MONROE - Monroe High School students weren't even born when the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989.
On Tuesday, German class students re-enacted the historic event using dominoes on a large floor map, watched news video of Monday's 20th anniversary of the event and ate cake to celebrate.
Kristin Bansley, said her first- and second-year German language students had no idea what the wall represented.
"It's hard for them to conceive of that idea," she said of the structure that for years separated East Germany from West Germany.
Karen Fowdy, who teaches third- and fourth-year German, said her students expressed great interest in the wall.
"What was exciting (to them) were the attempted escapes," she said.
The curriculum on the Berlin Wall was a long course of study, Fowdy said. Students put together large wall hangings with pictures depicting a timeline since World War II.
Paisley Bennett, a senior in advanced German, discovered the monetary system and currency in Germany changed three to four times since 1989 because of the economy.
Today, Germany uses the Euro, which helped stabilize the country, she said.
Bennett said she was not surprised to learn Germany was divided.
"Four or five countries wanted the little country," Bennett said. "It's only about the size of Wisconsin."
Bennett writes to Johanna, 16, who lives in Germany. Bennett said they both like to read, and to listen to some of the same music, including Peter Fox, a Berlin-based musician.
Eli Rucker, 17, said German is an old language with a lot of history.As a student in Advanced German, he believes the rejoining of Germany also unified the culture.
"The economy in East Germany, when the county was divided, was hard on citizens, because they had to fill the gap that the government couldn't," he said.
Rucker said the government used special medals and awards to promote work.
About 20 students in the German Club will be going to Germany in March.
Fowdy lived in Berlin for three years before the wall came down, and was able to go cross through the Berlin Wall easily because of her American visa.
"You forgot the wall was there," she said of living in the city of 2.5 million. "You just went about your business, and people adapted."
On Tuesday, German class students re-enacted the historic event using dominoes on a large floor map, watched news video of Monday's 20th anniversary of the event and ate cake to celebrate.
Kristin Bansley, said her first- and second-year German language students had no idea what the wall represented.
"It's hard for them to conceive of that idea," she said of the structure that for years separated East Germany from West Germany.
Karen Fowdy, who teaches third- and fourth-year German, said her students expressed great interest in the wall.
"What was exciting (to them) were the attempted escapes," she said.
The curriculum on the Berlin Wall was a long course of study, Fowdy said. Students put together large wall hangings with pictures depicting a timeline since World War II.
Paisley Bennett, a senior in advanced German, discovered the monetary system and currency in Germany changed three to four times since 1989 because of the economy.
Today, Germany uses the Euro, which helped stabilize the country, she said.
Bennett said she was not surprised to learn Germany was divided.
"Four or five countries wanted the little country," Bennett said. "It's only about the size of Wisconsin."
Bennett writes to Johanna, 16, who lives in Germany. Bennett said they both like to read, and to listen to some of the same music, including Peter Fox, a Berlin-based musician.
Eli Rucker, 17, said German is an old language with a lot of history.As a student in Advanced German, he believes the rejoining of Germany also unified the culture.
"The economy in East Germany, when the county was divided, was hard on citizens, because they had to fill the gap that the government couldn't," he said.
Rucker said the government used special medals and awards to promote work.
About 20 students in the German Club will be going to Germany in March.
Fowdy lived in Berlin for three years before the wall came down, and was able to go cross through the Berlin Wall easily because of her American visa.
"You forgot the wall was there," she said of living in the city of 2.5 million. "You just went about your business, and people adapted."