As you walk around the school, you may see the occasional pointy hat and bearded face. Back in the middle of September, this semester’s German 3 class began the beloved gnome project. The project is a staple of the Hempfield World Language Department, similar to the escargot project in French 3. The project deserves a spotlight for its creativity and for the experience it gives to Hempfield German students.
Students start the project by filling out a form about their personality, which gets matched to the personality of one of the gnomes up for adoption. When adoption day comes, a huge ceremony is held in which each student is called up one at a time to receive their gnome. From that point on, the gnomes go everywhere a student goes: the classroom, the cafeteria, home, and the places they go on weekend trips. Along with weekly homework assignments in which you show the recent activities of your gnome, there are multiple fun projects that involve the gnomes, like a Halloween costume contest in October, and designing and constructing a shoebox home for your gnome.
Frau Henrich, the German 3 teacher here at HHS, reveals that the project began as a way to introduce third person to students, since the primary focus of the classes up to German 3 is first person. It serves as a way to teach students new grammar and vocabulary, think about the German language in a creative way, and step out of their comfort zone with the language. The project hasn’t just carried on because it’s practical; it’s also an entertaining approach to get students to interact with their fellow classmates in unique ways. Frau Henrich cites the creativity of the students as her favourite part of the project, and there are plenty of opportunities for each student to express that creativity. Along with the aforementioned costume contest and shoebox house, students get to dress and decorate their gnome, take them on exciting adventures, and come up with new ways for the gnomes to get involved with the class. About a month into the project, students are provided the option to leave their gnomes at school in exchange for a special Gnome Euro. With the gnomes left at the school, they can get up to all sorts of mischief overnight. For example, gnomes may find themselves in awkward love triangles, caught up in a murder trial, or just playing cards with their friends. These antics not only force students to learn new vocabulary, but also to engage in the class.
Overall, the German 3 gnome project is a proven success. Whether getting married or playing hide and seek, the gnomes inject life into what some may find to be a tedious school day. The skills taught through this project are undeniably important, and the method through which they are taught is unique, engaging, and most importantly, fun. All who have participated in the have enjoyed it, and it is sure to be enjoyed for years to come.
