Europe's cultural heritage : toolkit for teachers.
Date: 2020-08-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
Subjects: Europe, cultural heritage, cultural promotion, education policy, teaching materials

‘EUROPE’S CULTURAL HERITAGE’
TOOLKIT FOR TEACHERS

(STUDENTS’ AGE: 10 -15 YEARS OLD)

OUR HERITAGE: WHERE THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE

Table of contents

The Teacher’s Guide to the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 toolkit 

LESSON 1: Cultural Heritage Detectives 

FOR TEACHERS: Notes on the Cultural Heritage Detectives online game 

CULTURAL HERITAGE DETECTIVES: Worksheet 

LESSON 2: Europe – United in Diversity 

CURATORS’ TASK SHEET 

LESSON 2: Project proposals 

This is Us 
Pop-Up Artists 
Time Capsules 
Inspired by tradition 
Adopt a monument 
Celebrations 
Cultural Routes of Europe 
A shared heritage 
DiscoverEU: Your European bucket list 
Industrial heritage 
Let’s dance! 
Heritage cycle 
Off the beaten track 
Town twinning  
Young people for heritage  
European Heritage Label  

EU: European Union

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ISBN 978-92-79-92799-7

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The Teacher’s Guide to the European Year 
of Cultural Heritage 2018 toolkit

WELCOME

This cultural heritage educational resource, which is targeted at students between  
10 and 15 years old, has been created with the aim of answering the following questions: 

>  Can we build a shared future by celebrating and recognising the unique and diverse cultural heritage that we have 

the benefit of enjoying in Europe?

> How can we help young people celebrate, discover and experience the rich, shared cultural heritage found in the EU?

CULTURAL HERITAGE IN EUROPE – THE CONTEXT

The EU was founded in a quest for peace, economic prosperity and a desire for unity. It builds on our common interests 
and shared ideals, in full respect of our cultural and linguistic diversity. The 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage 
was launched to celebrate Europe’s rich and diverse heritage at EU, national, regional and local levels. This toolkit has 
been created to support teachers in connecting students with their cultural heritage in the classroom and beyond, and 
to raise their awareness on the need to protect it.

Cultural heritage shapes our everyday lives. It surrounds us in our towns and cities, natural landscapes and 
archaeological sites. It is literature, art and monuments, crafts learnt from our ancestors, the stories we tell 
our children, the food we enjoy and the films we watch and in which we recognise ourselves.

Created and given meaning by people, representations of our cultural heritage have social value. The value for society 
can be cultural, artistic, historical, archaeological, or anthropological.

However, not everything that is old is cultural heritage. Only results of human activity that are intentionally protected, 
conserved or revived, and are not left to natural decay, oblivion, or destruction can be considered cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage, in its many representations, consists of:

>  Buildings, monuments, artefacts, archives, clothing, artworks, books, machines, historic towns, 

archaeological sites, etc. – tangible heritage

>  Practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, objects and cultural spaces that people value, 

such as festivals, in addition to language and oral traditions, performing arts, and traditional crafts, etc. – 
intangible heritage

>  Landscapes and geographical areas where nature shows evidence of cultural practices and traditions, 

such as gardens

>  Resources created in a digital form (for example digital art and animation) or that have been digitalised  
as a way of ensuring their preservation (including text, images, videos, and records) – digital heritage

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Cultural heritage can offer many educational and participatory opportunities for young people. It can promote dialogue 
between different cultures and generations, offer a sense of shared understanding of differences and similarities, 
as well as encourage appreciation of cultural diversity.

In Europe, we have an extremely rich cultural and natural heritage. This is our shared wealth and has shaped 
who we are. The next generations are the future custodians and the ones who will ensure its continued protection. 
Through helping students to value and cherish their cultural heritage, they can discover its diversity and begin  
an intercultural conversation about what we have in common.

THE STRUCTURE 

The Teacher’s Toolkit aims to equip teachers with relevant resources and cultural heritage project themes to enable 
young people to discover and engage with Europe’s cultural heritage. It should also reinforce a sense of belonging 
to a common European family. 

This toolkit is designed as a resource for teachers of any subject or discipline, and for students aged between 
10 and 15, to assist them with classes, discussions and project work on cultural heritage themes.

The toolkit includes:

>  A Teacher’s Guide to the toolkit

>  An online game

>  Lesson Plan 1: Cultural Heritage Detectives 

>  Lesson Plan 2: Europe – United in Diversity

>  Project Proposals

THE LESSON PLANS

Topic
What is cultural 
heritage?

Title
Lesson 1
Cultural Detectives

Resources
Online game 

Cultural Detectives 
Answer Sheet

Materials needed
•  Computers with internet 
connection for students 
working in pairs

• Whiteboard
• Digital Projector

Lesson 2
Europe – United in Diversity 

Curator’s Guide

Project proposals

• Computers 
• Pen & paper
• Project proposals

Celebrating Europe’s 
cultural heritage 
and appreciating its 
diversity and value

The toolkit includes 2 lesson plans:

>  The first is built around an online game on cultural heritage, through which teachers can introduce the topic in a fun 
and educational way. It aims at helping students get familiar with cultural heritage and understanding its different 
forms. The main objective of this lesson plan is to help students understand the concept of a shared 
European cultural heritage and promote a sense of belonging in Europe. 

>  The second lesson plan encourages students to explore the European dimension of their 
cultural heritage. They will engage in activities designed to find ways to preserve cultural 
heritage and they will be able to take part in one or more projects, getting a chance to interact 
with cultural heritage. The main objective of this lesson plan is to draw students’ 
attention to the importance of celebrating and preserving our cultural heritage.

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LESSON 1: CULTURAL HERITAGE DETECTIVES – ONLINE GAME

As part of the first lesson plan, the toolkit includes an online game with 2 difficulty levels catered to students age 
10 and 12 years old, and 13 to 15 years old. The online game, ‘Cultural Heritage Detectives’ is meant to be used as 
an opener for teachers to launch the first lesson on cultural heritage. To encourage active learning and make sure 
students have fun while acquiring knowledge, the game should be played in pairs or groups, with the teacher 
acting as a facilitator.

The online game will introduce the topic of cultural heritage, giving students an overview of the 4 forms of heritage 
(tangible, intangible, natural and digital). It will also trigger discussion on the meaning of cultural heritage.

The online game aims to:

> capture students’ attention and encourage them to learn more about Europe’s diverse heritage

>  broaden their understanding of cultural heritage by showing there is more to it than museums  

and old buildings

> expose students to the 4 types of cultural heritage

> launch a discussion on what constitutes cultural heritage

> encourage students to interact with cultural heritage

> improve students’ research skills

> encourage active learning

The game features an interactive map of Europe where students find virtual objects or photos (e.g. the Berlin Wall, 
Eiffel Tower, etc.). Quiz-like questions will pop up and students are to respond by clicking on specific countries on the map.

The game features 2 levels of difficulty:

> 7 questions addressed to students age 10 and 12 years old
> 7 questions addressed to students age 13 and 15 years old

Each level features 3 questions on shared European heritage and 4 questions featuring the various forms of cultural 
heritage (tangible, intangible, natural and digital). These are meant to give students a broad overview of what cultural 
heritage means and make a smooth, playful introduction to the topic. For further info, please consult the game 
instructions.

LESSON 2: UNITED IN DIVERSITY – PROJECT PROPOSALS 

As part of Lesson 2, the toolkit comprises a list of 16 project proposals. Teachers may choose one or more projects  
to carry out with their students, to take place within or outside the classroom.

The class may also select one project topic, divide themselves into work-teams focussing on different aspects of  
the topic which can be researched, written about and presented back to the class. Students may select topics suited  
to their personal interests and later give a presentation on their cultural heritage topic.  
The project should encourage students to get involved in organising or participating in events that promote a sense 
of belonging to a shared European community.

The projects promote active learning and suggest group-work. Collaborative learning by students in teams help them 
share their cultural heritage, and aid inclusion and understanding. The projects are not age specific, allowing teachers 
to select a project that they think are appropriate for the age, interests and abilities of their 
students. An interdisciplinary approach is encouraged in which teachers draw on the work of 
other subject disciplines, for example art, physical education, and ICT.

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Each project encourages: 

> research (a mixture of oral and/or desk-based research)

> presentation of work (to a live audience and/or digitally to a wider audience)

> participation of the students in a cultural heritage activity  

Many projects are designed to draw students outdoors, visiting heritage sites and learning about Europe’s unique 
Natura 2000 landscapes and wildlife habitats, and the importance of protecting and supporting biodiversity and 
all forms of Europe’s cultural heritage. By helping to organise cultural heritage events, students can develop their 
independence while working cooperatively together. By participating in heritage activities, students can form new 
connections with their heritage.

Tip: help students share their work!

To help students appreciate cultural heritage in a deeper way, they should be encouraged to share their project work 
with audiences outside the classroom and, if possible, organise and host a cultural heritage event. Their research and 
project work could also be shared with local heritage groups invited to attend an event at the school. By connecting 
with local heritage groups and taking part in the European Heritage Days events, students will build experience to 
participate in, or volunteer for, cultural heritage projects in the future.   

TIPS FOR SHARING AND/OR PUBLISHING  
STUDENTS’ PROJECT WORK ONLINE

To improve students’ digital literacy while learning about cultural heritage, teachers may encourage them to share 
their project work online. Here are a few tips and guidelines to help make this happen:

>  Encourage each project team to save any images, videos and music they wish to use in a folder titled Copyright 
Folder. Each item must be saved with its copyright details. The team should then decide on how they will make 
acknowledgements and attributions. One member of the team is appointed ‘Copyright Manager’ and checks 
attribution details, the copyright status and applies for ‘permission-to-use for educational purposes’, if necessary.   
Permissions should be stored in the Copyright Folder.

>  Introduce your students to the Creative Commons digital sources and how to credit their sources.  

See useful websites:

•  Europeana – https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en – with its collection of over 51 million artworks, artefacts, 
books, videos and sounds from more than 3 500 museums, galleries, libraries and archives across Europe. 
Most items are free to use but they must be accompanied by the correct copyright information.  

•  Creative Commons – https://creativecommons.org – a free, easy-to-use copyright license making it simple 

to give the public permission to share and use creative work. Students may be shown how to look for media with 
a Creative Commons licence for their project work and learn how to check for copyright permissions at  
https://search.creativecommons.org

>  Consider asking each project team to select and apply a Creative Commons Licence to their own project before 

publishing it online. This would be a great way to help them understand what a copyright is and how to properly give 
credit for work which can be useful both in their schoolwork and when publishing their own creative work online. 

>  Inform your students who plan to videotape one another and other young people under 16 years old, that they must 
request written consent of a parent or guardian. The students could use the school’s Consent Form and each project 
group would nominate a ‘Data Protector’ who could undertake to manage the safety of all personal data gathered, 
deciding with the team what is appropriate to be used online. 

>  Students in each project group should explain clearly to all adults and/or children who agree 
to be identified, videotaped or recorded under their project work how they will be featured 
online and how their data will be treated.

>  Check out the EU internet safety portal Better Internet for Kids –  

www.betterinternetforkids.eu which gives advice for schools and links to  
your local Safer Internet Centre.

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USING THE TOOLKIT

The resources in the toolkit can be adapted to suit the needs of individual classes; teachers are encouraged to use 
the contents of the toolkit to suit their curriculum and the interests of their students. 

The toolkit incorporates both active learning activities, and communication and cooperation resources. Through the 
active learning activities students will engage in discussions and become familiar with the life, culture and heritage 
of their peers in other EU Member States. The communication and cooperation resources are made to stimulate the 
students to become more participative and proactive EU citizens, who understand its cultural heritage and search 
for ways to celebrate and preserve it.

CONCLUSION

Our heritage has a big role to play in building the future of Europe. Young people must participate in cultural heritage 
activities and get involved in their organisation to help reinforce a sense of belonging to a common European 
community. By sharing and celebrating our heritage we can raise their awareness of our common history and values. 
We are the custodians of our shared heritage and the Teacher’s Toolkit aims to give you the tools and resources to 
enable your students to understand what cultural heritage is, and why it is important to both celebrate and preserve it. 
Moreover, as young Europeans they will learn that we share this common heritage, and that they are its guardians.

USEFUL LINKS AND RESOURCES

European Year of Cultural Heritage website: throughout 2018, we are celebrating our diverse cultural heritage 
across Europe – at the EU, national, regional and local level. The aim of the European Year of Cultural Heritage is to 
encourage more people to discover and engage with Europe’s cultural heritage, and to reinforce a sense of belonging 
to a common European space. Visit the website and learn more about the Year!
https://europa.eu/cultural-heritage

European Heritage Label: 38 sites in Europe have been awarded a coveted European Heritage Label. These 
European heritage sites mark milestones in the creation of today’s Europe. Ranging from the dawn of civilization 
to the Europe we see today, the sites celebrate and symbolise European ideals, values, history and integration. 
https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/heritage-label_en

European Heritage Days (EHDs): the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events shared by the citizens 
of Europe. With over 70 000 events organised every year and more than 30 million visitors, the EHDs represent 
a unique example of a grass-roots initiative organised and shared by millions of European citizens.

In the 2018 edition of the EHDs, the ‘European Heritage Makers Week Competition’ is encouraging schoolchildren 
to discover the European dimension of local heritage.
http://www.europeanheritagedays.com/Home.aspx
http://www.europeanheritagedays.com/European-Heritage-Makers-Week

European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage: the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra 
Awards highlight some of Europe’s best achievements in heritage care, and showcase remarkable efforts made 
in raising awareness about our cultural heritage.
https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/heritage-prize_en

Europeana: this EU funded platform provides access to over 51 million digitised items, books, music, videos, artworks 
and more with search and filter tools to help navigate through the site. Europeana Stories, for instance, help to explore 
the untold stories and official stories of World War I through 440 481 items from across Europe  
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/collections/world-war-I. The material is provided to Europeana by many 
contributing institutions while Europeana strives to make all resources on the website available 
for re-use. A few items still ‘In Copyright’ are protected by copyright law. Students should always 
provide attribution and abide by any related sharing restrictions. 
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en

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Interactive map to connect Europe’s cultural heritage, developed by the European Commission’s Joint 
Research Centre: this web application shows users what the EU and its partners are doing to protect and promote 
cultural heritage in Europe. Users have the opportunity to select an area of interest and to obtain a geographic view 
of the cultural initiatives taking place across Europe, including the European Heritage Label, the European Capitals of 
Culture and the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage, among many others.
http://eu-commission.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=e3e538d4e4b743c8a6bc7a363fbc2310

Cultural Routes of Europe: the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe are an invitation to travel (through time 
and space) to discover the rich and diverse heritage of Europe by bringing people and places together in networks of 
shared history and heritage. Over 30 Cultural Routes demonstrate how the heritage of the different countries and 
cultures of Europe contribute to a shared and living cultural heritage.
https://www.coe.int/en/web/cultural-routes/home

Natura 2000: a Europe-wide ecological network of nature conservation areas. All 28 Member States have designated 
Natura 2000 sites to help conserve the rare habitats and species present in their territory.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/awards/natura-2000-network/index_en.htm

eTwinning: an online community of schools across Europe, funded by the European Union. It offers a platform for 
teachers and schools in Europe to communicate, to collaborate and to develop projects. An eTwinning collaboration will 
encourage knowledge of the cultures of one’s project partners and will emphasise the European dimension of  
the cultural heritage projects of the toolkit. 
https://www.etwinning.net

House of European History: opened in Brussels in 2017, this museum is dedicated to the understanding of the 
shared past and diverse experiences of European people. It’s a place where people can discover different points of view 
and common ground in European history. The learning offer of the museum takes a trans-European viewpoint that 
explores the historical memories, diverse experiences and common ground of the peoples of Europe and how these 
relate to the present day. 
https://historia-europa.ep.eu/en 
https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/22af24d7-0d39-11e7-8a35-01aa75ed71a1/
language-en/format-PDF/source-68886178

Teachers’ Corner: contains a variety of educational material for all age groups. Whether you want to teach your 
pupils about what the EU does, how it began and how it works, or to debate EU policies in greater detail, you’ll find 
plenty of inspiration here.
https://europa.eu/teachers-corner/home_en 

European Union: official website of the EU. 
https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en

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LESSON 1: Cultural Heritage Detectives

OVERVIEW

Students play a short online game in pairs, detecting and identifying examples of cultural heritage on a map of Europe. 
This helps them to understand the different kinds of cultural heritage, and the fact that we all share a common one.

Age group
Duration
Subject links
Materials/resources for teachers
Materials/resources for students

10 – 15
50 minutes
ICT, Language, History, Geography, European Studies
Digital projector, whiteboard
Computer, pen, paper, Cultural Heritage  
Detectives Worksheet

Aims 

Learning outcomes 

>  Engage students with the topic of cultural heritage  

>  Identify European countries and examples 

in a fun and playful way.

of cultural heritage.

>  Help students understand the concept of cultural heritage 

>  Understand cultural heritage and its different forms.

and its value to their lives.

>  Explore the cultural similarities between people living  

in different countries of Europe, and elements of their shared 
cultural heritage.

>  Promote a sense of belonging to Europe and a sense  
of inclusiveness while exploring the diverse cultural  
heritage of Europe.

LESSON ACTIVITIES

Activities
Opening activity

Extra material  
for students who 
finish quickly    

Description
Introduce the topic and the online game, Cultural Heritage Detectives. 
Encourage students to use a search engine or other online resources,  
as well as reference books and an atlas or textbooks, if available. Notes 
on playing the online game are given below, and further instructions are 
included in this toolkit.

Ask them to identify an element of cultural heritage associated with 
each country featured in the game, e.g. France/Eiffel Tower, and one for 
their own country. 

15 min 
(time may 
vary – please 
see notes 
below)

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Activities
Main activity

Conclusion

Description
Part 1
Give students the Cultural Heritage Detectives Worksheet, which includes activities 
related to some of the game questions. This is intended to help students understand 
the concept of cultural heritage. Ask the class to discuss their worksheet answers 
and discuss the following questions.

Question 1:

a. Encourage students to identify the earlier European civilisations that they 
thought of for Question 1 of the online game. The Greco-Roman, Judeo-
Christian, Celtic and Viking civilisations each contributed to a shared common 
cultural heritage in Europe.
b. Ask students to give an example of an ancient civilisation’s cultural influence 
from their own city or village.
c. Ask students to suggest different cultural elements of these civilisations and 
relate them to life today. For example, archaeology, art, literature, language, politics, 
religion, holidays and lifestyle.  

Question 2:

a. The final 4 questions in the game feature 4 different forms of ‘cultural 
heritage’ to help students understand the term. Write their brainstormed 
suggestions on what each of these different forms of cultural heritage might 
mean on the whiteboard.  

Question 3:

a. Explain that cultural heritage may be a blend of the different forms and 
ask for examples from the game or examples they can think of.
b. Ask for examples of their definitions of ‘cultural heritage’ from their 
worksheets.
c. After clarifying their understanding and looking at the brainstormed 
suggestions on the whiteboard, ask students to write their own definition 
of cultural heritage in their notebooks.

Part 2

a. Ask students to divide a page in their notebook into 2 columns. In the left-
hand column, they should list 3 items of cultural heritage that they identify  
with in their own city or village. In the right-hand column, they should explain 
why they identify with each one.
b. Ask volunteers to read out loud 1 item from their list.
c. Discuss the similarities and differences in their cultural heritage list with  
the class, and consider whether it tells them anything about their identity and 
sense of their own cultural heritage.
d. Discuss how we inherit our cultural heritage. How is it preserved? What role 
will they have in safeguarding their cultural heritage for future generations?

To help students review what they have learnt during the class, ask them to play  
a round of a 3-2-1 game.  
Divide the class into 3 groups.
Ask Group 3 to think of 3 things they have learnt today while playing the game.  
Ask Group 2 to think about 2 things they have a question about.  
Ask Group 1 to think of 1 thing they want the teacher to know.  
Gather their responses and tell the students that in the next class they will look 
further into shared Europe’s cultural heritage.

30 min

5 min

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FOR TEACHERS: Notes on the Cultural   
Heritage Detectives online game

The game has 2 levels of difficulty:

1. suitable for students aged 10–12
2. suitable for students aged 13–15
URL: https://europa.eu/kids-corner/index_en.htm

If you and your class want to spend longer than 15 minutes on the game, you are free to do so and can 
spread the lesson activities over 2 classes.  

The game is designed to be played in pairs, sharing a laptop or tablet to encourage students to develop  
their digital literacy skills while playing the game. However, if you prefer students to play the online game 
together as a class, using the digital projector and whiteboard, this can be done in the following steps:

1. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students.

2. Toggle between the online game screen and a preferred search engine during the game.

3. Ask students to write the answers to each question in their notebooks.

4. Ask each team to elect 1 member to be the timekeeper.

5. Each team writes their answer to a question in their notebooks, noting the time it takes to find  
the answer. The timekeeper then shows the written answer to you and you confirm whether  
it is correct or not.

6. If a team or teams cannot answer a question, 1 member raises their hand and tells you they need to 
‘Go to search’. Go back to the search screen and ask the team for a keyword you can search. A team’s 
timer only stops when they have found the correct answer (i.e. a country on the map of Europe).

7. Click on the correct country on the map on the game screen only when all teams have found  

the right answer.

8. Each timekeeper adds up their time at the end of the last question. The team that identifies all  

of the correct European countries on the map in the shortest time wins the game.

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CULTURAL HERITAGE DETECTIVES:  
Worksheet

Question 1 

Questions 1 to 3 of the online game showed us that Europe has a rich shared cultural heritage inherited from many 
different civilisations. How many early civilisations that shaped Europe’s cultural heritage can you name?

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Question 2 

Game questions 4 to 7 featured 4 different forms or elements of cultural heritage. For example: something tangible 
like a monument; intangible like music; landscape that has been preserved; or works of art that have been preserved 
in a digital format. Cultural heritage can be a mixture of these different forms – the important thing is that people 
want to preserve it for the future generations. What does cultural heritage mean for you? Brainstorm with your 
partner(s) and write your suggestions here:

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Question 3 

Working with your partner(s), define your understanding of the term ‘cultural heritage’ using this jigsaw puzzle. As you 
know, there are different forms of cultural heritage. Try to find examples and group them as in the examples below.

EIFFEL TOWER

GARDENS OF  
VERSAILLES

MUSIC, DANCE,  
FESTIVAL…

VIRTUAL TOUR  
OF A MUSEUM

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LESSON 2: Europe ‒ United in Diversity

OVERVIEW

In this lesson the students explore the European dimension of their cultural heritage. They will experience being curators 
of a new permanent collection aimed at young people on the culture, history and shared values of the EU in the House of 
European History, a new museum in Brussels dedicated to the understanding of the shared past and diverse experiences 
of European people. They will learn that EU countries share cultural heritage beyond national borders due to our common 
history, culture and values. They then select a cultural heritage project that looks deeper into and celebrates the many 
shared traditions, customs, skills and values across Europe’s diverse cultural heritage. 

Age group
Duration
Subject links

Materials/resources for teachers

Materials/resources for students

10 – 15
50 min
Language, Project Work,  
cross-curricular themes and research
Whiteboard, a photocopy of Curators’ Worksheet 
for each group, Project List
Pen, paper

Aims 

Learning outcomes

>  Review the concepts of Lesson 1 in a playful way to help 
clarify students’ understanding of the concept of cultural 
heritage in all its forms. 

>  Acknowledge that their cultural heritage is to be celebrated, 

protected and preserved.

>  Help students engage with and understand the importance 

>  Develop opinions on the concepts of a shared 

of celebrating and preserving our cultural heritage.

European cultural heritage. 

>  Engage students in exploring the European  

dimension to their cultural heritage.

>  Research, explore and celebrate the diverse cultural  
heritage of Europe and understand their shared  
responsibility for preserving it.

LESSON ACTIVITIES

Activities
Opening activity

Description
Open the lesson by recapping on the 3-2-1 activity from Lesson 1.

State the 3 things that were learnt by Group 3 on the previous day and ask 
the class for their responses. The class is then asked the 2 questions Group 
2 had posed. Once answers are suggested and gathered, you restate the one 
thing Group 1 wanted the class to know. The class discusses and adds their 
own suggestions.

10 min

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Lesson Activities
Main activity

a. Explain how Europe is a continent with thousands of years of history, a 
rich cultural heritage and many examples of breath-taking scenery. After the 
World War II, there was a new movement in Europe to create unity between 
countries and to build a peaceful, united and prosperous continent. This 
ultimately laid the foundations for the EU 4 decades later. The House of 
European History in Brussels, a new and free museum, celebrates the path 
of Europe’s history and challenges visitors to contemplate its future. Ask 
the class to imagine they have been invited to become curators of a new 
exhibition area for young Europeans on the 6th floor of the museum,  
to celebrate and mark nearly 7 decades of the growth of the EU.

25 min

b. In small groups the students discuss the Curators’ Worksheet and plan 
out how they will create and mount their new exhibition area. Their aim is to 
create an exciting and interactive area with hands-on experiences to appeal 
to young people visiting the new exhibition area titled, Europe – United in 
Diversity.

c. The groups report back, explaining the motivation and reasoning behind 
their exhibition plans.  

d. ‘United in diversity’ signifies how Europeans have come together, in the 
form of the EU, to work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time 
being enriched by the continent’s many different cultures, traditions and 
languages.

Class discussion:

What does Europe mean to you and your daily life?

What do we understand by the phrase ‘united in diversity’?

How can we live in harmony together while celebrating our different 
cultures, traditions and languages?

How can we encourage greater unity while preserving diversity?

e. Introduce the project topic(s) and the class decides on the themes, 
workgroups and overall division of work. Once workgroups are established, 
each group holds a Project Planning Meeting, and a note taker takes minutes 
on actions and decisions made.   

10 min

Conclusion

1 or 2 note takers volunteer to give a brief overview of their groups’ plans 
and future direction to carry out the projects they have chosen.

5 min

Please note that Lesson Plan 2 includes a list of suggested projects/activities attached.  
The projects are the core activity of Lesson 2 and should be carried out in the following day/class. 

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CURATORS’ TASK SHEET

The House of European History, a truly European museum, opened in 2017 in Brussels, the heart of the European 
Union. It is dedicated to the understanding of the shared past and diverse experiences of European people and is 
a place that invites you to discover the different points of view and the finding of a common ground throughout 
European history.

The House of European History takes visitors of all ages on a journey along the path of European history and  
culture across 6 floors of the museum. The permanent exhibition is based on fascinating objects from more than  
300 museums and collections from across Europe and the world. 

An interactive tablet guides the visitor in each of the EU’s 24 official languages. Each of the 6 floors explore historic 
events that have shaped Europe – from the early European myths and discoveries, to the chaos inflicted by the  
2 World Wars in the 20th century, followed by the growing feeling of unity and belonging reinforced by the EU.  

THE TASK

Your group has been invited to curate and develop a new exhibition area for the 6th floor of the House of European 
History. This will become a permanent exhibition area titled: Europe – United in Diversity. The exhibition you curate  
should appeal to young people by being interactive and give young visitors the opportunity for exciting, hands-on,  
multi-media experiences of Europe’s diversity, its common values and shared cultural heritage. 

The exhibition area will open with an interactive floor map for the visitor to set off on a trip around the EU, hearing  
from other young people from each of the countries they visit through the map. Stories will be told about how it feels  
to be European today in their country and what they feel they have in common with other young Europeans.  

Now it’s up to you! Consider the cultural elements of the EU below and discuss how you and your team will exhibit any 
number of them in the rooms and spaces on the 6th floor. Choose those cultural elements that appeal most to your group. 

You can also contribute to the exhibition! Identify an object or tell a story that relates to cultural heritage and is  
important to you, and your identity, as a European.

EU Cultural 
Elements and 
Symbols
Motto

Meaning
‘United in diversity’, the motto of the 
EU, first came into use in the year 2000. 
It signifies how Europeans have come 
together, in the form of the EU, to work for 
peace and prosperity, while at the same 
time being enriched by the continent’s many 
different cultures, traditions and languages.

Additional explanations 
and ideas
As part of the 2018 edition of 
the European Heritage Days, 
the European Heritage Makers 
Week Competition encourages 
schoolchildren to discover the 
European dimension of local 
heritage. Discover objects that 
can bring your story to life!

Tips
We all like different things and 
Europe means different things to 
us… is there something in your 
surroundings, which is cultural 
heritage, and that you would like to 
bring to the exhibition? It can be an 
object your grandparents gave you, 
a picture of a heritage site or of 
your ancestors, a drawing or a story. 
Maybe a story of your family or of 
your name?

16

Europe 
Day

Flag

Anthem

Passport

Europe Day on 9 May celebrates peace and 
unity in Europe. It marks the date in 1950 
when EU founding fathers Jean Monnet and 
Robert Schuman published ‘The Schuman 
Plan’ which is now recognised as the birth 
of the EU. It’s no coincidence that the House 
of European History chose this day to open 
its doors to visitors.

The European flag symbolises both the EU 
and, more broadly, the identity and unity 
of Europe. It features a circle of 12 gold 
stars on a blue background. They stand for 
the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony 
among the people of Europe. The number 
of stars is not related to the number of 
Member States, though the circle is  
a symbol of unity.

The EU is symbolised in melody by a 
piece from Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Ninth 
Symphony composed in 1823 which sets 
music to Friedrich von Schiller’s 1785 
lyrical verse, Ode to Joy. In the universal 
language of music, this anthem expresses 
the European ideals of freedom, peace and 
solidarity. The anthem is played at official 
ceremonies involving the EU and generally 
at various kinds of events with a European 
character. The European anthem celebrates 
the values shared by EU countries but is not 
intended to replace the national anthem of 
each EU country.

The European Passport was first introduced 
in 1985 to demonstrate the free movement 
of people across the EU and to give a sense 
of European citizenship.

Currency

The euro (€) was introduced to the world’s 
finance markets on 1 January 1999.   
The euro is the official currency of 19 out 
of 28 EU countries. These countries are 
collectively known as the Euro area. 

Sources

Think about how you have 
celebrated Europe Day and how 
you would like to celebrate in the 
years to come.

Imagine you were asked to prepare 
a plan for 9 May festivities in your 
school. How would it look like? Which 
of the objects or stories you brought 
to school could be part of the 
celebrations?

Every flag has its own meaning.  
Have you noticed that most of 
the EU flags include the red 
colour, and do you know why? 
And why is the EU flag blue?  

Try to find similarities in the flags of 
EU member states and explain the 
meaning behind the similar elements 
of each flag.

Take part in the #Ode2Joy 
Challenge! The challenge is an 
invitation to all citizens of Europe 
and beyond to get inspired by 
Ode to Joy composed by Ludwig 
van Beethoven; the anthem of 
Europe. 

You are invited to perform the 
original score or create your own 
version and do this at a heritage site 
which matters to you: a small parish 
chapel, a famous historic theatre,  
a garden in your village, or a 
museum in your town. Discuss with 
your team where would you like to 
perform the Ode to Joy.

Take a close look at the passport 
issued in your country and try to 
think about how it is similar to the 
passports of students in other EU 
countries. Fantasise about where 
your passport can take you and what 
you would explore when visiting 
another country.

If you live in a country that uses the 
euro as its currency, pull out a few 
coins from your pocket, or try to find 
a few coins from relatives who have 
been to countries using the euro. 
Examine the coins closely and share 
what you see.

While one side of the euro coin 
is the same for all coins of the 
same value, the other side of the 
coin depicts a national symbol, 
emphasising the diversity of 
the people, the cultures and 
traditions across the continent 
and demonstrating the shared 
cultural heritage of these people 
and their country. 

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu
https://historia-europa.ep.eu/en
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en
http://www.youdiscover.eu
http://www.europeanheritagedays.com/European-Heritage-Makers-Week
http://www.europanostra.org/ode-joy-challenge
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/collections/world-war-I
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/collections/fashion
https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/collections/migration

17

LESSON 2: Project proposals

A set of project proposals has been developed for teachers to use as part of Lesson 2. These projects are suggestions 
for active-learning group work and are designed to complete the learning in this final lesson on Europe’s cultural 
heritage. Researching and presenting a cultural heritage project is the core learning activity for students in this toolkit. 

Collaborative learning by students in workgroups will help them to share their cultural heritage, encouraging inclusivity 
and understanding. Where possible, projects should look at shared elements of Europe’s cultural heritage to encourage 
awareness of being a European citizen and to promote comparative exploration.

Teachers are encouraged to take an interdisciplinary approach and draw on work in other subjects such as Art,  
Physical Education, ICT, History, Languages and Social Sciences.

Each project encourages:

> a mixture of research techniques (oral and/or desk-based)

> presentation of work (to a live audience and/or digitally to a wider audience)

> participation in a cultural activity

Teachers and students should choose which project they want to carry out as part of Lesson 2. The students can agree 
how to present their work once they have chosen their topic or theme. There is more information on sharing students’ 
work in the Teachers’ Guide. 

A template for a school-based certificate of participation in a cultural heritage project is included as part of the toolkit. 

THE TASK

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

This is Us

Pop-Up Artists

Time Capsules

Inspired by tradition

Adopt a monument

Celebrations

Cultural Routes of Europe 

A shared heritage

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

DiscoverEU: Your European bucket list 

Industrial heritage

Let’s dance!

Heritage cycle

Off the beaten track

Town twinning 

Young people for heritage

European Heritage Label    

18

 
1

Project proposals

This is Us

We are shaped by our culture: the food we eat, our customs, 
the public holidays we celebrate, the language we speak, 
and the objects we use in everyday life. 

In small workgroups, students choose a cultural item or practice  
that they feel represents an aspect of their cultural heritage. 

Each group researches their item, finds out about its origins 
and the varying traditions around its use or practice. 

They also research whether it is used/practised in any 
other European country and compare cultural similarities.  

Setting: indoors or outdoors

Materials: pen and paper, computers (optional), atlas and other relevant books

Project proposals

2

Pop-Up Artists

Students try to find local artists influenced by European 
art movements through the ages. 

The class then design mini, hands-on art workshops in 
the school hall for other classes to take part in. 

Each workshop’s ‘work station’ will give the visiting 
students a chance to get a taste of different art 
movements, such as Impressionism, Renaissance, 
Cubism and Pointillism – to name just a few.

Setting: indoors

Materials: pen and paper, computers with internet access, books on European art and 
fashion (if available), printer (to make copies of artworks if required), scrapbooks, arts 
and crafts materials, chairs and tables for the work stations

19

Project proposals

3

Time Capsules

Students choose 10 objects that represent their everyday life, 
hobbies, interests and culture to put in a real or virtual time 
capsule. They then explore what daily life was like for young 
people of their age living in their local area 500 or 1 000 years 
ago, and imagine what they might have placed in their time 
capsules. They can share their time capsule project with an 
eTwinning school in another European country. An eTwinning 
collaboration will encourage project partners to develop  
a shared cultural knowledge and will emphasise the European 
dimension of the cultural heritage project.

Setting: indoors

Materials: computers with internet access (for virtual time capsules), pens (coloured or 
black), pencils (coloured or HB), paper, a shoebox or metal biscuit tin, arts and crafts materials, 
representative objects chosen by the students, and a printer (if needed for examples of the objects)

Project proposals

4

Inspired by tradition

Students help to organise a discovery visit to an urban nature site.  

This could be the botanical gardens, an organic farm that uses 
traditional farming practices, a national park or a heritage  
habitat run by local residents and heritage professionals. 

Before the tour, they create a checklist of information that  
they need to collect. 

They also take photographs of examples of built heritage, crafts  
and skills, natural heritage and traditions while they are there, and  
use them to create original pieces of art inspired by their tour.   

Setting: outdoors

Materials: camera/mobile phone, clipboard, pen and paper, arts and crafts materials 
(paints/colouring pencils/pastels, scissors, glue, etc.)

20

Project proposals

5

Adopt a monument

The lives of many notable people are commemorated with  
statues or monuments to record their work and achievements  
for future generations. Historical events and places can  
also be marked by monuments, or in songs and stories.  
Each student group selects a local heritage monument 
(a statue, plaque, building, place, street, park, song or story) 
to bring to life. After visiting all of the tangible monuments, 
the groups ‘become’ a person linked to the monument, 
write a script for them and record it as though the person 
were alive and telling their own story. The class creates 
a ‘Monumental Map’ as a webpage and links each recording 
to its monument as a legacy for future generations.

Setting: indoors and outdoors

Materials: camera/mobile phone, voice recorder (could be a phone), pen and paper, 
a computer with internet access, and headphones

Project proposals

6

Celebrations

Festivals, parades and processions are a way of celebrating and 
affirming a people’s culture. The countries of Europe celebrate 
big events such as New Year, Christmas and Easter, but what 
about the unique festivals and cultural holidays in each country? 

In small groups, students research a special cultural festival in 
a variety of European countries. They trace its origins, explore 
its cultural heritage and capture how it is celebrated today. 
On Europe Day, the class could hold a European Fair in which 
each workgroup arranges a country stall displaying their project, 
and perhaps offering a taste of their country’s cuisine.

Setting: indoors 

Materials: computers with internet access, pens, paper, card, arts and crafts materials, 
and books on European festivals and holidays

21

Project proposals

7

Cultural Routes of Europe

Each small group selects 1 of the over 30 Cultural Routes of Europe from the Cultural Routes  
section of the Council of Europe website. Their task is to create a presentation for a younger class  
on the importance of the cultural heritage of their selected route. This could include the medieval  
pilgrimage paths that are spread across the continent, so that groups can explore  
a local route, as well others elsewhere in Europe. They can describe the different  
aspects of the paths’ heritage, including built and natural heritage, customs  
and traditions, and even cuisine. Many are even more popular today.  
Why might that be? Have customs changed? Have new traditions been created?  
They then use the information as a starting point for their own webpage  
or digital presentation. In it, they should give a simple explanation of  
Europe’s history and cultural heritage of their selected route, as well as  
its cultural and artistic practices, cultural tourism and sustainable  
cultural development. Their project should aim to demonstrate to  
a younger audience how the heritage of the different countries and  
cultures of Europe contributes to a shared and living cultural heritage.

Setting: indoors and outdoors 

Materials: camera/mobile phone, books on pilgrimage paths, computers with internet 
access, and printers

Project proposals

8

A shared heritage

The Bayeux Tapestry – measuring 70 metres in length 
and 0.5 metres in height – is a wonderful piece of art 
and craftsmanship dating back to the 11th century.  
Featuring 50 scenes with Latin headings, embroidered onto 
linen with coloured yarns, it tells the story of the French 
Norman invasion of England. Working in small groups and 
using any medium they like (paint and canvas or digital ink 
and screen), students tell the story of how Viking culture 
and heritage can be found throughout northern Europe 
today. Alternatively, students could capture the cultural 
impact of the Ancient Roman Empire on most of Europe 
by tracing its influence on art, literature, architecture, politics, 
road infrastructure, language and history. 

XI

V

Setting: indoors 

Materials: canvas and paints, a computer with internet access, books on the Normans 
and Vikings or Romans, and books on the Bayeux Tapestry

22

Project proposals

9

DiscoverEU:  
Your European bucket list

Students plan a DiscoverEU adventure for the summer 
of their 18th birthdays. In groups of 3 or 4, they will plan  
different train routes using the DiscoverEU website.   
They can do this by compiling a ‘bucket list’ of their top 5  
places to visit. What will they do there? What will they see?  
Why does the cultural heritage of these places intrigue them?  
Why have these places earned a place on their list?  
Each student could present a slideshow to their audience  
orally (without written notes). Another option would be to  
present it digitally, in the form of a travel guide, and ask  
their classmates to vote for the best routes.

Setting: indoors 

Materials: access to computers with internet, a projector or interactive whiteboard,  
and travel books 

Project proposals

10

Industrial heritage

Students research a traditional local industry from the Industrial Age 
(e.g. milling, mining, pottery, weaving, shipbuilding or steelworks), 
and examine its built heritage, tools and machinery. They 
compare it with the same industry in other European countries. 

How did the industry shape the culture of the people 
who worked in it? 

Did it also shape the landscape and change the environment?

What heritage, traditions, customs and artefacts linked to it are 
valued today and proudly passed on from generation to generation?

Setting: indoors (and outdoors if there are factories, etc. from that age nearby) 

Materials: books on the industrial age/European industry, access to computers  
with internet, and a camera/phone (if outdoors)

23

Project proposals

11

Let’s dance!

Students host an afternoon of music, dancing and 
fun in the school hall for other students. 

They demonstrate a traditional folk dance and 
encourage younger students to join in to learn it. 

They also perform a folk dance from another 
European country before inviting their guests 
to dance with them.  

Setting: indoors

Materials: costumes, a playlist, music player (phone/iPod/CD player) and speakers, computers 
with internet access for research, and perhaps some books on European traditional dances

Project proposals

12

Heritage cycle

Students research a local heritage route for a family-friendly  
bike ride. In workgroups, they research the heritage and  
traditions of local places and map the route.  

Each group records a short script for each place of interest  
and uploads it to a webpage. A QR code on their map will  
bring all of the cyclists to the webpage to listen to the  
heritage podcasts as they cycle the route. 

The class share their heritage project with the local  
council and heritage groups to help arrange a date  
for the first heritage cycle, and to publicise it along  
with their project work.

Setting: indoors and outdoors

Materials: computers with internet access, books on local heritage and traditions, maps, 
bikes and a recording device (phone/voice recorder)

24

Project proposals

13

Off the beaten track

London, Paris and Rome are world-renowned historical, 
architectural and cultural treasures. 

But what about Europe’s hidden gems? 

Students imagine they are including 10 of  
Europe’s ‘hidden wonders’ in a new travel guide  
for sustainable tourism. 

They write an entry for each of the lesser known beautiful  
and historical places, explaining its culture, local customs 
and way of life in a travel guide format. 

Setting: indoors and outdoors

Materials: computers with internet access, pen and paper, books on Europe’s cultural  
heritage and examples of travel guides

Project proposals

14

Town twinning 

Is your village or town twinned with one in another EU country?  

Find out about different aspects of their culture, traditions  
and heritage.  

What heritage do you share in common?  

Why not go digital with twinning and use the eTwinning  
website to find a partner school so that you can collaborate  
together on a shared heritage project? 

Setting: indoors

Materials: computers with internet access

25

Project proposals

15

Young people for heritage 

The EU was born out of a desire for peace and cooperation after World War II.  
But what does it mean to be a young European citizen today? Have a class 
discussion about how students think their lives and freedoms have been  
shaped by being European, and compile a list called: ‘The advantages  
of being young in Europe’. In small workgroups, students select one  
item to research, such as: equal rights; freedom to travel (and to live  
and work) in Europe; consumer rights (especially online); consumer  
safety rights (look at the labels on food, clothes, household objects,  
toys and digital devices); free mobile phone roaming; data and internet  
safety laws, including policies such as the GDPR and the ‘right to be  
forgotten’; Natura 2000 protected species and habitats to protect our  
environment and biodiversity; or another topic from their own list.  
Each group compiles their work digitally and, after reviewing each  
other’s work, the whole class holds a roundtable meeting or forum to  
discuss the following: How has being European shaped you and your future?

Setting: indoors

Materials: computers with internet access, books on the EU, pen and paper

Project proposals

16

European Heritage Label 

To date, 38 sites in Europe have been awarded a coveted  
European Heritage Label and these sites mark milestones  
in the creation of the Europe we know today. 

Ranging from the dawn of civilisation to the Europe  
we see around us now, these sites symbolise and celebrate  
European ideals, values, history and integration. 

Each group explores a site and presents their findings  
to their audience in an interesting format. 

Setting: indoors

Materials: computers with internet access, books on Europe’s cultural heritage,  
and pen and paper

26