Teacher’s Guide

International Organizations
Time Needed: One Class Period Learning Objectives. Students will be able to:
• Identify the purposes and functions of international
Materials Needed:
organizations.
Student worksheets
• Describe the purposes and functions of the following
Copy Instructions: international organizations: UN, EU, NATO, World Bank,
Reading page (class set; 1-sided) Red Cross/Crescent, and World Health Organization.
Presentation Activity worksheets • Analyze the impact that international organizations can
(students will be in groups of 6; each have on the lives of individuals.
group member gets a different sheet)
Chart (class set; 2-sided)

STEP BY STEP
1) ANTICIPATE by asking students if they think countries ever work together. If so, what kinds of
things do they think countries work together to do? Call on volunteers to answer.

2) DISTRIBUTE the reading page.

3) READ the reading page with the class.

4) GROUP students into groups of 6. Each student in the group will be reading about and
reporting on a different international organization. If the groups aren’t even,
students can double up, or a person from a different group can also report to the
group that is missing an organization.

5) DISTRIBUTE a different Presentation Activity page to each group member.

6) EXPLAIN that they will each be reading about a different organization and reporting about
their organization to the other group members. (The information on the activity
pages is current as of 2011.) Make sure they understand the instructions on their
Presentation Activity page. (You’ll find answers for the presentation activities on
your teacher key for the chart.)

7) ALLOW students a reasonable time to read and complete the Presentation Activity pages.

8) DISTRIBUTE one chart to each student.

9) TRANSITION the class into the presentation phase of the activity. Have students take turns
presenting their organizations to their group. The other group members will take
notes on their charts while each student is presenting.

10) MONITOR to make sure students are presenting and taking notes correctly.

11) CLOSE by asking students, “What is one activity almost all the organizations you learned
about are involved in doing?” Guide them toward answering that the organizations
help poor people and countries in the world. Discuss why countries might think
this is an important thing to do.

This lesson plan is part of the Foreign Affairs & National Defense series by iCivics, Inc. a nonproit organization dedicated to advancing civic education.
For more teaching resources, please visit www.icivics.org/teachers, where you can access the state standards aligned to this lesson plan.
©2011 iCivics, Inc. You may copy, distribute, or transmit this work for noncommercial purposes if you credit iCivics. All other rights reserved.
International Organizations Name: ** Teacher Key **

Listen to the presentations of your group members. Complete the chart below as each group member
shares what they’ve learned about an International Organization.

The United Nations Reason the UN exists:
(UN)
Keeping the peace,
developing friendly
relationships among
countries, and improving
the quality of life for the
world’s poor people
Year Founded: __1943__
Main roles of the UN: Example of what the UN
does:
1) Peacekeeping—bring
stability and peace to
troubled areas of the Answers will vary
world
2) Improve the quality
of life for the world’s
poor

Current Number of
Countries Involved: _193

The North Atlantic Reason NATO exists: Main roles of NATO: Example of what NATO
Treaty Organization does:
(NATO) Group of countries that 1) Help keep peace and
will protect each other in security around the
case of attack world Answers will vary

2) Help countries after a

natural disaster

Year Founded: __1949__

Current Number of
Countries Involved: _28_

The European Union Reason the EU exists: Main roles of the EU: Example of what the EU
(EU) does:
Help European countries 1) Create a single
avoid conflict by making economy in which all
them dependent on each members participate Answers will vary
other
2) Act as a single voice
in the world for its
member countries

3) Give aid to countries

Year Founded: __1951__ around the world

Current Number of
Countries Involved: _27_

Chart p.1
International Organizations Name: ** Teacher Key **

Listen to the presentations of your group members. Complete the chart below as each group member
shares what they’ve learned about an International Organization.

The World Bank Reason the World Bank Main roles of the World Example of what the
exists: Bank: World Bank does:

Help poor and middle- 1) Improve living Answers will vary

income countries get conditions in countries
money to build with moderate financial
improvements and resources.
reduce poverty

2) Improve conditions in
Year Founded: __1944__ the poorest countries in
the world.
Current Number of
Countries Involved: _187

The World Heath Reason the WHO exists: Main roles of the WHO: Example of what the
Organization WHO does:
(WHO) Works to improve health 1) Gather health data
around the entire world
Answers will vary

2) Keep people healthy

Year Founded: __1948__ 3) Respond to crises

Current Number of
Countries Involved: _193

The Red Cross and Reason the Red Cross/ Main roles of the Red Example of what the Red
Red Crescent Red Crescent exists: Cross/Red Crescent: Cross/Red Crescent
does:
Help people around the 1) Respond to disasters
world Answers will vary

2) Run programs in
local communities

Year Founded: __1863__ 3) Visiting prisoners of

war
Current Number of
Countries Involved: _186

Chart p.2