E8 E - Individual choices and bigger systems
aiMOOCE8 E - Individual choices and bigger systems
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E8 E - Individual choices and bigger systems
Mini-description: Explore short texts, images and infographics to see how environmental problems can be shaped by both individual choices and bigger systems. You will compare perspectives, discuss responsibility and develop realistic ideas for change.
Level: English, Grade 8, Baden-Württemberg, E-level.
Learning route: English first → use the context → try → ask → use a hint → use short German help only if needed.
Look first – do not read ahead yet.
- What do you notice?
- Which actions can one person take?
- Which changes need a school, company, city or government?
- Write one question that the image makes you ask.
I can ...
By the end of this aiMOOC, you can say:
- I can explain the difference between an individual choice and a system factor.
- I can understand short authentic texts and videos about environmental action.
- I can use evidence from an infographic.
- I can react spontaneously and compare two perspectives.
- I can use the passive to describe what is done.
- I can report statements, questions and commands.
- I can write a short, structured argument.
- I can check whether a media message focuses more on people or on systems.
Before you start
Think – pair – share.
Complete two sentences in English:
- “One environmental choice I can make is ...”
- “One thing I cannot change alone is ...”
Quick help: choice = Entscheidung; system = größere Strukturen und Rahmenbedingungen.
Rule for this course: Your first try is in English. If you get stuck, use the context, then the hint. German help is short and only supports understanding; it does not replace the English task.
Media entry: choices meet systems
Look at the transport hierarchy.
Try: Why can “ride a bike” be both an individual choice and a system question?
Hint: Think about distance, safe bike lanes, public transport, money and time.
Context: This photo from Stuttgart shows bikes and public transport in the same urban transport system. A person can choose a bike, but the city also shapes what is easy, safe and available.
Spontaneous reaction: Finish one sentence without writing first: “This picture shows that ...”
Core idea
Environmental problems are not caused by one single type of decision. People make choices about food, transport, energy and products. At the same time, these choices happen inside larger systems: roads, energy networks, prices, school rules, product design, public transport and laws.
So the useful question is not “Who is to blame?” but:
What can individuals change, what can institutions change, and how can both levels work together?
Media reading: The chart groups global greenhouse-gas emissions by economic sector. It reminds us that emissions are connected to large areas such as energy, industry, transport, buildings and land use.
Think critically:
- What does this chart make visible?
- What does it not tell you about a single person's choices?
- Why can one chart never show the whole debate?
Listening and viewing 1: individual action
This short United Nations ActNow video focuses on everyday action.
Before viewing: Predict three actions you may see or hear.
First viewing – gist: Choose the best summary:
- People can take everyday actions and join wider change.
- Only governments matter.
- Only recycling matters.
Second viewing – detail: Note two verbs connected to action.
After viewing: The video is persuasive. What does it want viewers to do?
Media check: Who made the video? What is its purpose? Which part of the climate problem does it highlight?
Listening and viewing 2: young people and structural issues
This UNEP discussion connects personal action with structural questions such as food, transport, cities and decision-making.
Viewing task: Watch a short section chosen by your teacher or class. Do not try to understand every word.
- Note one idea about personal action.
- Note one idea about a bigger system.
- Note one sentence or phrase you would like to respond to.
Speaking reaction: “I agree / partly agree / disagree because ...”
Listening strategy: Catch key words, examples and repeated ideas. You do not need every detail.
Reading: four fictional profiles
All profiles are fictional.
Mia, 14: “I take my bike to school when I can. But the road near my home has no safe bike lane, so on rainy or dark days my parents prefer to drive me.”
Noah, 13: “Our family tries to waste less food. At school, however, some unopened food is still thrown away after lunch.”
Ava, 14: “I use my phone for a long time before replacing it. But some devices are difficult or expensive to repair.”
Leo, 14: “I switch off lights at home. Our apartment building, however, still uses an old heating system that one family cannot replace alone.”
Reading task: For each profile, identify:
- the individual action;
- the system factor;
- one realistic next step.
Challenge: Which profile shows the strongest link between personal action and infrastructure? Explain with evidence from the text.
Case study: waste
The waste hierarchy puts reduce and reuse before recycling. Recycling is useful, but avoiding waste can often prevent resource use earlier.
Notice – think – question:
- Notice: Describe only what is visible.
- Think: What decisions may have happened before this food became waste?
- Question: Which questions would you ask a shop, a customer and a local authority?
Viewing focus: Put the actions in the order used by the waste hierarchy.
Transfer: Which step could your school improve most? Give one reason.
Case study: energy and infrastructure
A person can save electricity, but the energy system also depends on how electricity is produced, distributed and priced.
Pair task: Complete the two-column idea in your notebook.
Individual: use less electricity, choose efficient devices, switch things off.
System: energy mix, grid, building design, public rules, investment.
Question: Which system factors can a 14-year-old influence indirectly, for example through a school project, a survey or a letter?
Case study: repair and circular use
Repair can be a personal decision, but repair also depends on spare parts, product design, skills, prices and local services.
One-minute talk: “A repair culture becomes easier when ...”
Context vocabulary
Use the words in context. Do not learn them as isolated lists.
- choice: a decision between options
- system: connected structures, rules and services
- infrastructure: basic networks and facilities, for example roads or public transport
- impact: an effect or result
- evidence: information that supports a claim
- reduce: make something smaller or less
- reuse: use something again
- repair: fix something instead of replacing it
- policy: an official plan or rule
- responsibility: a duty to act or decide
Try before help: Explain “infrastructure” with the Stuttgart image.
Hint: Start with: “Infrastructure includes ...”
Deutsch-Hilfe: infrastructure = grundlegende Einrichtungen und Netze, z. B. Radwege, Bahnlinien, Stromnetze.
Pronunciation: clarity first
Your goal is easy-to-understand English, not accent-free English.
Practise these words in short chunks:
- individual choice
- bigger system
- public transport
- environmental impact
- reliable evidence
Stress tip: In a discussion, stress the key content words: “PUBLIC TRANSPORT can make a greener CHOICE easier.”
Partner feedback: Could you understand the key idea the first time? If not, ask for slower speech or clearer stress.
Speaking: from reaction to discussion
Round 1 – spontaneous response:
Choose one statement and speak for 20–30 seconds.
- “Good choices should be easy choices.”
- “Recycling is important, but it is not enough.”
- “Schools can change systems on a small scale.”
Round 2 – perspective switch:
Respond as one fictional role:
- a student;
- a school caretaker;
- a bus planner;
- a shop manager.
Use:
From my point of view, ...
One problem is ...
A realistic change would be ...
However, ...
Evidence from the image/text suggests ...
Functional grammar 1: the passive
We use the passive when the action or result is more important than the person doing it.
Active: The city builds bike lanes.
Passive: Bike lanes are built by the city.
Active: The school throws away some food.
Passive: Some food is thrown away by the school.
Your turn: Change these into the passive.
- Companies design many products for short use.
- Cities improve public transport.
- Schools collect paper separately.
Self-check: subject + form of be + past participle.
Error analysis: Find and fix the error: “Bike lanes are build by the city.”
Feedback: You need the past participle: built.
Functional grammar 2: reported speech
Reported speech helps you present another person's words.
Direct: Mia said, “I take my bike to school.”
Reported: Mia said that she took her bike to school.
At E-level, practise backshift when reporting earlier statements.
Direct question: Noah asked, “Can our school waste less food?”
Reported question: Noah asked whether their school could waste less food.
Direct command: The teacher said, “Check the source.”
Reported command: The teacher told us to check the source.
Important: If information is still clearly true, speakers do not always backshift in real communication. In this course, you practise the standard backshift pattern so you can control it when needed.
Try:
- Ava said, “Repair is often difficult.”
- Leo asked, “Who decides about the heating system?”
- The teacher said, “Use evidence, not guesses.”
Hint: said that ... / asked who ... / told us to ...
Receptive grammar challenge: past perfect progressive
At E-level, you only need to recognise this form here.
“The town had been investing in buses for years before the new network opened.”
It shows an activity that continued for a period before another past event.
Do not build long exercises with it. Just answer:
What had been happening first?
Answer: The town had been investing in buses.
Reading and media criticism
Compare these two messages:
Message A: “Choose greener habits every day.”
Message B: “Build systems that make greener habits easier.”
Neither message has to cancel the other.
Task: Write three sentences:
- What does A focus on?
- What does B focus on?
- What is missing if we only use one message?
Media-literacy check:
- Who created the message?
- What is the purpose?
- What evidence is shown?
- What is left out?
- Does the image or video make one solution look easier than it really is?
Writing: a short argument
Question: “Should schools focus more on individual behaviour or on system changes?”
Write about 120–160 words.
Structure:
Position: I think schools should ...
Reason 1 + evidence: One reason is ... The image/text shows ...
Counterpoint: However, ...
Reason 2: Another important point is ...
Conclusion: Therefore, ...
Language target: Use at least:
- one passive sentence;
- one reported statement, question or command;
- two linking words.
Revision pass 1 – ideas: Is your claim supported?
Revision pass 2 – language: Check verb forms, word order and pronouns.
Revision pass 3 – precision: Replace vague words such as “things” or “good” with clearer words.
Mediation: school meeting
Your German-speaking school council has received a short English infographic about waste or transport.
Task: Explain the key message in German, then report the council's main question back in English.
Do not translate every sentence.
Useful English: “The council wanted to know whether ...”
Useful German strategy: Kernaussage + wichtigste Zahl/Beobachtung + Bedeutung für die Schule.
Feedback and error analysis
Use this three-step check after speaking or writing:
- Message: Is the idea clear?
- Evidence: Did you support the idea?
- Language: Can one grammar or vocabulary choice be improved?
Example error: “The buses are improve by the city.”
Diagnosis: The passive needs a past participle.
Improved version: “The buses are improved by the city.”
Example error: “She asked can we recycle more.”
Diagnosis: Reported questions use statement word order.
Improved version: “She asked whether we could recycle more.”
Direct feedback rule: Fix one important error first. Do not try to correct every small detail at once.
Safe and responsible media work
- Use fictional profiles, not private social-media data.
- Audio or video recording is voluntary. Keep recordings private unless you have clear permission to share them.
- Do not upload classmates' work, voices or images without permission.
- Do not send school work to external AI tools unless this is allowed by your school and teacher.
- AI can suggest language or questions, but you must check the level, facts and feedback.
- AI should not replace your own text.
- Clear communication matters more than accent-free speech.
- Avoid cultural stereotypes. Use evidence and specific context instead.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
What is a system factor in this course? (A larger structure such as transport, rules or infrastructure) (!A personal hobby) (!A single spelling mistake) (!A private message)
Which sentence is passive? (Bike lanes are built by the city) (!The city builds bike lanes) (!Students ride bikes) (!We discuss transport)
What is the main idea of the waste hierarchy? (Reduce and reuse come before recycling) (!Recycling always comes first) (!All waste actions are equal) (!Waste cannot be prevented)
Which option is an individual choice? (Using a bike when the route is safe and possible) (!Designing the national rail network) (!Changing a national law alone) (!Building a city tram line alone)
Which question shows media literacy? (Who made this message and what does it leave out) (!Is the picture colourful) (!Is the title short) (!Does the video use music)
Which reported sentence is correct? (Mia said that she took her bike to school) (!Mia said that I take my bike to school) (!Mia said she taking her bike to school) (!Mia said that she take her bike to school)
Which reported question is correct? (Noah asked whether the school could waste less food) (!Noah asked could the school waste less food) (!Noah asked whether could the school waste less food) (!Noah asked the school can waste less food)
What should good feedback check first? (Whether the main message is clear) (!Whether every sentence is long) (!Whether the accent sounds native) (!Whether difficult words are used)
What does the past perfect progressive show in “had been investing”? (An activity continuing before another past event) (!A command in the present) (!A future plan) (!A passive question)
What is the best overall conclusion of this course? (Individual action and system change can support each other) (!Only personal choices matter) (!Only governments matter) (!Environmental problems have one simple cause)
Memory
| individual choice | a decision one person can make |
| infrastructure | roads networks and basic services |
| evidence | information that supports a claim |
| passive | focus on an action or result |
| reported question | a question retold with statement word order |
| waste hierarchy | reduce and reuse before recycling |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| safe bike lane | system factor |
| switching off a light | individual choice |
| public transport network | system factor |
| repairing a phone | individual choice |
| school waste rule | system factor |
Kreuzworträtsel
| system | What word means connected structures rules and services? |
| reduce | Which waste action means making the amount smaller? |
| transport | Which area includes buses trains bikes and cars? |
| climate | Which word completes the phrase climate action? |
| passive | Which grammar form focuses on an action or result? |
| evidence | What supports a claim in an argument? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Choice diary: Keep a one-day note of three environmental choices. Add one system factor that made each choice easier or harder.
- Photo analysis: Choose one course image and write five English sentences: two observations, two interpretations and one question.
- School waste map: Draw a simple map of where waste is created at school. Mark one individual and one system solution.
- Mini interview: Ask a classmate two English questions about transport or waste. Use no private social-media information and report the answers anonymously.
Standard
- Transport redesign: Sketch a safer route to school and explain which changes depend on individuals and which depend on infrastructure.
- Repair challenge: Investigate one broken everyday object. Describe whether repair is possible and what system factors affect the decision.
- Media comparison: Compare the UN ActNow video with the sector-emissions infographic. Explain how each frames responsibility.
- Argument recording: Give a voluntary private 60-second spoken argument on “Good choices should be easy choices.” Do not upload it without permission.
Schwer
- School policy proposal: Write a one-page proposal for one school-level system change and include likely benefits, limits and a realistic first step.
- Perspective debate: Prepare four short positions for a student, a company, a city and a government. Then switch perspective during a discussion.
- Evidence audit: Find two trustworthy sources on one environmental action. Compare what they measure, what they claim and what they leave uncertain.
- Systems transfer: Apply the “individual + system” model to a new topic such as fast fashion, water use or electronic waste. Create an infographic in English.
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Lernkontrolle
- Transfer case: A student wants to travel more sustainably, but the last bus leaves before afternoon clubs end. Explain the individual and system parts of the problem and propose two connected solutions.
- Media framing: Compare one image that focuses on individual action with one image that shows infrastructure. Explain how the framing changes the viewer's idea of responsibility.
- School decision: Your school can either run a one-week recycling campaign or change its purchasing rules for the whole year. Analyse possible strengths and limits of each approach without simply choosing a winner.
- Language transfer: Write a short paragraph using one passive sentence and one reported question to explain a school sustainability problem.
- Evidence judgement: A poster says “One small action will solve the problem.” Explain why this claim needs more evidence and name two questions you would ask.
- System interaction: Explain how one personal action can influence a larger system indirectly, for example through demand, participation, school rules or public discussion.
Lernnachweis
For a successful learning record, show that you can:
- distinguish individual choices from system factors;
- use evidence from a short text, image, infographic or video;
- explain how the two levels can interact;
- use the passive correctly in a meaningful sentence;
- report a statement, question or command;
- structure a short argument with a reason, counterpoint and conclusion;
- revise one language error after feedback;
- reflect on source, purpose and missing information in media;
- transfer the model to a new environmental issue;
- follow privacy and responsible-AI rules.
Can-do check
Rate yourself: Yes / Nearly / Not yet.
- I can explain “individual choice” and “system factor” with my own example.
- I can understand the main idea of a short authentic environmental video.
- I can use an infographic as evidence.
- I can speak for about 30 seconds without reading a full script.
- I can use a passive sentence.
- I can report a question or command.
- I can write a structured 120–160 word argument.
- I can identify what a media message highlights and leaves out.
- I can improve my text after direct feedback.
Next step: Choose one “Nearly” or “Not yet” statement and repeat one task from this course.
Folgekurs
Continue with E8 E - From environmental ideas to school action.
There you can move from analysis to a small evidence-based project: define a problem, collect information, compare options, communicate with a real audience and evaluate the result.
OERs zum Thema
Medien- und Faktencheck
The course uses Wikimedia Commons files and educational videos from the United Nations, UNEP and a waste-education video. Check the file page for the exact licence and attribution information before reusing a medium outside MOOCwiki.
Useful source pages:
- Wikimedia Commons: Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector
- Wikimedia Commons: Waste hierarchy
- Wikimedia Commons: Green transport hierarchy
- Wikimedia Commons: Stuttgart Zacke Bikes
- Wikimedia Commons: Schneebergerhof
- Wikimedia Commons: Repair Café Trier
- Wikimedia Commons: Food waste after Christmas
- United Nations ActNow videos
- UNEP: young people and the climate crisis
Verknüpfte Lernbereiche