EU Membership Lesson Plan EUROPEAN UNION
Teacher Lesson Plan
Social Studies • Grades 7-8
OBJECTIVE
Students will map EU member vs. non-member states and explain the specific economic and political criteria for membership.
DURATION
50 Minutes
1 session
KEY VOCABULARY
Sovereignty, GDP per capita, Eurozone, Supranationalism, Human Rights.
Materials Needed
Video: "Europe: 21st-Century Challenges" (0:00-5:10)
Student "EU Membership" Worksheet
Atlases or Digital Maps of Europe
Colored pencils (Blue, Yellow, Red, Green)
Instructional Procedure
Warm-up: Travel Agent Activity (5 min)
Students list 3 European countries they wish to visit. For each, they must guess if that country uses the Euro currency. This activates prior knowledge about European geography and economic unity.
Guided Viewing: Membership Checklist (10 min)
Show the video from 0:00 to 5:10. Students complete the "EU Membership Checklist" graphic organizer. Focus criteria: Democracy, Human Rights, and a Stable Economy. Pause at 4:42 (Norway) and 4:53 (Turkey) to ensure students catch the specific reasons for their status.
Active Learning: Mapping Europe (20 min)
Students color-code a blank map of Europe using four categories: EU Members, Eurozone users (shared currency), Candidate nations (e.g., Turkey), and Non-members (e.g., Norway, UK).Key Requirement: Annotate Norway and Turkey with the specific reasons for exclusion discussed in the video (e.g., Norway's fishing/wealth vs. Turkey's human rights record).
Class Discussion (10 min)
Why do some wealthy countries like Norway choose to stay out? (Sovereignty, GDP fees, specific industry protection).
Why are some countries denied membership? (Failure to meet democracy/human rights standards).
How does membership affect a country's daily life? (Trade, travel, laws).
Closure: Exit Ticket (5 min)
Students complete the prompt: "If you were the leader of Norway, would you join the EU? Why or why not?"
Pro-Tip for Facilitation:
Remind students that while most EU members use the Euro, some (like Denmark) have "opt-outs" or haven't met the economic requirements yet. This distinguishes between political membership (EU) and economic membership (Eurozone).
EU Membership Worksheet The European Union
Geography & Membership Analysis
NAME:
DATE:
1 Warm-Up: The Travel Agent
Imagine you are planning a trip across Europe. List 3 countries you want to visit and guess if they use the Euro (€) currency.
Country 1
EURO? (Yes/No)
Country 2
EURO? (Yes/No)
Country 3
EURO? (Yes/No)
2 Video: EU Membership Checklist
As you watch the video (0:00 - 5:10), check off the three main criteria a country must meet to join the European Union and take a quick note on why it matters.
Criterion: DEMOCRACY
Note: What does the video say about democratic institutions?
Criterion: HUMAN RIGHTS
Note: What are the core values mentioned (dignity, freedom)?
Criterion: STABLE ECONOMY
Note: Why is GDP important for being in the union?
3 Mapping Activity: The EU Landscape
Instructions: Use your atlas and the video to color-code your blank map of Europe using the key below.
EU MEMBER (e.g., France, Germany, Spain)
EUROZONE USER (EU members using the Euro)
CANDIDATE NATION (e.g., Turkey, Ukraine)
NON-MEMBER / LEFT (e.g., Norway, Switzerland, UK)
Attach or Draw Your Color-Coded Map Here
Use the provided blank map. Remember to label major countries as you color them!
4 Case Studies: Outside the Union
Annotate your map (or write here) why these two specific countries are not current members of the EU.
NORWAY
Reasons for staying out:
TURKEY
Reasons for denial:
EU Membership Exit Ticket EXIT TICKET
Decision Maker: Norway
NAME:
The Norway Dilemma 🇳🇴
You are the Prime Minister of Norway. You have a massive fishing industry, a very high GDP per capita ($74,000+), and a population that values its independence (sovereignty).
Would you vote to join the European Union? Why or why not?
YES, JOIN
NO, STAY OUT
Evidence from today's lesson:
EXIT TICKET
Decision Maker: Norway
NAME:
The Norway Dilemma 🇳🇴
You are the Prime Minister of Norway. You have a massive fishing industry, a very high GDP per capita ($74,000+), and a population that values its independence (sovereignty).
Would you vote to join the European Union? Why or why not?
YES, JOIN
NO, STAY OUT
Evidence from today's lesson:
