Introduction to Global Citizenship

• newEditor
• Aardrijkskunde
• Maatschappijleer
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Global Citizenship

Open by linking students' daily lives to the wider world: news, climate, social media, migration, and different opinions all connect local life to global life.

Learning goal

I can explain what global citizenship means and describe the main themes we will study in these lessons.

What comes to mind when you hear global citizenship?

Use this to surface prior ideas such as world, respect, climate, rights, migration, politics, equality, empathy, or responsibility. Briefly connect student words to the learning goal.

What is global citizenship?

Global citizenship means seeing yourself as part of a wider world.

It is about understanding that our choices, opinions and behaviour can affect people nearby and far away. A global citizen is aware of world issues, respects others, and thinks about responsibility as well as rights.

Stress that global citizenship does not replace national identity. It adds another layer: belonging to a shared world as well as to a country, city, or school.

What are some things you'll hear about during the global citizenship lessons?

Politics

Rights

Immigration

Opinions

Evironment

Debates

Respect and understanding

Battling loneliness

Historical figures

Other countries and cultures

Presentation skills

Who cares?

Why does it matter?

Why does it matter?

• Countries are connected through trade, travel and media

• Problems such as war, poverty and climate change cross borders

• People meet different cultures and opinions more often than before

• Responsible choices need knowledge, empathy and respect

What are examples of Global citizenship in daily life?

Make the idea concrete: clothing production, online discussions, news about refugees, or school rules about inclusion all connect to global citizenship.

Global citizenship in daily life

• Following world news

• Thinking about where products come from

• Debates, formulating and justifying your own opinion

• Recycling

• Traveling abroad

• Talking to people on the internet

Make the idea concrete: clothing production, online discussions, news about refugees, or school rules about inclusion all connect to global citizenship.

A broad view of the world

Global citizenship asks you to look beyond your own experience. It means asking how people in other places live, what challenges they face, and how events in one country can influence others.

Which idea best matches global citizenship?

A

Buying cheaper clothes instead of expensive ones

B

Being part of a wider world

C

Saying the same things as your parents and friends

D

Agreeing with everyone

Checks the core definition from slides 2 to 5. Distractors reflect common misunderstandings: only local focus, disengagement, or thinking respect means total agreement.

Immigration

Immigration is the movement of people to another country to live there.

People may move for safety, work, family, education or a better future. In these lessons, we will look at immigration as a human story, a political issue and a social question.

Avoid reducing immigration to one cause. Emphasise that migration has many reasons and can be discussed from different perspectives.

Why people move

• Conflict or danger

• Lack of jobs or opportunities

• Family reunification

• Study or work abroad

• Environmental change

You can note that not all migration is permanent and not all migrants are refugees. Keep definitions simple at this introductory stage.

Different views on immigration

Immigration is often discussed in different ways.

Some people focus on safety, culture or pressure on housing and services. Others focus on human rights, diversity and economic contribution. Global citizenship means learning to understand more than one perspective before judging.

Living together

When people from different backgrounds live together, respect and communication become important. We will explore how societies can include newcomers while also dealing with real tensions and questions.

This slide is about coexistence, not easy answers. Keep the focus on social understanding rather than debate techniques.

Which is a reason why people may immigrate?

A

Environmental change

B

Only tourism

C

Just boredom

D

Sports results

Based on slides 6 to 9. Emphasise that migration has many causes and is not the same as tourism.

Complete the text about immigration

Immigration is the of people to another country to live there. Global citizenship asks us to understand more than one before we judge, and to build when people live together.

Immigration is the

of people to another country to live there. Global citizenship asks us to understand more than one

before we judge, and to build

holiday

argument

distance

conflict

Correct answers: movement, perspective, respect. The wording echoes slides 6, 8 and 9.

Why should we hear more than one view on immigration?

Expected elements: students may mention safety, housing, services, culture, human rights, diversity, jobs, or contribution. The aim is recognising more than one valid perspective, not picking a side.

World politics

Politics is not only local or national. Decisions made by governments and international organisations can affect millions of people across borders.

In this subject, we will learn how power, laws and cooperation shape the world.

A connected world

• A war in one region can affect energy prices elsewhere

• Elections can change international relations

• Trade links countries economically

• Global agreements can influence climate policy

Use one current example if appropriate, but keep the slide timeless enough to remain useful.

Looking beyond one viewpoint

A broader sense of the world means asking:

• Who benefits from a decision?

• Who may be harmed?

• Whose voice is missing?

• How do history and power shape this issue?

These questions help us think more carefully about global problems.

Politics and citizenship

Global citizenship does not mean agreeing with everyone. It means being informed, thinking critically, and understanding that political choices have consequences for people in many places.

What is a key idea in world politics?

A

Borders stop all effects

B

Local choices stay local

C

One leader controls all

D

Decisions can cross borders

Checks understanding from slides 10 to 13 that politics, trade, war, elections and agreements affect people across borders.

Complete the summary of politics

In a connected world, a in one region can affect energy prices elsewhere. Global citizenship means being informed, thinking , and asking whose is missing.

In a connected world, a

in one region can affect energy prices elsewhere. Global citizenship means being informed, thinking

, and asking whose

festival

kindly

flag

budget

Correct answers: war, critically, voice. This uses the load-bearing ideas from slides 11 to 13.

Environment

Environmental issues are global issues. Air pollution, plastic waste, deforestation and climate change do not stop at national borders.

This is why environmental responsibility is an important part of global citizenship.

Keep the emphasis on interconnectedness rather than detailed climate science.

Shared problems, shared effects

• Rising temperatures affect weather and food systems

• Waste in one place can damage oceans elsewhere

• Environmental harm often affects vulnerable people first

• Solutions need cooperation between countries

What can citizens do?

Global citizenship includes both personal choices and public awareness.

Examples include reducing waste, thinking about consumption, supporting fair policies, and understanding how daily habits connect to global environmental challenges.

Avoid making this a moral checklist. The aim is to show connection between behaviour, systems, and responsibility.

From local to global

Small local actions matter, but global problems also need larger decisions by businesses and governments. In these lessons, we will look at both levels together.

Why is the environment part of global citizenship?

A

Only experts can help

B

Problems cross borders

C

Nature is purely local

D

It affects weather only

Tests the core idea from slides 14 to 17: environmental issues are shared and need both local action and larger decisions.

Complete the environmental text

Environmental issues are issues. Waste in one place can damage elsewhere, and solutions need between countries.

Environmental issues are

issues. Waste in one place can damage

elsewhere, and solutions need

private

forests

competition

villages

Correct answers: global, oceans, cooperation. Echoes slides 14 and 15.

What can citizens do about global environmental issues?

Expected elements: students may mention reducing waste, thinking about consumption, supporting fair policies, and understanding that citizens, businesses and governments all have roles.

Looking out for loneliness

Global citizenship is also about how we treat people around us. Loneliness can affect anyone, and social inclusion helps people feel seen, safe and valued.

A caring society begins with noticing others.

This links the global theme to school and community life. Emphasise that citizenship is not only about far-away issues.

Why inclusion matters

• People need belonging as well as rights

• Loneliness can be hidden

• Respectful attention can make a difference

• Inclusive communities are stronger and fairer

Citizenship starts nearby

Caring about the wider world and caring about people nearby belong together. If we want a fair world, we also need respect, empathy and attention in everyday life.

What helps build an inclusive community?

A

Ignoring loneliness

B

Respectful attention

C

Avoiding difference

D

Winning arguments

Checks slides 18 to 20. The focus is that citizenship also starts nearby through inclusion, empathy and noticing others.

What is one way to notice and reduce loneliness?

Expected elements: noticing someone left out, starting a conversation, inviting someone to join, listening, showing empathy, or creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Respecting other opinions

People do not all think the same way about politics, identity, migration or the environment. In this subject, we will practise listening carefully and responding respectfully, even when we disagree.

Clarify that respect does not mean accepting every claim as true. It means engaging without insulting or dismissing people.

Formulating your own view

A strong opinion is more than a feeling.

It should be:

• clear

• informed

• supported with reasons

• open to challenge and improvement

Justifying your opinion

• Explain what you think

• Give reasons or evidence

• Recognise another point of view

• Show why your argument still stands

This prepares students for later class discussion and written argument without turning the slide into a skills checklist for a separate subject.

What makes an opinion strong in this subject?

A

It is loud

B

It has reasons

C

Everyone agrees

D

It never changes

Based on slides 21 to 23. Students should connect strong opinions with clarity, information, reasons and openness to challenge.

Complete the argument guide

To justify your opinion, first explain what you . Then give reasons or , recognise another point of , and show why your argument still stands.

To justify your opinion, first explain what you

. Then give reasons or

, recognise another point of

hear

volume

answer

mood

Correct answers: think, evidence, view. This follows the exact structure from slide 23.

How can you disagree respectfully with someone?

Expected elements: students should mention listening carefully, responding respectfully, using reasons or evidence, and recognising another viewpoint without insulting others.

Learning through important figures

In these lessons, we will also look at important public figures from the present and the past. Their words, actions and influence can help us understand leadership, power, rights, conflict and change.

This slide introduces the teacher's idea of using recognisable figures, without turning it into an activity slide.

Example: Martin Luther King Jr

Martin Luther King Jr is an example of a figure linked to civil rights, equality and non-violent protest. Studying people like him shows how individuals can influence society and ideas about justice.

Example: Donald Trump

Donald Trump is an example of a political figure who can be used to study leadership, division, media influence and strong public opinion. Figures like this help us examine how politics affects people and debate.

Keep this introductory and neutral in tone. The point is that public figures can be studied as examples of influence, controversy, and political impact.

What this subject is about

Global citizenship brings together world issues and human behaviour.

We will study immigration, politics, environment, inclusion, respect for other opinions, and how to build and justify your own view about the world.

Use this as the landing slide before the glossary: students should now see the course as a connected whole rather than a list of random themes.

Martin Luther King Jr is linked most to...

A

Trade policy

B

Civil rights

C

Climate science

D

Space travel

This is the teacher-requested figures quiz. It checks the example on slide 25 and introduces how figures are used to study rights and change.

Donald Trump is used here to study...

A

Roman history

B

Media influence

C

Ocean currents

D

Medical research

Based on slide 26. Keep the focus on political influence, division, media and public debate rather than personal judgement.

Which theme would you like to explore first in later lessons?

1

Immigration

2

World politics

3

Environment

4

Opinions and debate

5

Inclusion and loneliness

What is one thing you learned today?

Use this as a brief exit reflection. Look for accurate references to themes such as immigration, politics, environment, inclusion, respect, or justification of opinions.

Which part of this lesson felt hardest to understand?

Use responses to see where students need more support in future lessons.

Glossary

global citizenship - the idea of being part of a wider world and acting with awareness of others

immigration - moving to another country to live there

migration - movement of people from one place to another

politics - the way power, decisions and government shape society

perspective - a particular way of seeing or understanding an issue

inclusion - making sure people feel welcomed, valued and able to take part

loneliness - the feeling of being alone or disconnected from others

Glossary

environment - the natural world around us

climate change - long-term changes in Earth's climate, largely linked to human activity

human rights - basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person

empathy - understanding and caring about how another person feels

opinion - what someone thinks or believes about a subject

evidence - information used to support an idea or argument

justify - to give reasons that support a view or decision