The European Union

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Instructor: Carol Mattox

Students: High School

Objective:

Students will learn what the European Union (EU) is by looking at the historical steps that have revitalized European nations as an economic competitor in global trade.

Procedures:

  1. Students will design three illustrated and comprehensive timeline murals to show the chronological and phased development of the EU. Key dates will be imposed on the mural from which students will work. The teacher has organized the timeline in three developmental stages:
    • Economic/Defense Strategy
    • DeGaulle to Euro
    • 1987 Single European Act to Enlargement
  2. Divide students into three groups, one for each phase of time sequence for the development of the EU.
  3. Each group will divide among its members the historical events, treaties, maps, issues, and important people that have been a part of the assigned stage of development of the EU.
  4. Each group member will research and collect illustrated data, photos, maps, charts, or anything to illustrate the major step in the development of the EU. Illustrations should articulate fear, optimism, political, social, or economic advantage, disillusionment, positive gains, or key pivotal points that have facilitated or enabled the EU to move forward with its economic, political, and social agenda for Europe.
  5. Each group will submit a bibliography for the research done by each member. The bibliography should be attached to the mural and represent each group member’s efforts and findings.

Evaluation:

The project will be graded individually and as a group effort. Each individual will receive the following points: