Sustainability Lesson From Beth Berau

Beth Berau, German Teacher, Bishop Lynch High School.

My Bishop Lynch High School colleague Kristie Wainwright, a freshmen Biology teacher, and I were one of ten teams selected nationally to participate in the Goethe-Institut Chicago’s first “Sustainability in German Class and in STEM Classes” program in the Summer of 2015. This ten day study tour and program focused on sustainability (Nachhaltigkeit), what it means in Germany, what it means for our students, and how it can be taught in our schools and communities. Based on the studies and discussions we had in Germany, Wainwright and I created lessons integrating sustainability into both of our curriculums, German and Biology.

The German unit, suitable for levels 2-4, “Kilma: Wie kann man das Klima schützen?” is intended to help students identify and apply German climate terms and well as discuss ways sustainability measures can be taken in school, at home, while shopping, and with transportation to help protect the climate. The grammar component focuses on coordinating and subordinating conjunctions to help express “und,” “aber,” “sondern,” “weil,” “wenn,” and “dass” statements regarding sustainability and climate protection. We do a jumble activity for sentence construction based on our Klimaschutz unit terms. In the end, students present their summative project findings to the class through visual (Klimaschutz poster) and verbal presentations.

With the knowledge we gained during our trip, we also created a cross-curricular lesson combining science with German culture. This lesson teaches both German students and science students about sustainability in school, at home, and within the community compared to those in Germany. One highlight of this unit includes our QR Code Sustainability Scavenger Hunt, which focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of sustainability on our campus and compares and defines those measures in Germany.

Visiting with experts during our summer study program and learning about Germany and the EU’s plan to implement more sustainable techniques was fascinating. So many changes already occur in Germany from the solar panels on homes to the wind turbines in the fields and recycling bins in every room. Germans don’t just talk about sustainability; they live it and practice it every day.

Would you like access to these resources? Check out the Facebook group "German Teachers Curriculum Share" for more information.