The European Union

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Instructor: Christine Aurelio

Students: 7th grade (World Geography)

Objectives:

  1. Students will become familiar with the concept of the European Union (EU).
  2. Students will be introduced to the advantages and disadvantages of the EU.
  3. Students will navigate the EU website and find areas of interest related to the EU.

Materials:

Computers with reliable Internet access

Procedures:

  1. Begin the lesson by telling students that the school rules have changed. Hand out the new rules (PDF). Wait for their reactions before explaining that this is just for discussion purposes.
  2. Discuss the problems that these new rules would create. Have students create a Venn diagram of the old rules versus the new rules.
  3. As a class, look at a world map and discuss the differences between the seven continents (their size, countries, terrain). Question students as to how this may affect people’s lives within these countries and traveling within the continent.
  4. In groups, students could choose one continent and make another Venn diagram comparing Europe to their continent of choice (excluding Australia and Antarctica).
  5. After the activity, lead a group discussion. Students will most likely determine that travel amongst European countries is relatively easy compared with other continents. Discuss the reasons why this would not necessarily be true (borders, money, laws, language, etc.).
  6. Use a chapter in a World Geography textbook on Europe to teach a few short lessons on the countries, land, and people of Europe. At the end, introduce and discuss the concept and initiation of the EU.
  7. Read the Raspberry Ice Cream War, a comic published by the European Commission in 1998, together as a class and discuss the book.
  8. Have students, in pairs, log onto the Internet and use the EU website [http://europa.eu.int/citizens] to learn more information about the EU.
  9. Have each pair choose two countries: one that is already a EU member and one that is not. Have them research the differences between the two countries.
  10. Ask students to make predictions on why that country is not in the EU and whether they will be in the future. Ask them to consider what would need to change in order for the country to be allowed entrance into the EU.

Evaluation:

Have students present their research to the rest of the class. Each group should have an overhead chart showing facts of each country and some type of handout that gives an overview of their presentation.