#2664. European Union/NAFTA/WTO(Economics)

Social Studies, level: Senior
Posted Sun Sep 15 07:20:05 PDT 2002 by Chris Lenhof (chrislenhof@yahoo.com).
Lloyd Memorial High School, Erlanger, KY
Materials Required: One handout
Activity Time: 1 hour
Concepts Taught: Overview of the European Union/NAFTA/WTO

Actions:

Objectives:
By the end of the period, students will:
„h Review the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement.
„h Analyze the positive and negative sides of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
„h Analyze the positive and negative aspects of the World Trade Organization.
„h Identify what the European Union, and what its goals and intentions are.

Connections:
The following Kentucky Learner Goals connect to the above objectives:
1.4 Students construct meaning from messages communicated in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes through listening. Towards the end of the period, the students and the teacher will read, out loud, information about the European Union from an Internet source.
1.13 Students construct meaning and/or communicate ideas and emotions through the visual arts. The students will construct their own political cartoon depicting whether they are for or against the WTO or NAFTA.
2.20 Students recognize continuity and change in historical events, conditions, trends, and issues in order to make decisions for a better future. Students will read an article that explains the European Union, and when and why it was created.
3.4 Students demonstrate the ability to be resourceful and

The following NCSS National Standards connect to the above objectives:

The following Core Content Standards connect to the above objectives:

Context:
This lesson is a continuation of the discussion of the topic of a global economy. Previous lessons have been taught describing the different types of economic systems that exist in the world today. Students have also learned about how these different economic systems depend on one another in many different ways. Students have learned about the World Trade Organization and some about the North American Free Trade Agreement. The students have also analyzed political cartoons that showed many different viewpoints on the WTO. This lesson will be similar to the lesson before it; however, the students will be asked to think critically, and creatively, to design their own political cartoons. We will also move to a regional organization with the European Union.

Materials/Technology:
„h Pen, pencil, markers, colored pencils, and paper
„h WTO/NAFTA worksheet
„h Internet handout (EU)

Procedures:
1. Students will hand in their homework from the night before (Critical Thinking Questions).
2. Teacher will lead students in review of the topic of NAFTA, which was covered in the previous lesson. (5)
3. Students will be grouped in pairs of 2 to create a cartoon depicting a positive or negative aspect of the WTO or NAFTA. (15)
4. Students will discuss their cartoons, and explain their depiction of the topic. (10)
5. Students will work on a review sheet for closure on the topics of NAFTA and the WTO. (10)
6. The instructor will lecture about the European Union. (15)

Student Assessment:
In clearly obtaining the defined objectives above, students will be assessed in many different ways. Students will voluntarily present their ideas for their cartoons. After the volunteers present their ideas, the cartoons will be collected to receive an effort and participation grade. The students will also turn in their review sheets that they complete for the WTO, NAFTA, and EU. The students will also receive an effort and participation grade for this assignment. Students will also be assessed on all of the above objectives at the end of the unit through a unit assessment.

Impact:

Impact-Reflection/Analysis of Teaching and Learning:
This lesson went very well. Students took in what they learned from the previous day, and heavily applied it to this day¡¦s lesson. The students were very creative in their ideas in creating cartoon depictions, and in their drawings, they portrayed critical thinking processes by choosing whether or not they were for/against the WTO and why.

Refinement:

Lesson Extension/Follow-up future:
There are a couple of things that I will change for this lesson in the future. First of all, I will allow more time for students to complete their cartoons. Many students were giving 110%, and the time allotted was not adequate for them to portray their full opinion. I did like this lesson, and plan on using it in the future, however, next time, more time will be allotted, and there will be a written rubric to accompany the assignment.