Lessons
5th & 6th Class (ages 11 to 12 )
At this stage, pupils are ready to discuss complex ideas. These six lessons encourage debate about how the European Union functions, what values it stands for, and how its institutions and policies shape life across the European Union. Originally developed in Ireland, all lessons are ready-to-use and fully adaptable, you can adjust examples and simulations to reflect your own country’s context.
Competences for Democratic Culture
Each lesson and activity supports the development of Competences for Democratic Culture, a framework developed by the Council of Europe to help pupils build key skills and attitudes for citizenship education. The four coloured boxes show which competences are developed in each lesson. Each lesson and activity have been designed to foster the development of values, attitudes, skills and critical knowledge.
Values
- Valuing human dignity and human rights
- Valuing cultural diversity
- Valuing democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law
Attitudes
- Openness to cultural otherness and to respect other beliefs, world views and practices
- Respect
- Civic-mindedness
- Responsibility
- Self-efficacy
- Tolerance of ambiguity
Skills
- Autonomous learning skills
- Analytical and critical thinking skills
- Skills of listening and observing
- Empathy
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills
- Co-operation skills
- Conflict-resolution skills
Knowledge and critical understanding
- Knowledge and critical understanding of the self
- Knowledge and critical understanding of language and communication
- Knowledge and critical understanding of the world: politics, law, human rights, culture, cultures, religions, history, media, economies, environment, sustainability
Lessons 5th & 6th Class
Each lesson includes a short explanatory video for teachers, a 4-question quiz, and a PowerPoint presentation to support classroom learning.
Lesson 1 – How the European Union Was Created
This lesson introduces the history and purpose of the European Union, exploring why it was created and why countries chose to join. Originally developed with Ireland as an example, you can easily adapt this lesson to focus on your country’s journey within Europe. It concludes with a short discussion on the shared symbols of the EU.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Ceacht 1 Rang a 5 agus 6
Tosaíonn an ceacht seo le plé ar chruthú an Aontais Eorpaigh agus bogann sé isteach ar chinneadh na hÉireann dul isteach san Aontas. Críochnaíonn sé le siombailí an Aontais.
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: My friends and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Geography (1999)
- Strand: Human environments,
- Strand unit: People and other lands
- Strand unit: County, regional and national centres
- Strand unit: Trade and development issues
- Strand: Natural environments
- Strand unit: Physical features of Europe and the world
History (1999)
- Strand: Life, society, work and culture in the past
- Strand unit: Life during World War II
- Strand unit: Eras of change and conflict
- Strand: Story
- Stories from the lives of people in the past
- Strand: Politics, conflict and society
- Ireland, Europe and the world, 1960 to the present
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand unit: Social conventions and awareness of others
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: Sentence structure and grammar
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
Lesson 2 – Understanding Brexit
This lesson explores the causes and consequences of Brexit, why it happened, who decided, and what it means for EU members and their neighbours. Pupils discuss the idea of belonging, change, and how one country’s decision can affect many others. You can adapt the discussion prompts to your own country’s perspective on the EU.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Ceacht 2 Rang a 5 agus 6
Baineann an ceacht seo ar fad leis an mBreatimeacht, an fáth ar tharla sé, cé a rinne an cinneadh, cad a chiallaíonn sé do Phoblacht na hÉireann agus don chuid eile den Aontas agus cad a tharlaíonn tar éis an Bhreatimeachta.
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: My friends and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Geography (1999)
- Strand: Human environments,
- Strand unit: People and other lands
- Strand unit: County, regional and national centres
- Strand unit: Trade and development issues
History (1999)
- Strand: Politics, conflict and society
- Ireland, Europe and the world, 1960 to the present
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
Music (1999)
- Strand: Listening and responding
- Strand unit: listening and responding to music
Lesson 3 – The Customs Union and the Single Market
This lesson explains key economic concepts behind the European Union: the Customs Union, the External Tariff, and the Single Market. Through examples and practical exercises, pupils discover how the “four freedoms”, movement of goods, services, people, and capital, connect all EU countries.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Ceacht 3 Rang a 5 agus 6
Sa cheacht seo pléitear gach rud a bhaineann leis an Aontas Custam, leis an Taraif Sheachtrach agus leis an Margadh Aonair. Tá siad seo i gcroílár bhallraíocht AE mar aon leis na ceithre shaoirse gluaiseachta.
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: My friends and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Geography (1999)
- Strand: Human environments,
- Strand unit: Living in the local community
- Strand unit: People and places in other areas
Maths (2025)
- Strand: Measures
- Strand unit: Money
- Strand: Number
- Strand unit: numeration and counting
- Strand unit: sets and operations
- Strand unit: Fractions
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand unit: Social conventions and awareness of others
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: Sentence structure and grammar
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
- Strand unit: Description, prediction and reflection
Lesson 4 – EU Values in Action
This lesson focuses on the core values of the European Union, such as respect for human dignity, equality, democracy, and the rule of law.
Pupils discuss whether shared values matter, compare them with values from their own lives and communities, and reflect on what happens when these values are not respected.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Sa cheacht seo, éiríonn na páistí eolach agus pléann siad luachanna an AE. Ní hamháin gur aontas eacnamaíoch é an AE ach is aontas polaitiúil é freisin a éilíonn ar chomhaltaí luachanna áirithe a leanúint. Níl sé éasca i gcónaí! Faigheann leanaí amach na luachanna sin, cuireann siad iad i gcomparáid le luachanna na gclubanna lena mbaineann siad, pléann siad cé chomh héasca agus atá sé iad a choinneáil agus ar cheart pionós a ghearradh ar thíortha mura leanann siad luachanna an AE. Tá sé seo thar a bheith tráthúil agus an-inghaolmhar do leanaí.
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Geography (1999)
- Strand: Human environments,
- Strand unit: Living in the local community
- Strand unit: People and places in other areas
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand unit: Social conventions and awareness of others
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: Sentence structure and grammar
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: categorisation
- Strand unit: retelling and elaboration
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
Lesson 5 – European Institutions
This lesson helps pupils understand the main institutions of the European Union and how they work together to make decisions. Through a short group simulation, pupils take on the roles of Commissioners, Members of Parliament, and Council of the EU representatives to see how collaboration and compromise work in practice.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Ceacht 5 Rang a 5 agus 6
Tá an ceacht seo tiomnaithe do na hinstitiúidí Eorpacha agus don dóigh a n-oibríonn siad le chéile. Cuimsíonn sé cluiche insamhalta gearr a bheidh le himirt i ngrúpaí. Is minic a mheastar gur deacair na hinstitiúidí Eorpacha a thuiscint cé nach bhfuil sin fíor i ndáiríre. Is féidir leis na hainmneacha mearbhall a chur ort, níos mó ná a bhfeidhmeanna!
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand unit: Social conventions and awareness of others
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: Sentence structure and grammar
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: retelling and elaboration
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
- Strand unit: Description, prediction and reflection
Drama (1999)
- Strand: Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas, leading to understanding
- Strand unit: Exploring and making drama
- Strand unit: Cooperating and communicating in making drama
Lesson 6 – EU Policies That Shape Our Lives
This lesson explores key EU policies that impact everyday life, from the environment and consumer rights to travel, education, and food safety. Pupils discover how EU decisions affect 450 million people, and why cooperation between countries can lead to better outcomes for everyone.
Resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Quiz
- Activity sheet
- Activity Instruction
[+] See Irish version
Ceacht 6 Rang a 5 agus 6
Tá an ceacht seo tiomnaithe go hiomlán do bheartais an Aontais Eorpaigh. Díríonn sé ar chúpla réimse thábhachtacha ina bhfuil an tAontas Eorpach tar éis na rialacha do 450 milliún duine a athrú i ndáiríre.
Curriculum Links
SPHE (1999)
- Strand: Myself
- Strand unit: Self-identity
- Strand: Myself and others
- Strand unit: Relating to others
- Strand: Myself and the wider world
- Strand unit: Developing citizenship
Geography (1999)
- Strand: Human environments,
- Strand unit: People and places in other areas
English (2025)
- Strand: Communicating
- Strand unit: Engagement, listening and attention
- Strand unit: Social conventions and awareness of others
- Strand: Understanding
- Strand unit: Sentence structure and grammar
- Strand unit: vocabulary
- Strand unit: demonstration of understanding
- Strand: Exploring and using
- Strand unit: Requests, questions and interactions
- Strand unit: retelling and elaboration
- Strand unit: Information giving, explanation and justification
- Strand unit: Description, prediction and reflection
Need a fun break between lessons?
Let your pupils discover the EU with Seamie Shamrock!
The KidZone features short, interactive games that make EU topics playful and easy to grasp.
Perfect for 5–12 year-olds | Just a few minutes per game
Go further with Europe Week!
Europe Day is just around the corner!
Why not celebrate it with a full week of fun and meaningful classroom activities about the European Union?
Join schools across the continent to explore, create, and connect.