Year 3 – Seven Animals, Seven Days, One Challenge

Learning a new language becomes more meaningful when children can use it to communicate, ask questions, and solve problems.

In Year 3, our German learners have been revisiting numbers and the days of the week, but this time with a new challenge: using their knowledge in simple telephone conversations.

As part of our unit, we explored how to make phone calls in German, ask questions, listen carefully, and exchange information.

To bring this learning to life, the children created their own interactive game. Each student was responsible for designing their own zoo, choosing seven animals and drawing them on cards. Every animal had a busy weekly schedule and was available to meet friends on only one day of the week.

The challenge was to find two animals from different zoos that were available on the same day!

Through playful telephone conversations, the students contacted each other’s zoos, asked about the animals’ availability, and tried to arrange a meeting. To succeed, they needed to listen carefully, share information, and find a day that worked for both animals.

What started as a revision of familiar vocabulary soon became a purposeful communication activity. The children were not simply practising German words and phrases – they were using the language to achieve a goal.

Throughout the activity, our Year 3 learners developed important communication, social, and thinking skills. They practised asking relevant questions, listening to their classmates, cooperating, and using information to solve problems.

Most importantly, they experienced how learning a language can help us connect with others and work together.

After all, successful communication is not just about speaking – it is about listening, understanding, and finding solutions together.

Take a look at our classroom video and see how our Year 3 students brought their zoo conversations to life!