Topic: United in diversity - symbols of the EU

Target group

8th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

8th‑grade students of elementary school

XXXVI. World after World War II. Pupil:

1) characterizes the direct effects of World War II, distinguishing political, social and economic consequences (...);

12) presents the objectives and main stages of the development of the European Union.

General aim of education

Students get acquainted with the symbols of the European Union and their meaning.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• what are the symbols of the European Union and where they came from;

• what is the meaning of the symbols of the Community;

• when Europe Day is celebrated and why it was established.

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

Before classes

1. Students recall the knowledge from the previous lesson (*Droga Polski do Unii Europejskiej*).

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. Referring to the previous lesson *Droga Polski do Unii Europejskiej* and students' knowledge, the teacher asks the students to start a brainstorming session on their associations with the European Union. The teacher's suggestions are written down on the board. The teacher asks the students, which of them immediately recall the name European Union.

Realization

1. The teacher begins the discussion by asking what a symbol is and why it is used for. To help the students, he can refer to Polish national symbols. He then divides the students into six groups and assigns to each one of the symbols of the EU: the EU flag, the EU anthem, the EU motto, the EU passport, the currency and the Europe Day. The task of the groups is to prepare a short presentation about these symbols and present it to the class.

2. Students indicate the countries that were the earliest members of the EU in **Exercise 1**, and then, based on their knowledge, indicate the correct statements (** Exercise 2 **) and match the sides of the coins to the countries to which the symbols on them refer ( ** Exercise 3 **). The teacher takes care of providing the feedback .

Summary

1. Summing up the lesson and explaining the meaning of the EU symbols, the teacher reminds the students how it happened that in just a few years after the end of World War II this revolutionary idea took off (the cooperation of two previously hostile countries – France and Germany). Students get acquainted with the interactive illustration (** Task 1 **). The teacher then asks the students to read the Schuman Declaration. The students also get acquainted with the map showing the process of the European Union's expansion (** Task 2 **) and look for information about the conditions that individual countries had to meet before admission. The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and gives feedback.

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare a self‑assessment questionnaire.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: When joining the European Union, Poland also began using the EU symbols. Think about where you can find Polish and EU national symbols next to each other. What are such places or objects characterized by and what does the presence of these symbols mean?.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

United in diversity - symbols of the EU

In the European integration project, the idea was initially to create transnational economic zones in which the free flow of people, services and capital would be possible, but with full respect for the independence and separateness of the member states (Europe of homelands). Then came ideas of closer integration towards the creation of a European superstate (Homeland Europe). The most important EU country is Germany. The symbols of the EU are the flag, anthem and motto. On the EU flag there are 12 golden stars arranged in a circle on a blue background. The anthem of the EU is „Ode to joy, a fragment of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the text of Friedrich Schiller.” The EU motto is: „united in diversity”.