Diseases That Changed the World

 Students explore their own needs and personal sources of strength and reflect on what contributes to their well-being.

Content and methods: The worksheet uses a needs table in which students first identify their own sources of strength and then assess how well their needs are currently being met. They then identify the needs with the lowest scores, choose suitable self-care strategies, and develop concrete next steps. An audio example, an overview of different self-care strategies, and a buddy agreement support reflection and help students put their ideas into practice in everyday life.

Skills:

• identify personal needs and sources of strength
• reflect on their own well-being
• choose appropriate self-care strategies
• plan concrete steps for action
• make conscious use of support from others

Target group and level: Suitable for secondary school students, particularly for developing self-reflection, health awareness, and social-emotional skills.

The primary learning objective is advancing early English reading instruction, enhancing word- and sentence-level decoding fluency, expanding thematic vocabulary, and supporting multisensory cognitive consolidation through integrated visual-motor tasks.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines short, structured declarative sentences with an integrated word search puzzle and a concluding thematic coloring activity. Methodologically, learners first read clear descriptive sentences featuring foundational vocabulary, action verbs, and basic syntactic patterns. They then visually scan for and identify key target words within a letter grid matrix, reinforcing word recognition and orthographic memory. Finally, a detailed coloring page engages fine motor skills and serves as a motivating, multisensory capstone to consolidate lexical associations.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): reliable decoding, fluent reading of short connected sentences, and structural understanding of simple English statements
• Vocabulary & Language Competence: visual recognition, retention, and semantic grounding of high-frequency words, and descriptive action verbs
• Visual Perception & Concentration: systematic scanning, visual discrimination, and focused attention through the word search puzzle
• Fine Motor & Multisensory Learning: hand-eye coordination, creative focus, and multisensory reinforcement through thematic coloring

Target Group: Grade 2 and above

The primary learning objective is foundational early reading instruction in English, strengthening decoding skills at word and simple sentence levels, expanding basic thematic vocabulary, and supporting learner motivation and fine motor development through an integrated creative coloring activity for beginner readers.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines short, clearly structured declarative sentences in English centered around an engaging theme with a subsequent thematic coloring exercise. Methodologically, early learners read accessible, single-clause sentences featuring high-frequency sight words, and foundational action verbs. Following the reading phase, learners visually and creatively anchor their learning experience by coloring a detailed illustration corresponding to the topic, which reinforces concentration, haptic-visual coordination, and positive emotional engagement with the foreign language.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): reliable decoding, word recognition of high-frequency vocabulary, and basic comprehension of simple English sentence structures
• Vocabulary & Language Competence: acquisition and recognition of foundational thematic vocabulary (nouns, verbs, descriptive adjectives) in meaningful sentence contexts
• Fine Motor Skills & Visual Perception: development of graphomotor control, hand-eye coordination, and sustained visual focus through mindful coloring
• Motivation & Affective Learning: playful, low-anxiety access to foreign language learning through the combination of text and artistic expression

Target Group: Grade 1 and above

The primary learning objective is advancing English reading comprehension, enhancing reading fluency on sentence and short paragraph levels, expanding thematic vocabulary, and developing written response skills in English for primary and lower secondary learners.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines a short, connected thematic reading passage with subsequent open-ended text comprehension questions. Methodologically, learners read clear, structured declarative sentences focused on everyday social interaction, empathy, and friendship. They then verify and deepen their reading comprehension by formulating concise written answers in English to targeted open questions regarding key details, central messages, and cause-and-effect relationships in the text.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): fluent reading, reliable decoding of simple connected sentences, and structural understanding of basic English texts
• Reading Comprehension & Text Analysis: extracting explicit details, identifying central themes, and understanding simple cause-and-effect relationships
• Writing & Expression Skills (English): formulating clear, short written responses in English using appropriate thematic vocabulary

Target Group: Grade 5 and above

The primary learning objective is advancing English reading comprehension, enhancing reading fluency on paragraph and sentence levels, expanding thematic vocabulary, and promoting digital literacy alongside positive social habits for primary school learners.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines an engaging, connected reading passage with subsequent multiple-choice comprehension questions. Methodologically, learners read short, coherent declarative sentences. They then verify and deepen their understanding by answering targeted multiple-choice questions that evaluate explicit details, logical inferences, and reflective takeaways.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): fluent reading, reliable decoding of connected declarative sentences, and structural understanding of simple English texts
• Reading Comprehension & Text Analysis: extracting explicit information, inferring core messages, and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships within a text
• Vocabulary & Language Competence: acquisition and consolidation of thematic vocabulary related to technology, collaboration, and problem-solving

Target Group: Grade 4 and above

The primary learning objective is advancing early English reading fluency, strengthening decoding skills at both sentence and short paragraph levels, expanding thematic vocabulary, and assessing text-level reading comprehension for primary school learners.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines a short thematic reading passage with an integrated word search puzzle and subsequent multiple-choice comprehension questions. Methodologically, learners first read short, connected declarative sentences focused on an engaging, relatable topic. They then visually consolidate core vocabulary by locating key words within a letter matrix. Finally, they verify and demonstrate their reading comprehension by answering targeted multiple-choice questions regarding main ideas, key details, and logical takeaways.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): reliable decoding, fluent reading of short connected sentences, and structural understanding of simple English paragraphs
• Reading Comprehension & Text Analysis: extracting explicit information, recognizing central themes, and drawing simple logical inferences from a text
• Vocabulary & Visual Perception: visual recognition, scanning accuracy, and memory consolidation of high-frequency and thematic vocabulary
• Media Literacy & Social Awareness: reflection on positive digital habits, netiquette (friendliness, safety rules), and constructive teamwork

Target Group: Grade 3 and above

The primary learning objective is early English reading instruction, enhancing word and sentence-level decoding skills, expanding vocabulary, and reinforcing reading comprehension for young primary school learners.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines short, structured declarative English sentences focused on a contextual theme with an integrated word search puzzle. Methodologically, learners first read short descriptive sentences containing foundational vocabulary and simple sentence patterns. They then visually match and reinforce key nouns and high-frequency words by searching for them within a letter grid matrix.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): reliable decoding, word recognition, and understanding of simple English sentence structures
• Vocabulary & Language Competence: expansion and visual recognition of basic thematic vocabulary and high-frequency English words
• Visual Perception & Focus: systematic scanning, visual discrimination, and concentration through the word search activity

Target Group: Grade 2 and above

The primary learning objective is foundational early reading instruction in English, enhancing decoding skills at both word and sentence levels, and playfully consolidating basic English vocabulary for beginner readers.

Contents and Methods: The worksheet combines structured, short declarative sentences in English with a subsequent word search puzzle. Methodologically, learners first work through simple sentence structures within a familiar contextual theme. They then reinforce their vocabulary by searching for and visually matching nouns, verbs, and descriptive words within a letter grid matrix.

Competencies:

• Reading & Decoding Skills (English): reliable decoding and understanding of simple English sentence structures and word forms
• Vocabulary & Language Competence: reinforcement and visual recognition of thematic basic English vocabulary
• Visual Perception & Concentration: targeted scanning and recognition of read letter sequences within the word search puzzle

Target Group: Grade 1 and above

Note: If the level is too easy, feel free to use the reading time worksheets for higher grade levels.

This worksheet aims to provide trainee teachers with a historically informed and socially critical understanding of the life stage known as ‘childhood’. Learners are to be made aware that childhood is not a rigid, biological state, but is subject to constant social change. They will learn to analyse historical patterns of upbringing and living environments, to contextualise the contemporary view of the child (including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child), and to draw conclusions for their own professional approach by comparing the past and the present.

Content and methods:

This worksheet combines historical text analysis, the development of empathy, analysis of contemporary issues and research into international law. Following a personal reflection and an analysis of a historical period, the pupils write a fictional diary entry from a child’s perspective and contrast this with the reaction of a child today. They then map out the cornerstones of modern childhood in a practical matrix and compare historical and contemporary living conditions. The activity concludes with research into the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including its historical context, and a reflection on their own pedagogical approach.

Competencies:

Learners can...

• Explain the concept of childhood as a socially shaped and historically changeable construct.
• Analyse children’s historical living environments in terms of educational objectives, work requirements and legal status, guided by specific criteria.
• Develop historical empathy through methods of shifting perspectives and reflect on different living conditions from multiple perspectives.
• Identify the dimensions of modern childhood (including subject status, institutionalisation and mediatisation) and illustrate them using concrete examples from practice.
• Independently research articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, place them in their historical context and relate them to today’s image of the child.
• Use historical insights to critically examine current patterns of upbringing and apply them to one’s own professional approach.

Target group and level:

Adult students or trainees in the field of social pedagogy, particularly aspiring educators.

Note: Internet access is required for the research task

Objective: This workbook explores a historical and materials-science phenomenon: the production of casein, an early milk-based bioplastic. Students work as a team of researchers to investigate how the organic components of liquid cow’s milk can be transformed into a solid plastic through the action of acid.

Content and Methods: The content is conveyed through a combination of historical contextualization, experimental laboratory work, and material analysis: Starting with the question of how a solid material can be produced from milk, students explore the composition of milk and the effect of acids on proteins. They then experimentally extract casein, document the course of the reaction, and examine the properties of the resulting bioplastic. Finally, the results are used in a scientific application to evaluate the historical significance and material properties of casein as an alternative to plastic.

Competencies:

• Technical expertise: Understanding of protein denaturation (acid precipitation of milk protein/casein) and the classification of galalith as a historical bioplastic
• Knowledge acquisition: Planning, conducting, and systematically documenting a preparative organic chemistry experiment (filtration, solid isolation)
• Materials and testing skills: Criteria-based analysis of the physical properties of a self-produced solid
• Argumentation and language skills: Writing a technically sound report using precise scientific explanations

Target audience and level: Middle school