Topic: Two German states

Target group

8th‑grade students of an elementary school

Core curriculum

XXXVI. World after World War II. Student:

describes the circumstances of the creation of the GDR and Germany;

General aim of education

The student will learn about the specificity of functioning, similarities and differences between the two German states of the GDR / West Germany.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• how the two German states were created after the war.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. Discussing information presented on the timeline. The teacher then divides the class into groups - as many as there are events on the axis. Each team works on one assigned issue, deepening the information contained in the abstract. Then the students present their discussions.

3. The teacher together with the students sums up the current course of classes.

4. Students analyze the illustration and execute Task 2. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

5. Students analyze the gallery of illustrations and execute Task 3. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

6. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

Summary

1. The teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer?
   If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

2. The teacher asks a willing student to summarize the lesson from his point of view. He asks other students if they would like to add anything to their colleague's statements.

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Prepare 5 questions about the area that could be found on the test of the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Two German states

After lost war, the German state was divided by the allies into French, British, American and Soviet occupation zones. They were controlled by the Allied Control Council for Germany (1945) – the highest legislative and administrative body of Germany. However, it soon appeared that there are many disputable issues between the Western States and the USSR concerning the future of Germany.

In the Soviet zone, changes were implemented according to the ones in the Soviet Union – the industry, commerce and banks were nationalised, and the agricultural reform was carried out. The Western States found these steps to violate the agreement and started the process of unification of the German lands under their supervision. In 1947, the British and the American zones were combined together (Bizone), and in 1949 the French zone joined them (Trizone), which was followed by democratic elections to the parliament. In 1949, with the consent of the powers, the parliament announced the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Its first chancellor became Konrad Adenauer. In response to this development, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was created of the Soviet zone in October 1949. It was fully subordinate to the will of Stalin and to his decisions.

In 1955, the FRG, which so far had been supervised by the allied states, was recognised as a sovereign state, the same becoming eligible to join NATO and the Council of Europe. In response to the accession of Western Germany to the military alliance, the Warsaw Pact was created 1955. Its official task was to defend the socialist countries against the threat posed by the American imperialism.

The paths of development of the FRG and the GDR were completely different. Thanks to the financial support (i.a. the Marshall Plan, West Germany (FRG) quickly became a competitive economy, which resulted in high standard of living of its citizens. On the other hand, dependent on the Soviet Union, relying on the Soviet model of planned economy, and deprived of democracy and freedoms GDR remained a poor and economically underdeveloped state, similar to other Eastern Bloc states. A major problem for this state was posed by the escapes of its residents to the FRG, especially in divided Berlin. To remedy this situation, a wall was built that divided the two parts of the city in just one night of 15/16 August 1961.

In 1966, Chancellor Willy Brandt started a new policy. Direct relations were established with the eastern neighbour, the Eastern Bloc States, and then the USSR. The result was the admission of both German States to the UN. Also the borders of Poland on the Oder and the Lusatian Neisse Rivers were recognised. For his political achievements, the German Chancellor received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971.

The breakthrough for the two states was the takeover of power by Mikhail Gorbachev in the USSR and the transformation in Poland in 1989. These events led to the fall of the communism in Europe and the disintegration of the old divisions of the World. In the result conditions were created for the reunification of Germany. Its godfather was the Chancellor of FRG, Helmut Kohl, who finally led to the establishment of a single German state on 3 October 1990.