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Topic 1: Germany’s Changing Position in Europe               and the World

Lesson 1
Step #1: Gathering Information

Strategy: Activating Prior Knowledge

  • How does Germany compare to the United States and the rest of Europe in land size, GDP, and relative population?
  • What are the reasons for studying Germany?
Activities

Form groups of four or five students.
Have students compare the population density in Europe and Germany to that of the United States. Use the following chart to make the comparisons:

 
Area
(Square Miles)
Population
Population
(Per Square Mile)
United States
3,717,728
300,000,000
80.69
Europe (EU25)
1,534,880
456,953,258
297.71
Germany
137,810
82,422,299
598.09
Montana
145,552
935,670
6.43

 

   ? Thought Questions

  • Why is Germany important to the world and to the United States?
  • How do geographic size and population density impact life in Germany?
  • Why is Germany an important member of the European Union?
  • What is significant about the comparison of land area to population density? What unique problems does this pose for Germany?
  • Describe the relationship between land area and population density for both Germany and the United States. What conclusions can you make?

Have students collect articles from newspapers and magazines about Germany and the world. Articles should focus on such issues as:

Germany’s role in European unification
Germany’s roles as a leader in manufacturing and trade
Germany’s success in rebuilding after the World War II
Germany’s impact on the world as a nation of immigrants and emigrants
Germany’s impact on the world in art, literature, and science.
Have the students compare articles in class in small groups and select the best for a bulletin board. Label the bulletin board: “Reasons for Studying Germany”

Lead a discussion of the information on the bulletin board looking for similarities and differences between Germany and United States. Focus the discussion on what students already know about the United States and its relationship to Germany in the modern era:

Activating Prior Knowledge: Do Germany and the United States share similar problems? Have they made similar contributions to the world? Does knowing more about Germany help us to know more about the United States?