 2,
3+
Staging of a short one-act play or a scene or excerpt from a play. Material
from any period may be used, but must be by a recognized German dramatist.
Scenes or excerpts must be cohesive enough to allow for presentation outside
the context of the whole play. No major props please.
Presentation in groups of two or more
students. Time
limit: 6-8 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Pronunciation
b.
Delivery
d. Cohesiveness of passage
c.
Expression
e. Overall dramatic effect
5.
Recitation Levels 1,
2, 3+
Passage may be either a poem, a dramatic monologue, or a literary prose
selection appropriate for oral presentation. Particular attention should be
paid to the accurate rendering of the piece and to the reflection of its
emotional content. The student must furnish the judge with a copy of the
material to be presented. Individual
presentation.
Time limit: 2-4 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Pronunciation
c. Expression
b.
Delivery
d. Accuracy of memorization
6.
Solo Songs Levels 1,
2, 3+
Performance of a “Lied” or song from the German musical tradition. Selection
may be from popular, folk, or classical music.
Time limit: 3-5 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Pronunciation
c. Expression
b.
Clarity of enunciation
d. Musical quality
7.
Chorus
open category -- mixed levels
Performance of a song from the German musical tradition or from other
traditions translated into German. Selection may be of a popular, folk, or
“serious” nature. Each performance
should involve some singing in harmony. Performance in groups of four or more students.
Time limit: 3-5 minutes
Judging criteria:
a. Pronunciation
c. Expression
b. Clarity of enunciation
d. Musicality
8.
Folk Dancing
open category -- all levels
together
Performance of an authentic German folk dance. Costumes may be worn but are
not required. A spokesperson for each group must give a brief presentation
in German on such things as the significance of the dance, its salient
features, and the region in which it originated.
Performance in groups of four or more
students.
Time limit: 3-5 minutes
Judging criteria:
a.
Cultural authenticity
c. Informativeness of oral presentation in English or German
b.
Skill of execution
d. Expression of enthusiasm
B.
DISPLAY
All displays must be constructed so that they can be exhibited on a table in
a format not larger than a space of 3 feet x 3 feet. The method of display
is included in the judging criteria.
9.
Costumes
open category -- all levels together
Each costume must authentically represent a region of one of the
German-speaking countries. A picture must be supplied to attest to this
authenticity. Costumes are to be handmade and must be modeled by the
entrant.
Judging criteria:
a.
Authenticity
d. Aesthetic appeal
b.
Skill of workmanship
e. Display format and method
c.
Informativeness of student commentary
10.
Frameable Art
Levels 1,
2, 3+
The work may either depict some aspect of German culture (a German
landscape, building, cultural event, or portrait) or it may be a copy of a
drawing/painting by a well-known German artist. The medium may be water
color, oil, charcoal, pencil, “Scherenschnitt,” or any other medium not
considered “handicraft.” All works must carry a descriptive title in German.
Judging criteria:
a. Cultural content
c. Artistic merit
b. Skill of workmanship
d. Informativeness of student commentary
11.
Models and Sculptures
Levels 1, 2,
3+
Models are to be replicas of man-made edifices which once existed or still
exist in any of the German-speaking countries. Possibilities include
buildings, monuments, vehicles, instruments of some historical or current
significance. Work must be original, kits are not permitted. Model may be
either an individual or a group project.
Judging criteria:
a. Cultural authenticity
c. Informativeness of student written commentary
b. Skill of workmanship
d. Quality of design
12.
Maps
Levels 1, 2,
3+
Hand-drawn maps of any or all of the German-speaking countries. Design may
be topographical, political, cultural (birthplaces of famous Germans, for
example), demographic or economic. Maps should be 12” by 15” or larger, on
poster board or other firm surface, and multi-colored. Any suitable medium
may be used.
Judging criteria:
a. Geographical accuracy
c. Readability
b. Accuracy of labeling
d. Overall eye-appeal
13.
Posters
Levels 1,
2, 3+
Hand-designed displays of current or historical events in Germany. The
poster must carry a political or social message designed to enthuse and
stimulate a viewer to thought or action.
Judging criteria:
a. Clarity of the event
c. Stimulation to action/thought
b. Accuracy of the message
d. Overall eye-appeal
14.
Media and Computer Presentations
Levels 1,
2, 3+
PowerPoint, video, computer or audio presentation of materials created by
one or more students for purposes of learning German. The materials must
focus on cultural and grammatical aspects of learning German. This section
would also include a demonstration of “how to do something” (for example, a
presentation of cooking, à la Julia Child).
Entries must be emailed or sent to
mthamert@csbsju.edu
by May 7, 2010 (one week before DeutschFest on May 14) .
Judging criteria:
a. Cultural authenticity
c. Language-learning value
b. Grammatical accuracy
d. Organization of materials
Each T-shirt must authentically represent a region of one of the
German-speaking countries. A picture must be supplied to attest to this
authenticity. Costumes are to be handmade and must be modeled by the
entrant.
Judging criteria:
a.
German Language
d. Aesthetic appeal
b.
Skill of workmanship
e. Display format and method
c.
Informativeness of student written commentary
DeutschFest 2010 Awards
For each of the fourteen categories of competition
there will be first, second, and third place awards at each level listed.
These awards will be presented to the individual winners before an assembly
of the participants. Awards will be in the form of trophies and medals,
intended for display in the school; they are intended not just for the
individual, but for the German program and the entire school to share in the
accomplishments of its students. There
will be no cash prizes.
This promises to be an exciting opportunity to celebrate achievement in the
study of German in Minnesota.
If you have a question or comment, please email at
mthamert@csbsju.edu
. See you soon!
~~ Mark
Thamert and the DeutschFest 2010 Team:
Anita Ratwik, John Linnemann,
Rene Meyer-Grimberg, Dave
Wilke, Sue Sorheim, Beth Kautz, Jae Cody, and Cheryl Wason