Hot Topics and Critical Thinking

 Next year I will be moving to high school full time next year, gaining upper level sections to my repertoire. This is something I would like to try next year when I have upper levels.

Background:

  • Language Level/Proficiency: Intermediate-low - Intermediate-mid

  • German 3

Unit/Lesson goals:

  • I can identify problems and offer solutions.

  • I can think critically about hot topics.

Essential Questions: 

  • What is taboo and why?

  • What makes a solution mutually beneficial?

  • How can a community normalize taboo topics?

ICC Statements:

Investigate

  • In my culture and other cultures, I can identify ‘hot topics’ and offer mutually beneficial solutions.

  • In my cultures and other cultures, I can identify why some topics are considered taboo.

Interact

  • I can summarize ‘hot topics’, and offer solutions that are mutually beneficial to all groups involved and justify those solutions.

  • I can sustain respectful conversations about taboo topics

How I would set up lessons:

  1. Article or video

  2. Google Form with the following questions

    1. What is the topic discussed? Worum geht es?

    2. What is the problem? Was ist das Problem?

    3. Is this topic also taboo in your culture? In deiner Kultur ist es auch tabu?

    4. What do you think about this problem? Was denkst du davon?

    5. What is a possible solution? Was ist eine mögliche Lösung?

    6. Why do you think this is a possible solution? Warum schätzt du das?

  3. Class discussion with the same questions. First, establish the norms of the discussion and get all to agree to those norms (This can be done earlier in the year if you would like to do this often). Let students volunteer answers.

  4. (Optional) Have students create a Jamboard slide with different taboos, including a brief background, an explanation of why it is considered taboo, and a possible solution.

I am excited to try this in my new levels next year. Of course, there will be adjusting I have to do when I actually have these students, but this is something I want to start looking into and developing materials for. Happy teaching!


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