Students review the geography of Southern Europe, including the three peninsulas that create it. Then they explore aspects of these countries’ economies that are directly connected to their geography—and to one another. Finally, students learn about the Greek economic crisis and write an article describing it to younger students.
Students are introduced to the geography of Southern Europe and its three peninsulas, then examine a satellite-style map of the region. They label recognizable countries and bodies of water on the map, consult a political map of Europe to complete their labels, and post ideas on a class wall about what important economic features might exist in this largely peninsular, coastal region.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, emphasizing the link between geography and economy in Southern Europe. Guide students as they label the map, ensuring accurate identification of key countries and water bodies. Facilitate discussion of wall responses, prompting students to connect peninsulas and coastlines to possible economic activities such as fishing, shipping and trade, shipbuilding, and Mediterranean agriculture.
Students view images highlighting Southern European agriculture and read the Southern Europe section of Western Europe to learn how the region’s geography shapes its economy. They answer questions about major agricultural exports and regional industrialization in Italy. Next, they read brief texts on Italy’s Economy, Spain’s Economy, Portugal’s Economy, and Greece’s Economy to identify key industrial and agricultural activities, recording their findings in a four-part graphic organizer that compares the economies of these countries.
Teacher MovesCheck for understanding as students respond to the questions about agriculture and industrialization, clarifying misconceptions as needed. Support students as they complete the graphic organizer, prompting them to notice patterns and contrasts among the four countries. Lead a class discussion in which students share observations about similarities and differences in industrial and agricultural development across Southern Europe.
Students are introduced to recent economic crises in Southern Europe, with a focus on Greece’s debt problems. They read The Greek Debt Crisis Explained, concentrating on sections that describe the causes, timeline, and everyday impact of the crisis. After reflecting on the complexity of the topic, students write a brief news story on a class wall that explains the Greek economic crisis in clear, age-appropriate language for sixth- or seventh-grade readers, and then respond to at least two classmates’ posts with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesSupport comprehension of the article by reading key sections aloud, explaining challenging vocabulary, and answering questions as needed. Emphasize the main ideas about how and why the crisis developed and how it affects ordinary people. After students post their news stories, highlight one or more strong or insightful examples for whole-class discussion, drawing attention to accurate explanations and clear communication.
Students reflect on the news stories they wrote about the Greek economic crisis and identify terms that might be difficult for younger readers. They create a short glossary on a class wall, listing important words and providing simple, easy-to-understand definitions to accompany their article. Afterward, they compare their glossary with classmates’ glossaries and revise or add terms and definitions based on what they find useful in others’ work.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to focus on vocabulary that is essential for understanding the crisis and to phrase definitions in language accessible to younger students. Prompt them to refine their glossaries after comparing with peers, emphasizing clarity and accuracy. If possible, arrange to share the news stories and glossaries with a younger class and facilitate a question-and-answer exchange so students can see how effectively they communicated complex economic ideas.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.