Basiswissen: Politik (Mittelstufe)

This worksheet aims to raise students’ awareness of the mechanisms, economic dimensions, and psychological strategies of modern digital marketing in everyday life.

Content and Methods: The material focuses on the economic significance of social media marketing based on statistical data, as well as the analysis of specific digital posts. Methodologically, the worksheet relies on a combination of practical case studies—in which an exemplary social media post is deconstructed both textually and statistically—and theoretical insights into behavioral economic effects. In addition, the material encourages multi-perspective discussion through reflective writing assignments and the comparison of contrasting stakeholder perspectives. Finally, the discussion of complex issues is used to synthesize what has been learned into the formation of independent judgments.

Competencies:

Analytical and Deconstructive Competence: The ability to systematically examine media content and linguistic and statistical devices for their manipulative or promotional effects

Reflective and Critical Thinking Competence: The ability to critically examine one’s own consumer behavior and evaluate economic phenomena from different perspectives

Media and Economic Competence: Understanding of digital market mechanisms, psychological influence strategies such as the authority bias or the bandwagon effect, and their impact on the economy

Target Audience and Level: 9th/10th grade

Objective: This worksheet aims to encourage students to discuss various topics and to develop their oral communication skills.

Content and Methods: A selected topic is presented, including its characteristics and implications. The methods include reading comprehension exercises, multiple-choice questions, and, in particular, a role-play that encourages oral argumentation. Various perspectives and discussion prompts are included for this purpose.

Competencies:

• Oral communication and argumentation
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Perspective-taking and empathy
• Reading comprehension

Target audience and level: Spanish learners at A2 level

Objective: This worksheet aims to help learners understand political parties and enable them to draft the basic principles of their own political party.

Content and Methods: It covers the history, goals, and values of a political party. The methods include reading comprehension, true/false and multiple-choice questions, as well as a group activity to design their own party.

Competencies:

• Reading comprehension
• Understanding of political parties
• Creativity and planning
• Teamwork

Target audience and level: Spanish learners at A2 level

ESD:

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions): Promoting social justice and understanding of political processes
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Strengthening civic engagement
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Emphasizing the role of political actors in shaping a more sustainable society

This worksheet aims to provide students with a multifaceted understanding of the historical and emotional complexities of immigration at a border. By combining historical facts with empathetic role-playing, students explore the challenges, legal hurdles, and personal stakes involved in seeking a new life.

Content and methods: The worksheet utilizes a blend of historical reading, audio-based interaction, and creative writing. It provides a text on a country's immigration policies to establish historical context. Methodologically, it shifts from factual comprehension to perspective-taking by prompting students to listen to border official questions, write a reflective essay from the viewpoint of an immigrant, and analyze the internal emotional landscape of those facing interrogation.

Competencies:

• Historical Literacy: Understanding historical immigration laws
• Empathy and Perspective-Taking: Analyzing the emotional burden and fears of immigrants during the entry process
• Listening and Writing Skills: Processing oral questions and articulating detailed personal narratives in an essay format
• Critical Reflection: Evaluating the consequences of refusal and the ethical implications of national allegiance and bias

Target group: Grades 9-12 (High School)

Learners critically examine the economic, social, and environmental consequences of large-scale events using a selected example and weigh up the opportunities and risks.

Contents and methods: 

Based on informational texts about various roles (e.g., city administration, citizens' initiative, environmental officers), learners develop subject-specific arguments. The method includes preparing a structured discussion using tables and concluding with the creation of an informational statement to announce the decision.

Skills:

• Multiperspective analysis of complex economic issues
• Argumentation and judgment skills in socio-political debates
• Transfer of theoretical economic data to municipal decision-making processes
• Cooperation and communication skills within a role simulation

Target group:

Grade 8 and above

Learners analyze the concept of soft power as a modern instrument of foreign trade policy and understand how cultural appeal is systematically used to increase national exports and global influence.

Contents and methods:

Using a factual text and a fictional eyewitness account, the differences between hard and soft power as well as mechanisms such as nation branding, public diplomacy, and the halo effect are explored. The methodological implementation involves text analysis, the reconstruction of chains of effects, research in the “Global Soft Power Index,” and a concluding critical assessment of state cultural control.

Competencies:

• Technical competence: Distinguishing and explaining international power categories (hard vs. soft power)
• Analytical competence: Investigation of the economic impact of cultural exports (e.g., K-pop) on gross domestic product
• Judgment competence: Critical reflection on the opportunities and dangers of state influence on culture and national identity
• Media and research competence: Dealing with global comparative studies to measure the intangible assets of nations

Target group:

Grade 10 and above

Learners critically examine the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the creative industries and develop their own well-founded position on the subject.

Content and methods:

The material provides an introduction to how generative creative content works. In a discussion, students take on different roles (e.g., politicians, tech industry, cultural workers), analyze subject-specific arguments, and compile them in a table. An optional practical task allows them to experiment with AI tools themselves.

Skills:

• Critical examination of technological innovations and their social consequences
• Change of perspective and ability to argue within the framework of a debate
• Media literacy through reflection on copyright, authenticity, and the dangers of manipulation
• Use of digital tools for creative content creation

Target group:

Grade 10 and above

Learners analyze the concept of data capitalism, identify the economic value of personal data, and evaluate the key opportunities and risks of data trading.

Contents and methods:

The worksheet deals with data capitalism and the role of personal data as a “currency.” Using the example of the fictional character Nala, the types of data shared and their economic interest for companies are examined. The economic value of data, the role of data brokers, and the use of profiles by companies are discussed. A sorting exercise traces the flow of data from release to corporate use. Subsequently, argumentative texts highlight the perspectives of consumer representatives, business representatives, and small business owners on the opportunities and risks of data trading in order to summarize the most important arguments in a concluding table and write a reasoned statement.

Skills:

• Analysis of data flow and economic interdependencies in data capitalism.
• Assessment of the opportunities and risks of trading personal data from different perspectives.
• Reasoned statement on a socially relevant economic topic.
• Summary and structuring of complex factual texts.

Target group:

Grade 9 and above

The worksheet introduces pupils to the complex interplay between human psychology, biology and modern technology. It examines how humans experience emotions and whether artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of “understanding” them.

Content and methods: Learners first explore the basics of our emotions. They then learn more about how AI works to read emotions in an informational text. Afterwards, they take a closer look at the current possibilities of AI in a video clip. In both cases, learners are given comprehension questions. Finally, learners read a diary entry about a selected emotion. The learners work out whether the text was written by AI or by a human being.

Competencies:

• Technical competence: Acquisition of specialist knowledge about biological chain reactions and technological pattern recognition
• Judgement skills: Critical reflection on the use of emotion AI in the classroom and evaluation of ethical and practical consequences
• Analytical skills: Examination of texts (diary entry) for emotional authenticity and differentiation between human language and AI-generated structures

Target group and level: 8th - 10th grade

Objective: The worksheet raises learners' awareness of how artificial intelligence is changing the world of work, focusing on the chosen profession as an example. The aim is to understand the shift from routine tasks to demanding human skills and to evaluate the resulting opportunities and risks.

Content and methods: The worksheet deals with the world of work, using a selected profession as an example. Methodologically, tasks that can already be performed by computers today are collected and structured in a mind map in order to examine changes in the job profile, such as the elimination of routine tasks or the emergence of new professions. In addition, opportunities (e.g., support with complex tasks) and risks (e.g., job loss for simple tasks) are critically examined, and a new job profile is developed that combines the strengths of humans and AI.

Competencies:

• Analytical skills: Ability to examine occupational fields for their potential for automation
• Technological adaptability: Recognition of the need for technical training in the use of AI system
• Critical thinking: Weighing economic efficiency against social impacts on employees
• Future planning: Development of innovative professional roles in a digitalized working world

Target group and level: Grade 10 and above