Surfing the Net With the Kids
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political umbrella uniting 27 countries. Established in 1993, the EU traces its history back to six countries that formed the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. After World War II, the march toward unity was fueled in part by the failures of extreme nationalism, which had just devastated so much of the continent.
Brief History of European Integration www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/union/showpage_en_union.history.php
“19 September 1946: Speaking in Zurich, Winston Churchill calls for a United States of Europe.’’ This history of the formation of the European Union, in timeline format, covers events from 1946 to 2009. It is published by the EU delegation to Japan, but serves our purposes perfectly. Other great clicks are the “Europe in 12 Easy Lessons’’ PDF, quick facts about population and trade, and an excellent introduction to the euro. “1 January 2009: Slovakia introduces the euro, the eurozone now includes 16 Member States.’’
Euro Kids’ Corner ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/netstartsearch/euro/kids/index_en.htm
For elementary and middle school, Euro Kids’ Corner is chock-full of euro-themed games, a leader board listing the top 10 players, and a lesson covering the history of European money and the euro. “In the past, the countries in the European Union made several attempts to move towards economic union and a single currency. However, it was not until 1991, in the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, that European leaders decided upon a firm timetable to adopt a single currency.’’
Europa: Gateway to the European Union www.europa.eu/index_en.htm
This mega site is the official EU site in English. It includes a kid section (www.europa.eu/quick-links/eu-kids/index_en.htm) but also some great background info for older students writing school reports. Visit About the EU for fact sheets on European integration, the European Parliament, how the EU budget is spent, and a wonderful illustrated, decade-by-decade timeline of the EU’s history. The kid section includes games, quizzes, videos, and a Teacher’s Corner with age-based curriculum suggestions.
European Central Bank: Euro School www.ecb.int/euro/play/html/index.en.html
Euro School is a collection of educational games and interactive exhibits about euro banknotes and coins. I enjoyed Find the Security Features (“Can you spot the difference between a fake banknote and a real one?’’) and Where’s the Coin From? “Each country has its own euro coins. Match the coin to the country by clicking on the correct country or flag.’’) The Interactive Display of Security Features is another great click for learning about watermarks, holograms, and microprinting.
