Let's Explore Modern Germany: Inquiry Edition

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY INQUIRY EDITION Instructional Strategies for Middle School Educators

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Instructional Strategies for Middle School Educators

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A PUBLIC/PRIVATE Partnership

TOP

Inquiry Edition Authors: Curtis Anderson / Andrea Lance / Jacqueline Littlefield / Lisa Nicolaus

TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

LET‘S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY INQUIRY EDITION Instructional Strategies for Middle School Educators AUTHORS: Curtis Anderson Andrea Lance Jacqueline Littlefield Lisa Nicolaus

© Copyright 2022 Goethe-Institut Transatlantic Outreach Program Goethe-Institut Washington 1377 R Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC, 20009 USA www.goethe.de/top top@goethe.de

@topteachgermany

AUTHOR INTRODUCTION Since the first edition of this book was published in 2013, Germany has experienced some significant events. These include an influx of immigrants and refugees, a political surge among populists, geopolitical instability both in and outside of the European Union, the “Fridays for Future” climate movement, demands for closer examination of Germany’s colonial history, the Covid-19 global pandemic, and the end of Angela Merkel’s four-term, sixteen-year chancellorship. The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) is pleased to highlight some of these events in this “Inquiry Edition” of Let’s Explore Modern Germany.

Let’s Explore Modern Germany: Inquiry Edition is designed to provide middle school educators of social studies subjects with comprehensive inquiries on Germany — historical and contemporary — that can be easily integrated into pre-existing curricula as a means of comparison and contrast. This textbook is organized into four focus sections:

• • • •

Geography History Contemporary German Society Sustainability

Inquiries are designed using the Inquiry Design Model (IDM), which focuses on the main elements of the instructional design process as envisioned in the C3 Inquiry Arc Framework for Social Studies State Standards. Each inquiry poses a compelling question for students to answer by constructing an evidence-based argument. Supporting questions and formative performance tasks provide students with “a series of learning experiences that enable students to demonstrate their knowledge of content, concepts, and skills that are needed to produce clear, coherent, and evidence-based arguments”.1 The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework emphasizes the acquisition and application of knowledge to prepare students for college, career, and civic life. It intentionally envisions social studies instruction as an inquiry arc of interlocking and mutually reinforcing elements that speak to the intersection of ideas and learners. “The Four Dimensions…center on the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, deepen investigations, acquire rigorous content, and apply knowledge and ideas in real world settings to become active and engaged citizens in the 21st century.”22 Students in North American schools need to know far more about Germany and the European Union than can be learned from a few paragraphs in a typical history textbook. This is because the transatlantic partnership has been a pillar of world peace – and economic prosperity – for over 70 years since the end of the World War II. The successes of the transatlantic partnership has arguably set the stage for the society that students will enter as professionals and global citizens. Let’s Explore Modern Germany: Inquiry Edition is designed to provide educators with a rich selection of inquiries to challenge their students and to better prepare them for college (or an apprenticeship), career, civic life, and environmental stewardship.

We dedicate this book to the enduring transatlantic partnership and to those who have dedicated their life to perseverance for the sake of education, such as Holocaust survivor and time witness Margot Friedlander. Finally, we dedicate this book to our public and private partners who make TOP possible and to the over 1,700 TOP study tour alumni whose lesson plans inspired its content.

—The TOP Team

1 2

Swan, K., Lee, J., Grant, S.G. Inquiry Design Model: Building Inquiries in Social Studies. National Council for the Social Studies and C3 Teachers, 2018.

The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. National Council for the Social Studies, https://www.socialstudies.org/c3.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: • • • • • •

Dr. Thomas Davey for kindly providing the text and drawings from his book A Generation Divided in Inquiry 2.5 Lie Detectors – for providing us with the worksheet challenge in Inquiry 3.1 Patricia Montbrun-Löffler for proving the apprentice interviews in Inquiry 3.3 PONS GmbH for generously sharing their political and topographical Klett-Perthes maps of Germany and Europe The United Nations for kindly providing the introduction for the teacher’s background in Inquiry 4.3 on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals Authors of the first edition of Let’s Explore Modern Germany: Gerrit C. Book, Steven A. Goldberg, and Kim D. O’Neil

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT: • Julie and Ryan Scheife, Mayfly Design – Minneapolis, MN EDITORS: • Teresa Barensfeld, Prof-Edit – Chatham, NY • Jaqueline Littlefield – Saco, ME • Lisa Nicolaus – Washington, DC • Jennifer Windell – Washington, DC PROJECT MANAGERS: • Lisa Nicolaus – Washington, DC • Wood Powell – Washington, DC • Jennifer Windell – Washington, DC

TABLE OF CONTENTS GEOGRAPHY 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

Geography of Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Climate Zones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A Road Trip Across Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Germany and Its Nine Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Geography‘s Role in the Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13 18 23 28 33

HISTORY 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7

Using Timelines to Explore Patterns in History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

German Colonialism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Holocaust Memorialization in Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Code Name: Operation Vittles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New Germans – New Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Everyday Inventions and German Ingenuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38 43 50 56 61 67 73

CONTEMPORARY GERMAN SOCIETY 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8

Controlling Fake News in Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 School – The German Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Learning Day by Day – The German Apprenticeship Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Schools Without Racism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Youth Activism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Graffiti and Political Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Women in Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Eat Across Germany: An Exploration of German Cuisine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

SUSTAINABILITY 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4

Grünes Band Deutschland – Germany’s Green Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Living Sustainably . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Taking Action – The Sustainable Development Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Technology and Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

118 123 129 134

INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE CONTENT STRUCTURE SUMMARY FOR EDUCATORS The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) curriculum is designed to support educators and engage students throughout North America.

Let’s Explore Modern Germany: Inquiry Edition for middle school educators is aligned with C3 National Council for Social Studies Curriculum Standards and Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, and the NCSS Thematic Strands. Using the Inquiry Design Model, inquiries include instructional strategies for individual and collaborative learning, complex thinking skills, and literacy standards: reading, writing, researching, listening, speaking, and taking actions. Focus Areas include Geography, History, Contemporary German Society, and Sustainability. A summary of the key instructional components featured in Let’s Explore Modern Germany: Inquiry Edition are as follows:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Blueprint: One-page representation of the questions, tasks, and sources for the inquiry Standards: Inquiries align with C3 Framework, the NCSS Thematic Strands and Common Core Standards indexes Compelling Question: Overarching question that frames the inquiry Inquiry Overview: Description of the inquiry Teacher Background Information: In-depth information on the inquiry topic Instructional Resources: Resources to guide teachers and students through each formative performance task (all handouts are available at www.goethe.de/top/letsexplore) Supporting Questions: Contribute knowledge and insights to the inquiry behind the compelling question Formative Performance Tasks: Activities designed to help students practice the skills and acquire the content needed to perform well on the summative task Summative Performance Task: Asks students to construct an evidence-based argument that addresses the compelling question Extension: Offers students opportunities to connect across the curriculum, communicate what they have learned, and express themselves in different modalities Taking Informed Action: Activities that ask students to understand the topic; assess the relevance and impact of the issues; act in ways that demonstrates an understanding in a real-world context

We are confident that this latest instructional guide from the TOP will help you on your journey to create a classroom learning environment that can “span continents” and help foster informed global citizens. Should these materials inspire you to take a leadership role in your school or district, then we invite you to request more information about leading a TOP workshop in addition to fully funded study tours to Germany by visiting TOP online at www.goethe.de/top or via your favorite social media platform @topteachgermany.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: THEMATIC STRANDS INDEX STANDARD #1 – CULTURE Inquiries:

1.3

2.2

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

2.7

4.1

4.3

4.4

3.7

3.8

STANDARD #2 – TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE Inquiries:

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

STANDARD #3 – PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS Inquiries:

1.1

1.2

1.4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

STANDARD #4 – INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY Inquiries:

1.3

1.4

STANDARD #5 – INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS Inquiries:

1.4

4.3

STANDARD #6 – POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE Inquiries:

1.4

1.5

3.1

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.7

STANDARD #7 – PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION Inquiry:

1.5

STANDARD #8 – SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY Inquiries:

3.1

4.2

4.4

STANDARD #9 – GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Inquiries:

1.5

2.6

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

STANDARD #10 – CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES Inquiries:

2.6

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.5

3.6

4.3

COMMON CORE STANDARDS (ABBREVIATED) LESSON ALIGNMENT INDEX Reading Standards in Literacy – History / Social Studies 6-12 Key Idea and Details RH/SS.1 – cite specific textual evidence to support conclusions Inquiries: 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 4.2 RH/SS.2 – Determine and summarize central ideas and themes or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary Inquiries: 1.3, 1.4, 2.3, 2.6, 2.7 RH/SS.3 – analyze text related individuals, events or ideas Inquiries: 2.2, 2.5, 4.4

Craft and Structure RH/SS.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases Inquiries: 1.1, 1.4, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 RH/SS.5 – Describe how a text presents information Inquiry: 1.4

Integration and Knowledge of Ideas RH/SS.7 – Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats/media Inquiries: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 RH/SS.8 – Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text Inquiry: 1.2 RH/SS.9 – analyze and/or compare primary/secondary source materials Inquiries: 2.4, 2.5, 2.7

Range of Reading and Level of Complexity RH/SS.10 – read and comprehend literary and informational texts Inquiries: 2.4, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

Writing Standards for Literacy in History / Social Studies 6-12 Research to Build and Present Knowledge WH/SS.7 – conduct research based on focus question(s) Inquiries: 2.4, 2.7 WH/SS.8 – Gather relevant information Inquiries: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

WH/SS.9 – Draw evidence from literary and informational texts Inquiry: 2.3

Speaking and Listening for Literacy in History / Social Studies 6-12 Comprehension and Collaboration SL.1 – Prepare and participate in a range of collaborations and/or conversations Inquiries: 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 4.1

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas SL.4 – Present information and supporting Inquiries: 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 4.2

FOCUS 1

1.1 Geography of Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

1.1 GEOGRAPHY OF GERMANY What can physical land features reveal about the geographic patterns found in a country?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.1.3-5. Construct maps and other graphic representations of both familiar and unfamiliar places.

D2.Geo.6.3-5. Describe how environmental and cultural characteristics influence population distribution in specific places or regions.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What are Germany’s physical land features?

Formative Performance Task Using various maps, student pairs will identify Germany‘s nine neighbors, its Länder, major water sources, landforms, and cities.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 1.1.1 Source B: Handout 1.1.2 Source C: Germany Physical Map Source D: Political Map of Europe Source E: Political Map of Germany

Students will become familiar with the primary location of Germany and German states; its location on the European continent and with surrounding nations; the location of major water and landforms; and what geographic patterns can be found in relation to major cities and landforms or water.

How do physical land features impact where people choose to live?

Formative Performance Task Using maps, student pairs will complete the Germany Map Challenge.

Featured Sources

Supporting Question 3 What physical land features make a region most habitable?

Formative Performance Task Students will examine their completed maps and discuss patterns of human settlement based on the topography.

Where would they like to live?

Featured Sources

Source A: Completed Outline Map of Germany

Source A: Completed Outline Map of Germany

Source B: Handout 1.1.3

Source B: Political Map of Germany

Source C: Handout 1.1.4 Source D: Germany Population Density Map Source E: Political Map of Germany

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Have students write a letter or postcard to a friend or family member that explains some of the physical land features that surround their new home and potential activities associated with them. Their goal is to persuade their friend or family to move there as well.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Know the physical features in your area so that you can better understand your community, its demographics, and the local economy.

Assess: Determine if a geocaching club exists in your area.

Act: Join or create a geocaching club that will encourage interest in the physical environment.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.1 Geography of Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

What can physical land features reveal about the geographic patterns in a country?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will become familiar with the primary location of Germany and German states (Länder); its location on the European continent and with surrounding nations; the location of major water and landforms; and geographic patterns in relation to major cities and landforms/water.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Germany (officially, The Federal Republic of Germany) is situated in the heart of Europe and is bordered by Denmark on the north; Poland and the Czech Republic on the east; Austria and Switzerland on the south; and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands on the west.

Germany has coastlines on the North and Baltic Seas on the north. The northern part of the country is mostly flat, and the terrain is hilly in central and southern Germany. The Alps run along the border with Austria; the rugged Black Forest lies in the southwest; the Bohemian Forest is along the Czech border. Major rivers include the Rhine in the west, the Danube in the south, the Elbe and Weser in the North, and the Oder in the east. In area, Germany is the sixth largest country in Europe, and the fourth largest in the European Union (EU). Its territory encompasses roughly 357,581 square kilometers or 138,062 square miles. As of the end of 2019, 50.7 percent of the country’s area was arable (an increase of 27 percent since 1990); 29.8 percent was covered with forests; 14.4 percent comprised urban areas; 2.3 percent consisted of surface water, and 2.8 percent was devoted to other uses.

Politically, Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states or Länder. The territory of former East Germany (divided into five new Länder in 1990) constitutes almost one-third of united Germany’s territory and one-fifth of its population. In 1990, Berlin became the capital of Germany once again, and in 1999 it became the official seat of government. The twelve most densely populated cities in Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Dortmund, Essen, Bremen, and Dresden.

After reunification in 1990, Germany became a founding member of the EU and has the largest population (approximately 83 million people) in the EU. Germany is home to the world’s fourth largest economy, and it is one of the largest exporters of goods to other parts of the world. ➤ Sources

• • • •

14

BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V. (2020). Wiesen und Weiden in Bayern - Wichtig für Mensch und Natur. https://www. bund-naturschutz.de/natur-und-landschaft/wiesen-und-weiden-in-bayern.

Facts about Germany. (2021). https://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en.

Statistisches Bundesamt. (2019). Daten aus dem Gemeindeverzeichnis Städte in Deutschland nach Fläche, Bevölkerung, und Bevölkerungsdichte. https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Laender-Regionen/Regionales/Gemeindeverzeichnis/ Administrativ/05-staedte.html.

Umweltbundesamt. (2019) Struktur der Flächennutzung. https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/daten/ flaeche-boden-land-oekosysteme/flaeche/struktur-der-flaechennutzung#die-wichtigsten-flachennutzungen.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.1 Geography of Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

TIME: One to two 45-minute periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • •

Blank Outline Map of Germany (Handout 1.1.1) Map Fill-In Instruction Sheet (Handout 1.1.2) Germany Map Challenge: Physical Features and Population Density (Handout 1.1.3) Germany Map Challenge: Physical Features and Population Density Answer Key (Handout 1.1.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore freeworldmaps.net. Germany Physical Map. Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps. net/europe/germany/map.html. vividmaps.com. (2021). Germany Population Density. https://vividmaps.com/germany-is-still-divided-by-east-and-west/ germany-population-density-2/. freeworldmaps.net. Political Map of Europe. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ political.html. mapsofworld.com. (2015). Political Map of Germany. https://www.mapsofworld.com/germany/germany-political-map.html.

Sticky notes TUBS. (November 30, 2011). Relief Map of Germany. Wikipedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_ Map_of_Germany.svg.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Option 1: Display images of different ecosystems (desert, rainforest, coastline, plain, etc.). Students should answer the following:

• •

Which area would be the best place to live?

What makes you say that?

Option 2: Divide students into small groups. Each group should rank the ecosystems displayed from most to least livable.

Each group must explain their rankings.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are Germany’s physical land features? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using the Political Map of Europe, student pairs identify the nine nations that are Germany’s neighbors and label each on their own Blank Outline Map of Germany (Handout 1.1.1).

Using the Political Map of Germany and the Germany Physical Map, the student pairs should label each German Land and locate and label the major water sources, landforms, and cities in Germany on their own Handout 1.1.1, as listed on the Map Fill-In Instruction Sheet (Handout 1.1.2). ➤ Resources

• • • • •

Blank Outline Map of Germany (Handout 1.1.1) Map Fill-In Instruction Sheet (Handout 1.1.2) freeworldmaps.net. Germany Physical Map. Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ germany/map.html. freeworldmaps.net. Political Map of Europe. Retrieved April 2, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/political.html. mapsofworld.com. (2015). Political Map of Germany. https://www.mapsofworld.com/germany/germany-political-map.html.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.1 Geography of Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How do physical land features impact where people choose to live? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using the Population Density Map, the Political Map of Germany, and the completed Handout 1.1.1, student pairs will complete the Germany Map Challenge (Handout 1.1.3).

Note: Based on student learning needs, the teacher should model how to complete questions on the map challenge worksheet. As students become more familiar with how to answer questions on the map challenge, they can begin to work independently or in pairs. ➤ Resources

• • • • •

Completed Outline Map of Germany (Handout 1.1.1) from Formative Performance Task 1 Germany Map Challenge: Physical Features and Population Density (Handout 1.1.3) Germany Map Challenge: Physical Features and Population Density Answer Key (Handout 1.1.4) vividmaps.com. (2021). Germany Population Density. https://vividmaps.com/germany-is-still-divided-by-east-and-west/ germany-population-density-2/. mapsofworld.com. (2015). Political Map of Germany. https://www.mapsofworld.com/germany/germany-political-map.html.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What physical land features make a region the most habitable? ➤ Formative Performance Task Ask students to examine their completed maps (Handout 1.1.1) with a partner, and discuss what the patterns of human settlement might be based on the topography. What issues might arise from these human–environmental relationships? For example, why are there fewer major cities located in mountainous areas? What human-made settlements might be located in these areas?

Display the Political Map of Germany. Give each student a sticky note and ask them to write down where they would live and why, based on the physical land features in Germany. Have students place their sticky notes on the map. ➤ Resources

• • •

Completed Outline Map of Germany (Handout 1.1.1) from Formative Performance Task 1 mapsofworld.com. (2015). Political Map of Germany. https://www.mapsofworld.com/germany/germany-political-map.html.

Sticky notes

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What can physical land features reveal about the geographic patterns found in a country?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.1 Geography of Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Tell students to imagine that they have moved to a city in Germany. Have students write a letter or postcard to a friend or family member that explains some of the physical land features that surround their new home and potential activities associated with them. Their goal is to persuade their friend or family to move there as well.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Know the physical features in your area so that you can better understand your community, its demographics, and the local economy.

Assess: Determine if a geocaching club exists in your area.

Act: Join or create a geocaching club that will foster interest in the physical environment.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • • •

Physical land features Population density (urban vs. rural) Map skills Atlas Mountains

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

• • • • •

Rivers Plateau Land/Länder Border Political boundaries

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

• • • • •

Habitable Ecosystem Topography Demographics Arable

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FOCUS 1

1.2 Climate Zones

FOCUS 1 – Geography

1.2 CLIMATE ZONES What do climate patterns across Germany and its neighbors reveal about natural environments in those regions?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.2.6-8. Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.

D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar to and different from other places.

D2.Geo.8.6-8. Analyze how relationships between humans and environments extend or contract spatial patterns of settlement and movement.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What can the latitude and longitude of a place reveal about the climate?

Formative Performance Task Students will find the latitude and longitude of each city listed in the handout. Students will then list the climate zone of each city on the chart.

Featured Sources

After reviewing the concepts of latitude and longitude, students will apply their understanding by using the coordinates on a map to find various locations across Germany and explain the climate zones.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

How does exploring latitude, longitude, climate, and vegetation enhance our understanding of a region?

Formative Performance Task Using the resources, students will complete the Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors.

Featured Sources

How does climate impact the way people interact or adapt to their environment?

Formative Performance Task Students will use sticky note clues and maps to find the country being described in the handout.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 1.2.1

Source A: Handout 1.2.3

Source A: Handout 1.2.5

Source B: Handout 1.2.2

Source B: Handout 1.2.4

Source B: Handout 1.2.6

Source C: Germany Climate Zones Map

Source C: Germany Latitude Longitude Map

Source C: Handout 1.2.7

Source D: Germany Latitude Longitude Map

Source D: Germany Climate Zones

Source D: Europe Latitude Longitude Map Source E: Major Climate Regions of Europe

Source E: Major Climate Regions of Europe

Source F: Vegetation Zones - Europe

Source F: Vegetation Zones - Europe Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Expand on the Map Challenge or increase the rigor by adding scenario-type questions that incorporate comparisons of climate with physical land features into the questions.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Learning about the environmental factors of a region is vital to learning how people live in that region.

Assess: Explore environmental features—climate, vegetation, crops—in your state.

Act: Create a display (e.g., a map) that illustrates the impact of climate and vegetation on how people live in your state.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.2 Climate Zones

FOCUS 1 – Geography

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

What do climate patterns across Germany and its neighbors reveal about natural environments in those regions?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW After reviewing the concepts of latitude and longitude, students will apply their understanding by using the coordinates on a map to find various locations across Germany and compare those locations with Germany’s neighbors. Their comprehension will be further challenged in an activity designed to use higher-level thinking skills through a Map Challenge activity.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Latitude and longitude help us to identify the absolute location of places. The basics of latitude and longitude in this inquiry will be useful in determining where places are located in Germany, as well as the environmental factors that influence its climate. The Equator is the line of 0º latitude. Each parallel measures 1° north or south of the Equator, with 90º north of the Equator and 90º south of the Equator. Latitude is the most significant factor when assessing the condition of a location‘s climate. Longitude (meridians) are measures which run north or south, converging at the north and south poles.

The 0º line of longitude (prime meridian) passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. Longitude lines run from 0º to 180º east, and from 0º to 180º west.

Situated in Western Europe, Germany has a temperate climate with cool winters and warm summers. Daily average temperatures in the summer range between 72 and 77°F (22 and 25°C), and between 27 and 40°F (−3 and 4°C) in the winter months.

From the high elevations in the Alps in the south of the country, the landscape flattens to a vast plain, known as the North German Plain, which sprawls out all the way to the Baltic and North Seas. In the coastal areas, as well as the western regions, an oceanic climate is predominant. Cities in the north, like Hamburg, Bremen, and Rostock, are rainier than those in the south, but also enjoy milder temperatures in the winter due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the North Atlantic Current.

The eastern and central regions in Germany display a continental climate. Southern Länder bordering the Alps, like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, have a mountainous or alpine climate. Though they have warmer summers, their winters can be more unpredictable with cold air from the north and east as well as more regular snowfall. Extremely high or low temperatures are rare, though in the summer of 2019 the temperatures soared to 108°F (42°C).

Germany can be divided into three broad natural regions: the North German Plain, the Central Uplands, and the Alps. Vegetation varies, with forests being more abundant in the south, and salt marshes and reed beds in the north. The coast is home to wading birds and other sea life, whereas the mountains and forests are home to boar, ibex, and wildcats.

In comparison to other countries in the European Union (EU), like Spain and Italy, Germany is less rich in biodiversity. Over 50 percent of Germany’s land is used for agricultural purposes (such as growing crops and farming), about 15 percent of its territory is built-up land (residential, commercial, industrial buildings), and around 30 percent of the land is covered in deciduous broadleaf forests. Of these forests, 90 percent are made up of only eleven types of trees. The most common species of trees are the European Spruce, European Red Pine, European Beech, and Sessile Oak. The proportion of deciduous trees is slightly lower than that of conifers. The most well-known forest in Germany is the Black Forest.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.2 Climate Zones

FOCUS 1 – Geography

➤ Sources

• •

Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung. (2021). Baumarten in Deutschland. https://tinyurl.com/3jut5v6d.

DeStatis. (2021). Land Use Germany. https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economic-Sectors-Enterprises/ Agriculture-Forestry-Fisheries/Land-Use/_node.html.

TIME: One or two 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • •

German Cities Worksheet (Handout 1.2.1) German Cities Worksheet Answer Key (Handout 1.2.2) Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors (Handout 1.2.3) Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors Answer Key (Handout 1.2.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Sticky Note Clues (Handout 1.2.5) Sticky Note Clues Answer Key (Handout 1.2.6) Sticky Note Template (Handout 1.2.7) Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Major Climate Regions of Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica. com/place/Europe/images-videos#/media/1/195686/228157.

Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Vegetation Zones – Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/ place/Europe/Plant-life#/media/1/195686/145418.

European Commission. (n.d.). Germany Climate Zones. [PDF]. https://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/media/filer_public/a4/0c/ a40caba9-1269-4b23-817f-594b81149ee5/deu_climate.pdf.

MapsofWorld.Com. (2020, February 21). Europe Latitude Longitude Map. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www. mapsofworld.com/lat_long/europe.html.

MapsofWorld.Com. (2020, February 25). Germany Latitude Longitude Map. https://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/ germany-lat-long.

• • • •

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Display the climate zone map of Germany and tell students to imagine that they are taking a trip. Briefly describe what type of climate each color represents and/or give a general overview of the different types of climate in Germany. Ask students to select an area they would like to visit and to write down five or six clothing items they would need to pack for their trip and why they would need those items of clothing. This can lead to a further discussion about the importance of understanding a region’s climate. ➤ Resources

•

European Commission. (n.d.). Germany Climate Zones. [PDF]. https://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/media/filer_public/a4/0c/ a40caba9-1269-4b23-817f-594b81149ee5/deu_climate.pdf.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What can the latitude and longitude of a place reveal about the climate? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using the German Cities Worksheet (Handout 1.2.1), students should find the latitude and longitude of each city listed, or if the latitude and longitude are already provided, find the corresponding city. Teachers should model how to locate latitude and longitude to find cities, and vice versa.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.2 Climate Zones

FOCUS 1 – Geography

Students should then list the climate zone of each city on the chart. If time allows, hold a follow-up discussion about climate patterns across Germany. ➤ Resources

• • • •

German Cities Worksheet (Handout 1.2.1) German Cities Worksheet Answer Key (Handout 1.2.2) European Commission. (n.d.). Germany Climate Zones. [PDF]. https://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/media/filer_public/a4/0c/ a40caba9-1269-4b23-817f-594b81149ee5/deu_climate.pdf.

MapsofWorld.Com. (2020, February 25). Germany Latitude Longitude Map. https://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/ germany-lat-long.html.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How does exploring latitude, longitude, climate, and vegetation enhance our understanding of a region? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using an atlas or the maps listed in resources that show the latitude, longitude, and climate zones for Germany or Europe, students, either independently or in pairs or groups, should complete the Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors (Handout 1.2.3).

Based on the students’ learning needs, the teacher may model how to complete questions on the Map Challenge worksheet. ➤ Resources

• • • • • •

Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors (Handout 1.2.3) Map Challenge: Climate Zones of Germany and Neighbors Answer Key (Handout 1.2.4) Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Major Climate Regions of Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica. com/place/Europe/images-videos#/media/1/195686/228157.

Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Vegetation Zones – Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/ place/Europe/Plant-life#/media/1/195686/145418.

European Commission. (n.d.). Germany Climate Zones. [PDF]. https://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/media/filer_public/a4/0c/ a40caba9-1269-4b23-817f-594b81149ee5/deu_climate.pdf.

MapsofWorld.Com. (2020, February 25). Germany Latitude Longitude Map. https://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/ germany-lat-long.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How does climate impact the way people interact or adapt to their environment? ➤ Formative Performance Task Use the Sticky Notes Clues (Handout 1.2.5) to print sticky notes for each student with clues about the different types of climate and vegetation found across Europe. If needed, use the Sticky Note Template (Handout 1.2.7) to add more clues.

Give each student a Sticky Note Clue from Handout 1.2.5. Display the Europe Latitude Longitude Map. Using the maps listed in resources, students should find the country that is described in their clue and place their sticky notes appropriately.

If time allows, lead a discussion about the ways people might live in or adapt to their country based on environmental factors.

Note: Some clues may have more than one correct placement on the map.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.2 Climate Zones

FOCUS 1 – Geography

➤ Resources

• • • •

Sticky Note Clues (Handout 1.2.5) Sticky Note Clues Answer Key (Handout 1.2.6) Sticky Note Template (Handout 1.2.7) Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Major Climate Regions of Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica. com/place/Europe/images-videos#/media/1/195686/228157.

Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Vegetation Zones – Europe. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/ place/Europe/Plant-life#/media/1/195686/145418.

MapsofWorld.Com. (2020, February 21). Europe Latitude Longitude Map. Retrieved January 15, 2021, from https://www. mapsofworld.com/lat_long/europe.html.

• •

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What do climate patterns across Germany and its neighbors reveal about natural environments in those regions?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Expand on the Map Challenge or increase the rigor by adding scenario-type questions that incorporate comparisons of climate with physical land features into the questions. Consider adding scenario-type questions to the Map Challenge that mimic those found in the Formative Performance Task 3.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Learning about the environmental factors of a region is vital to learning how people live in that region.

Assess: Explore environmental features—climate, vegetation, crops—in your state.

Act: Create a display (e.g., a map) that illustrates the impact of climate and vegetation on how people live in your state.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • • • • • •

22

Climate Subclimate Vegetation and plant life Human environment interaction and adaptation Borders Political boundaries Longitude Latitude

• • • • • • • • •

Region Temperate Oceanic Continental Alpine Biodiversity Deciduous Subarctic Polar tundra

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

• • • • • • •

Highland Subtropical Tundra Boreal forest Steppe Peninsula Shrubland

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.3 Road Trip Across Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

1.3 ROAD TRIP ACROSS GERMANY How can geographic features and human-made landmarks provide insights into a country‘s unique cultural history?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar to and different from other places.

D2.Geo.10.6-8. Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1 What are some of the unique geographic features that define each German Land?

Formative Performance Task Students will review the Länder of Germany before researching geographic features in the Land (state) that was assigned to them.

Featured Sources

Students will research German Länder (states) and develop a travel itinerary to visit wellknown German human-made landmarks and geographic features of their choice.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What are some of the unique humanmade landmarks that define each German Land?

What do the patterns in the geographic features and human-made landmarks that you see tell you about Germany?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

For this Artful Thinking activity, choose and display an image of a famous humanmade landmark in Germany and ask students the provided questions before they do their own research.

Students will analyze and discuss geographic and cultural patterns. Next students will plan their trip across Germany by completing the My Travel Itinerary: Germany handout.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 1.3.2

Source A: Handout 1.3.3

Source A: Handout 1.3.5

Source B: Handout 1.3.3

Source B: Handout 1.3.4

Source B: Handout 1.3.6

Source C: Kids Learning Tube

Source C: Artful Thinking

Source C: Euro vs. Dollar

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Research and create a travel poster promoting tourism.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Frequently, a region or state has been influenced by landmarks that are unique to the area.

Assess: Research unique landmarks in your area.

Act: To foster interest in these landmarks, sponsor a “Landmark Day” to encourage classmates to learn about some overlooked yet vital cultural landmarks in their state.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.3 Road Trip Across Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How can geographic features and human-made landmarks provide insights into a country‘s unique cultural history?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will research German Länder (states) and develop a travel itinerary to visit well-known German human-made landmarks and geographic features of their choice.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Each Land (state) in Germany has unique geographic features and human-made landmarks.

The flat plain of northern Germany is home to countless lakes, marshes, and estuaries. The region is drained by a vast network of rivers such as the Rhine, Ems, Weser, Elbe, and Oder. Due to its long coastline, northern Germany also has major ports in Bremen and Hamburg. The Länder located in northern Germany are Lower-Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, and Brandenburg. The largest cities of northern Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Schwerin, Potsdam, Hanover, Kiel, and Magdeburg. Famous geographic features and human-made landmarks include the Wadden Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea, the Mecklenburg Lake Plateau, the Spree, the Weser, the Brandenburg Gate, the Elbphilharmonie, the Reichstag, and Bremen Roland.

The central region of Germany is marked by low mountain ranges such as the Eifel, the Ore, and the Harz. Here the Main River flows east to west and empties into the Rhine. Länder in the central region are North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Hesse, Thuringia, and Saxony. The major cities are Düsseldorf, Wiesbaden, Cologne, Bonn, Erfurt, Dresden, and Leipzig.

Famous geographic features and landmarks include the Bastei, the Cologne Cathedral, the Lorelei, the Rhein, and the Brocken.

Southern Germany is known for its mountainous landscape and its vast forests. The Zugspitze is the highest point in Germany at an elevation of 9,718 feet (2,962 meters). The Swabian Jura is famous for its rich archeological finds such as the Lion-man.

Länder include Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The largest cities are Munich, Stuttgart, Nürnberg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Augsburg. Among the most famous human-made landmarks and geographic features are the Alps, Lake Constance, the Danube, the Black Forest, and the Walhalla Memorial.

TIME: Two or three 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • 24

Berlin Landmarks Game (PowerPoint 1.3) Vocabulary Square (Handout 1.3.1) Länder: Geographic Features (Handout 1.3.2) Political Map of Germany (Handout 1.3.3) Länder: Human-Made Landmarks (Handout 1.3.4) Souvenir and Food Price List (Handout 1.3.5) My Travel Itinerary: Germany (Handout 1.3.6) “Berlin in Motion Timelapse.” Vimeo, uploaded by photohod on 12 January 2012, https://vimeo.com/35082497.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

• • • • • • •

FOCUS 1

1.3 Road Trip Across Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

Diffen. (n.d.). Euro vs U.S. Dollar. https://www.diffen.com/difference/Euro_vs_US_Dollar.

D-maps.com. (n.d.). Map Germany Bundesrepublik Deutschland. https://d-maps.com/carte.php?num_car=4692&lang=en.

German National Tourist Board. (n.d.). Germany Simply Inspiring. https://www.germany.travel/en/home.html.

Google. (2021). Google Travel. https://www.google.com/travel/.

KidsLearningTube. (2017, January 20). German Geography/Country of Germany [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=ieX9dHtKHcE. (3:37) Thinking Palette: Artful Thinking. (n.d.). Think / Puzzle / Explore. http://pzartfulthinking.org/?p=66.

Tourism.de. (n.d.). Your Germany Travel Guide. https://www.tourism.de/.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION/HOOK ACTIVITY Ask: “What is a landmark?” Have students complete the Vocabulary Square (Handout 1.3.1) for the term “landmark.” After students complete the vocabulary square, lead a discussion about landmarks in their state region to check for understanding.

Berlin Landmarks Game (10-15 min.)

Have students compete at finding “their” landmark in Berlin with the time-lapse video Berlin in Motion Timelapse. It helps build excitement and interest in all of the places and things there: https://vimeo.com/35082497. Use the Berlin Game Cards (PowerPoint 1.3 Berlin Landmarks Game) for this activity.

Hand out the landmark cards so that each person has one. If there is time, have students get to know their landmark (study the image, practice pronouncing the word in their best German accent, make sure they can recognize the landmark when they see it) before showing the video for the first time. If your students have access to devices, you can also give them a few minutes to research the word/landmark and learn about it. First round: when you see your landmark, stand up and say the name then sit back down. If it appears several times in the video, you have to stand up and say it each time. After the first screening, trade cards and each person teaches the new owner about that landmark. For the second round: Stand up and say your original landmark (competing with the person who has it now – who can say it first?) and your second landmark (also competing with the first person who had that). Lots of movement and noise. By the end, students often feel like a part of Berlin is their very own.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are some of the unique geographic features that define each German Land? ➤ Formative Performance Task Review the names of the German Länder using the YouTube video German Geography/Country of Germany.

Teachers should preselect two or three unique geographic features in Germany from Handout 1.3.2 and model how to locate and add them to the Political Map of Germany (Handout 1.3.3). Model for students how to measure distance on a map.

Assign each student a German Land to locate. Then they should add the capital as well as three or four assigned geographic features from Handout 1.3.2 to the Political Map of Germany (Handout 1.3.3). Ask students to keep these questions in mind while adding the geographic features to the map:

• • •

What makes the geographic features unique to the Land?

How far are the geographic features from the nearest city?

Are there any similarities in the geographic features?

➤ Resources

• • •

Länder: Geographic Features (Handout 1.3.2) Political Map of Germany (Handout 1.3.3) KidsLearningTube. (2017, January 20). German Geography/Country of Germany [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=ieX9dHtKHcE. (3:37)

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A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.3 Road Trip Across Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What are some of the unique human-made landmarks that define each German Land? ➤ Formative Performance Task For this Artful Thinking activity, choose and display an image of a famous landmark in Germany. Handout 1.3.4 contains a list of human-made landmarks in Germany. Ask the following:

• • •

Why do you think this landmark is well known or famous?

What questions do you have about this landmark?

What does this landmark make you want to explore or learn more about?

From the handout, assign students two or three unique human-made landmarks to add to their Political Map of Germany from Formative Performance Task 1.

Group students with the same Land so that each member of the group adds additional human-made landmarks and geographic features for the Land to their map.

Next, regroup students so each group has at least one person representing a Land. The representative of each Land should share the capital and two or three human-made landmarks and geographic features for that Land so each student will have a map of varied landmarks and geographic features in each German Land. ➤ Resources

• • •

Political Map of Germany (Handout 1.3.3) Länder: Human-Made Landmarks (Handout 1.3.4) Thinking Palette: Artful Thinking.(n.d.). Think / Puzzle / Explore. http://pzartfulthinking.org/?p=66.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What do the patterns in the geographic features and human-made landmarks that you see tell you about Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task In their groups from Formative Performance Task 2, ask students to analyze the maps that they created in the previous tasks and discuss what patterns they recognize. What geographic patterns do they see? What cultural and/or historical patterns can they distinguish from the human-made landmarks (religion, collective memory, traditions, architecture, etc.)? What do these patterns tell you about Germany?

Next, students will plan their trip across Germany. Using their German Länder map from Formative Performance Task 2 and the Souvenir and Food Price List (Handout 1.3.5), students will complete the My Travel Itinerary: Germany (Handout 1.3.6).

Teachers may choose to model Day 1 of the Travel Itinerary in Handout 1.3.6 so students learn how to measure distance and calculate conversions of euros and U.S. dollars.

Note: If students are not familiar with euro currency, teachers can take time to briefly describe the euro and its value relative to the U.S. dollar before completing the travel activity. Information on the euro and U.S. dollar can be found in the resources below. ➤ Resources

• • •

26

Souvenir and Food Price List (Handout 1.3.5) My Travel Itinerary: Germany (Handout 1.3.6) Diffen. (n.d.). Euro vs U.S. Dollar. https://www.diffen.com/difference/Euro_vs_US_Dollar.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.3 Road Trip Across Germany

FOCUS 1 – Geography

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How can geographic features and human-made landmarks provide insights into a country‘s unique cultural history?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Select one landmark or geographic feature from Formative Performance Task 2. Research and create a travel poster promoting tourism. Your poster must contain the following: the name of the landmark or geographic feature, its location in Germany, history and/or interesting aspects of the landmark or geographic feature, and at least two images. Be creative! ➤ Resources

• • •

German National Tourist Board. (n.d.). Germany Simply Inspiring. https://www.germany.travel/en/home.html.

Google. (2021). Google Travel. https://www.google.com/travel/.

Tourism.de. (n.d.). Your Germany Travel Guide. https://www.tourism.de/.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Frequently a region or state has been influenced landmarks that are unique to the area.

Assess: Research unique landmarks in your area.

Act: To foster interest in these landmarks, sponsor a “Landmark Day” to encourage classmates to learn about some overlooked yet vital cultural landmarks in their state.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • •

Economy Budget Itinerary Region

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

• • • •

Kilometers Landmark Geographic features Tourism

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

• • •

Euro(s) Land/Länder (state/states) City state

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1.4 Germany and Its Nine Neighbors

FOCUS 1 – Geography

1.4 GERMANY AND ITS NINE NEIGHBORS How do shared regional characteristics enhance connections between neighboring countries?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.4.6-8. Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.

D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar to and different from other places.

D2.Geo.6.6-8. Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 How do physical land features shape Germany’s relationship with its neighbors?

Formative Performance Task On a map, students will identify Germany and its nine neighbors. They will then identify shared physical features.

Featured Sources

With a focus on regional characteristics, both physical and human, use the mapping activities to help students become more familiar with similarities and differences between Germany and its nine neighbors.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What do shared regional characteristics tell us about the human characteristics of neighboring countries?

Formative Performance Task Using the resources, students will determine the official languages and religions of Germany and its nine neighbors.

Featured Sources

How do countries in close proximity promote and enhance connections with their neighbors?

Formative Performance Task Using the maps listed in the resources, students will complete the Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors handout.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 1.4.1

Source A: Handout 1.4.2

Source A: Handout 1.4.4

Source B: Europe Physical Map

Source B: Handout 1.4.3

Source B: Handout 1.4.5

Source C: Germany Physical Map

Source C: Map of most spoken foreign languages in the EU

Source C: Europe Physical Map

Source D: Official Languages Map

Source D: Germany Physical Map Source E: Germany Map

Source E: The largest religions in Europe Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Create a travel brochure for a German city, region, or the whole country that encourages Germany’s neighbors to visit.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Frequently, areas of the United States are designated by region, for example, the northeast or southwest.

Assess: What features do the states in your region have in common (physical land, human characteristics). What unique features does your region have that separates it from other regions?

Act: Contact your local or state tourist organization to learn how these features encourage tourism.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.4 Germany and Its Nine Neighbors

FOCUS 1 – Geography

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How do shared regional characteristics enhance connections between neighboring countries?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will research Germany’s nine neighboring countries and analyze each country’s connections with Germany. With a focus on regional characteristics, both physical and human, mapping activities will be used to help students become more familiar with similarities and differences between Germany and its nine neighbors.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Germany is a country located in Central Europe, bordered by nine neighbors: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland. Germany enjoys strong political, social, and economic ties with its neighbors. Germany and its neighbors, except for Switzerland, are part of the European Union (EU).

Germany shares various physical characteristics with its neighboring countries, such as the North European Plain, the North and Baltic Seas, the Rhine, the Alps, many forests including the Mundat, and lakes such as Lake Constance. It also shares several human characteristics with its neighbors: languages, religions, cultures, and political and economic systems.

German is the official language of Germany. English is the most widely spoken second language in the country, as is also the case for the majority of Germany’s nine neighbors. When it comes to the second and third most spoken second languages in Germany and its neighbors, the differences are greater, usually depending on geographic location and influences.

To this day, Germany is still largely geographically divided between the Protestant north and the Catholic south, with over 50 percent of Germans adhering to one of these two Christian faiths. As of 2020, there were approximately five million people who practiced the Muslim faith, and about 200,000 people practicing Judaism. A large portion of Germans, around 37.8 percent, are nonreligious or do not profess a particular faith.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • •

Blank Map Germany and Its Neighbors (Handout 1.4.1) Regional Human Characteristics (Handout 1.4.2) Regional Human Characteristics Answer Key (Handout 1.4.3) Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors (Handout 1.4.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors Answer Key (Handout 1.4.5) D-maps.com. (n.d.). Map Europe. Retrieved April 03, 2021, from https://d-maps.com/carte. php?num_car=30082&lang=en.

FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Europe Physical Map. Retrieved April 03, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/.

FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Germany Physical Map. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ germany/map.html.

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A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.4 Germany and Its Nine Neighbors

•

FOCUS 1 – Geography

German National Tourist Board. (n.d.). Germany: The Travel Destination. Retrieved May 18, 2021, from https://www.germany. travel/media/pdf/dzt_marktforschung/DZT_ZahlenFlyer_Mai2019_EN_WEB1.pdf.

Jakubmarian. (n.d.). Map of the most spoken foreign languages in the EU by country. Retrieved April 17, 2021, from, https:// jakubmarian.com/map-of-the-most-spoken-foreign-languages-of-the-eu-by-country/.

Jakubmarian. (n.d.). Official Languages. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://jakubmarian.com/wp-content/ uploads/2018/09/official-languages-europe.jpg.

Vividmaps. (2021). The largest religion in Europe. https://vividmaps.com/religion-in-europe/.

WorldAtlas.com. (n.d.). Germany. Retrieved May 26, 2021, from https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/e8/a1/2c/ de-01.jpg.

• • • •

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Display a map of the United States. Identify your state on the map and ask the following:

• • •

What do you notice about the location of your state compared to your neighboring states or territories?

Do they share any common land or water features?

What might be the advantages or disadvantages of these shared features?

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 How do physical land features shape Germany’s relationship with its neighbors? ➤ Formative Performance Task Provide students with the blank political map of Germany and its neighbors (Handout 1.4.1). Identify Germany and its nine neighbors, and have the students to label them on their maps.

Ask the following:

• •

What do you notice about Germany’s location in Europe compared to its neighbors?

Predict how Germany’s relative location in Europe will shape its relationship with neighboring countries.

Have students share their answers to the class or in pairs. Explain that students will revisit their predictions throughout the inquiry.

Students may work independently or in pairs using the Europe Physical Map and the Germany Physical Map to identify, draw, and label the following on Handout 1.4.1:

• • •

One mountain range that Germany shares with a neighboring country(ies) Two seas that Germany shares with a neighboring country(ies) Three rivers that Germany shares with a neighboring country(ies)

Note: The completed Handout 1.4.1 will be used for Formative Performance Task 3. ➤ Resources

• • •

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Germany and Its Neighbors Blank Map (Handout 1.4.1) FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Europe Physical Map. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/.

FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Germany Physical Map. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ germany/map.html.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.4 Germany and Its Nine Neighbors

FOCUS 1 – Geography

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What do shared regional characteristics tell us about the human characteristics of neighboring countries? ➤ Formative Performance Task Distribute Regional Human Characteristics (Handout 1.4.2). Using the resources below, have students work independently or in pairs to identify the most common spoken languages and the widely practiced religions across Germany and its nine neighbors. Students will then answer the questions below the chart in Handout 1.4.2.

Teachers should use the questions as part of a guided class discussion about regional human characteristics in Central Europe. ➤ Resources

• • • • •

Regional Human Characteristics (Handout 1.4.2) Regional Human Characteristics Answer Key (Handout 1.4.3) Jakubmarian. (n.d.). Map of the most spoken foreign languages in the EU by country. Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https:// jakubmarian.com/map-of-the-most-spoken-foreign-languages-of-the-eu-by-country/.

Jakubmarian. (n.d.). Official Languages. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://jakubmarian.com/wp-content/ uploads/2018/09/official-languages-europe.jpg.

Vividmaps. (2021). The largest religion in Europe. https://vividmaps.com/religion-in-europe/.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How do countries in close proximity promote and enhance their connections with their neighbors? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using the maps listed in the resources below, as well as the completed handout from Formative Performance Task 1, students will complete Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors (Handout 1.4.4).

Based on students’ learning needs, teachers may model how to use maps and handouts to complete Handout 1.4.4. ➤ Resources

• • • • •

Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors (Handout 1.4.4) Follow the Clues: Travel Itinerary between Germany and the Nine Neighbors Answer Key (Handout 1.4.5) FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Europe Physical Map. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/.

FreeWorldMaps. (n.d.). Germany Physical Map. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/ germany/map.html.

WorldAtlas.com. (n.d.). Germany. Retrieved May 26, 2021, from https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/e8/a1/2c/ de-01.jpg.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do shared regional characteristics enhance connections between neighboring countries?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.4 Germany and Its Nine Neighbors

FOCUS 1 – Geography

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK In 2018 Germany was the second most popular destination for Europeans for the ninth year running.1 Create a travel brochure for a German city, region, or the whole country that encourages Germany’s neighbors to visit.

Be sure to include photos to catch tourists’ attention and a description that lets the reader picture it as a place they want to visit—and be colorful! Suggestion: Use a template included with your word processing program or an online template.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Frequently, areas of the United States are designated by region, for example, the northeast or southwest.

Assess: What features do the states in your region have in common (physical land, human characteristics). What unique features does your region have that separates it from other regions?

Act: Contact your local or state tourist organization to learn how these features encourage tourism.

CONCEPTS LIST

• •

1

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Region Cooperation

• •

Physical characteristics Human characteristics

•

Location

German National Tourist Board. (n.d.). Germany: The Travel Destination. Retrieved May 18, 2021, from https://www.germany.travel/media/pdf/dzt_marktforschung/DZT_ZahlenFlyer_Mai2019_EN_WEB1.pdf.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.5 Geography’s Role in the Economy

FOCUS 1 – Geography

1.5 GEOGRAPHY’S ROLE IN THE ECONOMY How does the geography of a place affect economic production, distribution, and consumption?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.4.6-8. Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.

D2.Geo.7.3-5. Explain how cultural and environmental characteristics affect the distribution and movement of people, goods, and ideas.

D2.Geo.8.3-5. Explain how human settlements and movements relate to the locations and use of various natural resources.

D2.Geo.11.6-8. Explain how the relationship between the environmental characteristics of places and production of goods influences the spatial patterns of world trade.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1

This inquiry links the geography of Germany to its economy and resources. Using mapping exercises, students will develop a sense of the connection between the geography of a country or region and its economy and the economic relationship between Germany and its neighbors in the EU as it relates to resources and trade.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What are the major economic activities of Germany and its neighbors?

How does trade help to foster cooperative relationships between countries?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Using the maps in the resources, students will draw and label the major resources of Germany and its neighbors.

Students will complete the Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU using the listed resources.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

What resources are available for trading between Germany and its neighbors?

Students will note two major resources that their country can export and two major resources their country would need to import to support their people.

Students will then choose one or two partners (countries) whom they can trade with.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 1.5.1

Source A: Handout 1.5.2

Source A: Completed Map of Germany (Formative Performance Task 1)

Source B: Germany’s Economic Activity

Source B: Handout 1.5.3

Source C: Natural Resources Map of Europe

Source C: Germany’s Economic Map

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Source B: Natural Resources of Europe Map

Source D: Natural Resources of Europe Map

Extension: With the trading partner(s) from Formative Performance Task 3, each group should create a formal trading agreement.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Your region or state contains natural resources and geographic features that contribute to economic activity.

Assess: What businesses and jobs in your area use natural resources?

Act: Arrange to interview some of the people who work there to discuss how the existing natural resources benefit the business. If possible, arrange a tour of the facilities.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

33

FOCUS 1

1.5 Geography’s Role in the Economy

FOCUS 1 – Geography

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How does the geography of a place affect economic production, distribution, and consumption?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW This inquiry links the geography of Germany to its economy and resources. Using mapping exercises, students will develop a sense of the connection between the geography of a country or region and its economy, and the economic relationship between Germany and its neighbors in the European Union (EU) as it relates to resources and trade.

TEACHER BACKGROUND With its central location, its large population (83 million), and strong economy (fourth largest in the world), Germany has always played an important role on the European continent. In 1952, West Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It was designed to integrate the steel and coal industries in Western Europe after WWII. In 1957, the ECSC members signed the Treaty of Rome, which in part established the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union (EU). Today, the EU is a unique economic and political partnership among twenty-seven European countries that are working together for peace and prosperity. The member states of the EU have established common institutions to which they have delegated some of their sovereignty, so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest may be made democratically at the European level. What started as an economic partnership has matured into a union that works together on numerous levels, including agriculture, energy, fundamental rights, and employment.

The roots of the EU lie in the Second World War. Europeans were determined to prevent the killing of innocent people and material destruction from ever happening again. The initial steps were to foster economic and commercial cooperation. Since then, the EU has developed into a huge single market, with the euro as the common currency in many of its member states. Today the EU comprises twenty-seven countries and approximately 448 million people, and it deals with a wide range of issues important to daily life, such as education and health. The EU actively promotes human rights and democracy, and in its environmental policy sets ambitious targets such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030. As a result of the elimination of border controls, it is now possible for people to travel freely within most of the EU. It has also become much easier to live and work in another EU country. Germany supports the idea that in the increasingly interdependent world of the twenty-first century, it is essential that every European citizen be to work together with people from other countries in a spirit of respect.

After a referendum, the United Kingdom (UK) left the EU on January 31, 2020. Both the EU and the UK have felt the political and economic impact of “Brexit” (Britain exit). This is especially true for Germany, as the UK is one of its top four trading partners. The UK and EU are still in the negotiation phase (as of 2021), and the true implications of Brexit are still unclear. With Brexit, the EU has lost over 10 percent of its population and an important trading partner. ➤ Source

•

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European Union. (2021). Official Website of the European Union. https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.5 Geography’s Role in the Economy

FOCUS 1 – Geography

TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • •

Map of Germany (Handout 1.5.1) Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU (Handout 1.5.2) Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU Answer Key (Handout 1.5.3) Barone, A. (2021, 19 May).“How a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Works.” Investopedia, www.investopedia.com/ www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore terms/f/free-trade.asp.

Daniel Feher. (n.d.). Germany Map. Free World Maps. https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/germany/ germany-map.jpg.

Geography.name. (n.d.). Natural Resources of Europe. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://geography.name/wp-content/ uploads/2016/12/32542342-640x449.webp.

Quizlet. (n.d.). Germany’s Economic Activity. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://quizlet.com/224990945/ week-1-map-skills-vocab-diagram/.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Break the class into small groups and randomly assign each group a different ecosystem (e.g., desert, rainforest, coastline, plain, etc.). Ask each group to brainstorm how people would meet their basic human needs of food, shelter, and clothing in their ecosystem and to make a list of resources in their ecosystem that they believe are valuable enough to trade. After sharing their lists of resources, they must decide who would make the best trading partners for their group and explain why.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What resources are available for trading between Germany and its neighbors? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using the Germany’s Economic Activity Map and the Natural Resource of Europe Map, have students draw and label the major resources of Germany and its neighbors on Handout 1.5.1.

In the same small groups used in the Introductory Activity, students should compare completed maps and discuss the following questions:

• • • •

Which resources are the most numerous?

Which resources are rare?

Which resource(s) are the most economically valuable?

How do Germany’s resources compare to those of its neighbors? What are the similarities and differences?

➤ Resources

• • •

Map of Germany (Handout 1.5.1) Geography.name. (n.d.). Natural Resources of Europe. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://geography.name/wp-content/ uploads/2016/12/32542342-640x449.webp.

Quizlet. (n.d.). Germany’s Economic Activity. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://quizlet.com/224990945/ week-1-map-skills-vocab-diagram/.

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A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 1

1.5 Geography’s Role in the Economy

FOCUS 1 – Geography

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What are the major economic activities of Germany and its neighbors? ➤ Formative Performance Task Either independently or with a partner, students will complete the Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU (Handout 1.5.2) using the resources listed below.

Based on student learning needs, the teacher may model how to complete questions on the Map Challenge worksheet. ➤ Resources

• • • •

Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU (Handout 1.5.2) Germany Map Challenge: Economic Activity of Germany and the EU Answer Key (Handout 1.5.3) Geography.name. (n.d.). Natural Resources of Europe. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://geography.name/wp-content/ uploads/2016/12/32542342-640x449.webp.

Quizlet. (n.d.). Germany’s Economic Activity. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://quizlet.com/224990945/ week-1-map-skills-vocab-diagram/.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How does trade help to foster cooperative relationships between countries? ➤ Formative Performance Task Assign each student a different country in the EU. Using what they have learned and the completed map (Handout 1.5.1) from Formative Performance Task 1, ask students to write down two major resources that their country can export and two major resources that their country would need to import to support their people.

Students will then choose one or two partners (countries) whom they can trade with to get the resources they need. Students should be prepared to defend their selection of partner(s).

Ask students the following to help reflect on the trading activity: “What was the biggest challenge when trying to find another country to trade with?”

As a class, discuss the importance of cooperation in order to build strong economies. ➤ Resources

• •

Map of Germany (Handout 1.5.1) completed in Formative Performance Task 1 Geography.name. (n.d.). Natural Resources of Europe. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://geography.name/wp-content/ uploads/2016/12/32542342-640x449.webp.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How does the geography of a place affect economic production, distribution, and consumption?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 1

1.5 Geography’s Role in the Economy

FOCUS 1 – Geography

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK With the trading partner(s) from Formative Performance Task 3, each group should create a formal trading agreement. They should describe how the group is going to ensure a fair and cooperative economic relationship.

Students may wish to view the video on Free Trade in the resources below prior to starting this task. ➤ Resource

•

Barone, A. (2021, 19 May). “How a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Works.” Investopedia, www.investopedia.com/terms/f/ free-trade.asp.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Your region or state contains natural resources and geographic features that contribute to economic activity.

Assess: What businesses and jobs in your area use natural resources?

Act: Arrange to interview some of the people who work there to discuss how the existing natural resources benefit the business. If possible, arrange a tour of the facilities.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • • •

Trade Economic activity Resources Land use Cooperation

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

• • • • •

Energy Treaty European Union (EU) Production Distribution

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

• • • •

Consumption Sovereignty Ecosystem Tariff

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FOCUS 2

2.1 Using Timelines to Explore Patterns in History

FOCUS 2 – History

2.1 USING TIMELINES TO EXPLORE PATTERNS IN HISTORY How do timelines enhance our understanding of history?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.

D2.His.15.6-8. Evaluate the relative influence of various causes of events and developments in the past.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1 What is chronology and how does it help us understand what has happened?

Formative Performance Task Using assigned events, each group will determine what historical event is represented. Next, form a „living“ timeline.

Featured Sources

This inquiry give students the opportunity to explore timelines to understand the chronology, visualize patterns, and organize information about East Germany’s history.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What is a historical timeline?

How can timelines help us understand how events further in the past impacted later events?

Formative Performance Task Student groups will create a visual for assigned events from 1945 to 1990.

Formative Performance Task Using the timeline created in Task 2, ask each group to examine the timeline and determine if some events further in the past caused later events to take place.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 2.1.1

Source A: Handout 2.1.2

Source A: Timeline developed in Formative Performance Task 2.

Source B: Seeing Time

Source B: Paper (4 × 6)

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Select a period in German history (fall of the Weimar Republic, World War II, the Cold War) and create an illustrated timeline of the most significant events. Share with classmates.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Timelines enable us to visualize history.

Assess: Select a period of time or an event of significance in the history of your town, state or province.

Act: Create a timeline of the selected time period or event. Share with your school or community.

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 2

2.1 Using Timelines to Explore Patterns in History

FOCUS 2 – History

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How do timelines enhance our understanding of history?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW This inquiry gives students the opportunity to explore timelines to understand the chronology, visualize patterns, and organize information about East Germany’s history.

TEACHER BACKGROUND A grasp of chronology, simple as it may seem, is a fundamental skill of any historian. The C3 Framework for Social Studies indicates, “Historical thinking requires understanding and evaluating change and continuity over time, and making appropriate use of historical evidence in answering questions and developing arguments about the past. It involves going beyond simply asking, ‘What happened when?’, to evaluating why and how events occurred and developments unfolded.

It involves locating and assessing historical sources of many different types to understand the contexts of given historical eras and the perspectives of different individuals and groups within geographic units that range from the local to the global. Historical thinking is a process of chronological reasoning, which means wrestling with issues of causality, connections, significance, and context with the goal of developing credible explanations of historical events and developments based on reasoned interpretation of evidence.”1 Timeline analysis allows students to make connections, organize information, and visualize and recognize patterns in a series of events. According to the National Standards for History, “Chronological thinking is at the heart of historical reasoning. Without a strong sense of chronology—of when events occurred and in what temporal order—it is impossible for students to examine relationships among those events or to explain historical causality. Chronology provides the mental scaffolding for organizing historical thought.”2 Chronology is important because the exact order in which events occur helps us understand the cause and the effect of those events, and thereby allows us to step back and view the big picture of history—how and why events unfold in the way they do, and how they are related.3 TIME: Two to three 45-minute class periods

1 2 3

C3 Framework for Social Studies. (n.d.). History. p. 45. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.pdf.

UCLA. (2021). History Public History Initiative. Chronological Thinking: Public History Initiative: National Center for History in the Schools. phi.history.ucla. edu/nchs/historical-thinking-standards/1-chronological-thinking/.

Conolly-Smith, Peter. (n.d.). Chronology. Writing on History at Queens College. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/writing/ history/considerations/chronology.html.

LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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FOCUS 2

2.1 Using Timelines to Explore Patterns in History

FOCUS 2 – History

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • •

Revolutionary War Timeline (Handout 2.1.1) East Germany Timeline (Handout 2.1.2) Independence Hall Association. (n.d.). Timeline of the American Revolutionary War. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/revwartimeline.html.

Johnson, Richard. (n.d.). Seeing Time. Beacon Learning Center. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from http://www. beaconlearningcenter.com/Weblessons/seeingtime/index.html.

•

www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Share a timeline (school year, daily schedule, holidays, etc.) where the students are familiar with the events. Discuss the elements of the timeline: dates, events, sequence. Ask how the timeline would help someone unfamiliar with the event(s) understand what happened.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What is chronology and how does it help us understand what has happened? ➤ Formative Performance Task Divide the class into small groups of four or five. Give each group the same number of events (not in chronological order, from Handout 2.1.1), one for each member in the group. Ask each group to determine what historical event is represented. Ask each group to then share their conclusion. Next, form a “living” timeline. Ask each group member to take one event and join their classmates in a line with the event dates in order.

As a class, determine what big picture is represented by the timeline. Ask how placing the events in order or sequence helped them to understand what happened.

Introduce the word chronology: an arrangement, as of events, in order of occurrence https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/chronology).

For a greater understanding of timelines and chronology, teachers may want to access the online lesson Seeing Time and work through the activities with the class. ➤ Resources

• •

Revolutionary War Timeline (Handout 2.1.1) Johnson, Richard. (n.d.). Seeing Time. Beacon Learning Center. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from http://www. beaconlearningcenter.com/Weblessons/seeingtime/index.html.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What is a historical timeline? ➤ Formative Performance Task Create a timeline on the wall or floor for the years spanning 1945 to 1990.

Divide the class into five groups and assign to each group three events (not consecutive) from Handout 2.1.2.

For each assigned event, the group must create a visual on a 4 × 6-inch sheet of paper divided into four sections that includes the date(s) of the event, a brief description, the type of event (political, sports, etc.), and an image that represents the event.

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Each group will add their event visuals to the wall or floor timeline, sharing information about the events and answering any questions.

Discuss how seeing the timeline provides a greater understanding of the historical event. ➤ Resources

• •

East Germany Timeline (Handout 2.1.2) Paper (4 × 6)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How can timelines help us understand how events further in the past impacted later events? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students stay in the same groups as for Formative Performance Task 2. Using the timeline created in Formative Performance Task 2, ask each group to examine the timeline and determine if some events caused other events to take place.

Each group will then record their findings. The entire class will go over each group’s findings and discuss how the timelines enabled a comparison among events.

If time allows, ask students to make predictions about how the timeline might be different if certain events had never happened. ➤ Resource

•

Timeline developed in Formative Performance Task 2

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do timelines enhance our understanding of history?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Select a period in German history (fall of the Weimar Republic, World War II, the Cold War) and create an illustrated timeline of the most significant events. Share with your classmates. To view a timeline of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, see Inquiry 2.5.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Timelines allow us to visualize history.

Assess: Select a period of time or an event of significance in the history of your town, state or province.

Act: Create a timeline of the selected time period or event. Share with your school or community.

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CONCEPTS LIST

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Chronology Timeline Historical

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Federal German Republic (FRG) German Democratic Republic (GDR) West Germany

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2.2 GERMAN COLONIALISM What is a country’s historical responsibility for past injustices committed?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.

D2.His.14.6-8. Explain multiple causes and effects of events and developments in the past.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What was German colonialism?

How is Germany’s colonial past represented in Germany today?

Formative Performance Task Using event strips from 1884 to 1919 and from 1985 to 2021, student groups will create a timeline of German colonialism.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 2.2.1

In this inquiry students will learn about German colonialism, how it is addressed in Germany today, and payment of reparations for crimes committed.

Formative Performance Task In groups, students will learn about the history of Berlin-Wedding’s African Quarter, the anticolonial memorial in Bremen, the Benin Bronzes, Tanzania Park, and the CarlPeters memorial in Hannover.

Featured Sources Source A: Colonial traces – The African Quarter in Berlin-Wedding

Supporting Question 3 What is modern Germany’s responsibility when dealing with the colonial period?

Formative Performance Task Students will indicate their positions on specific topics about modern Germany’s responsibility when dealing with its colonial past.

Featured Sources Source A: PowerPoint 2.2

Source B: Anticolonial Elephant Statue in Bremen Source C: Benin Bronzes Source D: Carl Peters-Memorial Source E: Tanzania-Park Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension 1: As of August 2019, the United States controlled five unincorporated, organized, inhabited territories. Research these territories and develop a presentation of what you have learned.

Extension 2: In groups, students should design a memorial or monument to a specific person or historical event in their country, and explain the reason for their choices.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: The United States has been negligent in making reparations and offering official apologies to several groups for past injustices.

Assess: Using the history.com website, research the status of reparations and official apologies to the numerous groups discussed.

Act: Select one or two groups discussed on the website and create a presentation to share with classmates.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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What is a country’s historical responsibility for past injustices committed?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry students will learn about German colonialism, how it is addressed in Germany today, and payment of reparations for crimes committed.

TEACHER BACKGROUND German colonialism coincided with the latter stages of the “Scramble for Africa” (the invasion, occupation, division, and colonization of African territory by European powers). During this time, the 1880s until the start of World War II, European nations saw Africa as a way to increase their profits by exploiting the abundance of natural resources on the continent.

Some Europeans falsely argued that by colonizing Africa, they were also exporting civilization to the continent. In reality, colonization was driven by economic, political, and religious interests, and it would decimate traditional African societies and economies. Europeans would benefit enormously from the exploitation of Africa and the draining of the continent’s resources.1 In 1884, Germany acquired several territories in Africa: German East Africa (including present-day Burundi, Rwanda, and the mainland part of Tanzania), German South West Africa (present-day Namibia), German Cameroon (including parts of present-day Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, and Nigeria); and Togoland (present-day Togo and parts of Ghana).

German South West Africa During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Herero, an ethnic group, migrated to what is today Namibia from the east and established themselves as herders. In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Nama from South Africa arrived.

In 1883, a German settler, Adolf Lüderitz, purchased land that became the first constituted German colony in 1884. Soon after, conflicts between the colonists and the Herero began.

By 1903, some 3,000 Germans had settled in the colony, drawn by economic opportunity in mining and farming. There were frequently disputes about access to water and land, and legal discrimination against the native population by the colonialists.

By mid-1904, the tensions in the colony had peaked. Led by Chief Samuel Maherero, the Herero and Nama began a large rebellion against the colonists. This resulted in a conflict between the Herero and the German colonists that lasted until 1907.2 In August 1904, the Waterberg Battle, the most decisive battle of the conflict, took place, resulting in the defeat of the Herero. In October 1904, during the aftermath of the Waterberg Battle, German general Lothar von Trotha issued orders to kill every male Herero and drive the women and children into the surrounding desert. When the order was lifted at the end of 1904, prisoners were forced into concentration camps in the colony. Most died from abuse, disease, and starvation. The last and most brutal concentration camp, Shark Island, was closed in early 1907.

Roughly 80,000 Herero lived in German South West Africa at the beginning of German colonial rule over the area. After the 1 2

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New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Scramble for Africa. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Scramble_for_Africa.

Erichsen, C. (n.d.). German-Herero conflict of 1904-1907. Retrieved October 12, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/german-hereroconflict-of-1904-1907.

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conflict, they numbered approximately 15,000. In a period of only four years, approximately 65,000 Herero, 75 percent of the Herero population, and 10,000 Nama people had been ruthlessly murdered by German colonial forces.3 Germany’s colonial period ended in 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles, following World War I, when its territories were confiscated and distributed to the victors.

In 1985, the United Nations classified the German’s handling of the rebellion as an attempt to exterminate the Herero and Nama peoples of South West Africa, and therefore one of the earliest attempts of genocide in the twentieth century.

During and after the German colonialization of Africa, memorials were constructed and streets were named in Germany in honor of colonial leaders like Carl Peters, Lothar von Trotha, Adolf Lüderitz, and Hermann von Wissmann. During the West German student protests in 1968, “students attempted to topple a Hamburg memorial to Hermann von Wissmann, founder of the German colonial armed force, the Schutztruppe. These efforts reflected the students’ views on the continued legacies of colonialism and imperialism in West German and around the world. After the second, successful attempt to tear down Wissmann’s likeness, the memorial went into storage, an apparent victory for the students. Yet, despite the attention that the authorities, the media, and the public gave these events, little seemed to change.”4 Some streets bearing colonial-era names, like Petersallee and Lüderitzstraße in the African Quarter in Berlin, were only changed in 2018.

As of 2021, Berlin is home to numerous memorials to atrocities committed by Germans, such as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism, but there is no commemoration acknowledging the genocide of the Herero and Nama people in the capital. Activists have advocated for the renaming of streets and reexamining of the German colonial legacy for decades. A strong link has been found between the ideas developed during the German colonial era to the Nazi period that followed. Activists received more attention when the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum in Germany in 2020, stirring up calls for change in civil society.

For decades, the descendants of victims, inside and outside of Namibia, have called on Germany to officially acknowledge the genocide, apologize, and begin reparations. In May 2021, the German government made a formal state apology acknowledging the murder of Herero and Nama peoples as genocide. Germany plans to support Namibia and the descendants of the victims with a 1.1 billion euro “rebuilding and development” program.4 ➤ Sources

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Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung. (May 21, 2005). Deutschland in Afrika – Der Kolonialismus und seine Nachwirkungen. https://www.bpb.de/internationales/afrika/afrika/58870/deutschland-in-afrika.

Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Germany and the Desire for Colonies. Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://courses. lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/chapter/german-imperalism/.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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3 4

German Colonialism Timeline (Handout 2.2.1) Historical Responsibility (PowerPoint 2.2) Anticolonial Elephant Statue in Bremen – BBC Sounds. (11 Aug 2020). How the German City Addresses Its Colonial Past by Rededicating a Famous Monument. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszmpr. (8:59) BBC News. (2017, October 12). Namibia’s Reparations and Germany’s First Genocide. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-41596617.

www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore

Verber, J. (2010). Building Up and Tearing Down the Myth of German Colonialism: Colonial Denkmale and Mahnmale after 1945. Memorialization in Germany since 1945, Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057%2F9780230248502_33.

Moulson, G. (2021, May 28). Germany Recognizes Colonial Killings in Namibia as Genocide. AP NEWS. https://apnews.com/article/world-news-europe-germany-africa-namibia-6dee789b4136c16a2bd85e144545e2ec.

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Benin-Bronzes – Germany Plans to Return Looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Will Other Countries Follow Suit? The World.

Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-05-17/germany-plans-return-looted-benin-bronze s-nigeria-will-other-countries-follow. (5:46) Blakemore, E. (2019, August 28). The Thorny History of Reparations in the United States. https://www.history.com/news/ reparations-slavery-native-americans-japanese-internment.

Boundless World History. (n.d.). German Imperialism. Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/ boundless-worldhistory/chapter/german-imperalism/.

Britannica. (n.d.). German-Herero Conflict of 1904–07. Retrieved March 22, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/ German-Herero-conflict-of-1904-1907.

Carl Peters-Memorial. (n.d.). Wiki. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://second.wiki/wiki/ karl-peters-denkmal_hannover.

Colonial Traces – The African Quarter in Berlin-Wedding. (n.d.). Izi Travel. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://izi.travel/en/ da29-colonial-traces-the-african-quarter-in-berlin-wedding/en#f6a73638-d942-48cd-8adc-4e64606e78ac.

Facing History and Ourselves. (n.d.). Four Corners Debate. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://www.facinghistory.org/ resource-library/teaching-strategies/four-corners.

Tansania-Park. (n.d.). Wiki. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://second.wiki/wiki/tansania-park.

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INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Project the map of Colonial Southern Africa, 1884–1905.

Ask students what conclusions they can draw about who controlled southern Africa in the late nineteenth century. Which countries were involved? When did they become involved? Which countries had the most land? The least? Do you think the indigenous peoples of African were involved in this partition of Africa? Why or why not?

Introduce the term colonialism and its definition: control by one power over a dependent area or people (https://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonialism).

Discuss the definition in relation to students’ conclusions about the map. ➤ Resource

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Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). German-Herero Conflict of 1904–07. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://www.britannica. com/topic/German-Herero-conflict-of-1904-1907.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What was German colonialism? ➤ Formative Performance Task Divide the class into small groups. Distribute the event strips from Handout 2.2.1 to each group. Make sure the strips are not in chronological order.

After determining the meaning of underlined words, each group should discuss what events are being described.

Post dates from 1884 to 1919 and from1985 to 2021 on the wall or floor to create a timeline. Each group should place their strips in the correct location on the timeline. This can be done by either the group as a whole or individual group members placing strips.

As a class, examine the timeline to answer the supporting question. Ask students which events they found significant, surprising, or in need of further investigation.

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Teachers may have students view the BBC News video, Namibia’s Reparations and Germany’s First Genocide (caution: contains upsetting scenes). ➤ Resources

• •

BBC News. (2017, October 12). Namibia’s reparations and Germany’s first genocide. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/ world-africa-41596617. (2:32) German Colonialism Timeline (Handout 2.2.1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How is Germany’s colonial past represented in Germany today? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that in German cities many reminders of Germany’s colonial past exist, for example, in Berlin-Wedding’s African Quarter, Hannover, and Bremen.

Divide the class into five groups and assign each group one of the following topics to research (websites for students are listed in the resources):

• • • • •

Visit the Colonial Traces website to take a tour of Berlin-Wedding’s African Quarter. (Audio of text is available.)

Listen to the clip from BBC Sound to learn about the De-colonial Elephant Statue in Bremen.

Listen to the clip on Benin Bronzes to learn how Germany is dealing with returning looted relics to their countries of origin in Africa.

Read about the Carl Peters-Monument in Hannover, which was erected in honor the colonialists.

Learn about the Tanzania-Park and the Askari-Monument in Hamburg.

While student groups complete their research, ask them to list what they have learned and what questions they still may have.

One or two students from each group should share their findings with the class. Discuss student responses, answering any questions if possible. If unable to answer a question, encourage students to do further research.

Explain to students that as of 2021, Berlin is home to numerous memorials to atrocities committed by Germans, such as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism, but there is no commemoration of the genocide of the Herero and Nama people in the capital. Ask students whether they believe that Germany has a responsibility to build a monument in Berlin. Discuss with the class why students feel this is important or why not. ➤ Resources

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Anticolonial Elephant Statue in Bremen – BBC Sounds. (2020, Aug. 11). How the German City Addresses Its Colonial Past by Rededicating a Famous Monument. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszmpr. (8:59) Benin-Bronzes – Germany Plans to Return Looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Will Other Countries Follow Suit? The World.

Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-05-17/germany-plans-return-looted-benin-bronze s-nigeria-will-other-countries-follow. (5:46) Colonial traces – The African Quarter in Berlin-Wedding. (n.d.). Izi Travel. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://izi.travel/en/ da29-colonial-traces-the-african-quarter-in-berlin-wedding/en#f6a73638-d942-48cd-8adc-4e64606e78ac.

Carl Peters-Monument. (n.d.). Wiki. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://second.wiki/wiki/karl-peters-denkmal_hannover.

Tanzania-Park. (n.d.). Wiki. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://second.wiki/wiki/tansania-park.

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SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What is modern Germany’s responsibility for dealing with its colonial period? ➤ Formative Performance Task This task, a Four Corners Debate, will ask students to show their position on a specific statement (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree) by standing in a particular corner of the room. This activity elicits the participation of all students by requiring everyone to take a position.

First, label the four corners of the room with signs: “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.”

PowerPoint 2.2 provides a brief background for and introduces each statement for the topics: Berlin’s African Quarter, ethnological collections, and reparations. View the PowerPoint, while discussing the background provided and referring to what was learned in Formative Performance Tasks 1 and 2. Then share the statement for each topic.

After students have considered their personal response to each statement, ask students to move to the corner of the room that best represents their opinion. Once students are in their places, ask for volunteers to justify their position. ➤ Resources

• •

Historical Responsibility (PowerPoint 2.2) Facing History and Ourselves. (n.d.). Four Corners Debate. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://www.facinghistory.org/ resource-library/teaching-strategies/four-corners.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What is a country’s historical responsibility for past injustices committed?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 1 In addition to the fifty states, the United States contains unincorporated organized territories that are governed by and subject to parts of the U.S. Constitution but do not have state status. As of August 2019, the United States controlled five unincorporated, organized, inhabited territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa were acquired through cession, purchase, and occupation.

Research each of these five unincorporated territories, including where are they located, what size, number of inhabitants, how each became an unincorporated organized territory, what kind of government exists, what are the primary jobs, and other facts you find interesting.

Develop a presentation of what you have learned to share with classmates.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 2 In groups, students design a memorial or monument to a specific person or historical event in their country and explain the reason for their choices.

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TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: The United States has been negligent in making reparations and offering official apologies to several groups for past injustices.

Assess: Using the history.com website, research the status of reparations and official apologies to the numerous groups discussed.

Act: Select one or two groups discussed on the website and create a presentation to share with classmates. ➤ Resource

•

Blakemore, E. (2019, August 28). The thorny history of reparations in the United States. https://www.history.com/ news/reparations-slavery-native-americans-japanese-internment.

CONCEPTS LIST

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African Quarter/Afrikanisches Viertel Ethnological Reparations

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German South West Africa Namibia Genocide

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2.3 HOLOCAUST MEMORIALIZATION IN GERMANY How do memorials and monuments help us understand history?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.

D2.His.5.6-8. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.

D2.His.6.6-8. Analyze how people’s perspectives influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What is a monument or memorial?

Formative Performance Task Students will individually define “what is a memorial.” Then as a class, develop a working definition.

Featured Sources Source A: Introductory Question students responses

Throughout Germany, memorials have been built to honor the victims of the Holocaust.

In this inquiry, students will reflect on how the memory of history is shaped and influenced through the examination of six Holocaust memorials located in Berlin, Germany.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

How do Germany’s Holocaust memorials reflect and preserve the memory of the Holocaust?

How have the design and purpose of memorials changed?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Using the resources and guidelines listed, each group will research the assigned Holocaust memorial located in Berlin, Germany, and create a presentation to share with classmates on the significance of the memorial in Holocaust remembrance.

Students in pairs or small groups will select a memorial examined in Formative Performance Task 2 and, using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast its design with that of a traditional monument located in their community or state.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 2.3.1

Source A: Memorial list from Formative Performance Task 2

Source B: Chart paper Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Explores how Germans have attempted to “come to terms with the past” (Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung) through a series of quotes from a lecture by Dr. Susan Neiman, Director of the Einstein Forum in Berlin.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: In many towns and cities across the United States and Canada, there are monuments and memorials erected by past generations to commemorate a historical event or recognize an individual or group.

Assess: Work with the local historical society to compile a list of the memorials and monuments in your community, the reason for their existence, and their location.

Act: Create a presentation to share with classmates and/or community groups.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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How do memorials and monuments help us understand history?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Throughout Germany, memorials have been built to honor the victims of the Holocaust atrocities. In this inquiry students will reflect on how the memory of history is shaped and influenced through the examination of six Holocaust memorials located in Berlin, Germany.

TEACHER BACKGROUND This inquiry requires students to have a background in the Holocaust prior to completing.

One way people remember the past is by building monuments. Monuments act as bridges to the past, reflecting a society’s collective memory. The Holocaust presents a challenge to memorialization. As James Young wrote in the Art of Memory: Holocaust Memorials in History, “Holocaust remembrance does not exist in isolation, but rather within the preexisting contexts of different places and peoples, and, invariably, there is a potential impact on remembrance.”1 Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Berlin has seen the construction of many new memorials to the Holocaust.

There are many ways in which individuals, groups, and nations, in Germany and around the world, have confronted the memory of the Holocaust. Some countries, including Germany and France, have made Holocaust denial a crime, punishable by a fine and imprisonment. Governments have also encouraged or mandated education about the Holocaust. German schools are required to teach their students about the Nazi era and the Holocaust, and in addition to classroom learning, most German students visit either a concentration camp or a Holocaust memorial.

Another way that communities around the world have remembered the Holocaust is through building memorials and monuments. These buildings are created for many reasons: to preserve the past, to honor heroes, to commemorate tragedies, and to inspire action or reflection. These monuments raise questions about appropriate ways to study and remember the Holocaust.

To what extent can any memorial help us truly understand the experiences of victims of the Holocaust? How can we symbolize the vast number of victims while still honoring each unique life that was lost—the school child, the aunt, the tailor, the physicist, the sister? Who should decide how the Holocaust is represented and remembered—what symbols are used, what facts are presented, and whose stories are told?2 From the large memorial dedicated to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin to the smaller monuments and tributes in former Jewish neighborhoods in German cities and towns, memorials to honor those who perished during the Holocaust abound.

Others commemorate the experiences of other groups such as homosexuals, Roma and Sinti, the disabled, and other persecuted groups.

1 2

Young, James Edward/Biagell, Matthew/Golan, Romy. The Art of Memory: Holocaust Memorials in History. (1994, January 1). [Prestel, New York].

How Should We Remember? (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-holocaust-and-human-behavior/how-should-we-remember.

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The following Holocaust memorials are presented in this inquiry: Bebelplatz, “The Empty Library”: This memorial shows what is missing. It is located underground directly under the Bebelplatz, a public square in the central Mitte district of Berlin, almost out of sight, with no books, just empty white shelves. What was lost and burned were the books by those the Nazis ostracized and persecuted, who had to leave the country and whose stories were no longer allowed to be told. Symbolically, the underground bookshelves have space for around 20,000 books, as a reminder of the 20,000 books that went up in flames here on May 10, 1933, at the behest of the Nazis.

Gleis 17 Memorial: Located at the Berlin-Grunewald S-Bahn station, the Gleis 17 memorial commemorates the deportations of Berlin Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in the east conducted by the Deutsche Reichsbahn between autumn 1941 and spring 1942.

Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered Under the National Socialist Regime: The memorial located south of the Reichstag and near the Brandenburg Gate consists of a dark, circular pool of water at the center of which there is a triangular stone. The triangular shape of the stone is in reference to the badges that had to be worn by concentration camp prisoners.

The stone is retractable and a fresh flower is placed upon it daily. Around the edge of the pool is the poem Auschwitz by Roma poet Santino Spinelli.

Orte des Erinnerns: Places of Remembrance: This memorial consists of eighty signs attached to lamp posts in the Bavarian Quarter of Berlin. Each has one of the many Nazi rules and regulations that Jews were required to follow from 1933 to 1945.

Stolpersteine (stumbling stones): This memorial comprises small bronze plaques (3.9 in) placed in the sidewalk in front of the last known residences of Jews and other Holocaust victims. Below each, there is a name, a date of birth, and a date of deportation to a camp, followed by the fate of the individual, usually “murdered,” and the location if different from the place of deportation.

Trains to Life – Trains to Death Memorial: An almost life-size sculpture of children that stands directly adjacent to the Friedrichstraße station, consisting of seven boys and girls who represent the Jewish children of the 1930s. The arrangement of the group reflects the contrasting fate of the children in the Nazi era. Five figures look to one side, symbolizing the suffering of those deported to concentration camps to meet an early demise. Two figures, however, gaze in the other direction. They represent those Jewish children whose lives were saved by the Kindertransport to England. More than two million children lost their lives from 1933 to 1945 through the tyranny of the Nazis.

Note: Throughout this inquiry, the terms memorial and monument are used more or less interchangeably.

TIME: Three to four 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Holocaust Memorials Research (Handout 2.3.1) Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung (Handout 2.3.2) Apperly, E. (2019, March 29). Travel – The Holocaust Memorial of 70,000 Stones. http://www.bbc.com/travel/st ory/20190328-the-holocaust-memorial-of-70000-stones. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore College of Arts & Sciences WSU. (2021, February 23). Working Through the Past: German Efforts to Face their Nazi History [video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s96u51XKKXM. The Empty Library. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Empty_Library.

Genocide of European Roma and Sinti. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/ en/article/genocide-of-european-roma-gypsies-1939-1945.

How Should We Remember? (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/ teaching-holocaust-and-human-behavior/how-should-we-remember.

Seemann, U. (n.d.). Book Burning Memorial. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.memorialmuseums.org/ denkmaeler/view/1417/Book-Burning-Memorial.

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FOCUS 2

2.3 Holocaust Memorialization in Germany

FOCUS 2 – History

Gleis 17 Memorial. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.memorialmuseums.org/denkmaeler/view/338/ Gleis-17-Memorial-–-Berlin-Grunewald.

Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered Under the National Socialist Regime. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.memorialmuseums.org/denkmaeler/view/1482/Memorial-to-the-Sinti-and-Rom a-of-Europe-Murdered-Under-the-National-Socialist-Regime.

Orte des Erinnerns. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.memorialmuseums.org/eng/denkmaeler/view/336/ Orte-des-Erinnerns---Denkmal-im-Bayerischen-Viertel.

Trains to Life – Trains to Death Memorial. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.memorialmuseums.org/ denkmaeler/view/1484/Trains-to-Life-–-Trains-to-Death.

Stolperstein. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://stolperstein.eu/en.

Tofani, F. (2020, October 6). Platform 17 Memorial at Berlin-Grunewald Station. https://fotostrasse.com/ platform-17-memorial/#.

Yvonne. (2015, June 15). Places of Remembrance – A Memorial in Berlin. Just Travelers [blog].Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.justtravelous.com/en/2011/11/orte-des-erinnerns-places-of-remembranc e-mahnmal-memorial-bayerisches-viertel-berlin/.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Ask students: What memorials or monuments are you familiar with? (in their neighborhood or elsewhere in the city, country, or world) Record student responses for use in Formative Performance Task 1.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What is a monument or memorial? ➤ Formative Performance Task Hang pieces of chart paper around the room with one of the following questions on each.

•

What is a memorial or a monument? What do monuments or memorials look like? Why do individuals or groups construct memorials? What events and people do we commemorate with memorials?

Direct students to walk around the room and record their responses to the posted questions. If students discover that another student has already responded as they would have, then direct students to place a check mark next to the response.

Upon completion of this task, discuss the responses and refer to the memorials listed in the Introductory Question. In small groups or pairs, have students create a definition of memorials or monuments. Then as a class, develop a working definition. ➤ Resources

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Introductory Question student responses Chart paper

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How do Germany’s Holocaust memorials reflect and preserve the memory of the Holocaust? ➤ Formative Performance Task Divide the class into six groups. Assign each group one of the following Holocaust memorials located in Berlin, Germany:

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Bebelplatz, “The Empty Library” Gleis 17 Memorial Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered Under the National Socialist Regime

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FOCUS 2

2.3 Holocaust Memorialization in Germany

• • •

FOCUS 2 – History

Orte des Erinnerns: Places of Remembrance Stolpersteine Trains to Life – Trains to Death Memorial

Using the resources and guidelines listed in Handout 2.3.1, each group should research the assigned memorial and create a presentation (format to be determined by each group or the teacher) to share with classmates the significance of the memorial in Holocaust remembrance.

Discuss: How do these memorials change the working definition developed in Formative Performance Task 1? ➤ Resource

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Holocaust Memorials Research (Handout 2.3.1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How have the design and purpose of memorials changed? ➤ Formative Performance Task Note: Monuments are intentional and purposeful creations designed to provide a bridge to the past, to lives, and to events.

Traditional monuments focus on courage in war or battle or on an individual who made a difference in society. Since memorials reflect the memorial designer’s own time and place, the concept of memorialization has become more abstract over the past few decades.

Ask student pairs to select a memorial examined in Formative Performance Task 2 and, using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast its design with that of a traditional monument (e.g., war memorial statue, famous person or event memorial) located in their community or state.

As a class, discuss how the two designs are similar and how they are different. Which do students prefer? A realistic memorial or an abstract one? Explain why. ➤ Resource

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Memorial list from Formative Performance Task 2

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do memorials and monuments help us understand history?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK The German term Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung, which literally translates to “confrontation/reappraisal of the past,” has become a key concept in post-1945 German culture, and describes the way in which Germans discuss and confront their history.

The German Langenscheidt dictionary defines Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung as “the process of coming to terms with the past/ working through the past.” In Germany, the term refers to embarrassment about and often remorse for Germans’ complicity in the war crimes of the Wehrmacht, the Holocaust, and related events of the early and mid-twentieth century, including World War II.3 3

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Vergangenheitsbewältigung. (2021, March 21). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vergangenheitsbew%C3%A4ltigung.

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2.3 Holocaust Memorialization in Germany

FOCUS 2 – History

Handout 2.3.2 explores how Germans have attempted to “come to terms with the past” through a series of quotes from a lecture by Dr. Susan Neiman, Director of the Einstein Forum in Berlin. Using the quotes and what you have learned in this inquiry, discuss how Germany’s path to coming to terms with the past can be applied to America’s current debate about memorialization. ➤ Resource

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Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung (Handout 2.3.2)

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: In many towns and cities across the United States and Canada, there are monuments and memorials erected by past generations to commemorate a historical event or recognize an individual or group.

Assess: Work with the local historical society to compile a list of the memorials and monuments in your community, the reason for their existence, and their location.

Act: Create a presentation to share with classmates and/or community groups.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Memorialization Roma Memorial Sinti Monument Concentration camp

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Collective memory Auschwitz Kindertransport Abstract

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Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung

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2.4 Code Name: Operation Vittles

FOCUS 2 – History

2.4 CODE NAME: OPERATION VITTLES How do individuals or groups work together to help those in need?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.

D2.His.14.6-8. Explain multiple causes and effects of events and developments in the past.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What was the Berlin Blockade, why did it happen, and what was the Western Allies’ response?

Students will review the division of Germany after World War II and learn about the Berlin Airlift, code name “Operation Vittles,” which was conducted in response to the Soviet Blockade of Berlin during 1948–1949.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What was the Berlin Airlift?

What was Operation Little Vittles?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

After reading about the Berlin Blockade, students will create a timeline of events for the Berlin Blockade.

After reading a news article about the Berlin Airlift, students will analyze the article to determine the important points.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Formative Performance Task Student groups will analyze an assigned image of Operation Little Vittles and read an article about Gail Halvorsen as a class.

Students may also view The German History Scavenger Hunt.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 2.4.1

Source A: Handout 2.4.1

Source A: Handout 2.4.4

Source B: Handout 2.4.2

Source B: Handout 2.4.3

Source B: Photo Analysis Worksheet

Source C: Berlin Blockade

Source C: Berlin Airlift

Source C: Gail Halvorsen

Source D: The Berlin Airlift AKA Operation Vittles (1948)

Source D: The Candy Bomber

Summative Performance Task

Source E: The German History Scavenger Hunt

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Research examples of other airlifts of supplies to areas in need and create a presentation to share with your classmates.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Throughout our communities, there are people in need of help such as housing, food, education, or transportation.

Assess: Contact your local community support organization to determine what sort of help is needed.

Act: Write a letter to your school administrator or post to social media about a cause that would benefit from additional support through volunteers or through donations in your local community.

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2.4 Code Name: Operation Vittles

FOCUS 2 – History

COMPELLING QUESTION

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How do individuals or groups work together to help those in need?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will review the division of Germany after World War II and learn about the Berlin Airlift, code name “Operation Vittles,” which was conducted in response to the Soviet Blockade of Berlin during 1948–1949. Using primary source images, students will learn about “Operation Little Vittles,” a morale-building mission for the children of Berlin.

TEACHER BACKGROUND In the period after World War II (1945–1949), the Allies divided Germany into four occupation zones, with each zone being controlled by one of the allied countries: United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and France. The Allies also decided to divide the city of Berlin into four sectors, with each of the Allies controlling one sector, even though the city itself was physically within the Soviet occupation zone. Because of their differing philosophies over the administration and the future of Germany, the communist Soviet government began to disagree with the democratic governments of the other Allies. Thus, the Soviets wanted the Western Allies to leave West Berlin as it was within their zone. The United States, United © Lt. Gail Halvorsen, “The Candy Bomber,” greets children of isolated West Kingdom, and France felt that if they left West Berlin, it would Berlin sometime during 1948-49 after dropping candy bars from the air on come under the communist regime. It appeared that, even tiny parachutes. (U.S. Air Force photo) though the Allies’ intention was to eventually return Germany to German rule, the Soviets would not give up their control. To prevent the spread of communism, the Western Allies decided to remain in West Berlin. Neither the Soviets nor the Western Allies used their military power to remove the other. With the memory of WWII so fresh in their minds, no one wanted to start another “hot” war; therefore the Cold War began. Berlin became one of the so-called battlegrounds in this new kind of warfare.

On the night of June 23, 1948, the Soviets blocked all of the railways, roads, and waterways to prevent supplies from entering West Berlin. However, the Soviets did not stop the Western Allies from using the airspace. The Western Allies decided to fly planes into Berlin with supplies. This is called the Berlin Airlift, which lasted until August 27, 1949, over three months after the Soviet Blockade had ended on May 12, 1949. The supply boxes containing such items as coal and food were flown to awaiting West Berliners. During the airlift, a plane took off from Tempelhof Airport in West Berlin after having dropped off the supplies every 30 seconds. The code name for this military mission was Operation Vittles. Even American songwriter Irving Berlin wrote a song called “Operation Vittles” for this effort.

What about the children of Berlin? An American pilot, Lt. Gail Halvorsen, met some children along the fenced area of Tempelhof Airport and was touched by their politeness when he gave them some gum he had in his pocket. He told the small group of children that he would drop them some candy when he flew over the area the next day. He used handkerchiefs to make parachutes and attached gum and candy. He knew this was not following the rules, but he wanted to give the children some happiness. The small group of children grew to hundreds. Soon the Candy Bomber, aka Chocolate Pilot and Uncle Wiggly Wings, was discovered! His mission was allowed to continue, and American candy companies, schools, and other groups began to send candy to West Berlin for the growing numbers of Chocolate Pilots to drop the candy bombs. This small act of kindness helped to create a foundation of respect and cooperation between the American and German people that endures to this day.

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2.4 Code Name: Operation Vittles

FOCUS 2 – History

TIME: Three to four 45-minute periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Divided Germany Maps (Handout 2.4.1) Berlin Blockade Questions (Handout 2.4.2) News Article Analysis Worksheet (Handout 2.4.3) Photo Analysis Images (Handout 2.4.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Analyze a Photograph – National Archives. National Archives, www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/ worksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf.

Gail Halvorsen. PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/airlift-gail-halvorsen/.

History.com Editors. Berlin Blockade. History.com, A&E Television Networks, June 1, 2010, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/ berlin-blockade.

History Dust. The Candy Bomber. Sept. 9, 2019. PBS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGc4vY_GwSc. (41:09) Lee, Karen. Berlin Airlift. Newspapers.com, Nov. 21, 2018, www.newspapers.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-airlift/.

Lee, T. (2014, November 13). 42 Maps That Explain World War II. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2014/11/13/7148855/40-maps-t hat-explain-world-war-ii.

PBS Utah. The Candy Bomber. YouTube, PBS, Nov. 1, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMdYNyW4d5g. (1:01) SlidePlayer. (n.d.). The Beginning of the Cold War. https://slideplayer.com/slide/8740573/.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. The German History Scavenger Hunt. YouTube, Apr. 21, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ut2PTQptXpg. (13:04–16:40) United States Air Force. (1948). The Berlin Airlift AKA Operation Vittles. YouTube, Mar. 31, 2014, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=S-lfKG4V9cU. (14:17)

• • • • • • • • •

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Show students an image of a castle and say: Pretend that you are living in a castle, and the enemy is approaching. The drawbridge over the moat is raised just in time to prevent the enemy from entering. Now what? What needs must be met for you to survive? For example, food, water, heat. Your friends would like to help you without starting a battle. What can they do to help you? For example, dig tunnels or use disguises to look like the enemy. How many days can you survive before surrendering?

Ask: Consider yourself in the same situation, but your friends have access to modern-day technology. How might they be able to help you? For example, use airplanes to drop off supplies.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What was the Berlin Blockade, why did it happen, and what was the Western Allies’ response? ➤ Formative Performance Task Project the map of a divided Germany (Handout 2.4.1) and briefly explain to students how Germany and Berlin were divided into four zones of occupation following the end of World War II. Next, have students form groups of three. Each group should read the Berlin Blockade article and answer the questions about the article in Handout 2.4.2.

As a class, using the article and answers on Handout 2.4.2, create a timeline of events for the Berlin Blockade. ➤ Resources

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Divided Germany Maps (Handout 2.4.1) Berlin Blockade Questions (Handout 2.4.2)

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FOCUS 2

2.4 Code Name: Operation Vittles

FOCUS 2 – History

History.com Editors. Berlin Blockade. History.com, A&E Television Networks, June 1, 2010, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/ berlin-blockade.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What was the Berlin Airlift? ➤ Formative Performance Task Assign student pairs a news article about the Berlin Airlift from the Newspapers.com website. Students should analyze the article using the News Article Analysis Worksheet (Handout 2.4.3) to determine the important points regarding the Berlin Airlift.

If possible, project the articles and ask students to share what they learned with classmates; answering questions.

Teachers may wish to have students view the YouTube video The Berlin Airlift AKA Operation Vittles (14:17 minutes) after the completion of this task. A map showing the air routes used during the airlift can be found on Handout 2.4.1. ➤ Resources

• • • •

Divided Germany Maps (Handout 2.4.1) News Article Analysis Worksheet (Handout 2.4.3) Lee, K. (2018, November 21). Berlin Airlift. https://www.newspapers.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-airlift/.

United States Air Force. (1948). The Berlin Airlift AKA Operation Vittles. YouTube, Mar. 31, 2014, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=S-lfKG4V9cU. (14:17)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What was Operation Little Vittles? ➤ Formative Performance Task Assign an image from Handout 2.4.4 to small groups of students. Each group should analyze the assigned image using the Photo Analysis Worksheet.

Post the images and ask students to explain what they learned from their image. Next, read the PBS Gail Halvorsen article as a class. Use the article to add to students’ understanding of the images.

View the PBS YouTube video (1:01), The Candy Bomber. Ask students to use what they learned from the video to clarify or add to their understanding of the images used in the photo analysis.

If time allows, the full video of The Candy Bomber is available at (41:09): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGc4vY_GwSc. Teachers may wish to share the Transatlantic Outreach Program’s video of a visit by German students with Colonel Halverson on the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, The German History Scavenger Hunt, starting at 13:04 (“Tempelhof Airport played an big role in German history.”) and ending at 16:40 (“…with the same ideas, that’s what freedom means.”) ➤ Resources

• • • • • •

Photo Analysis Images (Handout 2.4.4) Analyze a Photograph – National Archives. National Archives, www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_ analysis_worksheet.pdf.

Gail Halvorsen. PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/airlift-gail-halvorsen/.

History Dust. The Candy Bomber. Sept. 9, 2019. PBS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGc4vY_GwSc. (41:09) PBS Utah. The Candy Bomber. YouTube, PBS, 1 Nov. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMdYNyW4d5g. (1:01) Transatlantic Outreach Program. The German History Scavenger Hunt. YouTube, Apr. 21, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ut2PTQptXpg. (13:04–16:40)

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2.4 Code Name: Operation Vittles

FOCUS 2 – History

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do individuals or groups work together to help those in need?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK As with the Berlin Airlift, countries have come to the aid of others in need. Research examples of other airlifts of supplies to areas in need and create a presentation to share with your classmates.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Throughout our communities, there are people in need of help such as housing, food, education, or transportation.

Assess: Contact your local community support organization to determine what sort of help is needed.

Act: Write a letter to your school administrator or post to social media about a cause that would benefit from additional support through volunteers or through donations in your local community.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Vittles Airlift Blockade Western Allies Soviet Union

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Airway Communist Tempelhof Airport West Berlin Germany

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Cold War Stalin Candy Bomber

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FOCUS 2

2.5 A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall

FOCUS 2 – History

2.5 A COUNTRY DIVIDED: THE BERLIN WALL How do walls protect and divide us?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.

D2.His.14.6-8. Explain multiple causes and effects of events and developments in the past.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1

Using testimony, images, and video, students will investigate the causes for the building of the Berlin Wall and its fall, as well as examine what life was like as described by children in East Berlin vs. West Berlin.

Supporting Question 2

Why was the Berlin Wall built?

What was life like for those living in East and West Germany?

Formative Performance Task After viewing a video on the building of the Berlin Wall, students will create a sequence of events diagram to illustrate the events that resulted in the building of the wall.

Featured Sources

Supporting Question 3 Why did the Berlin Wall fall?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Student groups will read the testimonies and examine the drawings of children who lived in West and East Berlin and, as a group, answer the questions on the handout. As a class, create a Venn diagram of the differences and similarities between East and West Berlin.

As a class, view the five short videos listed in the resources. After viewing each video, ask the students to list three words or phrases that are reasons the Berlin Wall fell.

Using the words generated, each group will create a word cloud.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 2.5.1

Source A: Handout 2.5.3

Source B: Handout 2.5.2

Source B: Handout 2.5.4

Source C: Berlin Wall: The Rise And Fall In Pictures

Source C: Berlin Wall: Photos from the Birth of a Brutal Cold War Symbol

Source D: The Wall: A World Divided

Source D: Davey, T. A. (1987). A Generation Divided: German Children and the Berlin Wall.

Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Source A: A Dozen Striking Photos Show How The Berlin Wall Actually Fell In 1989 Source B: Rally at Alexanderplatz Source C: The Berlin Wall Opens Source D: East Germans Go West Source E: West Berliners head East Source F: Chipping Away at the Berlin Wall Souvenir

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension 1: View excerpts from the Transatlantic Outreach Program’s video, The German History Scavenger Hunt, to learn about a person who successfully escaped and helped others escape. Research the escape of others.

Extension 2: Research other walls that were constructed to keep people in and to keep people out, and prepare a presentation to share with classmates.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: People create psychological boundaries against other people.

Assess: Are there individuals and/or groups in your school or community that are separated from others because of who they are or what they do?

Act: Join a school or community organization that provides outreach to individuals who are separated from the general community.

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2.5 A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall

FOCUS 2 – History

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How do walls protect and divide us?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Using testimony, images, and video, students will investigate the causes for the building of the Berlin Wall and its fall, as well as examine what life was like as described by children in East Berlin and West Berlin.

TEACHER BACKGROUND The conclusion of World War II in Europe saw the onset of what became known as the Cold War. Europe and the world became separated ideologically by the powers of the West, primarily the United States and its Allies on one side, and the East or the Eastern Bloc, primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states, on the other. Despite being united as Allies against the Axis powers during WWII, the Soviet Union and the United States disagreed about political and economic philosophy and the configuration of the postwar world, while occupying most of Europe. The consolidation of the occupied areas of western Germany by the French, British, and Americans resulted in the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), whereas the eastern zone, occupied by the Soviets, became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The capital city of Germany—Berlin—was also divided into east and west zones.

In July 1952, on Stalin’s orders, East German Communist Party General Walter Ulbricht initiated an intensification of Sovietization. The resulting harsh living conditions caused thousands to flee from the East. This mass emigration led to a “brain drain,” the flight of qualified workers.

By 1958, despite the political crises and heightened tensions between the FRG and the GDR, the border between East and West Berlin still remained somewhat permeable. Residents from the East were able to hold jobs in the West and could visit friends and family there. However, between 1949 and 1961, more than 2.5 million East Germans fled to the West. Some resettled in West Berlin and most quickly completed the political step they had taken by making themselves part of the West German economy.

To stem the flow of refugees from the GDR through Berlin, the East German government had long sought Russian authorization to cut off all access to West Berlin.

On August 13, 1961, GDR soldiers and labor crews began erecting fence posts and barbed wire along the border separating the Soviet and western sectors of the city, laying the foundation of what would be the Berlin Wall. All streets connecting the eastern and western sectors of the city were blocked, subway lines that crossed the border were closed, and telephone service between the two sectors was abruptly cut off. During the remainder of August, an additional 25,605 East Germans managed to escape through remaining gaps in the Wall. Soon after, soldiers were given orders to shoot at refugees trying to flee. Between August 1961 and November 1989, at least eighty-one people were killed trying to escape; another 5,000 made it to the West and about as many tried, but failed. No longer divided merely by the metaphoric “Iron Curtain,” Berlin, Germany, and Europe were now divided by a reinforced cement wall. West Berlin was now more than ever an island within the surrounding German Democratic Republic (GDR).

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FOCUS 2

2.5 A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall

FOCUS 2 – History

By the 1980s, the Berlin Wall stood 13 feet high (about 4 meters) and extended 43 kilometers (roughly 27 miles) within the city.

Another 112 kilometers (approximately 70 miles) of fortified barriers, known as the “outer ring,” encircled the city, enclosing Berlin. Along much of the eastern side of the inner-city wall ran a broad “death strip’” surrounded by a smaller wall and electrified wire fence. The only points of passage along the wall were eleven closely guarded openings, the most famous being “Checkpoint Charlie,” which was initially designated for military and diplomatic traffic.

Two separate systems of government, economics, and life developed until 1989 when a peaceful revolution of the people in the East resulted in the demolition of the Berlin Wall.

Germany has been reunited since October 3, 1990. Technically, Germany was not “re-unified”; in reality, the German Democratic Republic was dissolved and the people and area of East Germany became part of the Federal Republic of Germany. The process of integration, with a few exceptions, was that of the institutions and style of life of the East being replaced rapidly by that of the West.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Why Was the Berlin Wall Built? (Handout 2.5.1) Why Was the Berlin Wall Built? Answer Key (Handout 2.5.2) The Children of West and East Berlin (Handout 2.5.3) The Children of West and East Berlin Questions (Handout 2.5.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Berlin Wall: The Rise and Fall in Pictures. (2019, November 9). https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/09/europe/ gallery/berlin-wall-rise-fall-grm-intl/index.html.

Cosgrove, B. (2020, January 17). Berlin Wall: Photos from the Birth of a Brutal Cold War Symbol. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.life.com/history/berlin-wall-photos-early-days-cold-war-symbol/.

Creatly. (2019, May 21). Sequence Graphic Organizer. https://creately.com/usage/sequence-charts-graphic-organizers/.

Davey, T. A. (1987). A Generation Divided: German Children and the Berlin Wall. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Miller, R. (2019, November 8). A Dozen Striking Photos Show How the Berlin Wall Actually Fell in 1989. https://www. usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/11/08/berlin-wall-photos-show-fall-november-9-1989-30-anniversary/2516328001/.

Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). Rally at Alexanderplatz – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/rally-at-alexanderplatz-725/. (0:36) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). The Berlin Wall Opens – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/the-berlin-wall-opens-726/. (2:03) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). East Germans Go West – History of the Berlin Wall and Its fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/east-germans-go-west-729/. (0:57) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). West Berliners Head East – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/west-berliners-head-east-731/. (0:49) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). Chipping Away at the Berlin Wall Souvenir – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall.

Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/chipping-away-at-the-berlin-wall-souvenir-733/.

(1:52) Stange, E. (n.d.). The Wall: A World Divided. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://vimeo.com/110165265.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. The German History Scavenger Hunt. YouTube, Apr. 21, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ut2PTQptXpg. Zeitzeugen Büro. (2021). Contemporary Witnesses. Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung. https://www.zeitzeugenbuero.de/ index.php?id=english.

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2.5 A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall

FOCUS 2 – History

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Share a map of the neighborhood or city in which students live. Ask: What kind of boundaries exist? (School boundaries, neighborhoods, etc.) Are they natural or human-made?

Next, display a map of the same area with a line indicating a new border. As a class discuss how this new border would impact them—places they couldn’t go such a school, or parents to work, people they would be separated from, and so forth.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 Why was the Berlin Wall built? ➤ Formative Performance Task Assign each student a question from Handout 2.5.1. As a class, watch the Vimeo video The Wall: A World Divided starting at 3 minutes through 9:50, two times. During the first viewing, tell students not to attempt to answer their assigned question, but rather to watch the segment to become familiar with the content. During the second viewing, tell students to listen for the answer to their assigned question.

As a class, use the information gathered using Handout 2.5.1 to create a sequence of events diagram to illustrate the events that resulted in the building of the wall. Discuss the cause and effect of the events.

Teachers may also wish to share and discuss the first six images in the CNN picture gallery. Ask students to examine each picture, noting what they see and how they think the inhabitants of East and West Berlin felt. ➤ Resources

• • • • •

Why Was The Berlin Wall Built? (Handout 2.5.1) Why Was the Berlin Wall Built? Answer Key (Handout 2.5.2) Berlin Wall: The Rise and Fall in Pictures. (2019, November 9). https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/09/europe/gallery/ berlin-wall-rise-fall-grm-intl/index.html.

Creatly. (2019, May 21). Sequence Graphic Organizer. https://creately.com/usage/sequence-charts-graphic-organizers/.

Stange, E. (n.d.). The Wall: A World Divided. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://vimeo.com/110165265. (3–9:50 minutes)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What was life like for those living in East and West Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task To provide some understanding of the effects of the wall, as a class, view the images from the resources of the construction and earliest days of the wall (Berlin Wall: Photos from the Birth of a Brutal Cold War Symbol).

Next, divide the class into small groups. Have each group read the testimonies and examine the drawings of children who lived in West and East Berlin on Handout 2.5.3, and, as a group, answer the questions on Handout 2.5.4.

Then as a class, create a Venn diagram of the differences and similarities between East and West Berlin. ➤ Resources

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The Children of West and East Berlin (Handout 2.5.3) The Children of West and East Berlin Questions (Handout 2.5.4) Cosgrove, B. (2020, January 17). Berlin Wall: Photos from the Birth of a Brutal Cold War Symbol. https://www.life.com/ history/berlin-wall-photos-early-days-cold-war-symbol/.

Davey, T. A. (1987). A Generation Divided: German Children and the Berlin Wall. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

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2.5 A Country Divided: The Berlin Wall

FOCUS 2 – History

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 Why did the Berlin Wall fall? ➤ Formative Performance Task As a class, view the five short videos listed in resources. After viewing each video, ask student to list three words or phrases that are reasons the Wall fell.

Divide the class into small groups. Using the words generated after viewing the videos, each group will create a word cloud using an online program such as the one listed in resources. Share the word clouds. Are there any similarities? Surprises?

To provide more visual context, teachers may wish to share the Fall of the Wall photos (twelve images). Students may wish to add to their word cloud as they view the picture gallery. ➤ Resources

• • • • • •

Miller, R. (2019, November 8). A Dozen Striking Photos Show How the Berlin Wall Actually Fell in 1989. https://www. usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/11/08/berlin-wall-photos-show-fall-november-9-1989-30-anniversary/2516328001/.

Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). Rally at Alexanderplatz – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/rally-at-alexanderplatz-725/. (0:36) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). The Berlin Wall Opens – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/the-berlin-wall-opens-726/. (2:03) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). East Germans go West – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/east-germans-go-west-729/. (0:57) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). West Berliners head East – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/west-berliners-head-east-731/. (0:49) Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). Chipping Away at the Berlin Wall Souvenir – History of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall.

Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.the-berlin-wall.com/videos/chipping-away-at-the-berlin-wall-souvenir-733/.

(1:52)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do walls protect and divide us?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 1 During the Berlin Wall’s existence, many people attempted to escape from the East to the West. View the following excerpts from the Transatlantic Outreach Program’s video, The German History Scavenger Hunt, to learn about a person who successfully escaped and helped others escape. (12:00: “The Berlin Wall—it separated East and West Berlin in the Cold War” to 12:53: “…who risked his life crossing the death strip.”) and (17:03: “And if you take care of your country, you might receive this in Germany…” to 19:26: “with a two-pound hammer and to make it look like a robbery.”) Research the escape of others from the East to the West and share what you learn with your classmates. ➤ Resources

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Transatlantic Outreach Program. The German History Scavenger Hunt. YouTube, Apr. 21, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ut2PTQptXpg. Zeitzeugen Büro. (2021). Contemporary Witnesses. Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung. https://www.zeitzeugenbuero.de/index. php?id=english.

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EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 2 Throughout history, walls have been constructed to keep people in and to keep people out. Research some of these walls and prepare a presentation to share with classmates that shows the wall’s location, explains who built the wall and why, how it affected people’s lives, and other points of interest. Possible walls include the Great Wall of China, the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, the West Bank Wall, the Peace Lines/Walls in Ireland, and Hadrian’s Wall.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: People create psychological boundaries against other people.

Assess: Are there individuals and/or groups in your school or community that are separated from others because of who they are or what they do?

Act: Join a school or community organization that provides outreach to individuals who are separated from the general community.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Allies Axis German Democratic Republic (GDR) Berlin Wall Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)

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Emigration Boundaries Sovietization Cold War Soviet Union

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Refugee Communism East Germany West Germany

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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2.6 New Germans—New Neighbors

FOCUS 2 – History

2.6 NEW GERMANS—NEW NEIGHBORS Who are the refugees coming to Germany, and why are they choosing to come to Germany?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.12.3-5. Explain how natural and human-made catastrophic events in one place affect people living in other places.

Staging the Compelling Question

In this inquiry, students will learn about the factors that result in migration. They will examine the refugee populations that have arrived in Germany since 2015, their needs, and how the German government and society have attempted to meet those needs.

Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What is the push-pull effect?

Who are the refugees who settled in Germany since 2015, and where did they come from?

Formative Performance Task Students will view a video to learn about migration and push-pull factors.

Featured Sources Source A: Push and Pull factors as drivers of migration

Supporting Question 3 What are the needs of immigrants and refugees arriving in Germany, and how has the German government and society attempted to meet them?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Using graphs and charts, student groups will collect information on the six countries whose refugee populations have arrived in Germany and why they chose to do so.

Student groups will complete a diagram on the needs of refugees arriving in Germany and how those needs are met by the government and society.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 2.6.1

Source A: Handout 2.6.3

Source B: Handout 2.6.2 Source C: Crossing Borders

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Examine the role of immigrants in the past and currently in your state or region. Design a presentation to share with your community.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Throughout the United States, organizations exist to provide support for refugees and new immigrants.

Assess: Contact your state or regional Office of Immigrant Refugees to learn about programs offering support for refugees in your area.

Act: Reach out to your local organization to determine how you and your classmates can provide support.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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Who are the refugees coming to Germany, and why are they choosing to come to Germany?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will learn about the factors that result in migration. They will examine the refugee populations that have arrived in Germany since 2015, their needs, and how the German government and society have attempted to meet those needs.

After World War II (WWII), immigration into Germany started with the boom of the German economy in the late 1950s.

This generated a huge demand for labor. For the first time, foreigners with no previous ties to Germany or German territories immigrated to Germany to work in mines and factories.

Most significantly, many of the “guest workers” (Gastarbeiter) came from Turkey, which resulted in Germany experiencing an influx of people who were Muslim.1 The German government did not intend for recruited foreign workers to stay in the country indefinitely. In fact, the bilateral recruitment agreements that Germany signed required that the guest workers were to come to Germany without their families for a period of only two years. Plans were not made to assimilate the guest workers, or to make them citizens. They were called Ausländer (“foreigners”) and were expected to remain so.

However, things did not go as planned. In 1960, the number of foreigners living in Germany was 686,000, or 1.2 percent of the total German population. The most populous of the so-called Ausländer were Italians. After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, both the number of foreigners and their share of the labor force increased. The number quickly jumped to four million, and their share of the population reached 6.7 percent of Germany’s total population. By 1973, the most important country of origin for Ausländer was no longer Italy but rather Turkey, which accounted for 23 percent of all foreigners.2 More importantly, a significant change had occurred in the lives of the workers. By the 1970s, many of the “foreigners” had sent for their wives and families. Therefore, a new generation of theoretically non-German children was born in Germany in the 1960s. The guest workers had made Germany home.

As the war in Syria raged on in 2015, millions of refugees sought asylum across the Mediterranean. At that time, refugees from Syria and the other countries that had experienced the Arab Spring were welcomed into European countries with a wave of euphoria. Countries like Germany and Austria, which were still processing their dark history of WWII, opened their borders to show their solidarity with the refugees. In 2016, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that, for the first time, the number of forced displaced people globally had exceeded the number of refugees following WWII. In 2016, the number of forced displaced people worldwide was over 52 million.3

1 2 3

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Focus Migration. (n.d.) Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/de/migration-und-integration.

Migration Policy Institute. (n.d.) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=235.

Edwards, Adrian. (June 20, 2014). World Refugee Day: Global Forced Displacement Tops 50 Million for First Time in Post-World War II Era, UNHCR. Official website of the UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2014/6/53a155bc6/world-refugee-day-global-forced-displacement-tops-50-million-first-time.html.

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© Belinda Fewings Unsplash

TEACHER BACKGROUND

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2.6 New Germans—New Neighbors

FOCUS 2 – History

However, as more refugees arrived, some politicians of European countries decided to close their borders. They were adamant that refugees must seek asylum in the first country of entrance in the European Union (EU), as per the Dublin Regulation (also called the Dublin Procedure). “The Dublin Regulation establishes the Member State responsible for the examination of the asylum application.”4 It stipulates that, for example, if an asylum seeker has already had their fingerprints taken in another European country before entering Germany, Germany has the right to send them back to the initial country of information-intake.

The German government, headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel, decided to “suspend” the Dublin Regulation criteria on humanitarian grounds during the height of the crisis in 2015. This signaled an “arms open policy” to the rest of the world. Merkel exclaimed her welcome by telling the German people that “we can do this” regarding the influx of refugees. The government made sure to curb the strain on individual Länder (states) by distributing the asylum seekers evenly throughout its sixteen Länder.

Other European countries took a different path. Austria introduced a cap on the daily number of asylum seekers it would allow in. Hungary raised a barbed wire fence along its border to Serbia, to stem the flow of refugees coming through the Western Balkan Route from Greece. The Republic of Macedonia (Northern Macedonia) followed suit with Hungary and closed its border to Greece in March 2016. The closure of borders had a huge effect: It drastically lowered the number of refugees trying to migrate north toward Germany. This, in turn, made it much more difficult for refugees to navigate the Balkan Route, which was an easier route than the treacherous waters of the Central Mediterranean Route, which went from Libya and on to Italy. As a result, the number of refugees coming to Germany was drastically reduced. At the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, 890,000 asylum seekers were registered. In 2017, the number of asylum applications had dropped to 186,644.5 According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 122,170 asylum seekers were registered in Germany in 2020.

This was significantly fewer than in previous years, the number of asylum applications decreased by 26 percent from 2019 to 2020.6 The total number of refugees living in Germany in 2020 was 1.77 million.7 Of these, 1.2 million had been granted permission to stay in Germany as of December 2017, most of them from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Most refugees coming to Germany continue to be young men—84 percent of new asylum seekers in 2017 were under the age of 35, and 60 percent were male. Only a small percentage had formal occupational qualifications or academic degrees.8 Germany is attractive to refugees and migrants as a destination to start their new lives for numerous reasons. The living standard is much higher than in most of the countries from which refugees flee. As a stable country, Germany offers safety to those from war-torn regions. German law also dictates that persecuted people have the right to seek asylum in Germany (Basic Law 16a).

Germany has also spearheaded the integration process of refugees. There are numerous language courses available to help refugees adjust to their new lives. In addition, the apprenticeship program has incorporated refugees. This is a welcome step, as many apprenticeship spots have not been filled in recent years. Help is available to refugees, even in the form of apps, to bring together jobseekers and employers.

The most elementary way of explaining international migration is by identifying push and pull factors. International migration is the result of a combination of reasons that incite or force a person to leave a country of origin (push factors) and reasons that draw a person to a particular destination country (pull factors).

4 5 6 7 8

Migration Policy Institute. (n.d.) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=235.

Chase, Jefferson. (2018, January 16). Refugee Numbers in Germany Dropped Dramatically in 2017. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/refugee-numbers-in-germany-dropped-dramatically-in-2017/a-42162223.

BAMF. (2020). Das Bundesamt in Zahlen 2020. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. https://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/DE/Statistik/BundesamtinZahlen/bundesamt-in-zahlen-2020-asyl.html?view=renderPdfViewer&nn=284738.

Carter, Leah. (2020). Germany’s Refugee Population Falls for the First Time in Nine Years. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-refugeepopulation-falls-for-the-first-time-in-nine-years/a-55160344.

Trines, S. (2020, July 22). The State of Refugee Integration in Germany in 2019. WENR. https://wenr.wes.org/2019/08/the-state-of-refugee-integration-in-germany-in-2019.

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Push factors include armed conflict, natural disasters, lack of job opportunities, possession of economic and cultural capital, family break-ups, or dissatisfaction with one’s own life and surroundings.

Pull factors are often the polar opposites of the push factors, that is, greater security, better job opportunities, or the prospect of a more exciting life. But some pull factors have no immediate correlation with push factors, for example, geographic proximity or the presence of family or community members in the destination country.9 TIME: One to two 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Asylum Seekers/Refugee Statistics Germany (Handout 2.6.1) Asylum Seekers by Country of Origin (Handout 2.6.2) Immigrant and Refugee Needs Diagram (Handout 2.6.3) Geography Lessons. (2020, November 30). Push and Pull Factors as Drivers of Migration. YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=cV4zCTZV7EM. (2:56) Jazbec, C. (n.d.). Crossing Borders. Global Oneness Project. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from www. globalonenessproject.org/library/photo-essays/crossing-borders.

UNHCR. (2017, October 23). Who is a Refugee? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvzZGplGbL8.

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www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Watch the video “Who Is a Refugee?” Direct students to listen carefully for the reasons a person might become a refugee.

Create a class definition of refugee and list the reasons given in the video why refugees leave where they live to move to another area or country for use in Formative Performance Task 1. ➤ Resource

•

UNHCR. (2017, October 23). Who is a Refugee? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvzZGplGbL8.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What is the push-pull effect? ➤ Formative Performance Task Introduce the concept of migration: the movement of people from one place to another with intentions of settling, permanently or temporarily, at a new location (geographic region).* View the short video Push and Pull Factors as Drivers of Migration. As students watch the video, ask them to listen for push-pull factors that are not on the list developed in the Introductory Question. Add these to the list.

Students should understand that for migration to occur, conditions at home must motivate people to leave (push) and conditions at their destination must seem attractive (pull). ➤ Resources

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Geography Lessons. (2020, November 30). Push and Pull Factors as Drivers of Migration. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=cV4zCTZV7EM. (2:56)

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European University Institute. An Introduction to “Push” and “Pull” Factors. FutureLearn. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from www.futurelearn.com/info/ courses/migration-theories/0/steps/35073.

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*Human Migration. (2021, May 15). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migration.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 Who are the refugees who settled in Germany since 2015, and where did they come from? ➤ Formative Performance Task Prior to starting this task, work through the task using one country to show students how to use the charts in Handout 2.6.1.

Take the opportunity to discuss the difference in scale for the first set of graphs, Asylum Seekers in Germany by Country of Origin (2016 and 2020), as the number of asylum seekers from Syria was over 250,000 in 2016, compared to 30,000 in 2020.

Divide the class into six groups and assign each group a country: Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Nigeria, and Iran.

Using the graphs and charts on Handout 2.6.1, have each group complete Handout 2.6.2 for their assigned country. To answer questions 2 and 3 on the handout, ask students to research relevant push factors for their assigned country and some pull factors that attracted refugees to make the journey to Germany. Some useful websites for the students’ research include UNHCR, Amnesty International, Global Citizen, and Immigration Forum.

Once complete, students should fill in their charts as each group shares information for their assigned country with the class.

Teachers may want students to view the photo gallery that shows the hardships refugees met on their journey to northern Europe. ➤ Resources

• • •

Asylum Seekers/Refugee Statistics Germany (Handout 2.6.1) Asylum Seekers by Country of Origin (Handout 2.6.2) Jazbec, C. (n.d.). Crossing Borders. Global Oneness Project. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from www.globalonenessproject. org/library/photo-essays/crossing-borders.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What are the needs of immigrants and refugees arriving in Germany, and how has the German government and society attempted to meet them? ➤ Formative Performance Task As a class, brainstorm a list of the needs immigrants and refugees might have, such as language, jobs, childcare, schools, health care, and housing.

In the same groups from Formative Performance Task 2, assign each group a category from Handout 2.6.3. Using the suggested resource(s) for the assigned category, ask each group to complete the chart for the category. Upon completion, each group will report what they learned to the class, and students will fill their own diagram on Handout 2.6.3. ➤ Resource

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Immigrant and Refugee Needs Diagram (Handout 2.6.3)

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FOCUS 2 – History

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK Who are the refugees coming to Germany, and why are they choosing to come to Germany?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Immigration is a foundation of America. No other nation has as large an immigrant population as does the United States. With the important exception of those descended from Native peoples and/or enslaved Africans, few people in the United States cannot trace at least part of their ancestry to an immigrant—either recently or centuries ago.

Examine the role of immigrants in the past and currently in your state or region. Design a presentation to share with your community.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Throughout the United States, organizations exist to provide support for refugees and new immigrants.

Assess: Contact your state or regional Office of Immigrant Refugees to learn about programs offering support for refugees in your area.

Act: Reach out to your local organization to determine how you and your classmates can provide support.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Refugee Immigrant

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Immigration Migration

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Push-pull factors

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FOCUS 2

2.7 Everyday Inventions and German Ingenuity

FOCUS 2 – History

2.7 EVERYDAY INVENTIONS AND GERMAN INGENUITY How are our lives impacted by inventions?

C3 Framework Indicator

D3.1.6-8. Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection.

Staging the Compelling Question

In this inquiry, students will research German inventions of everyday items, such as the hole punch, toothpaste, and the coffee filter, and create a poster to share what they have learned.

Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What are the characteristics of an inventor?

Formative Performance Task After reading the online article “What Inventors Are,” student groups will determine which of the characteristics in their list they think is the most important and why, and create a class word cloud of the characteristics.

Featured Sources

What everyday items have been invented

by Germans?

Supporting Question 3 How are our lives influenced by inventions?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Students will research an assigned inventor and invention, and create a poster using the provided guidelines.

Students will complete a gallery walk of the poster generated in Formative Performance Task 2 to determine which invention is the most innovative, the most useful, the most creative, and has had the greatest impact, as well as which invention the student would miss the most if it was no longer available.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: Invention

Source A: Handout 2.7.1

Source A: Handout 2.7.3

Source B: Word Cloud Generator

Source B: Handout 2.7.2

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Many women and minority inventors hid their identity when applying for a patent. Read the article and research the women and minority inventors cited to create a display to share with your classmates and school.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Inventions are developed by individuals of all ages.

Assess: Working with the support of a teacher, determine your classmates interest in forming an Invention Club!

Act: With the support of a teacher, create an afterschool Invention Club or program.

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FOCUS 2 – History

COMPELLING QUESTION

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How are our lives impacted by inventions?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will research German inventions of everyday items, such as the hole punch, toothpaste, and the coffee filter, and create a poster to share what they have learned. Through a gallery walk, students will determine which of the researched inventions they felt were the most innovative, most useful, most creative, had the greatest impact, and would be missed the most if no longer available.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Germany has a reputation for innovation, with countless groundbreaking inventions. When we think of Germany— the land of poets and thinkers—we often think of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the poet and natural scientist; Özlem Türeci, who developed the first messenger RNA-based vaccine against Covid-19; Albert Einstein, who discovered the theory of relativity; Maria Goeppert-Mayer, who proposed the nuclear shell model of the atomic nucleus.

And while many German brands have become household names (think Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz), few people realize how many commonly used items came to be, thanks to German inventors.

Take the automobile, for example. In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach built the first functional combustion engine and attached it to a bicycle. This “riding car” was presented a few years later at the Paris World Fair in 1889, and by the 1920s, people were mobile.

Or the coffee filter. In 1908, Dresden homemaker Melitta Bentz wondered if an improvised paper filter could make her morning coffee less bitter. Voila! The coffee filter was born, and Bentz became an inventor. After she patented her idea, Melitta Group KG became a booming business and today employs thousands of people.

Another unexpected example is the accordion, an instrument many associated with French chanson. It was, in fact, invented in Berlin in 1822 by Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann. Even more remarkable is that this craftsman is said to have first invented the harmonica.

From pioneering flight by inventing the hang glider and the helicopter to medical advancements like the X-ray machine, Germans have had a hand in many inventions we still use today.1 Teachers may wish to share the History of Inventions timeline: http://web.archive.org/web/20080709054044/http://www.cbc. ca/kids/general/the-lab/history-of-invention/default.html.

A comprehensive listing of inventions and discoveries can be found at https://www.factmonster.com/math-science/ inventions-discoveries/inventions-and-discoveries.

1

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10 Everyday Things Invented in Germany. (2019, April 29). Deutsche Welle. DW.COM, www.dw.com/en/10-everyday-things-invented-in-germany/a-18912226.

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A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 2

2.7 Everyday Inventions and German Ingenuity

FOCUS 2 – History

TIME: Three to four 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

German Inventors List (Handout 2.7.1) German Inventors Poster Project (Handout 2.7.2) German Inventors Invention Gallery Walk (Handout 2.7.3) 10 Genius Ways German Inventors Improved Our Lives. (2016, January 16). Thelocal.de, www.thelocal. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore de/20160116/ten-of-germanys-greatest-inventions-every-day-german-inventors.

15+ Things You Didn’t Know Were Invented in Germany. (2018, May 23). TakeLessons Blog, takelessons.com/ blog/german-inventions-z12.

Automotive Hall of Fame. (n.d.). Bertha Benz. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/ honoree/bertha-benz/.

Burke, James. Invention. (2020, November 10). Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/technology/ invention-technology.

Davies, Jason. Word Cloud Generator. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from www.jasondavies.com/wordcloud/.

10 Everyday Things Invented in Germany. (2019, April 29). Deutsche Welle. DW.COM, www.dw.com/ en/10-everyday-things-invented-in-germany/a-18912226.

Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus. (2020, December 3). German Inventions & Brands. Germany Simply Inspiring. www. germany.travel/en/ms/german-heritage/made-in-germany/brands-and-inventions.html.

German Patent and Trade Mark Office. (2021). Kaethe Paulus. https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/ ingeniouswomen/kaethepaulus/index.html.

Kaplan, J. (2020, December 22). Meet the Married Billionaire Couple Who Helped Create the BioNTech/Pfizer Vaccine. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-married-biontech-billionaires-who-helpe d-create-pfizer-vaccine-2020-11.

Marcus, Imanuel. (2020, September 6). Made in Germany: The Top 10 German Inventions. The Berlin Spectator. berlinspectator.com/2020/07/14/made-in-germany-the-top-10-german-inventions-1/.

Marga Faulstich. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marga_Faulstich.

Maroshek, Lora. (2020, September 30). 20 Famous Things You Didn’t Know Were Invented in Germany—You May Be Surprised! Life in Düsseldorf. lifeinduesseldorf.com/invented-in-germany/.

Ritter Sport. (2021). Family Business & Values. https://www.ritter-sport.com/history.

The Henry Ford. (n.d.). Invention Convention Worldwide. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from www. nationalinventioncurriculum.org/.

The History of Invention. Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from web.archive.org/web/20080709054044/ http:/www.cbc.ca/kids/general/the-lab/history-of-invention/default.html.

The TOP 40 German Inventions. Step into German – German(y)—The TOP 40 German Inventions. Goethe-Institut. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from www.goethe.de/ins/us/saf/prj/stg/ger/inv/enindex.htm.

What Is a Patent? (2019, July 2). Findlaw www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/intellectual-property/what-is-a-patent.html.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION As a class, brainstorm: what is an invention?

Then share the following definition: Invention: a new, useful process, machine, improvement, etc., that did not exist previously and that is recognized as the product of some unique intuition or genius, as distinguished from ordinary mechanical skill or artisanship. (https://www.dictionary. com/browse/invention).

Then examine the brainstorm list of what is an invention in relation to this definition.

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FOCUS 2

2.7 Everyday Inventions and German Ingenuity

FOCUS 2 – History

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are the characteristics of an inventor? ➤ Formative Performance Task Divide the class into groups of four. Ask each group to read the “What Inventors Are” segment of the online article by Burke at the Invention link in the Resources below, and list the reasons why inventors invent. Each group should determine which of the characteristics in their list they feel is the most important and why.

Use an online program, such as Word Cloud Generator listed in the Resources below, to create a class word cloud of the characteristics determined by each group. Once completed, ask the class to reflect on which characteristics they think are the most important for an inventor and why.

Save the word cloud. If possible, post the word cloud or print it for use in Formative Performance Task 2. ➤ Resources

• •

Burke, James. Invention. (2020, November 10). Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/technology/ invention-technology.

Davies, Jason. Word Cloud Generator. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from www.jasondavies.com/wordcloud/.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What everyday items have been invented by Germans? ➤ Formative Performance Task Assign each student or student pair an inventor and invention from Handout 2.7.1. Using the links listed on Handout 2.7.2, have the students research the assigned inventor and invention, and create a poster using the provided guidelines. Students should be prepared to introduce their inventor and invention to the class and to answer questions. ➤ Resources

• •

German Inventors List (Handout 2.7.1) German Inventors Poster Project (Handout 2.7.2)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How are our lives influenced by inventions? ➤ Formative Performance Task Hang the posters generated in Formative Performance Task 2 to create an Invention Gallery. Using Handout 2.7.3, students will do a gallery walk to determine which invention is the most innovative, the most useful, the most creative, and has had the greatest impact, as well as which invention the student would miss the most if it was no longer available.

As a class, share the results of the gallery walk. Which invention won each category? Were any inventions chosen as the winner for more than one category? Why might that be? Were there any surprises? Did an invention win that no one expected?

Examine the inventions, and as a class, discuss how their lives would be affected if any of the inventions did not exist. ➤ Resource

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German Inventors Invention Gallery Walk (Handout 2.7.3)

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FOCUS 2

2.7 Everyday Inventions and German Ingenuity

FOCUS 2 – History

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What impact do the inventive efforts of others have on our lives?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question, using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Many women and minority inventors hid their identity when applying for a patent. Read the article Inventive Thinking and Creativity about women and minority inventors (start reading at “Inventions,” about halfway through the article). Research the women and minority inventors cited in this article and create a display to share with your classmates and school. If possible, display your work at the local library. ➤ Resource

•

Bellis, Mary. Inventive Thinking and Creativity. (2020, August 27). ThoughtCo, thoughtco.com/ inventive-thinking-and-creativity-1991217.

Information on patents can be found at:

•

What Is a Patent? (2019, July 2). Findlaw. www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/intellectual-property/what-is-a-patent.html.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Inventions are developed by individuals of all ages.

Assess: Working with the support of a teacher, determine your classmates’ interest in forming an Invention Club!

Act: With the support of a teacher, create an afterschool Invention Club or program. Use the “Information on How to Form an Invention Program” at https://www.nationalinventioncurriculum.org. ➤ Resource

•

The Henry Ford. (n.d.). Invention Convention Worldwide. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from www.nationalinventioncurriculum.org/.

CONCEPTS LIST

• •

Inventor Invention

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Curiosity Patent

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FOCUS 3

3.1 Misinformation

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

3.1 MISINFORMATION Whose responsibility is it to protect citizens from misinformation on social media?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

D2.Civ.3.3-5. Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What are the consequences of fake news?

After reviewing Germany’s Network Enforcement Act (or Facebook Law), students will be able to identify the consequences of fake news and take a position on whether government intervention is needed to help minimize misinformation.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3 Should we use Germany’s Network Enforcement Law as a model in the United States?

What actions has Germany taken to protect its citizens from online misinformation?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Students will view a video that highlights teenagers sharing their views on fake news and their role in it, and then respond to questions.

Students will watch the BBC video on how Germany has addressed fake news as a country, then interpret and summarize the information.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Formative Performance Task Students will review the three key components of Germany’s Network Enforcement Act. Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.1.2

Source A: This Is What Students Think About ‘Fake News’ and the Media

Source A: Handout 3.1.1

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Source B: Facebook Could Be Fined In Germany, If It Refuses To Remove Stories Which Are Proved False

Extension: Examine the history of fake news and yellow journalism in the United States.

Create a slide deck on how today’s fake news may be different from that of the past.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Fake news can have lasting impacts on democratic institutions.

Assess: Examine how fake news potentially affected the U.S. 2016 election.

Act: Create a poster that shows the consequences of spreading misinformation.

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FOCUS 3

3.1 Misinformation

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

Whose responsibility is it to protect citizens from misinformation on social media?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will examine their thoughts and attitudes about online misinformation and their role as citizens. They will review key components of Germany’s Network Enforcement Act (or Facebook Law) to determine if this type of law would be helpful or harmful in the United States. By the end of the inquiry, students will be able to identify the consequences of fake news and take a position on whether government intervention is needed to help minimize misinformation.

TEACHER BACKGROUND

Reports about the dissemination of fake news during the 2016 U.S. election increased fears that the same could happen during the 2017 German federal elections. As a result, to protect its citizens, Germany enacted a number of civil and criminal law provisions to safeguard individuals and the public from fake news in social networks. Specifically, in 2017 the Network Enforcement Act (Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz) was passed with the aim of fighting fake news on social networks by improving the enforcement of the current laws. Social networks that do not remove illegal content within 24 hours may be fined up to €50 million (about U.S. $57.8 million). Illegal content includes dissemination of propaganda materials of unconstitutional organizations, use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations, preparation of a serious act of violence threatening the state, instruction to commit a serious act of violence threatening the state, falsification of the state, public incitement to commit a crime, disturbing the public peace by threatening to commit criminal acts, formation of criminal organizations and terrorist organizations, depiction of violence or child pornography, and insulting confessions, religious societies and ideological associations, among others.

Under the law, which came into effect on January 1, 2018, online platforms face fines of up to €50 million for systemic failure to delete illegal content. In this context, the law refers to commercial social networks on the internet with at least two million members. Providers of these social networks must check complaints immediately and delete any illegal content. ➤ Sources

• •

Federal Office of Justice. (n.d.). Häufig gestellte Fragen – Welche rechtswidrigen Inhalte (Straftatbestände) werde vom NetzDg erfasst? Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.bundesjustizamt.de/DE/Themen/Buergerdienste/NetzDG/Fragen/ FAQ_node.html;jsessionid=12F2AD4361A19E64B4593882B6983A75.2_cid503#faq10018912.

Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. (2017). Act to Improve Enforcement of the Law in Social Networks (Network Enforcement Act, NetzDG) – Basic Information (2017). https://www.bmjv.de/DE/Themen/FokusThemen/NetzDG/ NetzDG_EN_node.html.

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© Lie Detectors

Common Sense Media found that students (ages 8–12) spend an average of 6 hours a day using various forms of media. Hence the necessity for media literacy skills to recognize and combat online misinformation, which can have harmful consequences in everyday life. As students engage on the internet, they must be able to think critically, recognize bias, understand how to evaluate sources, and be an advocate for media justice.

FOCUS 3

3.1 Misinformation

•

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

Gesley, Jenny. (2019, April 1). Germany. Library of Congress Digital Collections. www.loc.gov/law/help/fake-news/germany. php.

Thrive Foundation. (2015). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens. [PDF]. https://www. commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/census_researchreport.pdf.

•

TIME: Two to three 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • •

AEIOU Graphic Organizer (Handout 3.1.1) Network Enforcement Law (Handout 3.1.2) BBC News. (2017). Facebook Could Be Fined in Germany, If It Refuses to Remove Stories Which Are Proved False. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-39003341. (2:59) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Lie Detectors News Challenges Lie Detectors. (2021). Lie Detectors Website. https://lie-detectors.org.

PBS. (2017). This Is What Students Think About “Fake News” and the Media. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ this-is-what-students-think-about-fake-news-and-the-media. (2:18)

• • •

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Ask: “Have you ever spotted fake news on social media? What was the story and how did you determine that it wasn’t true?”

Explain to students that there are organizations, like Lie Detectors, that are educating students and teachers about how to discern fake news. Lie Detectors is an independent organization that works to empower students and their teachers in Europe “to act as powerful lie detectors and critical thinkers” in a world increasingly populated by misinformation. Have students form pairs and complete the Lie Detectors News Challenges. ➤ Resource

•

Lie Detectors News Challenges

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are the consequences of fake news? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students will watch the PBS News video, This Is What Students Think About ‘Fake News’ and the Media, which highlights teenagers sharing their views on fake news and their role in it. Either pause the video in segments or view the video twice to allow students to watch the video, think about what they viewed, and then respond to questions. Students should respond in writing to the following questions: 1. What are some consequences of fake news?

2. Do you believe it is your responsibility or the government’s role to stop fake news from spreading? Why or why not?”

After each student has thought about these questions and written their response, students can share their answers with their classmates. ➤ Resource

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PBS. (2017). This Is What Students Think About ‘Fake News’ and the Media. Retrieved from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/ show/this-is-what-students-think-about-fake-news-and-the-media. (2:18)

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A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 3

3.1 Misinformation

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What actions has Germany taken to protect its citizens from online misinformation? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students will watch the BBC video Facebook Should Be Fined in Germany on how Germany has addressed fake news as a country. Ask students to interpret and summarize information from the video in five descriptive categories using the AEIOU strategy.

The AEIOU strategy provides multiple paths for students to express what they see, know, and wonder about the content, and it challenges students to summarize their reactions.

Explain to students that they will watch a news story from Germany about misinformation and their task will be to summarize the video using the acronym AEIOU:

• • • • •

A = Adjective: One or two words that describe something you saw or learned.

E = Emotion: One word that describes how you feel after watching the video.

I = Interesting: Write something that you found interesting about the topic.

O = Oh!: Describe something that surprised you from the video.

U = Um?: Write a question that you still have after watching the video.

The teacher may have students write their answers on paper or use the AEIOU Graphic Organizer (Handout 3.1.1). Ask students if they have any questions about the AEIOU task, prior to starting the video.

If needed, pause the video in intervals to remind and prompt students to write down their answers. Once the video has been shown and responses have been recorded, have the students share their responses as a class. Teachers may want to curate the list of questions students generated and challenge students to find answers to their questions as extra, extension activities. ➤ Resources

• •

AEIOU Graphic Organizer (Handout 3.1.1) BBC News. (2017). Facebook Could Be Fined in Germany, If It Refuses to Remove Stories Which Are Proved False. https:// www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-39003341. (2:59)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 Should we use Germany’s Network Enforcement Law as a model in the United States? ➤ Formative Performance Task After a discussion on the German news story from Formative Performance Task 2, students will examine this topic further by reviewing three key components of Germany’s Network Enforcement Act (Handout 3.1.2), also known as the Facebook Law. Explain to students that Germany has created a law to protect its citizens from misinformation, and that the German Network Enforcement Act shared in class is not the entire law, but three key parts of the law. Review the document as a class and answer any student questions.

Once the reading is completed, encourage students to reflect on what they have learned and complete a 5-minute quick write to answer the following question: “Do you think Germany’s Network Enforcement Act would be helpful or harmful in the United States? Why?” If needed, students may work in pairs to develop a brief oral or written argument using the information from the document as evidence for their claim. ➤ Resource

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Network Enforcement Law (Handout 3.1.2)

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FOCUS 3

3.1 Misinformation

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK Whose responsibility is it to protect citizens from misinformation on social media?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK The idea of made-up or fake news is not a new concept. Examine the history of fake news and yellow journalism in the United States. Create a slide deck on how today’s fake news may be different from that of the past.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Fake news can have lasting impacts on democratic institutions.

Assess: Examine how fake news potentially affected the U.S. 2016 election.

Act: Create a poster that shows the consequences of spreading misinformation.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • • • •

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Internet Social media Misinformation Act Fines Content

• • • • • •

Reliability Credibility Evidence Bias Digital literacy Fake news

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Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz Network Enforcement Act Facebook Law Yellow journalism

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

FOCUS 3

3.2 School—The German Way

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

3.2 SCHOOL—THE GERMAN WAY How are schools organized to meet the needs of a country?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Soc.6.9-12. Identify the major components of culture.

D2.Soc.7.9-12. Cite examples of how culture influences the individuals in it.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1

This inquiry is focused on the educational system of Germany. The students will be able to compare their own schooling with that of contemporaries in Germany.

Supporting Question 2

How are the customs and practices for the beginning of school in Germany similar and different from those in the United States?

How is a German school’s day similar to yours, and how are they different?

Supporting Question 3 How are the German and American school systems similar, and how are they different?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Students will use photographs to compare and contrast first day of school customs and practices.

Using a copy of their daily schedule and Handout 3.2.1, ask student pairs to create a Venn diagram comparing the two schedules.

Students will explore the similarities and difference of the German and U.S. school systems by analyzing the stages of schooling.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: PowerPoint 3.2.1

Source A: Handout 3.2.1

Source A: Handout 3.2.2

Source B: Chart paper Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: With your classmates, design Schultüten for a first-grade class, decorating the outside to reflect their interests.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: The education system in Germany varies from state to state, although the basic K–12 system is uniform.

Assess: Research the apprenticeship programs available for students in Germany.

Act: Arrange to share information on the German education system and apprenticeship program with your school guidance counselors.

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FOCUS 3

3.2 School—The German Way

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How are schools organized to meet the needs of a country?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW This inquiry is focused on the educational system of Germany. The students will be able to compare their own schooling with that of contemporaries in Germany.

TEACHER BACKGROUND The organization of schools in any country is established to meet the needs of the society.

As in all nations of the world, German students are challenged to meet higher academic standards in order to be more competitive in international measures of performance.

The structure of the school system in Germany differs significantly from that of the United States. Some of the differences include the stages of schooling, the length of the school day (school usually ends by 1:30 p.m.), the composition of the classes (students may be looped from grades one through three), teacher assignment (unlike most American elementary teachers who are usually generalists, German elementary teachers often teach only two different subjects), and the grading system (numerical system in Germany).

Before beginning this inquiry, the teacher may want to become more familiar with the German educational system by reading the resource materials.

• •

How to Germany. (2021, January). German school system. https://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html.

Yvonne. (2021, May 2). An Introduction to the German School System [2021 English Guide]. https://www.simplegermany.com/ german-school-system/.

TIME: One to two 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • •

German Schools PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.2) German School Schedule (Handout 3.2.1) German School System (Handout 3.2.2) Chart paper www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore German Girl in America. (2021, June 30). A Day at School Germany vs USA. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=CQ39uwHDQAM&t=0s. (12:33–15:56) Saskatchewan German Council. (2020, August 27). German Traditions for Kids – How to Make Your Own Schultüte! YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpLglscanlk. (1:35)

•

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Ask students to share their memories of their first day of school. Prompt students to discuss how they prepared, what they wore, how they traveled to and from school, and the role any adults or caregivers played that day.

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FOCUS 3

3.2 School—The German Way

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

Explain to students that they will see a picture of a German student on her first day of school to compare experiences. Display the first photograph in PowerPoint 3.2, Part 1, and ask students to answer the following questions: “Where do you think this student is going?” “What is she holding in her hand?” Why do you think she is holding this item?”

After students have made predictions, share the next slide and explain that the student is holding a Schultüte, which means “school cone” in German. Schultüten (plural) are decorated cardboard cones filled with goodies such as toys, candy, and other treats. In Germany, parents make Schultüten for their children on their first day of school to commemorate that special day. Next, invite students to explore customs and school practices in Germany and compare these experiences to their own in the United States or Canada. ➤ Resource

•

German Schools PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.2, Part 1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 How are the customs and practices for the beginning of school in Germany similar and different from those in the United States? ➤ Formative Performance Task Form groups of four and provide each group with chart paper. Have each member of the group select a different portion of the chart paper as their work area.

Share the photographs in PowerPoint 3.2, Part 2, and ask students to respond to the following question: “Based on the photographs, what practices in Germany and the United States are similar and different on the first day of school?”

Ask students to independently reflect on the material by writing about three or four key ideas in their work areas. Have members of the group take turns sharing their thinking.

As each group member shares their thinking, students should circle words or phrases they all have in common. Have the group synthesize the common ideas into a summary by writing a summary statement in the center of their chart paper. ➤ Resources

• •

German Schools PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.2, Part 2) Chart paper

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How is a German school’s day similar to yours, and how are they different? ➤ Formative Performance Task Using a copy of their daily schedule and Handout 3.2.1, ask student pairs to create a Venn diagram comparing the two schedules. How are they the same? How are they different?

Next, as a class, view the YouTube video A Day at School Germany vs USA, from12:33 to 15:56 to learn more about German school schedules compared to those in American schools. The same student pairs should add to their Venn diagrams.

As a class, discuss the similarities and differences the students found between the two school systems.

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FOCUS 3

3.2 School—The German Way

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

➤ Resources

• •

German School Schedule (Handout 3.2.1) German Girl in America. (2021, June 30). A Day at School Germany vs USA. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=CQ39uwHDQAM&t=0s. (12:33–15:56)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 How are the German and American school systems similar, and how are they different? ➤ Formative Performance Task As a class, create a chart illustrating the stages in the American school system (from kindergarten to college or vocational school). Ask the same student pairs from Formative Performance Task 2 to use Handout 3.2.2 to examine and compare the two school systems. Each pair should add any similarities or differences that they discover to their Venn diagrams. ➤ Resource

•

German School System (Handout 3.2.2)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How are schools organized to meet the needs of a country?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK With your classmates, design Schultüten for a first-grade class, decorating the outside to reflect their interests. Directions for making a Schultüte can be found in the video German Traditions for Kids – How to make your own Schultüte. ➤ Resource

•

Saskatchewan German Council. (2020, August 27). German Traditions for Kids – How to Make Your Own Schultüte! https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpLglscanlk. (1:35)

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: The education system in Germany varies from state to state, although the basic K–12 system is uniform.

Assess: Research the apprenticeship programs available for students in Germany.

Act: Arrange to share information on the German education system and apprenticeship program with your school guidance counselors.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Educational system Primary school Secondary school

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Grundschule Schulranzen Schultüte (singular)

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Schultüten (plural) Pausenbrot

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3.3 Learning Day by Day—The German Apprenticeship Model

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3.3 LEARNING DAY BY DAY—THE GERMAN APPRENTICESHIP MODEL How can a society prepare its youth to join the workforce?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

D2.Civ.3.3-5. Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What skills and education levels are needed for different careers?

What is the Dual Vocational Education and Training program in Germany?

Formative Performance Task Students will complete an online inventory and be matched with careers that they can adjust based on their interests and education levels.

Featured Sources Source A: My Next Move

Students will learn about Germany’s unique Dual Vocational Educational and Training system by watching a video and reading interviews from former apprentices.

Formative Performance Task Students will watch a video on apprenticeships in Germany and develop three questions for a class game.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.3.1

Supporting Question 3 What are the German apprenticeships program like for young people?

Formative Performance Task Students will summarize the experiences of three individuals who participated in Germany’s apprenticeship programs.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.3.2

Source B: Dual VET – Vocational Education and Training in Germany (English) Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Students will watch The Journey of An American Apprentice and research a community and state college in their state. Then they will use the My Next Move website to identify one degree program or apprenticeship program at a college that aligns to their skills and interests, and explore the tuition cost and the average starting salary of graduates.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Apprenticeship programs can prepare youth for employment and help support a country’s economy.

Assess: Research apprenticeship programs in your region or state.

Act: Work with your school guidance counselor to organize a field trip to an apprenticeship program.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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How can a society prepare its youth to join the workforce?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will learn about Germany’s unique Dual Vocational and Educational Training (VET) system by watching a video and reading interviews from former apprentices. They will summarize the experiences of German youth apprentices to determine the benefits and disadvantages of the German apprenticeship model.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Vocational education and hands-on learning experiences are firmly established in the German education system. This model combines theory and training in a real-life work environment. Over 50 percent of German high schoolers enter Dual Vocational and Educational Training (VET) programs as a route into employment. Applicants can seek training with 19 percent of German companies, 70 percent of which are smalland medium-size companies. They can currently choose from over 300 professional trades such as infrastructure system electrician, ranger, plant technician, and even ice cream specialist/technician. Usually, the age for students to start Dual Vocational and Educational school is around 15–16 years old.

Education in Germany is the responsibility of each of the sixteen federal states (Länder), with federal coordination of issues of national interest—such as vocational education. Germany provides extensive opportunities for vocational education at the upper secondary level. Interested students can enroll full-time in vocational schools or be part of the two-track dual system that combines classroom learning with trade-specific apprenticeship training in companies. The emphasis on vocational education provides employers with well-trained workers whose skills match their needs. An added benefit is a low national youth unemployment rate, because apprentices are counted as part of the labor force, and as such, Germany enjoys one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the world.

In the dual system, public schools are responsible for the classroom component, with curriculum set by the individual states.

According to Germany’s Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), there are currently 326 officially recognized training profiles, or Ausbildungsberufe, in which students can seek training in the dual system. This system contrasts with that in the United States where vocational training is largely the domain of postsecondary schools. Once accepted into an apprenticeship program, students divide their time into practical training in the workplace (3–4 days per week) and theoretical classroom training, often in a nearby vocational school. Depending on the field, training can last between 2 and 3.5 years.

Companies provide the financing for the practical training, as well as the salaries for apprentices, while the state is responsible for the classroom instruction. The training concludes with a series of theoretical and practical exams or projects culminating in certification by the Chamber of Commerce or Chamber of Crafts, which is transferable to any company offering a position requiring such certification. ➤ Sources

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BIBB. (n.d.). School-Based Initial Training in the German VET System. https://www.bibb.de/en/745.php.

BIBB. (n.d.). Young People Study in the Company and at School. https://www.bibb.de/en/77203.php.

BMBF. (2021). Berufsbildungsbericht. https://www.bmbf.de/bmbf/shareddocs/downloads/files/21-04-28-bbb-2021. pdf;jsessionid=9DAF108A1B887A1F940153855E604388.live381?__blob=publicationFile&v=1.

Bundes Institut für Berufsbildung. (2016). Datenreport. https://www.bibb.de/datenreport/de/2018/87024.php.

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TIME: Two to three 45-minute class periods.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Question Stems (Handout 3.3.1) Apprentice Interviews (Handout 3.3.2) Bertelsmann Foundation. (2020, Nov 12). The Journey of an Apprentice German Style Apprenticeships in the U.S. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fu9lf7XZqc. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore BIBBde. (2017, December 12). Dual VET – Vocational Education and Training in Germany (English). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXhSRoSFxuU. (8:00) U.S. Department of Labor. (2021, May 25). O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move. My Next Move. https://www.mynextmove. org/explore/ip.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Ask students, “What do you want to do after you graduate high school?” and provide time for students to share their answers.

Write on the whiteboard any similar careers or jobs. Explain to students that certain careers require a certain number of years in college and hands-on experience.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What skills and education levels are needed for different careers? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that every student has unique strengths, interests, and values that are needed in the world, and it is important for them to find their career path. There are over 900 careers, which can make it difficult for students to gain an understanding of the knowledge, expertise, and education levels needed for a particular job. For example, a student may be interested in the medical field, but may not want to devote 10–14 years of college and internships to become a doctor. However, the student can still pursue the medical field through another career path such as a physical therapist or nurse. The U.S. Department of Labor has a website to help students navigate their career exploration.

Students will complete an online inventory on the My Next Move interactive website, which will match them with careers that they can adjust based on their interests and education levels.

Once students have completed their inventory, have a discussion on the results. Did the inventory change your thinking on your future career path? Were you surprised by any factors such as education level and experience required? ➤ Resource

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U.S. Department of Labor. (2021, May 25). O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move. My Next Move. https://www.mynextmove. org/explore/ip.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What is the Dual Vocational Education and Training program in Germany?

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➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that another way to explore careers is through job shadowing and apprenticeship programs. Job shadowing allows a student to spend time with a professional working in a career of interest. In Germany, it is common, if not required, for students to do a one-week-long internship in the eighth and ninth grades. This experience allows students to observe and ask questions for a few hours or a whole workday. In contrast, an apprenticeship allows a student to be trained through hands-on experiences through full-time employment, and unlike job shadowing, student workers are usually paid for their services as they learn a particular trade. In Germany, young people can pursue apprenticeships and get paid as they complete their studies while learning a trade.

Watch the Dual VET – Vocational Education and Training in Germany video on apprenticeships in Germany. Direct students to use the video to write three questions and answers for a quiz game on how the Dual Vocational and Educational Training System works in Germany. Play the video for students and pause to allow students to take notes.

Pass out three index cards to each student to write down their questions for the game. If needed, provide Handout 3.3.1 to assist students with the formulation of questions. Review the questions to make sure they are accurate, and add additional questions if needed.

Divide the class into two teams. A team member from each team stands in front of the class and one asks a question. Whoever shouts the correct answer gets a point. If the answer is incorrect, the other player can answer and get the point for his or her team. Repeat this process until all questions are read. The team with the most points wins. ➤ Resources

• •

Question Stems (Handout 3.3.1) BIBBde. (2017, December 12). Dual VET – Vocational Education and Training in Germany (English). YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=sXhSRoSFxuU. (8:00)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What are the German apprenticeship programs like for young people? ➤ Formative Performance Task Ask: “What is a tweet?” Discuss the components of a tweet: username/handle, length of message (maximum 280 characters, including spaces). See How to Tweet, if needed.

Working in pairs, students will read interviews from people who participated in the apprenticeship programs in Germany and summarize each person’s apprenticeship experience in a tweet.

Pass out three sticky notes and three Apprentice Interviews (Handout 3.3.2) to each student. (There are six interviews, so distribute three randomly to students.) Have students review the responses and create a tweet on each sticky note to summarize each person’s experience. Once done, have students post their sticky notes on the wall for a gallery walk.

Students may create reply tweets to at least two other students to continue the academic conversations around apprenticeships. Once tweets are completed, close the inquiry by asking students their thoughts on the benefits and disadvantages of the German apprenticeship programs for youth.

If time allows, poll your students to determine their interest in an apprenticeship program in your local school district. ➤ Resources

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Apprentice Interviews (Handout 3.3.2) Twitter. (n.d.). How to Tweet – What Is a Tweet, Keyboard Shortcuts, and Sources. Twitter. https://help.twitter.com/en/ using-twitter/how-to-tweet.

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SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How can a society prepare its youth to join the workforce?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Watch the animated film The Journey of An American Apprentice. After watching the film, have students research and identify two colleges in their state: one in their community, such as a community or technical college, and one larger state school. Ask students to apply the information learned from the My Next Move website to identify one degree program or apprenticeship program at each of the community and state colleges that aligns to their skills and interests. Then ask the students to research and compare (1) the tuition cost per semester at each school and (2) the average starting salary of graduates of the specific degree program. Teachers may want to take time for a discussion about return on investment (ROI) and how returns and investments include both tangible factors, such as money, and intangible factors, such as loyalty. ➤ Resources

• •

Bertelsmann Foundation. (2020, November 12). The Journey of an Apprentice German Style Apprenticeships in the U.S. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fu9lf7XZqc. U.S. Department of Labor. (2021, May 25). O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move. My Next Move. https://www.mynextmove. org/explore/ip.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Apprenticeship programs can prepare youth for employment and help support a country’s economy.

Assess: Research apprenticeship programs in your region or state.

Act: Work with your school guidance counselor to organize a field trip to an apprenticeship program.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Vocational school Technical school Dual Vocational Education and Training (VET)

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Trade school Career exploration Mentorship Apprenticeship

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Internship Chamber of Commerce Skills

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3.4 SCHOOLS WITHOUT RACISM How are the experiences of racism and discrimination for U.S. and German youth similar, and how might antiracism policies help improve their school experiences?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

D2.Civ.3.3-5. Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What does racial discrimination look like for diverse students in the United States?

Formative Performance Task After watching a video on racial discrimination, students will identify the emotional impact of racism on youth.

Featured Sources

Students will examine racial identity and discrimination in schools within the United States and Germany to determine whether antiracism policies will help minimize negative school experiences.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What does racial discrimination look like for diverse students in Germany?

Formative Performance Task With a partner, students will read selected profiles and determine the emotional impact of racism and discrimination.

Featured Sources

What is “School without Racism—School with Courage,” and could this type of initiative work in the United States?

Formative Performance Task Students will examine Germany’s School without Racism initiative and determine strategies on how to incorporate the initiative in their school.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 3.4.2

Source A: Handout 3.4.3

Source A: Handout 3.4.4

Source B: WNYC Radio – Kids on Race

Source B: Standing Up for Equality in Germany’s Schools

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Research antiracism policies established in your school or any school in the United States.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: We have been exposed to misinformation about groups to which we and others belong.

Assess: Examine and reflect on your racial identity and experiences with racism Act: Write a one-page diversity statement explaining your experiences with and commitment to diversity and antiracism.

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3.4 Schools Without Racism

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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How are the experiences of racism and discrimination for U.S. and German youth similar, and how might antiracism policies help improve their school experiences?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will examine racial identity and discrimination in schools within the United States and Germany to determine whether antiracism policies will help minimize negative school experiences.

TEACHER BACKGROUND It has been said that a country’s educational system reflects its values. A student’s schooling experience helps them to determine what is most important in society and reinforces many societal norms. Unfortunately, inequality and discrimination are problems within society that are mirrored in school settings.

In schools, racially motivated harassment and bullying manifest in numerous ways, from verbal insults to physical injury.

In the US, Black children, in particular, bear the disproportionate burden of racially motivated peer harassment in school.

According to the most recent data available from the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights data, in the 2015–2016 school year, Black children comprised about 15% of the US public school population, but 35.5% of those who reported being harassed or bullied on the basis of race, color, or national origin; a similar disproportionality can also be observed among American Indian and Alaska Native youth, who are represented among those racially bullied or harassed at a rate twice that of their presence in the overall student population. (Rivas-Drake, 2020) In addition, racist attitudes toward youth of Asian origin have increased following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and around the world.

“In Germany, racial discrimination has also increased during the COVID-19 pandemic with the German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS), sharing that the number of discrimination cases reported in Germany rose by almost 10%. Racial discrimination account for up to 33% of the cases dealt with by the agency, which is its largest share” (“Racism on the Rise in Germany,” 2020).

Statistics on discrimination in German schools are not perfectly clear due to legislation that bans the collection of race data.

However, there are some data that point to trends within eleven countries, including Germany, that both migrant and nonmigrant adolescents bully more when there are adolescents with a migration background at a school. Since Germany has 17 million residents with a migration background, it can be concluded that migrant students of various ethnicities most likely experience stereotypes and racism in schools (Demmrich and Akgül, 2020).

To address discrimination, students and youth workers in Belgium developed the idea behind “School without Racism—School with Courage” in 1988. Due to the success of the program, it was introduced in other European countries. German schools have embraced the School without Racism initiative to empower students to have a voice and stand up against discrimination. This is an initiative that requires 70 percent or more of students, teachers, and all other school staff to sign a membership request and confirm that they will stand up for the organization’s goals. School without Racism has more than 2,400 member schools, with a total of roughly one million students across Germany. Participating students advocate to ensure that their schools offer activities and initiatives that tackle discrimination. At least once a year, each school organizes a project dealing with racism or

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other kinds of discrimination. Students at a member school also agree to speak up and show courage when others are perpetuating violence at their school or discriminating against anyone.

In this inquiry, students will explore their identities and discuss racial discrimination in schools. Students will examine firsthand accounts of students in the United States and Germany to compare experiences. Also, students will review the School without Racism—School with Courage pledge to determine if this type of initiative is helpful in addressing racial inequities. The inquiry will culminate with students working in small groups to create their own pledge against racism and discrimination. ➤ Teacher Note Please consider the sensitivities of students before introducing this inquiry to the class. The suggested readings below will help in providing resources on how to discuss the sensitive nature of the topic in the classroom and beyond.

Learning for Justice. Preparing to Teach‚ ‘The New Jim Crow.’ Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.learningforjustice. org/magazine/publications/preparing-to-teach-the-new-jim-crow.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Justice Consortium, Schools Committee, and Culture Consortium. (2017). Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom: A Resource for Educators. Los Angeles, CA, and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/addressing_race_and_trauma_in_the_classroom_educators.pdf.

Teaching Tolerance. Let’s Talk! | Discussing Race, Racism and other Difficult Topics with Students. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.learningforjustice.org/sites/default/files/general/TT%20Difficult%20Conversations%20web.pdf.

It is also encouraged that educators reflect on their own identities, recognizing their own positionality in relationship to these topics. Teachers must be able to acknowledge their own biases, privileges, and experiences that could affect how they think about racism. To discuss racial identity and bias with children, this means acknowledging that people are different and that the world is not colorblind. As a result, all student responses will not be positive as they engage in such a difficult topic. It would be best to develop a plan in case students express concerns about how the school currently handles racial bullying incidents.

Also, remind students that for the purpose of confidentiality, it is better not to publicly refer to incidents that either they or other students have experienced. Please let students know that they can speak to you after class if they have specific concerns about themselves or someone else. ➤ Sources

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Demmrich, S., & Akgül, S. (2020). Bullying Experience among Adolescents with a Turkish Migration Background in Germany: Ethnic Class Composition, Integration, and Religiosity as Protective Factors? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4776. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134776.

Racism on the Rise in Germany. (June 9, 2020). Deutsche Welle https://www.dw.com/en/racism-on-the-rise-in-german y/a-53735536.

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2018). 2015–2016 Civil Rights Data Collection: School Climate and Safety. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/school-climate-and-safety.pdf.

Rivas-Drake, D. (2020, November 2). When Bullying Is Racially Motivated: Recognizing It for What It Is and Supporting Kids to Be Anti-Racist Upstanders? Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/blog/2020/11/ when-bullying-is-racially-motivated-recognizing-it-for-what-it-is-and-supporting-kids-to-be-anti-racist-upstanders/.

Schule ohne Rassimus. (2021). Schule ohne Rassismus – Schule mit Courage. https://www.schule-ohne-rassismus.org.

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TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Who Am I? (Handout 3.4.1) Video Reflection Sheet (Handout 3.4.2) Standing Up for Equality in Germany’s Schools (Handout 3.4.3) School without Racism Pledge (Handout 3.4.4) Open Society Justice Initiative. (2013, October). Standing Up for Equality in Germany’s Schools. https://www. justiceinitiative.org/publications/standing-equality-germanys-schools.

WNYC Radio. (2015, July 7). Kids on Race. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6xSyRJqIe8. (4:17)

www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Explain to students that they will engage in an activity to learn more about their classmates. Ask students to find a partner whom they have not worked with often in class. Once each student has a partner, instruct the pairs of students to select one as Partner A and one as Partner B. Pass out the list of statements from Handout 3.4.1.

• • • • • •

My full name is….

It comes from or means...

I am ________ in my family, and my family is _______ I identify as….

I see myself as (character, future something) When I walk down the street, I think people see . . .

Instruct Partner A that they have 2 minutes to respond to the statements to the best of their ability. Partner B listens and does not say a word until Partner A is done. If Partner A finishes before the 2 minutes are up, Partner B must still remain silent. Once the 2 minutes are completed, students will switch roles, and Partner B will answer the statements, and Partner A will listen in silence for 2 minutes. Teachers may model this activity by finishing the statements and reinforcing the importance of being silent for 2 minutes.

Once the activity is done, ask students whether anything was different about these types of questions. Students might share that the questions were centered around their racial identity, background, family, and how they think of themselves or how the world sees them. Ask students to share some of their responses and write the various identities on the board. Explain to students that this inquiry will be about identity and discrimination and racism in schools, which will require students to be honest, open, and sensitive to other students’ thoughts and feelings. The practice of listening and silence will be key, and students should have demonstrated this ability in the warm-up. ➤ Resource

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Who Am I? (Handout 3.4.1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What does racial discrimination look like for diverse students in the United States? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students will watch the WNYC Radio video on racial discrimination in the United States. A Video Reflection Sheet (Handout 3.4.2) is provided for students to identify the emotional impact of racism on youth.

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Play the video, pausing at intervals to allow students to ask questions if needed. Once the video has completed, ask students to finish their handouts. Ask students to share their thoughts on the impact of racial bullying and discrimination in schools. ➤ Resources

• •

Video Reflection Sheet (Handout 3.4.2) WNYC Radio. (2015, July 7). Kids on Race. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6xSyRJqIe8. (4:17)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What does racial discrimination look like for diverse students in Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that Germany has a diverse population similar to the United States, with a history of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination. Tell students that they will read stories from students and parents on how they have experienced discrimination based on their race, religion, food, culture, customs, appearance, and accents. Although there have been laws passed to fight discrimination, migrant children still experience discrimination in schools.

With a partner, students will read selected profiles and determine the emotional impact of racism and discrimination (Handout 3.4.3). Challenge students to find similarities and differences between the U.S. Kids on Race video and the German profiles. ➤ Resources

• •

Standing Up for Equality in Germany’s Schools (Handout 3.4.3) Open Society Justice Initiative. (2013, October). Standing Up for Equality in Germany’s Schools. https://www.justiceinitiative. org/publications/standing-equality-germanys-schools.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What is “School without Racism—School with Courage,” and could this type of initiative work in the United States? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that Germany has an initiative within schools to fight racism. German students can use their voice to make their school a “School without Racism—School with Courage.” With this initiative, students—who are the largest group in schools—make a commitment to stand against racism with their teachers and other school staff. Students actively work to create the conditions needed to get 70 percent of their fellow students and school staff, including cleaning staff, to pledge to be a School without Racism.

Ask students their thoughts on this initiative and what they think the pledge says. After they have guessed, pass out the English version of the School without Racism Pledge (Handout 3.4.4). Read the pledge with your students and answer any vocabulary questions.

Once the pledge is read, place students in groups of three or four to have a discussion using the questions in the handout. Once the group discussion is completed, ask groups to write their own commitment against racism and to identify three strategies they would use to get 70 percent of their school to make this pledge.

If a group feels that a pledge is not the best strategy to fight racism, the group must identify three reasons why, along with three different strategies to fight discrimination in school.

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If time allows, pass out chart paper and markers and ask each group to write their ideas, which will then be put up on the wall.

Post all work and allow groups to view different pledges and/or strategies. Once all of the groups have viewed the posted work, ask them to vote on the one that best represents the class. Students will be able to sign their names at the bottom of the pledge or strategic plan with the most votes as evidence of their commitment to fight racism. ➤ Resource

•

School without Racism Pledge (Handout 3.4.4)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How are experiences of racism and discrimination for U.S. and German youth similar and how might antiracism policies help improve their school experience?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Research antiracism policies established in your school or any school in the United States.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: We have been exposed to misinformation about groups to which we and others belong.

Assess: Examine and reflect on your racial identity and experiences with racism.

Act: Write a one-page diversity statement explaining your experiences with and commitment to diversity and antiracism, and share it with your teacher or school principal.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Racism School without Racism—School with Courage Racial bullying Stereotypes

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Assumptions Discrimination Segregation Migrants Ethnicity

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Nationality Race Religion Pledge Ballot

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3.5 Youth Activism

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3.5 YOUTH ACTIVISM How can students be instrumental in changing laws or policies on issues they care about?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

D2.Civ.3.3-5. Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1 What are the most effective methods of activism?

Formative Performance Task Students will rank the effectiveness of nonviolent strategies and then compile a composite ranking of the examples of activism to determine which students, overall, felt was the most effective.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.5.1

In this inquiry, students will explore their thoughts on youth activism, the strategies used during student movements, and determine how they may take action on issues they care most about such as Black Lives Matter and climate change.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

How have German youth been engaged in protests as a form of activism?

What lessons can be learned from German Youth movements?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Students will watch the video of German youth speaking about their participation in Fridays for the Future, and explore a video on the Black Lives Matter movement in Germany.

Featured Sources

In small groups with others who are passionate about the same issues, students will perform a role play or skit using a nonviolent method of protest to demonstrate how they can be a youth activist on their selected issue.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 3.5.2 Source B: Fridays for Future: climate protest kicks off with Greta Thunberg in Berlin Source C: Here’s why the Black Lives Matter movement spread to Germany

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Students can research and create a timeline of key events around a social justice issue within the United States.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: There are hundreds of protests that take place throughout the world every day.

Assess: Research a recent nonviolent protest in your area or state on a social issue that interests you.

Act: Reach out to the protest organizers to determine how you can support their cause.

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3.5 Youth Activism

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

COMPELLING QUESTION

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How can students be instrumental in changing laws or policies on issues they care about?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will explore their thoughts on youth activism and the strategies used during student movements, and then determine how they can take action on issues they care most about, such as Black Lives Matter and climate change. By the end of this inquiry, students will become familiar with youth movements in Germany and assess their own ability to be change agents as students.

TEACHER BACKGROUND There have been numerous movements in Germany before and after World War II in which youth have played a pivotal role. From the 1968 West Berlin student movement to the 2018 Fridays for the Future movement, German youth have been ambassadors of change. For example, in 1968, which was a year of civil unrest in the United States, there were also protests in Germany and other parts of Europe including France and the former Czechoslovakia. The youth in West Berlin protested to express their anger over former Nazis allowed to be in powerful positions in government, laws passed that were undemocratic, and students not given a voice in how their universities were run. In 2018, there was a reemergence of youth activism through the Fridays for the Future movement, which mobilized German youth to take to the streets every Friday, instead of going to school, to campaign for better climate protection. This movement continued into 2020, and combined with the protests organized by Black youth in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Youth activism by people under age 21 has led to a shift in public protest and advocacy for many issues. Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok have become the newest tools for young activists in the twenty-first century—and have changed the way youth participate in activism globally.

TIME: One to two 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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Examples of Activism (Handout 3.5.1) Video Reflection Worksheet (Handout 3.5.2) Bloomberg Quicktake: Now. (2020, July 20). Here’s Why the Black Lives Matter Movement Spread to Germany.

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POvw6pdd_7I. (5:06) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore CBC Kids News. (2020, January 6). Want to Be a Youth Activist? Here Are Some Tips | CBC Kids News. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Fx3m2oPC4. (3:21) Guardian News. (2021, September 24). Fridays for Future: Climate Protest Kicks Off with Greta Thunberg in Berlin. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzH6vyN2_uw. (1:59)

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3.5 Youth Activism

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Ask students: “What is activism?”

Explain to students that there are many forms of activism, such as protests, marches, strikes, boycotts, signing petitions, writing letters to officials, writing music, books, and poetry, and so forth.

For more background information on activism, as a class, watch the video, Want to Be a Youth Activist? Here Are Some Tips | CBC Kids News.

Note: If needed, provide a list of key vocabulary and terms such as civil rights, discrimination, oppression, police brutality, human rights, inequalities, protest, boycott, strikes, petitions, environmentalists, and the like. ➤ Resource

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CBC Kids News. (2020, January 6). Want to Be a Youth Activist? Here Are Some Tips | CBC Kids News. YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=I1Fx3m2oPC4. (3:21)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are the most effective methods of activism? ➤ Formative Performance Task Provide students with the list of nonviolent strategies on Handout 3.5.1 that are used to bring awareness on an issue, and ask students to rank them for effectiveness. Students can work independently or with a partner.

Compile a composite ranking of the examples of activism to determine which one the students, overall, felt was the most effective. Ask for volunteers to explain their answers.

Students should reach the conclusion that these strategies will all help raise awareness of an issue and advocate for change. ➤ Resource

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Examples of Activism (Handout 3.5.1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How have German youth been engaged in protests as a form of activism? ➤ Formative Performance Task Watch the video Fridays for Future: Climate Protest Kicks Off with Greta Thunberg in Berlin on German youth participating in Fridays for the Future. Explain to students that this news clip will highlight students close to their age participating in protests around the issue of climate change. As they watch the video, students should answer the questions on Handout 3.5.2.

Ask students to share their responses and discuss as a class. Once this is done, allow students to work in pairs and explore the Here’s Why the Black Lives Matter Movement Spread to Germany video. Students may be asked to answer the same questions as for the climate change protests. ➤ Resources

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Video Reflection Worksheet (Handout 3.5.2) Bloomberg Quicktake: Now. (July 2020, July 20). Here’s Why the Black Lives Matter Movement Spread to Germany. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POvw6pdd_7I. (5:06)

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FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

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Guardian News. (2021, September 24). Fridays for Future: Climate Protest Kicks Off with Greta Thunberg in Berlin. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzH6vyN2_uw. (1:59)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What lessons can be learned from German Youth movements? ➤ Formative Performance Task After exploring German youth movements, ask students to think about one issue within their school, community, or world that they would like to change or stop. After a minute, call on each student to provide their answer, and record these topics on the whiteboard. Make a note of the number of times students share the same issues and highlight this with students.

After the activity is finished, ask students to form groups of three to four with others who are passionate about the same issues.

Once the groups are formed, explain to students that they will perform a role-play or skit using a method of activism (forming a club, writing letters, creating posters or signs, writing a petition, etc.) to demonstrate how they can be a youth activist on their selected issue.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How can students be instrumental in changing laws or policies on issues they care about?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Students can research and create a timeline of key events around a social justice issue within the United States.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: There are hundreds of protests that take place throughout the world every day.

Assess: Research a recent nonviolent protest in your area or state on a social issue that interests you.

Act: Reach out to the protest organizers to determine how you can support their cause.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Civil rights Civil disobedience Human rights Inequalities Social justice

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Activism Protest Oppression Police brutality Solidarity

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

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Climate change Black Lives Matter (BLM) Democracy

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3.6 Graffiti and Political Expression

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

3.6 GRAFFITI AND POLITICAL EXPRESSION How can art reflect and shape politics and culture?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.4.3-5. Explain how culture influences the way people modify and adapt to their environments.

D2.Geo.5.3-5. Explain how the cultural and environmental characteristics of places change over time.

D2.Geo.6.3-5. Describe how environmental and cultural characteristics influence population distribution in specific places or regions.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1 What is graffiti, and how was this art form viewed in the United States and Germany in the 1980s?

Formative Performance Task Students will watch a video on graffiti as art or vandalism.

Featured Sources

In this inquiry, students will explore the history of graffiti in Berlin and determine how street art has been used to express political beliefs and protest.

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

How was graffiti used to convey thoughts and feelings about the Cold War? Formative Performance Task Students will engage in a “gallery walk” and view graffiti and street art images from Berlin that were created by artists before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Featured Sources

What current issues does street art represent in Germany?

Formative Performance Task Students will watch a video on street art in Germany. In groups, they will examine different images of street art in Germany, and then answer questions on how they represent current issues.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 3.6.1

Source A: Handout 3.6.2

Source A: PowerPoint 3.6

Source B: Is graffiti art? Or vandalism?

Source B: Berlin Wall Art - The Wall Before the Fall

Source B: Handout 3.6.3 Source C: Street Art Germany

Source C: This photographer’s collection of Berlin Wall graffiti photos show the politics of paint Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension 1: Students will investigate U.S. cities that have pieces of the Berlin Wall displayed as art. They will create a physical or Google map that pins the locations in the United States that have pieces of the Berlin Wall.

Extension 2: The walls of the Reichstag, the home of Germany’s parliament, are still covered with graffiti left by the Red Army when it entered Berlin in 1945. Using the links below, learn about the discussion to keep this graffiti or to remove it.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Graffiti is an art form that can be perceived as street art and vandalism.

Assess: Examine the laws around graffiti in your local town or city.

Act: Create a map that displays the locations of graffiti and/or street art galleries in your area and share with others.

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3.6 Graffiti and Political Expression

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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How can art reflect and shape politics and culture?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will explore the history of graffiti in Berlin and determine how street art has been used to express political beliefs and protest.

Graffiti can be described as words, drawings, and marks painted on walls or surfaces in mostly public spaces. It has existed since ancient times beginning with the ancient Romans as a method of communication to mark territory and to express social, political, or creative ideas. Some people consider graffiti a form of art, while others consider it vandalism. Notable artists have used elements of graffiti in their work, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat of the United States, and graffiti has often been associated with the emergence of hip-hop culture.

Graffiti and tagging is a phenomenon seen all over the world, but how it is regarded and dealt with varies depending on your location. In Berlin, Germany, graffiti has a history of being signs of both lawlessness and freedom of expression. In fact, Berlin has been referred to as the “graffiti capital of Europe” due to the massive amount of graffiti and street art within the city.

The roots of graffiti culture can be traced back to West Berlin in the early 1980s, when the American-occupied west side of the wall was filled with graffiti and the east face of the wall was orderly and gray. In East Berlin, the Stasi police kept graffiti under wraps, and graffiti writers in the East risked imprisonment or worse if they were caught red-handed with spray cans—assuming they could even obtain spray paint. However, all that changed with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which opened up new blank walls virtually overnight. Artists, musicians, and young people flooded East Berlin, shifting youth culture from West to East.

In modern day Germany, graffiti is mostly viewed as street art with minimal enforcement punishing artists. In the United States, public opinion on graffiti is mixed with proponents that believe graffiti is an art form that should be allowed if licenses and permissions are secured, while others hold that graffiti is a public nuisance and should be removed in American cities. ➤ Sources

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Curry, G. (n.d.). Graffiti Art. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/graffiti-art.

Lafrance, A. (2016, March 29). The Graffiti at Pompeii. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/03/ adrienne-was-here/475719/.

Tzortzis, A. (2008, March 2). “Bombing” Berlin, the Graffiti Capital of Europe. New York Times. https://www.nytimes. com/2008/03/03/travel/03iht-04graffiti.10654044.html.

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© David Bayliss Unsplash

TEACHER BACKGROUND

FOCUS 3

3.6 Graffiti and Political Expression

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

TIME: One to two 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

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German Street Art (PowerPoint 3.6) Video Worksheet on the History of Graffiti (Handout 3.6.1) Artful Thinking: Graffiti Gallery Walk Worksheet (Handout 3.6.2) Street Art in Germany (Handout 3.6.3) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Art at the German Bundestag – Cyrillic Graffiti. Bundestag. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://www. bundestag.de/resource/blob/394562/e9b7fac699d80e1d5e2ec78813d15e62/flyer_graffiti-data.pdf.

Berlin Wall Art. (n.d.). Berlin Wall Art – The Wall Before the Fall. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from www.berlinwallart.com.

Carter, E. (2017, June 27). The Walls of the German Parliament Are Still Covered in Soviet Graffiti. Atlas Obscura, www. atlasobscura.com/places/soviet-graffiti-reichstag.

Dundon, R. (2017, October 27). This Photographer’s Collection of Berlin Wall Graffiti Photos Show the Politics of Paint. Timeline. https://timeline.com/berlin-wall-photos-graffiti-bc62b7cccf62.

StoryTravelers. (2021, May 1). Germany’s 10 Best Street Art Cities. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us7_bfK-dfQ. (5:10) TED-Ed. (2016, September 8). Is Graffiti Art? Or Vandalism? – Kelly Wall. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4GNoUYZhrT0. (4:31)

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Ask students to respond to the following: “What are the various forms of art?”

Students should share responses such as painting, sculpture, and photography. Prompt students to share the type of art they are most drawn to and to share how they interacted with the art form. For example, students may share their experience creating a certain type of art, visiting a museum, handling a piece of art at home, or seeing art displayed on a poster or on television.

After students have shared their responses, explain to the class that they will learn about the art form of graffiti and how this art form has influenced culture in the United States and Germany.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What is graffiti, and how was this art form viewed in the United States and Germany in the 1980s? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that graffiti has been around for thousands of years, to convey social and political messages. In the late 1970s and ’80s graffiti was deemed a nuisance in large urban centers that had graffiti sprayed on subway cars, bridges, and city walls. Graffiti in New York City during this time period emerged as a way to mark territories and were artful expressions of city youth. The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to separate West Berlin and East Berlin during the Cold War. If students are unfamiliar with the Cold War, the teacher will need to briefly explain the post–World War II standoff that left Germany split into a democratically ruled West Bloc and a Soviet Union Eastern Bloc. Berlin, the capital of Germany was split with a wall and the differences between East and West Germany made the wall the perfect place for people to express their opinions (for more background information on the Berlin Wall see Inquiry 2.5).

Students will complete Handout 3.6.1 as they watch the TED-Ed video (4:31). Pause the video in segments to ensure students have an understanding of the content.

Once the handout is complete, ask students the following question: “Why do you think West Berliners continued to write graffiti on the wall if East Germans could not see it?”

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➤ Resources

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Video Worksheet on the History of Graffiti (Handout 3.6.1) TED-Ed. (2016, September 8). Is Graffiti Art? Or Vandalism? – Kelly Wall. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4GNoUYZhrT0. (4:31)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How was graffiti used to convey thoughts and feelings about the Cold War? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students will engage in a “gallery walk” and view graffiti and street art images from Berlin that were created by artists before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Students will analyze the images to determine the meaning of the artwork in Handout 3.6.2 and provide predictions on what life was like for citizens in Germany during the Cold War. A gallery walk reflection log can be used to assess the learning activity.

Teachers may use the following sites to find images appropriate to display for their students:

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Berlin Wall Art – The Wall Before the Fall. www.berlinwallart.com This Photographer’s Collection of Berlin Wall Graffiti Photos Show the Politics of Paint. https://timeline.com/ berlin-wall-photos-graffiti-bc62b7cccf62

If needed, explain that the Cold War was a political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that developed after World War II. The rivalry left Germany split into a democratically ruled West Bloc and a Soviet Union Eastern Bloc. Berlin, the capital of Germany was split with a wall and this became the center for political expression. ➤ Resources

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Artful Thinking: Graffiti Gallery Walk Worksheet (Handout 3.6.2) Berlin Wall Art. (n.d.). Berlin Wall Art – The Wall Before the Fall. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from www.berlinwallart.com.

Dundon, R. (October 27, 2017). This Photographer’s Collection of Berlin Wall Graffiti Photos Show the Politics of Paint. Timeline. https://timeline.com/berlin-wall-photos-graffiti-bc62b7cccf62.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What current issues does street art represent in Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task Students will watch a video on Germany’s 10 Best Street Art Cities. The video reflects how many Germans do not reject graffiti, but embrace it as an art form enriching city landscapes and allowing artists to have an important voice.

Divide students into seven groups and assign each group an image of German street art from PowerPoint 3.6. Distribute Handout 3.6.3 and ask the groups to answer the assigned questions. Give students enough time to study their images and have discussions on what current issue their image represents. Groups should be prepared to present their findings to the class. ➤ Resources

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German Street Art (PowerPoint 3.6) Street Art in Germany (Handout 3.6.3) StoryTravelers. (2021, May 1). Germany’s 10 Best Street Art Cities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us7_bfK-dfQ. (5:10)

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3.6 Graffiti and Political Expression

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How can art reflect and shape politics and culture?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION TASK 1 (OPTIONAL) Students will use the website below to investigate U.S. cities that have pieces of the Berlin Wall displayed as art. They should create a physical or Google Map that pins the locations in the U.S. that have pieces of the Berlin Wall. Ask students to include captions that will include basic information on each site. ➤ Resource

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11 US cities where you can see pieces of the Berlin Wall. (November 8, 2019). USA Today. https://eu.usatoday.com/ picture-gallery/travel/experience/2019/11/08/berlin-wall-fell-30-years-ago-here-11-us-cities-have-pieces/4165847002/.

EXTENSION TASK 2 (OPTIONAL) The walls of the Reichstag, the home of Germany’s parliament, are still covered with graffiti left by the Red Army when it entered Berlin in 1945. Using the links below, learn about the discussion to keep this graffiti or to remove it. Write a position paper sharing your point of view on keeping the graffiti left by the Red Army in this public building or removing it. Provide justification for your point of view. ➤ Resources

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Carter, E. (27 June, 2017). “The Walls of the German Parliament Are Still Covered in Soviet Graffiti.” Atlas Obscura, www. atlasobscura.com/places/soviet-graffiti-reichstag.

“Art at the German Bundestag – Cyrillic Graffiti.” Bundestag. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://www.bundestag. de/resource/blob/394562/e9b7fac699d80e1d5e2ec78813d15e62/flyer_graffiti-data.pdf.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Graffiti is an art form that can be perceived as street art and vandalism.

Assess: Examine the laws around graffiti in your local town or city.

Act: Create a map that displays the locations of graffiti and/or street art galleries in your area and share with others.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Graffiti Street art East Berlin

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West Berlin Political expression Protest

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Zero tolerance

A Transatlantic Outreach Program Instructional Text for Middle School Educators

3.7 Women in Leadership

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

3.7 WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP Why is it important to have female leaders, and how can societies work to increase the number of women in positions of power?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

D2.Civ.3.3-5. Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families.

Staging the Compelling Question Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

Who are our leaders?

Who are the female leaders in Germany, and how have they influenced Germany?

Formative Performance Task Students will identify a person whom they regard as a great leader, using the list of leadership traits and skills.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.7.1

Students will examine the qualities of effective leadership and review the profiles of German women leaders to determine their individual leadership characteristics.

Formative Performance Task In groups, students will examine the profiles of German female leaders and answer the questions on Handout 3.7.2.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.7.2

Supporting Question 3 Are women equally represented?

Formative Performance Task In groups, students will read the information in Handout 3.7.3 and answer the questions.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 3.7.3

Source B: Antje Boetius Source C: Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana Source D: Ursula von der Leyen Source E: Angela Merkel Source F: Martina Merz Source G: Luisa Neubauer Source H: Alice Schwarzer Source I: Özlem Türeci Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Research female political leaders in your local or state government and create a poster that highlights their achievements and the barriers they faced.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: There is a lack of female leaders at the local, state, federal, and global levels.

Assess: Research the gender of leaders in your school, school district, or local or state government.

Act: Create a social media campaign to share your findings on gender leadership in your local area.

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3.7 Women in Leadership

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

COMPELLING QUESTION

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Why is it important to have female leaders, and how can societies work to increase the number of women in positions of power?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will examine the qualities of effective leadership and review the profiles of German women leaders to determine their individual leadership characteristics.

TEACHER BACKGROUND “In the US, women are underrepresented in virtually all types of leadership. Women make up only 23 percent of chief executives in U.S. organizations, and only 17 percent of the U.S. Congress. Of about 190 heads of state in the world, only 22 of them are women (11 percent). White men make up 84 percent of these seats when they only account for 31 percent of the U.S. population. In Barron’s 2016 list of the World’s Best CEOs, all 30 were men” (Chin, 2019).

In Germany, women continue to be underrepresented in many leadership positions, although the federal government passed a law in 2016 introducing a 30 percent quota for women on supervisory boards. Even this legislation, though, did not lead to an increase of women in positions of power in the business world. In 2019, data showed that under one in three managers (29.4 percent) consisted of female board members, managing directors, or executives in trade, production, and services. However, in fields outside of business, the percentages of women were significantly higher, especially in professions such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, and social scientists. In these areas, the proportion of women was 45.4 percent in 2019. Unlike among managers, the proportion of women in academic professions has increased by a 24 percent since the 1990s (Statistisches Bundesamt).

© Armin Linnartz, CC BY-SA 3.0 de

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In 2005, there was great optimism regarding female leadership around the world. Angela Merkel was sworn into office in the Bundestag and made history as the first woman to lead the Federal Republic. Yet the number of women in the German federal parliament (Bundestag) remains stagnant, falling from 36.5 percent in 2017 to 30.9 percent in 2021 and then increasing slightly to 34.7 percent after the September 26, 2021, elections. In late 2018, on the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in Germany, the chancellor lamented the low numbers of women in leadership positions in both politics and business, with zero women on the boards of roughly one-third of the companies listed on the German Stock Exchange.

Scholars found additional barriers for female leaders, such as negative perceptions from the public, political elites, and the mass media regarding their leadership capabilities and competence, compared to their male counterparts. Also, there are stereotypical masculine traits, such as strength of leadership and quick decision making that are often prized over stereotypically feminine traits like deliberation and compromise. An overview of basic leadership competencies is needed to guide students as they examine leadership through the lens of German women who have changed the world. Teachers should be prepared

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to discuss gender biases and lead a discussion on the statistics around female leadership and the potential reason for minimal female leaders in the United States and abroad. ➤ Sources

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Chin, Jean Lau. (2019, July 6). Why Aren’t There More Women Leaders? Psychology Today [blog]. https://www. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/leadership/201907/why-aren-t-there-more-women-leaders.

Frauenanteil im Bundestag: Fortschritt im Schneckentempo. (2021, September 30). Rehm Verlag. https://www.rehm-verlag.de/Gleichstellungsrecht/aktuelle-beitraege-zum-gleichstellungsrecht/ frauenanteile-im-bundestag-fortschritt-im-schneckentempo/.

Jalalzai, Farida. (2020, March 16). Not Just 2020, Why the US Has Never Had a Woman President. https://theprint.in/world/ not-just-2020-why-the-us-has-never-had-a-woman-president/381819/.

Kloepfer, Inge. (2019, July). Women in Germany Are Still Massively Under-Represented in Positions of Leadership in Business, Politics and Culture, but They Themselves Contribute to This Stagnation. https://www.german-times.com/ women-in-germany-are-still-massively-under-represented-in-positions-of-leadership-in-business-politics-and -culture-but-they-themselves-contribute-to-this-stagnation/.

Statistisches Bundesamt. (n.d.). Qualität der Arbeit: Frauen in Führungspositionen. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https:// www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Arbeit/Arbeitsmarkt/Qualitaet-Arbeit/Dimension-1/frauen-fuehrungspositionen.html.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute class periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Leadership Traits & Skills (Handout 3.7.1) Women Who Move Germany (Handout 3.7.2) Gender Representation (Handouts 3.7.3) Berg, K. (2019, July 26). Young, Female, Innovative—We Present Five Women Who Are Changing Germany. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/knowledge/these-women-are-shaping-the-future.

Martina Merz. (2020). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/profile/martina-merz/?sh=3545e6ef4f7c.

Göbel, J. (2020, February 7). Cutting-Edge Research With Strong Women. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/ topic/knowledge/women-in-research-portraits-of-top-scientists.

Heinrich Böll Stiftung. (n.d.). Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana. https://eu.boell.org/en/person/pierrette-herzberger-fofana.

Müller, E. (2021, February 26). The Women Behind the Vaccine. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/ knowledge/coronavirus-vaccine-ozlem-tureci-of-biontech.

Petrikowski, N. (n.d.). Anegla Merkel. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angela-Merkel.

Schütz, S. (2020, July 3). Make the Climate A Priority Again, Says Germany’s Student Activist Neubauer. NPR. https://www.npr. org/2020/07/03/885644410/make-the-climate-a-priority-again-says-germany-s-student-activist-neubauer.

Strack, C. (2019, June 16). Who Is Ursula von der Leyen, the New European Commission President? Deutsche Welle. https:// www.dw.com/en/who-is-ursula-von-der-leyen-the-new-european-commission-president/a-49447961.

Wydra, K. (2017, January). For Women, by Women—Alice Schwarzer and the Feminist Magazine EMMA. Alumniportal. https:// www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/en/germany/country-people/emma-alice-schwarzer-feminist/.

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3.7 Women in Leadership

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Ask students to share what they think makes a good leader. Write student responses on the board for discussion later in the inquiry.

Explain to students that leadership is any behavior that influences the actions and attitudes of others to achieve certain results; they should be able to lead others by example. This is the reason there have been leaders who have made positive and negative contributions in the world. People can become leaders in different ways, such as by becoming qualified in a field (e.g., teacher), through merit and performance (e.g., captain of a football team), or by applying for a leadership position (e.g., principal or mayor). Relate to the students that we all have the potential to be leaders and thus influence the lives of others in positive or negative ways.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 Who are our leaders? ➤ Formative Performance Task Working independently, students should identify a person that they regard as a great leader, using the list of leadership traits and skills in Handout 3.7.1. This leader could be someone they know, or someone they have heard or read about. Students will indicate the traits or skills they believe that person demonstrates.

Once students have completed the handout, provide time for them to share their answers.

Once done, ask students to identify the number of female and male leaders on their list. On the board, record the gender of leaders listed to determine the gender ratio. Guide students in a discussion about why there were more female or male leaders listed.

If time allows, ask students to explain their choice of leader, and allow other students to respond or provide counter-arguments to their peers. Explain to the students that females and males share the same leadership traits, but most business and political leaders are male. Students will learn about German female leaders and explore their leadership paths and identify potential barriers. ➤ Resource

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Leadership Traits & Skills (Handout 3.7.1)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 Who are the female leaders in Germany, and how have they influenced Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that they will learn more about important women leaders in Germany.

Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group one German female leader from the list below to research. Students should answer the questions in Handout 3.7.2 as a group. Once completed, the teams should select a leader or spokesperson to share more about their assigned leader with the class.

Examples of women leaders in Germany:

• • • •

Antje Boetius – polar and marine researcher Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana – first Black German member of the European Parliament Ursula von der Leyen – first female president of the European Commission Angela Merkel – first female chancellor of Germany

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• • • •

Martina Merz – German CEO Luisa Neubauer – climate activist Alice Schwarzer – female rights activist Özlem Türeci – cofounder of BioNTech

More female leaders: https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/knowledge/these-women-are-shaping-the-future ➤ Resources

• • • • • • • • • •

Women Who Move Germany (Handout 3.7.2) Berg, K. (2019, July 26). Young, Female, Innovative—We Present Five Women Who Are Changing Germany. https://www. deutschland.de/en/topic/knowledge/these-women-are-shaping-the-future.

Martina Merz. (2020). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/profile/martina-merz/?sh=3545e6ef4f7c.

Göbel, J. (2020, February 7). Cutting-Edge Research With Strong Women. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/ topic/knowledge/women-in-research-portraits-of-top-scientists.

Heinrich Böll Stiftung. (n.d.). Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana. https://eu.boell.org/en/person/pierrette-herzberger-fofana.

Müller, E. (2021, February 26). The Women Behind the Vaccine. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/ knowledge/coronavirus-vaccine-ozlem-tureci-of-biontech.

Petrikowski, N. (n.d.). Anegla Merkel. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angela-Merkel.

Schütz, S. (2020, July 3). Make the Climate a Priority Again, Says Germany’s Student Activist Neubauer. NPR. https://www.npr. org/2020/07/03/885644410/make-the-climate-a-priority-again-says-germany-s-student-activist-neubauer.

Strack, C. (2019, June 16). Who Is Ursula von der Leyen, the New European Commission President? Deutsche Welle. https:// www.dw.com/en/who-is-ursula-von-der-leyen-the-new-european-commission-president/a-49447961.

Wydra, K. (2017, January). For Women, by Women—Alice Schwarzer and the Feminist Magazine EMMA. Alumniportal. https:// www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/en/germany/country-people/emma-alice-schwarzer-feminist/.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 Are women equally represented? ➤ Formative Performance Task In their groups, students will read the information on Handout 3.7.3 and answer the questions. Once completed, teams should select a new leader or spokesperson to share their answers with the class. The teacher should guide the discussion and highlight any similarities or differences in answers. ➤ Resource

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Gender Representation (Handout 3.7.3)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK Why is it important to have female leaders, and how can societies work to increase the number of women in positions of power?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Research female political leaders in your local or state government and create a poster that highlights their achievements and the barriers they faced.

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3.7 Women in Leadership

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: There is a lack of female leaders at the local, state, federal, and global levels.

Assess: Research the gender of leaders in your school, school district, or local or state government.

Act: Create a social media campaign to share your findings on gender leadership in your local area.

CONCEPTS LIST

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East Germany Berlin Wall Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Barriers

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Gender Leadership Chancellor Politics

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Traits Skills Angela Merkel

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3.8 Eat Across Germany: An Exploration of German Cuisine

FOCUS 3 – Contemporary German Society

3.8 EAT ACROSS GERMANY: AN EXPLORATION OF GERMAN CUISINE What do we learn about culture when we examine the food that people eat?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.4.3-5. Explain how culture influences the way people modify and adapt to their environments.

D2.Geo.5.3-5. Explain how the cultural and environmental characteristics of places change over time.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1

Students will learn about traditional German cuisine and investigate how food has changed through migration. They will also examine traditional eating patterns, health beliefs, and food practices.

Supporting Question 2

What are some historically traditional German dishes?

How has migration influenced food culture in Germany?

Supporting Question 3 What are the similarities and differences between food practices and patterns in Germany and those of your country?

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Formative Performance Task

Students will watch a video on German food. Then they will create an informational poster for an assigned German food. When completed, hang the posters around the classroom to create a Food Gallery.

Students will learn how the Döner Kebab came to Germany. They will use Google Maps to research what types of restaurants and stores or markets can be found in larger and smaller cities throughout Germany.

With a partner, students will review German Food Facts (Handout 3.8.3) and compare and contrast staple foods, eating patterns, and food practices between Germany and the United States using a Venn diagram on Handout 3.8.4.

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Featured Sources

Source A: German Food: From Schnitzel to Black Forest Gateau - Mahlzeit!

Source B: Handout 3.8.1

Source A: Google Maps

Source A: Handout 3.8.3

Source B: Döner Kebab: How The Turkish Dish Came To Germany

Source B: Handout 3.8.4

Source C: Handout 3.8.2 Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Explore Über den Tellerrand to learn how this nonprofit has brought German communities together using food.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: As people migrate, they bring their traditional food with them to their new homes.

Assess: Research traditional dishes in your community, as well as food that was brought only more recently.

Act: Host a food afternoon at school to celebrate the many dishes of your community.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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What do we learn about culture when we examine the food that people eat?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will learn about traditional German cuisine and investigate how food has changed through migration. They will also examine traditional eating patterns, health beliefs, and food practices.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Pretzels, bratwursts, and schnitzel are often the first dishes that come to mind when thinking about German cuisine.

Due to Germany’s history and its late unification in 1871, there is no “national German cuisine.” Rather, there are a variety of regional cuisines that were influenced by neighboring countries and local as well as seasonal produce. For instance, northern cuisine is characterized by its proximity to the sea, traditionally focusing on seafood like plaice, herring, cod, and shrimp. Southern cuisine relies heavily on meat dishes and pastries like roast pork and black forest cake. Southwestern cuisine was influenced by French, Austrian, and Swiss cuisine, whereas eastern German dishes, like Soljanka (spicy/sour soup), were influenced by Eastern European cuisines.

Each regional cuisine has its own ingredients and traditions that set them apart. The most famous specialties of regional cuisines include Sauerbraten (marinated beef roast, Rheinisch), Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs, northeastern), Maultaschen (stuffed pasta, Swabia), Nürnberger Rostbratwurst (grilled sausages, Franconia), Labskaus (hash, northwestern), Currywurst (fried pork sausage, Berlin), Döner Kebab (kebab wrap, Berlin), Knödel (potato dumplings, Bavarian), Frankfurter Grüne Soße (green sauce, Hessian), as well as 3,200 types of bread and too many desserts to count.

While many Germans still enjoy regional dishes, surveys find that the most popular dishes in Germany are pizza and pasta. You will find dishes that have become part of Germany’s culinary culture due to immigration and its long history of guest workers.

In Berlin and other larger cities across Germany, like Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Munich, streets are lined with restaurants offering cuisines from around the world. Some of the most prominent cuisines are Turkish, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish. * Read more about the history of food culture in Germany: Esmailzadeh, S. (2016, November). Taste Is as Versatile as Identity.

Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/en/kul/mol/20866343.html. ➤ Sources

• •

Regional Specialties. (2021). German Food Guide. https://tinyurl.com/4v2kj7kx.

Waldfogel, J. (June 2019). Dining Out As Cultural Trade. National Bureau of Economic Research. w26020.pdf (nber.org).

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TIME: One to two 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • •

German Foods (Handout 3.8.1) German Food Poster (Handout 3.8.2) German Food Facts (Handout 3.8.3) German and United States Food Practices Venn Diagram (Handout 3.8.4) www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore DW Euromaxx. (2021, February 10). German Food: From Schnitzel to Black Forest Gateau – Mahlzeit! Meet the Germans. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURdtPWHglo. (6:04) DW Food. (2021, July 9). Döner Kebab: How the Turkish Dish Came to Germany. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bSlHuGWNF1I. (5:46) Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps. Über den Tellerrand. (2021). Über den Tellerrand – Make the World a Better Plate. https://ueberdentellerrand.org/ start-englisch/.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Direct students to list any foods they can think of and place them into three categories: nourishment, celebrations, and culture.

Students may use words or pictures to complete their lists.

Once their lists are completed, explain to students that many types of foods can be reflections of one’s culture, and that there are even rules that are associated with certain foods. Provide examples of Muslim and Jewish dietary laws or celebrations and traditions such as birthdays.

Allow students to discuss the connection between food, culture, and traditions. As students share their responses, additional connections can be made on how foods can also be a reflection of the regions where we live. For example in the United States some dishes originated from certain geographic locations, such as the lobster roll (Maine/New England), deep-dish pizza (Chicago/Midwest), and barbecue (South). Tell students that in this inquiry they will learn about the regional dishes of Germany, how food has changed with migration, and about eating customs and patterns of Germans.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are some historically traditional German dishes? ➤ Formative Performance Task View the video, German Food: From Schnitzel to Black Forest Gateau – Mahlzeit! Meet the Germans. As students watch the video, they should list key ideas and words that tell the story of German food, culture, and traditions. Teachers may want students to watch the video twice: the first time to get an overall picture and the second time to list keywords and ideas.

Assign each student a dish from Handout 3.8.1, German Foods. Using the directions on German Food Poster (Handout 3.8.2), each student should create an informational poster for their assigned dish.

When completed, hang the posters around the classroom to create a Food Gallery. Have students go on a gallery walk, selecting which food they would be most likely to try, most likely not to try, the most unusual, and a food most like a food they already eat.

If time allows, tally the votes from the gallery walk to determine which food fits in which of the categories.

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➤ Resources

• • •

German Foods (Handout 3.8.1) German Food Poster (Handout 3.8.2) DW Euromaxx. (2021, February 10). German Food: From Schnitzel to Black Forest Gateau – Mahlzeit! Meet the Germans.

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURdtPWHglo. (6:04)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 How has migration influenced food culture in Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task Ask students to think about which dish they love and would miss the most if they were to move to another country.

Explain to students that when people migrate from their home to a new country, they bring their food culture with them.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, when postwar West Germany saw a labor shortage, it signed guest worker agreements with countries including Italy (1955), Spain (1960), Greece (1960), Turkey (1961), and Morocco (1963). More recently, Germany accepted one million refugees from countries including Syria and Afghanistan. Since the 1960s, Germany’s demographics have changed and so has the food landscape. The number of foreign food outlets in West Germany doubled from 20,000 between the 1970s and 1980s. “Italian trattorias and Balkan bar and grills were the first to emerge on the scene.” (Esmailzadeh, 2016) In 2019, 34 percent of the restaurant market in Germany was made up of German restaurants; almost 14 percent, U.S. restaurants; 12 percent, Italian restaurants; and 4.5 percent, Turkish restaurants. Today, some of German people’s favorite dishes include pasta, pizza, and schnitzel.

One of the most famous foods in Germany is the Döner Kebab, an invention by a Turkish immigrant. Watch the video on how the Döner Kebab came to Germany.

In small groups, have students use Google Maps to research what types of restaurants and stores or markets they can find in a large German city and a smaller German city or town. Ask them whether they see any patterns, or why the variety of restaurants and stores or markets may be different in large versus small cities.

The twelve largest cities by population in Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Leipzig, Bremen, and Dresden.

Smaller cities students can explore are Geisa (Thuringia), Husum (Schleswig-Holstein), Saarbrücken (Saarland), Salzwedel (Saxony-Anhalt), Meppen (Lower-Saxony), Offenburg (Baden-Württemberg), Rosenheim (Bavaria), Zwickau (Saxony), Cottbus (Brandenburg), Muenster (North Rhine-Westphalia), Kaiserslautern (Rhineland-Palatinate), Hansestadt Straslund (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), and Kassel (Hessen). ➤ Resources

• •

Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps.

DW Food. (2021, 9 July). Döner Kebab: How the Turkish Dish Came to Germany. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bSlHuGWNF1I. (5:46)

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SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What are the similarities and differences between food practices and patterns in Germany and those of your country? ➤ Formative Performance Task Explain to students that they will investigate German culture further by examining traditional eating patterns, health beliefs, and food practices.

With a partner, students will review German Food Facts (Handout 3.8.3) and compare and contrast staple foods, eating patterns, and food practices between Germany and the United States using the Venn diagram on Handout 3.8.4.

As a class, discuss the results. Students should be able to provide a response to the following question, “What can we learn about German culture by examining its regional dishes and cuisine?” ➤ Resources

• •

German Food Facts (Handout 3.8.3) German and United States Food Practices Venn Diagram (Handout 3.8.4)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What do we learn about culture when we examine the food that people eat?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Explore Über den Tellerrand to learn how this nonprofit has brought German communities together using food. ➤ Resource

•

Über den Tellerrand. (2021). Über den Tellerrand – Make the World a Better Plate. https://ueberdentellerrand.org/ start-englisch/.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: As people migrate, they bring their traditional food with them to their new homes.

Access: Research traditional dishes in your community, as well as food that was brought only more recently.

Act: Host a food event at school to celebrate the many dishes of your community.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Culture Cuisine

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Cultural diffusion Migration

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Regional variant Seasonal food

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4.1 Grünes Band Deutschland—Germany’s Green Belt

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

4.1 GRÜNES BAND DEUTSCHLAND—GERMANY’S GREEN BELT How can countries protect land and threatened species?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Geo.5.3-5. Explain how the cultural and environmental characteristics of places change over time.

Staging the Compelling Question

Students will learn about the former Inner Border between East and West Germany and its transformation into an environmental conservation called the „Green Belt.“ Habitats and species found in the Green Belt will be examined.

Supporting Question 1 What was the Inner Border between East and West Germany?

Formative Performance Task After viewing a video, students will list five words that describe the Inner Border space, and then describe what they think the Inner Border looked like at the end of the Cold War.

Featured Sources Source A: Walled In: The Inner German border

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What is the German Green Belt?

What habitats and plant and animal species are protected in the Green Belt?

Formative Performance Task After viewing the two videos, Green Belt Germany and NBC News, students will take on one of three roles: list all of the good things learned about the Green Belt; describe all of the problems and difficulties; or summarize how the video made them feel.

Featured Sources

Formative Performance Task Student pairs will create a presentation highlighting the habitats and plant and animal species that live in the Green Belt.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 4.1.1

Source A: Green Belt Germany Source B: A Green Belt Has grown along the Former Border between East and West Germany Source C: Traces of the Past along the German Green Belt

Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension 1: Research the National Nature Monuments. What sites are designated as such, and what protections does this provide? How are sites selected?

Extension 2: Research five of the green belts listed. Create a presentation to share with classmates.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Cities and towns use land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas.

Assess: Contact your local planning board for information on how your city or town is working to retain these open areas.

Act: Reach out to a local environmental or conservation group to determine how you can support positive land use.

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4.1 Grünes Band Deutschland—Germany’s Green Belt

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How can countries protect land and threatened species?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will learn about the former Inner Border between East and West Germany and its transformation into an environmental conservation called the „Green Belt.“ Habitats and species found in the Green Belt will be examined.

TEACHER BACKGROUND In the shadow of the former Iron Curtain that divided Europe for decades, a vast strip of land that once stood for oppression has become a symbol of renewal. The German Green Belt (Grünes Band Deutschland) is a project of the BUND (German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation), one of Germany’s largest nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to protecting the environment.

The Inner German Border was formally established following WWII, on July 1, 1945, and was the boundary between the Western and Soviet occupation zones of Germany. On the Eastern side, it was one of the world’s most heavily fortified areas. The Inner German Border ran the length of Germany, from the Baltic Sea to Thuringia, and was notorious for its 870-mile network of walls, barbed wire, guard towers, and shooting devices, all patrolled by 50,000 armed East German guards. This no man’s land, which remained inaccessible to farming and hunting for 40 years, was able to thrive naturally and is now home to an exceptional wealth of species and ecosystems (many of which are endangered).

Less than a month after the German Democratic Republic (GDR; East Germany) opened its border with the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; West Germany) on November 9, 1989, organizers began working to create the Green Belt. The organizers included the BUND and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), who took inventory of the species and habitats along the Green Belt to prove the value of this untouched land. In 2002, Mikhail Gorbachev endorsed the Green Belt initiative on his visit to Germany. He became the first person to buy a “Green Belt share,” which opened the doors for people to give money to the project.

The Green Belt encompasses countless interlinked ecosystems with an abundance of species. In collaboration with individual states, the BUND and BfN were able to create regions in which conservation and nature tourism worked together to create a system of land management that would ensure preservation. Today, the Green Belt has an area of 68 square miles, 146 different biotopes, and over 5,000 plant and animal species (with more than 1,200 of them on the Red List, such as wildcats and arnica).

More than 60 percent of the area is covered by endangered habitat types.

The federal government, states, and conservation organizations have joined forces to protect the Green Belt and develop it into one of the most valuable nature reserves in Europe. Something that once divided Germany is now a symbol of national unity.

The German Green Belt is part of the European Green Belt, which runs along the former Iron Curtain from Finland to the Danube Delta of the Black Sea. To learn more about the Berlin Wall and the Cold War, see Inquiry 2.5.

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4.1 Grünes Band Deutschland—Germany’s Green Belt

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

➤ Sources

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BUND Naturschutz. (2021). Grünes Band: Arche Noah für Tiere und Pflanzen. https://www.bund-naturschutz.de/ natur-und-landschaft/gruenes-band.

BfN. (2021). The German Green Belt. https://www.bfn.de/en/activities/protecting-habitats-and-landscapes/the-green-belt/ germany.html.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • •

Green Belt Habitat and Species Presentation (Handout 4.1.1) BUND. (n.d.). Traces of the Past: Along the German Green Belt. bund.net. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.bund.net/fileadmin/user_upload_bund/publikationen/gruenes_band/gruenes_band_traces_ of_the_past.pdf. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore BUND Germany. (2018, August 15). Green Belt Germany. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Dj2h8vUmB6M DW News. (2009, June 30). Walled in: The Inner German Border | DW English. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OwQsTzGkbiY. (10:39) Green Belt. (2021, May 6 ). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_belt.

NBC News. (2021, May 27). A Green Belt Has Grown Along the Former Border Between East and West Germany. NBCNews. com. https://www.nbcnews.com/video/a-green-belt-has-grown-along-the-former-border-between-east-and-west-germ any-1121547331897.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Ask students: Imagine that an area of your city or state has been divided by walls with a large area between them that no one has been allowed to enter for nearly 40 years. What do you think that area would look like? Do you think animals would live there? Why or why not?

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What was the Inner Border between East and West Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task View the video Walled In: The Inner German Border, starting at 5:27. Ask students to make note of the following:

• • • •

Location of the wall Length Location of no man’s land Tracks used by vehicles in the death zone

After viewing the video, ask students to write down five words that describe the Inner Border space. Next, ask students what they think the Inner Border looked like at the end of the Cold War. List their responses for Task 2. ➤ Notes

• •

The first 5:27 of the video is about the Berlin Wall. The rest of the video is about the border wall that ran the length of Germany between East and West, the Inner Border.

A diagram of the Inner German Border (1960) is available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index. php?search=inner+german+borders+diagram+1960&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image.

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➤ Resource

•

DW News. (2009, June 30). Walled In: The Inner German Border | DW English. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OwQsTzGkbiY. (10:39)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What is the German Green Belt? ➤ Formative Performance Task View the two videos Green Belt Germany and NBC News. Prior to viewing, divide the class into three groups and assign each group a hat (to function as a lens through which to watch the video).

For this Six Thinking Hats activity, the group of students with the yellow hat will list all of the good things they learned about the Green Belt. The group with the black hat will describe all of the problems and difficulties. The group with the red hat will summarize how the video made them feel. Each group should then share.

As a class, compare the Green Belt to the descriptions of the Inner Border from Formative Performance Task 1.

Teachers may wish to read with the class the online Traces of the Past along the German Green Belt, which provides descriptions of the Inner Border wall and its defenses, what it looks like now, and conservation efforts. ➤ Resources

• • • •

BUND Germany. (2018, August 15). Green Belt Germany. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj2h8vUmB6M. BUND. (n.d.). Traces of the Past: Along the German Green Belt. bund.net. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.bund. net/fileadmin/user_upload_bund/publikationen/gruenes_band/gruenes_band_traces_of_the_past.pdf. de Bono, Edward. (2019, April 27). Book Summary—Six Thinking Hats® by Edward de Bono. Readingraphics [website]. readingraphics.com/book-summary-six-thinking-hats.

NBC News. (2021, May 27). A Green Belt Has Grown Along the Former Border Between East and West Germany. NBCNews. com. https://www.nbcnews.com/video/a-green-belt-has-grown-along-the-former-border-between-east-and-west-germ any-1121547331897.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What habitats and plant and animal species are protected in the Green Belt? ➤ Formative Performance Task Working with a partner, students will create a presentation highlighting the habitats and plant and animal species that live in the Green Belt. Handout 4.1.1 contains guidelines and suggested resources. ➤ Resource

•

Green Belt Habitat and Species Presentation (Handout 4.1.1)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How can countries conserve land and protect threatened species?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

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EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 1 A section of the Green Belt in Thuringia has been designated a National Nature Monument. The primary objective of a National Nature Monument is to protect specific outstanding natural features and their associated biodiversity and habitats. The Green Belt Thuringia was designated as the third National Nature Monument in 2018. As a result, for the first time, a coherent part of the Green Belt in Germany of over 474 miles (763 kilometers) and over 16,000 acres (6,500 hectares) is uniformly put under protection. Through the designation of National Nature Monument, the national importance of this unique national habitat network and the symbolism of the former divide into two geostrategic power blocs (Iron Curtain) are emphasized.

Research National Nature Monuments. What sites are designated as such, and what protections does this provide? How are sites selected

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 2 There are notable examples of green belts around the world. Go to the website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_belt, where a list of green belts around the world can be found. Research five of the green belts listed. Create a presentation to share with classmates. Your presentation should include:

• • • • •

Name and date created Location and size Habitats and plant and animal species found History of location Restrictions, if any

Share what you learn with a local nature conservation group. ➤ Resource

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Green Belt. (2021, May 6 ). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_belt.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Cities and towns use land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas.

Assess: Contact your local planning board for information on how your city or town is working to retain these open areas.

Act: Reach out to a local environmental or conservation group to determine how you can support positive land use.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • • •

Green Belt Habitat Species Biodiversity

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Conservation Inner Border Death strip No man’s land

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National Nature Monument Iron Curtain

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4.2 Living Sustainably

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

4.2 LIVING SUSTAINABLY What do Germans do to live more sustainably?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.14.6-8. Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies, and promoting the common good.

Staging the Compelling Question

Students will learn how Germans are working to live more sustainably by exploring how they recycle waste, examining the use of alternative forms of transportation, and studying Freiburg, Germany, known as the single best city for urban development.

Supporting Question 1

Supporting Question 2

What do Germans do with their trash?

Formative Performance Task After viewing a YouTube video on waste separation in Germany, students will record what items go in which colored bins.

Featured Sources

What is sustainable transportation in Germany?

Formative Performance Task Student groups will read an article on an assigned form of sustainable transportation to share with the rest of the class.

Featured Sources

Source A: Waste Separation in Germany: What Goes Where?

Source A: Cycling in Germany: Everything to know Source B: Trains: Traveling by Rail in Germany Source C: Public transportation in Germany: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Tram & Bus

Supporting Question 3 What does a sustainable city look like?

Formative Performance Task With a partner, student pairs will read the information about Freiburg, Germany, considered the single best city for sustainable urban development, and consider the feasibility of incorporating these sustainable ideas in their community.

Featured Sources Source A: Handout 4.2.1 Source B: Handout 4.2.2 Source C: Handout 4.2.3 Source D: Freiburg—A Sustainable City Trip in Germany

Source D: The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3 Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension 1: Research German Schrebergärten (little gardens).

Extension 2: Learn about zero-bulk-waste stores, such as Original Unverpackt, located in Germany.

Extension 3: With a partner, read the article “How Marginalized Communities in the South Are Paying the Price for ‚Green Energy‘ in Europe.” Create a presentation to share with classmates that shows the impact of these biomass plants on the environment and the people who live near the plants.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Becoming more sustainable can be accomplished through small changes in what we consume and how we live.

Assess: Examine the ways your school works toward being more sustainable.

Act: Work with classmates to develop a campaign to encourage members of your school community to make those small changes and to work toward sustainability.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

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What do Germans do to live more sustainably?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW In this inquiry, students will learn how Germans work to live more sustainably by exploring how they recycle waste, examining the use of alternative forms of transportation, and studying Freiburg, Germany, known as the single best city for urban development.

TEACHER BACKGROUND The United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability in 1987 as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”1 In 2002, Germany adopted its first sustainable development strategy, and the country has updated it sporadically ever since. The strategy adopted in 2016 is based on the 2030 Agenda (a United Nations Resolution that also includes the 17 Sustainable Development Goals), and it was most recently updated in 2021. Germany firmly believes that to achieve the targets of the 2030 Agenda and the German Sustainable Development Strategy, “we must embark on truly demanding transformation of key areas such as energy, the circular economy, housing, transport, food and agriculture” both on an international level and the national level; in businesses and at home.2 From the workforce to manufacturers, investors, research facilities, universities, to consumers—everyone’s input is important to shape change.

“The guiding principles on which the German Sustainability Strategy is based are inter-generational equity, quality of life, social cohesion, and global responsibility.”3 Indicators and targets are laid out in the strategy with medium- and long-term objectives.

Some of these objectives are:

• • • • •

Renewables will account for 60 percent of the energy mix by 2050.

Organic farming will be 20 percent of all agricultural activity by 2030.

Vocational qualifications of women and girls will be increased by a third by 2030.

Final energy consumption in goods transport will be reduced by 15–20 percent by 2030.

Waste generation will be substantially reduced through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse by 2030.

Energy transformation, in Germany widely known as the Energiewende, is the country’s planned transition to a low-carbon, nuclear-free economy. Among other targets, Germany plans to shut down all nuclear power plants by 2022 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030. To learn more about the Energiewende, visit https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/ Dossier/energy-transition.html.4

1 2 3 4

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United Nations. (2019 ). Academic Impact: Sustainability. https://academicimpact.un.org/content/sustainability.

German Federal Government. (2021). German Sustainable Development Strategy Update 2021 (Summary). German Sustainable Development Strategy 2021 update (bundesregierung.de).

German Federal Government. (2021). Germany’s National Sustainable Development Strategy. https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/issues/sustainability/germany-s-national-sustainable-development-strategy-354566.

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. (2021). Our Energy Transition for an Energy Supply That Is Secure, Clean, and Affordable. https://www. bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/Dossier/energy-transition.html.

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4.2 Living Sustainably

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

Germany already generates one-third of its electricity from renewables. That significantly reduces emissions of greenhouse gases. So far, emissions in Germany have fallen by 40.8 percent in 2021 since 1990.5 Germany leads the world when it comes to recycling of municipal waste. Through the Circular Economy Act of 2012, the German Federal Government achieved its target of recycling 65 percent of municipal waste by 2020.

For more information on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, see Inquiry 4.3.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute periods

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City (Handout 4.2.1) Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City Questions (Handout 4.2.2) Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City Questions Answer Key (Handout 4.2.3) Abnett, K. (2021, June 16). EU Eyes Tighter Rules for “Renewable” Biomass Energy Draft. Reuters. https://www. www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore reuters.com/world/europe/eu-eyes-tighter-rules-renewable-biomass-energy-draft-2021-06-16/.

Crane.TV. (2015, July 14). Original Unverpackt: Zero Waste. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dMnwG2iR754. (2:16) de Puy Kamp, Majlie. (2021, July 9). How Marginalized Communities in the South Are Paying the Price for “Green Energy” in Europe. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2021/07/us/american-south-biomass-energy-invs/.

DW Travel. (2021, April 28). Freiburg—A Sustainable City Trip in Germany | Discover Freiburg by Bike and Longboard. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boht9TBmPPo. (10:34) Handbook Germany English. (June 25, 2020). Waste Separation in Germany: What Goes Where? YouTube. www.youtube. com/watch?v=Io_kETdq0-0. (1:59) HousingAnywhere. (n.d.). Cycling in Germany: Everything to Know. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// housinganywhere.com/Germany/cycling-in-germany.

How To Germany. (n.d.). Trains: Traveling by Rail in Germany. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.howtogermany. com/pages/trains.html.

IamExpat. (n.d.). Public Transportation in Germany: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Tram & Bus. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/transportation/public-transportation-germany-sbahn-ubahn-tram-bus.

Shia. (2017, September 15). Zero Waste Bulk Stores around the World #1: Unverpackt Kiel in Kiel, Germany. Wasteland Rebel. https://wastelandrebel.com/en/the-first-zero-waste-bulk-store-in-germany-unverpackt-kiel/.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. (2020, April 24). The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jBNEuqoWv8s&t=185s. (from 1:57 – 2:45 minutes).

University of Maine. (n.d.). “What Is Sustainability?” Retrieved October 28, 2021, from umaine.edu/sustainability/ what-is-sustainability/.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Ask students: “What does it mean to live more sustainably?” Make a list of answers on the board.

Explain that there are many ways we can live more sustainably, such as recycling, reusing, reducing, using public transportation, biking, eating a plant-based diet, and buying second-hand clothing. Living sustainably means living in a way that avoids the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.

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Umweltbundesamt. (2021, March 15). Germany’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down 8.7 Percent in 2020. https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/press/ pressinformation/germanys-greenhouse-gas-emissions-down-87-percent.

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➤ Resource

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University of Maine. (n.d.). What Is Sustainability? umaine.edu/sustainability/what-is-sustainability/.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What do Germans do with their trash? ➤ Formative Performance Task Ask students: “What does it mean to recycle?” Then ask: “What do we recycle?” Next ask: “Why do we recycle?” Make a list of the reasons for recycling.

Direct students to divide an 8 × 12-inch sheet of paper into six boxes and to label the boxes yellow, black or gray, green or blue, brown, glass 1, and glass 2. Instruct students that as they watch the YouTube video on waste separation in Germany, they should record what items go in which bins.

As a class, discuss the German recycling program: What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Refer to the list from the Introductory Question: How does it compare to the recycling program in your state? Region? What are the consequences of not recycling?

Teachers may wish to share the following about German consequences for not recycling.

• • •

The Circular Economy Act, obligates private households to separate waste since 2015. This means that missing or incorrect separation is also punishable. However, there are different regulations at the municipal level.

If you do not separate your trash properly, the trash collectors may simply leave your garbage without emptying it.

In the worst-case scenario, you may even be committing an “administrative offense” by not separating your trash. Fines vary considerably depending on the federal state. Fines of up to 5,000 euros may be due, but the average fines are from 25–300 euros.

➤ Resource

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Handbook Germany English. (2020, June 25). Waste Separation in Germany: What Goes Where? YouTube. www.youtube. com/watch?v=Io_kETdq0-0. (1:59)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What is sustainable transportation in Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task Ask: “What are the concerns regarding most forms of transportation and their impact on the environment?”

List the following on the board: cars, trucks, trains, trams, bicycles, buses, and underground subways. Ask students to rate the forms of transportation from the most sustainable to the least, and to indicate why.

Divide the class into three groups. Assign each group an article on sustainable transportation in Germany from the list of resources. Each group should read the assigned article and take notes on the specific form of sustainable transportation found in the article to share with the rest of the class. Each group should be prepared to answer questions.

Teachers may wish to ask students if anyone has changed their sustainability ranking of the forms of transportation.

To learn more about sustainable transportation in Germany, watch The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3 (1:57–2:45).

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➤ Resources

• • • •

HousingAnywhere. (n.d.). Cycling in Germany: Everything to Know. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// housinganywhere.com/Germany/cycling-in-germany.

How To Germany. (n.d.). Trains: Traveling by Rail in Germany. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.howtogermany. com/pages/trains.html.

IamExpat. (n.d.). Public Transportation in Germany: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Tram & Bus. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/transportation/public-transportation-germany-sbahn-ubahn-tram-bus.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. (2020, April 24). The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jBNEuqoWv8s&t=185s. (1:57–2:45).

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What does a sustainable city look like? ➤ Formative Performance Task Freiburg, Germany, is considered an excellent example of sustainable urban development. With a partner, students will read the information about Freiburg in Handout 4.2.1 and answer the questions in Handout 4.2.2.

As a class, make a list of the reasons Freiburg is considered the best city for sustainable urban development and whether it would be possible for the community in which students live to incorporate these sustainable ideas, if they do not already exist.

Teachers may want students to view the YouTube video of a tour of Freiburg. ➤ Resources

• • • •

Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City (Handout 4.2.1) Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City Questions (Handout 4.2.2) Freiburg: Germany’s Most Sustainable City Questions Answer Key (Handout 4.2.3) DW Travel. (2021, April 28). Freiburg—A Sustainable City Trip in Germany | Discover Freiburg by Bike and Longboard. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boht9TBmPPo. (10:34)

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK What do Germans do to live more sustainably?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 1 Research German Schrebergärten (little gardens). What are they? How did they originate? How did people benefit from Schrebergärten during WWI and WWII? How did their role change during the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s? What about now? How are they regulated?

Create a presentation to share at a local gardening society or at a local facility for the elderly.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 2 Learn about zero-bulk-waste stores, such as Original Unverpackt, located in Germany. In these stores, nothing is packaged!

What are the benefits of this type of store? What are the challenges? Reach out to your local area business regarding ways they could reduce the packaging of products. Below are links to start your research.

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Crane.TV. (2015, July 14). Original Unverpackt: Zero Waste. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMnwG2iR754. (2:16) Shia. (2017, September 15). Zero Waste Bulk Stores around the World #1: Unverpackt Kiel in Kiel, Germany. Wasteland Rebel. https://wastelandrebel.com/en/the-first-zero-waste-bulk-store-in-germany-unverpackt-kiel/.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK 3 Renewable sources provide around 20 percent of European Union (EU) energy in 2019. More than half of that is biomass, which the EU ranks as having a low-carbon footprint, because the carbon dioxide emissions produced from wood burning are partly balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the trees as they grow.* Enviva, the world’s largest biomass producer and one of nearly a dozen companies that benefit from the sustainability commitment of the EU, has multiple plants located in North Carolina. With a partner, read the article “How Marginalized Communities in the South Are Paying the Price for ‚Green Energy‘ in Europe.” Create a presentation to share with classmates that shows the impact of these biomass plants on the environment and the people who live near the plants. ➤ Resource

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de Puy Kamp, Majlie. (2021, July 9). How Marginalized Communities in the South Are Paying the Price for “Green Energy” in Europe. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2021/07/us/american-south-biomass-energy-invs/.

*Abnett, K. (2021, June 16). EU Eyes Tighter Rules for “Renewable” Biomass Energy Draft. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/ world/europe/eu-eyes-tighter-rules-renewable-biomass-energy-draft-2021-06-16/.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Becoming more sustainable can be accomplished through small changes in what we consume and how we live.

Assess: Examine the ways your school works toward being more sustainable.

Act: Work with classmates to develop a campaign to encourage members of your school community to make those small changes and to work toward sustainability.

CONCEPTS LIST

• • •

Sustainability Recycle Urban development

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• • •

Solar energy Bioenergy Green building

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4.3 Taking Action—The Sustainable Development Goals

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

4.3 TAKING ACTION—THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS How do the Sustainable Development Goals work to achieve a better, more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Civ.6.3-5. Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and families D4.6.3-5. Draw on disciplinary concepts to explain the challenges people have faced and opportunities they have created, in addressing local, regional, and global problems at various times and places.

Staging the Compelling Question

Supporting Question 1

Students will learn about the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They will examine how Germany is working to address the goals and, on a personal level, explore ways they can each work toward a more sustainable world.

Supporting Question 2

What are the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Formative Performance Task Assign each student (or pair) a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and ask each student or pair to design a poster sharing what they have learned.

Featured Sources

What can we do as individuals to help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Formative Performance Task After viewing the video, World’s Largest Lesson, the class will discuss how it is possible for one person to make a substantial change for the better.

Featured Sources

Supporting Question 3 What is Germany doing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals?

Formative Performance Task Students will learn what Germany is doing to meet the SDGs.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 4.3.1

Source A: Handout 4.3.2

Source A: Handout 4.3.3

Source B: Communications Materials— United Nations Sustainable Development

Source B: World’s Largest Lesson – Emma Watson Introduction

Source B: Die Glorreichen 17 - Ziele nachhaltiger Entwicklung

Source C: Sustainable Development Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Explore what the United States is doing to meet the 17 SDGs.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: We all play a role in creating a sustainable future.

Assess: How are individuals and groups in your community working to meet the SDGs? Act: Reach out to determine how you and your classmates can help to meet the SDGs in your community.

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4.3 Taking Action—The Sustainable Development Goals

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

COMPELLING QUESTION

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How do the Sustainable Development Goals work to achieve a better, more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will learn about the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will examine how Germany is working to address the goals and, on a personal level, explore the ways they can each work toward a more sustainable world.

TEACHER BACKGROUND On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development— adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic United Nations (UN) Summit—officially came into force. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities, and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

The SDGs build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. The new Goals are unique in that they call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and that address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

• • • •

Sustainable development has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet.

For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.

Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. To this end, there must be promotion of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.1

Germany’s 2016 National Sustainable Development Strategy is aligned with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and focuses more on global responsibility. The Cabinet adopted the new strategy on 11 January 2017.

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Sustainable Development Goals. (2019). Official website of the United Nations.org, https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/.

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4.3 Taking Action—The Sustainable Development Goals

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

With the 2030 Agenda, the world acknowledged its interdependence. Worldwide sustainable development can only be achieved if every state takes steps that benefit not only its own nation, but the entire global community. It calls for measures to be taken worldwide at the national level that advance the global public good and structural frameworks for sustainable development. An extensive transformation will be needed in all aspects of life if the 2030 Agenda is to be implemented.

The 2016 edition of Germany’s National Sustainable Development Strategy pays more attention to the impacts of our actions beyond national borders. This applies, for instance, to activities to fight poverty and hunger, as well as efforts to protect the global environment and climate, German entrepreneurial activities, respect for and realization of internationally accepted human rights standards (especially in global value and supply chains), worldwide efforts to combat illegal financial flows and money laundering, and activities to promote transparent and independent certification systems.2 TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • •

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Handout 4.3.1) Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World (Handout 4.3.2) The Magnificent 17 (Handout 4.3.3) Arizona State University. (2021, January 19). Teacher Resources. Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore Solutions. https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/programs/teachersacademy/ teacher-resources/.

Die Bundesregierung. (2021). Footer-Bereich. Die Glorreichen 17 – Ziele nachhaltiger Entwicklung. https://www. dieglorreichen17.de/g17-de.

Sustainable Development Goals. (n.d.). U.S. National Statistics for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://sdg.data.gov/.

The Global Goals. (2017, May 10). World’s Largest Lesson—Emma Watson Introduction | Global Goals. YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Qx0AVjtdq_Q. (5:16) United Nations. (n.d.). Communications materials—United Nations Sustainable Development. United Nations. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www. un.org/sustainabledevelopment/news/communications-material/.

United Nations. (n.d.). THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development. United Nations. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// sdgs.un.org/goals.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION View the PowerPoint Think Sustainability. As a class, discuss the posed questions.

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Arizona State University. (2021, January 19). Teacher Resources. Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions. https:// sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/programs/teachersacademy/teacher-resources/.

Note: The PowerPoint link is located under Activities—Bell Ringers. Click on the link Slides: Think Sustainability. For students to consider as they think about sustainability, the ten slides in this PowerPoint pose questions such as: Where does the energy you use come from? How does water become polluted? How does air quality affect your health?

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Report of the German Federal Government to the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2016. (2016, July 12). Official website of the German Federal Government, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/10686HLPF-Bericht_final_EN.pdf.

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4.3 Taking Action—The Sustainable Development Goals

FOCUS 4 – Sustainability

SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What are the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? ➤ Formative Performance Task Prior to the completion of this task, post icons* of the 17 goals around the classroom.

Assign each student a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) as found on the United Nations website. Since there are only 17 goals, you may need to pair students.

By clicking on the goal icon, students can access information about the goal. Students should complete Handout 4.3.1 for the assigned SDG and design a poster sharing what they have learned.

Post the completed posters with the respective icon. Divide the class into two groups for a gallery walk. Half the students stand next to their respective posters as the other half walk around. Encourage students to ask questions as they complete the gallery walk. The presenters should be prepared to answer questions. ➤ Resources

• • •

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Handout 4.3.1) United Nations. (n.d.). Communications Materials—United Nations Sustainable Development. United Nations. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www. un.org/sustainabledevelopment/news/communications-material/.

United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 Goals | Sustainable Development. United Nations. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https:// sdgs.un.org/goals.

*Downloadable icons are available at https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/news/communications-material/. Click on download 17 icons (print) in the center of the page.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What can we do as individuals to help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? ➤ Formative Performance Task As a class view the video, World’s Largest Lesson. Discuss how it is possible for one person to make a substantial change for the better.

Distribute Handout 4.3.2, the Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World. Students should each select a task from the list and design a poster encouraging individuals in their school to work toward sustainability. ➤ Resources

• •

Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World (Handout 4.3.2) The Global Goals. (2017, May 10). World’s Largest Lesson—Emma Watson Introduction | Global Goals. YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Qx0AVjtdq_Q. (5:16)

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 What is Germany doing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals? ➤ Formative Performance Task Note: The website, Die Glorreichen 17—The Magnificent 17, is in German. Students will need to use a browser that will translate the site to English.

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Using the same number SDG as they used for Formative Performance Task 1, students will learn what Germany is doing to meet the SDGs. On the website, students should first click on the numbered box, and then on the link found at the bottom of the pop-up box to complete Handout 4.3.3.

Ask students to share what they have learned. ➤ Resources

• •

The Magnificent 17 (Handout 4.3.3) Die Bundesregierung. (2021). Footer-Bereich. Die Glorreichen 17—Ziele nachhaltiger Entwicklung. https://www. dieglorreichen17.de/g17-de.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How do Sustainable Development Goals work to achieve a better, more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Explore what the United States is doing to meet the 17 SDGs on the Sustainable Development Goals website. Examine each of the 17 SDGs and then focus on the SDG you investigated in Formative Performance Tasks 1 and 3. Does anything surprise you? Concern you? ➤ Resource

•

Sustainable Development Goals. (n.d.). U.S. National Statistics for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://sdg.data.gov/.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: We all play a role in creating a sustainable future.

Assess: How are individuals and groups in your community working to meet the SDGs? Act: Reach out to determine how you and your classmates can help to meet the SDGs in your community.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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4.4 Technology and Innovation

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4.4 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION How are German companies leading the way in innovation?

C3 Framework Indicator

D2.Eco.7.6-8. Analyze the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a market economy.

Staging the Compelling Question

Students will learn about the concept of innovation and investigate German industries that are leaders in innovation.

Supporting Question 1 What does innovation look like?

Formative Performance Task Student groups will examine a timeline of the history of car technology to develop an understanding of innovation.

Featured Sources

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Question 3

What does automobile innovation look like in Germany?

Formative Performance Task For this jigsaw activity, students will read or view the information on an assigned innovation, complete an informational chart, and share what they have learned with classmates.

Featured Sources

In what other areas is Germany a world leader in technology and innovation?

Formative Performance Task Student groups will examine a map of Germany’s technology and innovation hubs.

Featured Sources

Source A: Handout 4.4.1

Source A: Handout 4.4.2

Source A: Handout 4.4.3

Source B: The History of Car Technology

Source B: Fuel Cell Truck

Source B: Technology and Innovation

Source C: Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion: A Driving Experience of a Different Kind Source D: Synthetic eFuels Source E: The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3 Source F: Volkswagen Sustainability Summative Performance Task

Argument: Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical or contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

Extension: Learn more about Adidas’ environmentally friendly innovative ideas and new technologies.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Plastic waste has become a worldwide problem.

Assess: Examine these nine innovations for recycling and replacing plastic.

Act: Determine ways your school could eliminate the use of plastic and share with your teacher and school administrators.

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COMPELLING QUESTION

•

How are German companies leading the way in innovation?

INQUIRY OVERVIEW Students will learn about the concept of innovation and investigate German industries that are leaders in innovation.

TEACHER BACKGROUND Education is the backbone of Germany’s technological innovation. According to The Federal Ministry of Education and Research, “the goal is for good ideas to be translated quickly into innovative products and services. This is because innovative solutions are the factors that drive our prosperity and support our quality of life.”1 Germany abolished tuition fees for universities in 2014. Dorothee Stapelfeldt, a representative of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, summed it up as follows: “tuition fees are socially unjust. They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies. It is the core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high-quality standard, free of charge in Germany.”2 This has attracted more German as well as international students to attend university in Germany. Deutsches Studentenwerk, a German state-run nonprofit for student affairs, found that 11.1 percent of all students in Germany were international students in the 2019/2020 academic year. This put Germany in fourth place in the list of host countries and made it the top non-English-speaking host country for foreign students.3 In comparison, in American universities the proportion of international students was 6 percent in 2020.4 According to the Global Innovation Index 2020, Germany was the ninth most innovative country globally. It is also ranked eighth for university–industry cooperation, and is home to ten of the world’s 100 leading science and technology clusters (e.g., Cologne and Munich). The index places Germany as the world leader in patents by origin. The index also reveals that Germany is one of the countries with the highest spending on research and development. For example, in 2017, Germany allocated €800 million in funds to energy-efficient and renewable research. It also increased its spending by 45 percent on nonnuclear technology research to €6.4 billion between 2018 and 2022.5 The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy also stresses the importance of diversity specifically in start-ups and research. “The number of self-employed persons with a migrant background has risen by 30% since 2005.”6 Also, although only one third of start-ups are founded by women, they account for 41 percent of the workforce.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Schoeman, R. (2016, May 5). Why Is Germany A Powerhouse in Research and Innovation? Culture Trip. https://theculturetrip.com/europe/germany/articles/ germany-technology-research-and-innovation/.

Ibid.

Studentenwerk. (2020). Internationalisierung in Zahlen. https://www.studentenwerke.de/de/content/internationalisierung-zahlen.

Batalova, J, Israel, E. (2021, January 14). International Students United States 2020. Migration Policy. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/international-students-united-states-2020.

German Patent and Trade Mark Office. (2020). Global Innovation Index 2020. https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/background/globalinnovationindex2020/index.html.

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. (2017). Start-ups: A Driving Force for Growth And Competition. https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/ Dossier/start-ups.html.

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In Germany, innovators benefit from a vibrant business sector to bring innovations to market. The country’s strong competitive performance can be further explained by very solid fundamentals, such as a stable macroeconomic environment and a healthy, well-educated, and highly skilled population.

TIME: Two to three 45-minute classes

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Car Technology Timeline (Handout 4.4.1) Automobile Innovation in Germany (Handout 4.4.2) German Technology and Innovation (Handout 4.4.3) Adidas. (n.d.). Innovation. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.adidas-group.com/en/sustainability/ www.goethe.de/ top/letsexplore products/sustainability-innovation/#/parley-ocean-plastic/.

Daimler. (2021, May 19). Fuel Cell Truck. Daimler. https://www.daimler.com/innovation/drive-systems/ hydrogen/start-of-testing-genh2-truck-prototype.html.

GCB. (2020, May 4). Technology and Innovation. www.gcb.de/discover-germany/discover-german-expertise/ technology-and-innovation.html.

Jardine Motors Group. (n.d.). “The History of Car Technology.” Driving Seat. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from news. jardinemotors.co.uk/lifestyle/the-history-of-car-technology.

Mercedes-Benz. (2015, April 28). Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion: A Driving Experience of a Different Kind. YouTube. https://youtu.be/IWB4xj7EILg. (first 4:30 minutes only) Porsche. (2020, December 2). Porsche and Siemens Energy, with Partners, Advance Climate-Neutral eFuels Development. https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2020/company/porsche-siemens-energy-pilot-project-chil e-research-development-synthetic-fuels-efuels-23021.html.

Sengupta, S. (2021, February 16). 9 Innovations for Recycling and Replacing Plastics. Seventeen Goals Magazin. https:// www.17goalsmagazin.de/en/9-innovations-to-up-cycle-plastic-waste/.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. (2020, April 24). The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jBNEuqoWv8s&t=185s. (1:57–2:45) Volkswagen Group. (2021). Volkswagen Sustainability. https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/sustainability/environment/ vehicle.html.

Wakefield High School. Concept Map (4-Square). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://wakefield.apsva.us/ literacy-initiative/vocabulary-resources/concept-map-4-square/

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION Ask students to define the word invention. What is it? What makes something an invention? Ask students to name some inventions that impact their lives.

Next, write the following phrase on the board: “Build a better mousetrap.…” Ask students what they think it means if the mousetrap is an invention. Explain that the process of building a better mousetrap is called innovation.* Other examples include:

• • •

First telephone – smartphone Typewriter – computer word-processing program E-mail – social media

*Teachers may wish to share the following history of this phrase and the many attempts to build a better mousetrap! (https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Build_a_better_mousetrap,_and_the_world_will_beat_a_path_to_your_door)

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SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 What does innovation look like? ➤ Formative Performance Task Distribute Handout 4.4.1 to small groups of students. The handout is a timeline of the history of car technology. Ask students to examine the timeline, answering the following questions.

• • • • •

At what point did the first innovation of car technology take place? Why do you say this?

Which innovation had the most impact on car safety?

Which innovation had the least impact on car safety?

Were you surprised by any innovations? If yes, which ones? Why? What is a future innovation you’d like to have in a car you own?

As a class, briefly discuss the questions. Ask students to create vocabulary squares to show they understand the difference between invention and innovation.

Teachers may wish to have students visit the website where the timeline is located to learn more about each innovation. ➤ Resources

• • •

Car Technology Timeline (Handout 4.4.1) Jardine Motors Group. (n.d.). “The History of Car Technology.” Driving Seat. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from news. jardinemotors.co.uk/lifestyle/the-history-of-car-technology.

Wakefield High School. Concept Map (4-Square). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://wakefield.apsva.us/literacy-initiative/vocabulary-resources/concept-map-4-square/

SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 What does automobile innovation look like in Germany? ➤ Formative Performance Task To introduce innovative technology in Germany, watch The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3 (1:57–2:45).

For this jigsaw activity, divide the class into groups of four, which become their home group. Assign each group member to name an innovation from the following list:

• • • •

Hydrogen fuel-cell trucks All-electric commercial vehicles Synthetic efuels Autonomous driving vehicles (video, first 4:30 minutes only)

Regroup students with the same innovation together. This is the expert group. Using Handout 4.4.2, students in the expert group should read or view the information on the assigned innovation and complete the chart as a group.

Once the charts are completed, students should return to their home groups. Each person is responsible for sharing what they have learned about their innovation with the other members of the home group. As each innovation is shared, the home group could list the pros and cons of each. ➤ Resources

•

Automobile Innovation in Germany (Handout 4.4.2)

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• • • • •

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Daimler. (2021, May 19). Fuel Cell Truck. Daimler. https://www.daimler.com/innovation/drive-systems/hydrogen/ start-of-testing-genh2-truck-prototype.html.

Mercedes-Benz. (2015, April 28). Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion: A Driving Experience of a Different Kind. YouTube. https://youtu.be/IWB4xj7EILg. (first 4:30 minutes only) Porsche. (2020, December 2). Porsche and Siemens Energy, with Partners, Advance Climate-Neutral eFuels Development. https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2020/company/porsche-siemens-energy-pilot-project-chil e-research-development-synthetic-fuels-efuels-23021.html.

Transatlantic Outreach Program. (2020, April 24). The German History Scavenger Hunt: Part 3. YouTube. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jBNEuqoWv8s&t=185s.

Volkswagen Group. (2021). Volkswagen Sustainability. https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/sustainability/environment/ vehicle.html.

SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 In what other areas is Germany a world leader in technology and innovation? ➤ Formative Performance Task Distribute Handout 4.4.3 to small groups of students. Ask each group to examine the map of Germany’s technology and innovation hubs for the following:

• • •

Which technology appears to be the most widespread?

Which Länder have the largest number of information and communication facilities? Electrotechnology facilities?

Do you notice a difference in the number of industries in the Länder in the west versus the east? Why might this be the case?

As a class, discuss what was found.

If time allows, teachers may want students to investigate specific areas of innovation and technology on the GCB website (GCB = German Convention Bureau). Clicking on one of the red links on the right side of the page opens up a web page with the specifics about an industry (e.g., Energy and the environment) and a map showing the numbers for each Land. ➤ Resources

• •

German Technology and Innovation (Handout 4.4.3) GCB. (2020, May 4). Technology and Innovation. www.gcb.de/discover-germany/discover-german-expertise/ technology-and-innovation.html.

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK How are German companies leading the way in innovation?

Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources, while acknowledging competing views.

EXTENSION (OPTIONAL) TASK Adidas is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world.

At Adidas, innovation is at the core of all its products. Learn more about the company’s environmentally friendly innovative ideas and new technologies.

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➤ Resource

•

Adidas. (n.d.). Innovation. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.adidas-group.com/en/sustainability/products/ sustainability-innovation/#/parley-ocean-plastic/.

TAKING INFORMED ACTION Understand: Plastic waste has become a worldwide problem.

Assess: Examine the 9 Innovations for Recycling and Replacing Plastics.

Act: Determine ways that your school could eliminate the use of plastic and share with your teacher and school administrators. ➤ Resource

•

Sengupta, S. (2021, February 16). 9 Innovations for Recycling and Replacing Plastics. Seventeen Goals Magazin. https://www.17goalsmagazin.de/en/9-innovations-to-up-cycle-plastic-waste/.

CONCEPTS LIST

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Innovate Invention

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Technology Industry

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LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY INQUIRY EDITION Instructional Strategies for Middle School Educators

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Inquiry Edition Authors: Curtis Anderson / Andrea Lance / Jacqueline Littlefield / Lisa Nicolaus

TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM