Ethics Curriculum General information The subject of Ethics will be taught to Grades 5-9 in increments of one-hour lessons. Ethics class should teach students about the fundamental questions of human life and about human beings living together. It should enable students to acquire a good foundation for their own direction in life – one that enables them to act independently and responsibly. By means of debates and presentations, students will attempt to provide answers to fundamental questions and will learn that there can be no single, universally accepted answer to such final questions. This will teach them to practice tolerance and to have respect for those who recognize answers different from their own. That is why Ethics class will not teach results in the sense of solutions that are binding for all and “correct.” The subject of Ethics seeks to create the conditions that will allow students to live their lives as socially responsible agents who acknowledge the freedom of others. Students will gain insight into the current conditions and preconditions of human and social life as well as acquire well-founded standards governing moral, social and political judgment and action.
Integrating the school’s program/vision into the subject of Ethics The above postulates create an ideal foundation that allows GISSV to address the school program’s three core emphases and to implement them with respect to the various thematics taught in Ethics. Culturally aware: Students engage with topics and problems that are relevant on a global scale. They get to know traditions and ideas that may previously have been alien to them. In this way students widen the scope of their cultural awareness.
Differentiated: Students become conscious of their own, individual positions in the world. Through exposure to the various topics and problems, students come to know themselves more profoundly and strengthen their own characters. Together: Engaging with others is a primary concern of these topics and problems. Students recognize the importance of tolerance, cooperation, solidarity, and joint participation in decision-making processes. They are able to discover a position of their own within the school community.
Grade 5 Material/Content
Skills and Competencies
Relationship to the School Program / Vision
Methods/Media
Cross-Disciplinary Content
1. Textbooks (excerpts): • Ethik Klasse 5/6 [Ethics Grades 5/6] (Militzke 2004) • Ethik 5/6 [Ethics 5/6] (Cornelsen 2008) • Religionen unserer Welt [Religions in the world] (Militzke) • Ethikunterricht leicht gemacht [Ethics class made easy] (Bayrischer SchulbuchVerlag, 1998) • Leben leben 1 [Living life 1] (Klett) • Abenteuer Mensch sein 1 [The adventure of being human 1] (Cornelsen) • 44 Denkanstöße [44 Things to think about] (Klett) • Dem Anderen begegnen – mit anderen leben [Encountering the other – living with others] (Klett)
Students … I and the others • Articulate expectations and anxieties linked to starting out in a new classroom community • Use methods to get to know themselves and their classmates better • Are aware of the fact that human social life is governed by rules and norms • Discover the moral concepts on which rules are based • Reflect upon their own desires and moral norms • Develop rules for their classroom community • Discuss the significance of precepts, prohibitions and punishments Learning to know oneself and the world • Are aware of themselves as persons in the process of learning • Understand learning as a lifelong process • Recognize the importance of language, play and fantasy, amazement, curiosity and asking questions, for the learning process • Think about the opportunity to use their school as a communal place for learning Media in everyday life • Recognize the wide variety of media and their own role as consumers • Reflect critically on the ways in which they interact with the media • Discuss the ambivalence of using media, since the media enhance their skills but also manipulate them • Recognize the dangers of interacting irresponsibly and thoughtlessly with the Internet and with social media Fundamental tenets of Christianity • Know the origin and essential manifestations of Christianity
• Together
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• Differentiated
Differentiated
Culturally aware
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Experiential learning: games Teamwork with a partner or in groups Action learning: handicraft projects Work with pictures Mind maps Classical and modern versions of fairy tales and legends (e.g., as Lego short film) Learning trail/station learning Work with the Internet
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Collaborate with the homeroom teacher on establishing classroom rules; learn to learn Relationships to readings in German and English classes Possible collaboration with Art class
2. Literature (excerpts): • Hectors Reise oder die Suche nach dem Glück [Hector and the Search for Happiness] • “Hans im Glück” [“Lucky Hans”] • The Bible • Short stories 3. Selections from current visual and audiovisual materials • E.g., pictures by Keith Haring 4. Miscellaneous • Religious symbols of Christianity
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Are familiar with the features of Christian life and rituals Recognize that Western Civilization is essentially defined by Christianity Perceive that Christian ethics have heavily influenced contemporary ethical ground rules
Happiness and sorrow • Perceive the difference between “being lucky” and “being happy” • Know that the answer to the ‘question of happiness’ can only be found by individuals for themselves • Discuss how they can influence their personal happiness through their own formative actions • Reflect upon the relationship between happiness and sorrow on the basis of their own experiences • Realize that happy and sad experiences can promote human development in equal measure The course of the year – celebrations and holidays • Know various ways of measuring time • Understand the significance of special days for human beings • Develop an understanding of the differences among holidays (personal, institutionalized, national, religious, etc.)
Together
Culturally aware
Grade 6 Material/Content
Skills and Competencies
1. Textbooks (excerpts): • Ethik Klasse 5/6 [Ethics Grades 5/6] (Militzke 2004) • Ethik 5/6 [Ethics 5/6] (Cornelsen 2008) • Religionen unserer Welt [Religions in the world] (Militzke) • Ethikunterricht leicht gemacht [Ethics class made easy] (Bayrischer SchulbuchVerlag, 1998) • Leben leben 1 [Living life 1] (Klett) • Abenteuer Mensch sein 1 [The adventure of being human 1] (Cornelsen) • 44 Denkanstöße [44 Things to think about]
Students …
Relationship to the School Program/Vision
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People need people • See people as social beings who need other people • Are aware that community requires the acceptance of each person’s individuality • Comprehend that living in community with others is possible only on the basis of mutual consideration and respect • Know their rights and duties as children positioned within society • Pay attention to groups subject to discrimination • Know that a compassionate society has the task of helping those who are less able to lead their own lives
Together
Relationship to nature • Reflect on the relationship between human beings and nature • Are familiar with examples from language, art and custom that reflect this relationship • Discuss how human beings are responsible for plants and animals • Debate whether plants and animals have rights too
Culturally aware
Fundamental tenets of Judaism • Know the origin and essential manifestations of Judaism • Are familiar with the features of Jewish life and rituals • Know that Christianity derives from Judaism • Compare the tenets of Jewish ethics to their own ideas
Methods/Media
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Culturally aware
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Visit a home for the disabled Visit a Synagogue Experiential learning: games Teamwork with a partner or in groups Work with pictures Categorize and generalize Learning trail/station learning Internet research Presentations Argue and philosophize Tables and statistics
Cross-Disciplinary Content •
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Relationships to readings in German and English classes Collaborate with Art and German classes
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(Klett) Dem Anderen begegnen – mit anderen leben [Encountering the other – living with others] (Klett) Arbeitsblätter Ethik/Philosophie : Natur und Mensch [Worksheets Ethics/ Philosophy: nature and human beings]
2. Literature (excerpts): • Und dein Nachbar ist nur ein Ausländer [And your neighbor is just a foreigner] • Der kleine Prinz [The Little Prince] • Die Thora [The Torah] • Quotations 3. Selections from current visual and audiovisual materials • Cycle of nature • Statistics on the numbers of
Deciding and acting • Know various norms and standards that inform decisions • Integrate their own experiences and those of others into their decision-making processes • Independently justify their own decisions by backing them up with arguments others can verify • Are aware of traditional and modern norms and rules, such as, e.g., the Golden Rule Communication • Know that human beings always communicate, not only by what they say, but also by how they act and look, and by what they do not say • Know various ways of communicating as well as types of communicators and ways to react to them • Reflect on their own ways of communicating with various groups and in various situations • Account for the rules that are important when communicating with others
Differentiated
Differentiated
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persons present in certain groups Cartoons
4. Miscellaneous • Religious symbols of Judaism
Grade 7 Material/Content
Skills and Competencies
1. Textbooks (excerpts): • Ethik Klasse 7/8 [Ethics Grades 7/8] (Militzke 2004) • Ethik 7/8 [Ethics 7/8] (Cornelsen 2008) • Religionen unserer Welt [Religions in the world] (Militzke) • Ethikunterricht leicht gemacht [Ethics class made easy] (Bayrischer SchulbuchVerlag, 1998) • Abenteuer Mensch sein 2 [The adventure of being human 2] (Cornelsen) • 44 Denkanstöße [44 Things to think about] (Klett) • Lesehefte Ethik: Gewissen [Ethics
Students … Growing into adulthood • Recognize that growing up is linked to reflecting on their own ideas on how to live • Comprehend that their search for their own direction in life leads them into quandaries between freedom and dependency • Discuss questions on how to live a self-directed and conscientious life and recognize that this is a lifelong process Conscience • Recognize conscience as a norming authority that enables them to engage in responsible action • Reflect on philosophical and religious interpretations of conscience • Discuss the functions of conscience • Reflect on the process of conscience formation and modification • Are aware of the fundamental right to freedom of conscience and know about their personal responsibility that results from that right Fundamental tenets of Islam • Know the origin and essential manifestations of Islam • Are familiar with the features of Muslim life and rituals • Recognize the defining background and impact of, as well as the contradictory qualities that influence, the encounter between Christian-occidental and Muslim-oriental cultures
Relationship to the School Program/Vision
Methods/Media
• Differentiated
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Differentiated
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Culturally aware
Anti-drug abuse project day Teamwork with a partner or in groups Work with pictures Learning buffet Internet research Presentations Argue and philosophize Elements of action and experiential learning Biographies
Cross-Disciplinary Content •
Relationships to readings in German and English classes
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chapbooks: conscience] Arbeitsblätter Ethik/Philosophie : Sich selbst begreifen [Worksheets Ethics/ Philosophy: comprehending oneself]
2. Literature (excerpts): • Anna rennt [Anna’s on the run] • Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo [Zoo Station: The Story of Christiane F.] • Biographies of select role models from history and today • Short stories 3. Selections from current visual and audiovisual materials • Authentic video material of select role models from history and today • Pictures of initiation rituals
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Compare the tenets of Muslim ethics with their own notions of morality Together
Conflict and conflict resolution • See conflict as a part of life and as opportunity to develop their own personalities • Know that the causes of conflict can be manifold • Discuss various ways to react to situations of conflict • Know non-violent ways to resolve conflicts Addiction • Know the various categories of drugs and other addictive agents • Know that addiction can cause psychical and physical dependencies • Recognize that drug use endangers their health • Reflect on potential ways to help prevent or overcome addiction
Differentiated
4. Miscellaneous •
Religious symbols of Islam
Grade 8 Material/Content
Skills and Competencies
1. Textbooks (excerpts): • Ethik Klasse 7/8 [Ethics Grades 7/8] (Militzke 2004) • Ethik 7/8 [Ethics 7/8] (Cornelsen 2008) • Religionen unserer Welt [Religions in the world] (Militzke) • Ethikunterricht leicht gemacht [Ethics class made easy] (Bayrischer Schulbuch-Verlag, 1998) • Abenteuer Mensch sein 2 [The adventure of being human 2] (Cornelsen) • 44 Denkanstöße [44 Things to think about] (Klett) • Lesehefte Ethik: Technik, Wissenschaft und Verantwortung [Ethics chapbooks:
Students …
Relationship to the School Program/Vision
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Partnership, love and sexuality • Discuss various aspects of love • Recognize love as a basic human need • Reflect on the relationships between love, sexuality and partnership as well as the responsibilities linked to these • Understand sexual abuse as an encroachment on the human right to self-determination • Question the commercialization of eroticism and sex in society
Together
Judging • Comprehend that, because of subjectivity, they are dependent on prejudices in the sense of preliminary judgments • Reflect on the various causes that can lead them to uncritically accept prejudices and to persist in them • Engage in Socratic dialogues as a philosophical method to arrive at their own justified judgments • Understand the need to justify their decisions before their own conscience and accept that this need also applies to others
Together
Nature, human beings and technology • Reflect on the relations between nature, human beings and technology • Comprehend that human beings rely on the use of technology and are not exempt from changes in the natural environment
Methods/Media
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Culturally aware / Together
Teamwork with a partner or in groups Work with pictures Fishbowl conversation Internet research Presentations Socratic dialogue Teams of experts
Cross-Disciplinary Content •
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Relationships to readings in German and English classes Collaborate with Biology class
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technology, science and responsibility] Nikomachos 7: Ich und Du [Nicomachean ethics 7: I and you]
2. Literature (excerpts): • Philosophical texts • Love poems • Current newspaper articles • Classical dilemmas • Quotations 3. Selections from current visual and audio-visual materials • Love songs • Documentary films (excerpts) on environmental destruction and sustainable alternatives with new technologies 5. Miscellaneous •
Religious symbols of East Asian religions
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Recognize that current changes in the natural environment may entail the danger of environmental destruction Are familiar with various approaches to environmental ethics as well as their current relevance; are aware of the ethical implications of such ethics for their own vital reality
East Asian religions • Are familiar with the fundamental features of important East Asian religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Zen and Tao • Compare the fundamental ethical demands and norms of these religions to those of the JudeoChristian religion and to their own normative ideas and values • Think about whether and to what extent East Asian religions influence Western ways of thinking and living
Culturally aware
Grade 9 Material/Content
Skills and Competencies
6. Textbooks (excerpts): • Ethik Klasse 9/10 [Ethics Grades 9/10] (Militzke 2004) • Ethik 9/10 [Ethics 9/10] (Cornelsen 2008) • Ethikunterricht leicht gemacht [Ethics class made easy] (Bayrischer SchulbuchVerlag, 1998) • Abenteuer Mensch sein 3 [The adventure of being human 3] (Cornelsen) • 44 Denkanstöße [44 Things to think about] (Klett) • Nikomachos 2: Glück [Nicomachean ethics 2: Happiness] • Lesehefte Ethik:
Students … Time to shape their own lives • Are aware of their own relationships to the past, present and future • Know that human beings are historically implicated in traditions and cultures • Reflect on ethical questions generated in the present from personal issues and social dealings over the course of time • Develop visions for the future and understand that they have a responsibility to shape it • Are familiar with different lifestyles and discuss whether and in what way these make sense to them • Define “happiness” independently to suit their own personalities • Know that they are self-determined and that they can achieve personal happiness only by way of their own actions Dying and death • Reflect on their own ideas about the questions of death and life after death • Articulate thoughts, hopes and anxieties relating to dying and death • Compare their own ideas to various philosophical and religious interpretations of death • Reflect on the ethical implications of standard positions on the question of how to deal with dying and death
Relationship to the School Program/Vision
Methods/Media
• Differentiated • • • • • • • •
• Together
Culturally aware / Together
Action learning: experiment on one’s own person Teamwork with a partner or in groups Work with pictures Work with film excerpts Debate Internet research Presentations Teams of experts Collaborate with Project Happiness – a Bay Area nonprofit organization Roleplay
Cross-Disciplinary Content •
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Relationships to readings in German and English classes Collaborate with History and American History classes
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Glück [Ethics chapbooks: happiness] Arbeitshefte Ethik: Gewalt [Ethics notebooks: violence] Lesehefte Ethik: Altern, Sterben, Tod [Ethics chapbooks: growing old, dying, death]
7. Literature (excerpts): • Philosophical texts • Geneva Convention • Short stories and anecdotes • Quotations 8. Selections from current visual and audiovisual materials • Movies (excepts) dealing with death (The Green Mile, 21 Grams, Four Weddings and a Funeral) • Philosophie: Eine Bildergeschichte
Violence, War and Peace • Are familiar with various approaches seeking to explain the causes of human aggression • Are aware of non-violent methods of conflict resolution that were used in the past and that are in use at present • Justify, at the hand of philosophical arguments, the need for the State to have a monopoly on power as well as the right to resist State power • Take a position on the issue of how to justify war and violence • Develop their own strategies for overcoming violence and put their chance of realization to the test by way of argument Fundamental Positions of Ethical Theory • Are familiar with the fundamental positions of ethical theories in terms of their historical contexts as well as inflected by their own experience and questions • Reflect on the problem of how to justify moral action and moral norms • Relate ethical concerns or convictions of the past and present to historical, social and biographical events • Discuss various moral systems and thus strengthen their own moral awareness • Examine the structure of various rationales and put their reasoning to the test in relation to their usefulness for their own lives • Are able to perceive crucial problems more clearly, to justify their opinions and to defend their positions in an adequate manner
Culturally aware
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für Einsteiger [orig.: Philosophy for Beginners] What does happiness mean to me? – video interviews Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech
