E7 M - Sustainable shopping choices

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E7 M - Sustainable shopping choices

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E7 M - Sustainable shopping choices

Mini mission: You are shopping for a new bottle. Three products look useful. Which one would you choose? Compare price, durability, packaging and distance. Then explain your choice in English.

Important: The products and learner profiles in this course are fictional. The four criteria are useful for a simple comparison, but they do not show the complete environmental impact of a product.

Einleitung

Sustainable shopping means thinking before you buy. A low price can be useful, but other questions matter too: How long will the product last? How much packaging is there? How far has it travelled?

In this aiMOOC, you first notice useful English, then understand it, try it, use it in a comparison and communicate your own decision. You do not need perfect pronunciation. Your message should be clear.

I can ...

1. I can compare two or three products with simple criteria.
2. I can understand key information about price, durability, packaging and distance.
3. I can explain a choice with because, but and so.
4. I can react to another opinion: I agree. / I see your point, but ...
5. I can write a short structured recommendation.

Before you start: What do you know?

Look at the reusable bag above. Think for 30 seconds.

1. Say three English words you connect with shopping.
2. Name one thing you sometimes check before buying a product.
3. Finish the sentence: For me, a good product is ...

Hint: Think of money, quality, waste and transport.

Deutsch-Hilfe, falls nötig: Preis = price, haltbar/langlebig = durable, Verpackung = packaging, Entfernung = distance.

Notice: Four shopping criteria

price tells you how much something costs.

durability tells you how well and how long something can be used.

packaging is the material around a product.

distance tells you how far a product travels. A short distance can be one useful clue, but distance alone does not tell you the complete environmental impact.

Vocabulary in context

Read the mini examples aloud.

1. Bottle A is cheaper than Bottle B.
2. Bottle B is more durable than Bottle A.
3. Bottle C has less packaging than Bottle A.
4. Bottle A travels a shorter distance than Bottle C.
5. I would choose Bottle B because I can use it for many years.

Try: Change one detail in each sentence and say the new sentence to a partner.

Pronunciation: clear first, perfect later

Focus on the stressed part. Speak slowly once, then at a natural speed.

1. durable – stress the first syllable: DU-ra-ble
2. packaging – stress the first syllable: PACK-a-ging
3. distance – stress the first syllable: DIS-tance
4. compare – stress the second syllable: com-PARE

Quick check: Can your partner understand the word without seeing it? If yes, your pronunciation works.

Understand: A product comparison

All products below are fictional.

Product	Price	Durability	Packaging	Distance
River Bottle	€12	about 2 years	cardboard box	180 km
Peak Bottle	€18	about 6 years	small paper sleeve	520 km
Flash Bottle	€9	about 1 year	plastic box	2,400 km

Read first. Do not translate every word.

Maya says: The River Bottle is not the cheapest bottle, but it travels the shortest distance. The Peak Bottle costs more. However, it is much more durable and has less packaging. The Flash Bottle is cheapest, but it may need to be replaced sooner. I would choose the Peak Bottle because durability is very important to me.

Reading: Find the evidence

1. Which bottle is the cheapest?
2. Which bottle is expected to last longest?
3. Which bottle travels the shortest distance?
4. Which bottle has a small paper sleeve?
5. Why does Maya choose the Peak Bottle?

Hint 1: Scan the table. Do not read every sentence again.

Hint 2: For question 5, look for the word because.

Deutsch-Hilfe, falls nötig: to last = halten; to replace = ersetzen.

Direct feedback: If your answers use information from the table and Maya's text, you are working with evidence, not guessing.

Listening and Viewing

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Watch the beginning of the TED video about keeping and repairing clothes. First watch without stopping.

First viewing – gist:

1. What is the main topic: buying more, keeping products longer, or advertising?
2. Write down two words you understand.

Second viewing – details:

1. What happens when people value and keep clothes longer?
2. Which idea connects to durability?

Hint: You do not need every word. Listen for clothes, waste, repair and planet.

Deutsch-Hilfe, falls nötig: Konzentriere Dich auf die Hauptidee. Einzelne unbekannte Wörter sind okay.

Listening with two speakers

Work with a partner. Speaker A reads Leo, Speaker B reads Amira at a moderate natural speed. Then swap roles.

Leo: I like the River Bottle. It is cheaper than the Peak Bottle, and 180 kilometres is not very far.

Amira: True, but the Peak Bottle is more durable. I think using one bottle for six years is a strong point.

Leo: I see your point. The Peak Bottle also has less packaging.

Amira: So which criterion is most important to you?

Leo: Durability, I think. I have changed my mind.

Listening task: Close the text while your partner reads it. Which product does Leo prefer at the end, and why?

Feedback: A strong answer names the product and one criterion.

Try: Compare products

Use these sentence starters.

1. The ... is cheaper than the ...
2. The ... is more durable than the ...
3. The ... has less packaging than the ...
4. The ... travels a shorter distance than the ...
5. I prefer ... because ...
6. I agree, but ...

Challenge: Make two comparisons and one final choice without reading the sentence starters.

Functional grammar: Comparatives that help you decide

Use -er + than with many short adjectives: cheap → cheaper than, short → shorter than.

Use more + adjective + than with longer adjectives: more durable than.

Use less + noun for a smaller amount: less packaging.

Connect reasons with because. Show contrast with but or however.

Try: Complete orally: The Peak Bottle is ... than the River Bottle, but ...

Optional E-look ahead

This is only a small preview, not a new grammar target.

By the time Maya bought a new bottle, she had compared all three products.

Notice the two moments: first she compared, later she bought. For this M-level course, you only need to recognise the idea.

Context and media: Packaging and waste

Look at the photo for 20 seconds.

1. Name the material you can see.
2. Say one advantage of using less packaging.
3. Say one question you would ask before calling packaging sustainable.

Hint: Think about material, amount and reuse.

Mini-transfer: Look at one packaged object near you. Do not name a brand. Describe the packaging in two English sentences.

Use: The Green Street Shop challenge

Imagine a fictional shop called Green Street Shop. It wants one new school lunch box.

Product	Price	Durability	Packaging	Distance
Lunch Box North	€14	4 years	paper band	300 km
Lunch Box City	€17	7 years	no extra box	90 km
Lunch Box Go	€10	2 years	plastic wrap	1,800 km

Your task: Choose one lunch box. Use at least three criteria.

Model structure:

I would choose ... . It is ... than ... . It also ... . The price is ..., but ... . For me, ... is the most important criterion because ... .

Feedback check: Did you compare, give evidence and explain your reason? If one part is missing, improve your answer once.

Speaking: Ask, react, justify

Work in pairs.

1. Student A chooses a product and gives one reason.
2. Student B asks: Why is that important to you?
3. Student A adds evidence.
4. Student B reacts: I agree. or I see your point, but ...
5. Change roles.

Speaking goal: 30–45 seconds each.

Recording: A recording is optional. Keep it private unless you have clearly agreed to share it. No upload is required.

Writing: A short recommendation

Write 70–100 words to the fictional school shop.

Subject: Lunch box recommendation

Hello Green Street Shop,

I think you should choose ...

Then include:

1. one sentence about price,
2. one sentence about durability,
3. one sentence about packaging or distance,
4. one comparison,
5. one final reason.

Finish with: Best wishes, ...

Self-edit: Underline your comparison words. Circle because, but or however. Check whether every reason matches the table.

Mediation: Help a German friend

Your friend asks: Was soll ich beim nachhaltigen Einkaufen vergleichen?

Answer in simple German, but keep the four key English terms price, durability, packaging, distance. Explain the main idea in two or three sentences. Do not translate every sentence from this course.

Media challenge: From stuff to choices

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Watch only a short section chosen by your teacher, for example the opening two minutes.

Before watching: Predict three words you may hear.

While watching: Listen for one idea about where products come from or what happens after use.

After watching: Connect the idea to one course criterion.

Media note: The embedded videos come from the official TED and Story of Stuff Project YouTube channels. The images used in this course come from Wikimedia Commons; licence information is available on the individual file pages.

Safe learning and AI

1. Use fictional names and products in public learning tasks. Do not add private social-media data.
2. Recordings are voluntary and can stay private. Do not upload other people's voices or images without permission.
3. If you use AI for feedback, check whether the English fits Class 7 M level. Keep your own ideas and wording.
4. AI feedback can help you improve a text, but it should not replace your own text.

Feedback and improve

Read your answer again.

1. Notice: Find one comparison.
2. Understand: Check the data behind it.
3. Improve: Add one reason with because.
4. Use again: Say the improved sentence without reading it.

Peer feedback sentence: Your reason is clear because ...

Next-step sentence: You could make it stronger by adding ...

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which criterion tells you how much a product costs? (price) (!distance) (!packaging) (!durability)

Which word means that a product can last a long time? (durable) (!distant) (!cheap) (!wrapped)

Which sentence compares two prices correctly? (The River Bottle is cheaper than the Peak Bottle.) (!The River Bottle is cheap than the Peak Bottle.) (!The River Bottle cheaper the Peak Bottle.) (!The River Bottle is more cheap the Peak Bottle.)

Which phrase means a smaller amount of packaging? (less packaging) (!shorter packaging) (!cheaper packaging) (!farther packaging)

Which word introduces a reason? (because) (!than) (!very) (!also)

Which product in the first table is expected to last longest? (Peak Bottle) (!River Bottle) (!Flash Bottle) (!Green Street Bottle)

Which product in the first table travels the shortest distance? (River Bottle) (!Peak Bottle) (!Flash Bottle) (!Lunch Box Go)

What is a useful reaction to another opinion? (I see your point, but ...) (!You are always wrong.) (!No reason needed.) (!Stop comparing.)

What should a strong product choice include? (evidence and a reason) (!only a product name) (!only the lowest price) (!only one adjective)

What should you do with AI feedback on your English? (check it and keep your own ideas) (!copy everything automatically) (!replace your whole text) (!upload private data)

Memory

price	cost
durability	long use
packaging	material around a product
distance	how far
compare	find differences
justify	give a reason

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
cheaper than	price comparison
more durable than	long use comparison
less packaging	waste-related comparison
shorter distance	transport comparison
because	giving a reason

...

Kreuzworträtsel

durable	Which adjective means able to last a long time?
packaging	What is the material around a product called?
distance	What word tells you how far something travels?
compare	What verb means to look for similarities and differences?
choice	What noun means a decision between options?
repair	What verb means to fix something so you can use it again?

Lückentext

Complete the text.

Before I buy a product, I can compare its . A product that lasts a long time has good . The material around a product is its . I can also look at the transport . To compare two low prices, I can use the word . To explain my decision, I can use . A strong recommendation gives a choice and clear .

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

1. Shopping vocabulary: Find five objects in a shop picture and describe them with simple English words.
2. Product comparison: Compare two fictional pencil cases using price and durability.
3. Packaging check: Choose one object at home and describe its packaging in two English sentences.
4. Speaking reaction: Practise I agree and I see your point, but ... with three fictional shopping opinions.

Standard

1. Sustainable lunch box: Use the Green Street Shop table and give a 45-second recommendation with three criteria.
2. Mini survey: Ask three classmates which criterion matters most to them. Use no private data. Summarise the answers in English.
3. Recommendation email: Write an 80-word email about one fictional product and improve it after peer feedback.
4. Packaging redesign: Draw simpler packaging for a fictional product and label three improvements in English.

Schwer

1. Shopping debate: In pairs, defend two different fictional products. React to each other's reasons before making a joint decision.
2. Criteria weighting: Decide which of the four criteria matters most for a school purchase and explain why the order could change for another product.
3. Media comparison: Compare one idea from a course video with the fictional product tables. Explain one connection and one limitation.
4. Responsible AI feedback: Write your own recommendation first. If an approved AI tool is available, ask only for language feedback, check the level and revise the text yourself. Do not enter private data.

Lernkontrolle

1. Evidence-based choice: Choose between two new fictional products. Explain how two criteria support your decision and how one criterion speaks against it.
2. Trade-off: A product is cheap but not durable. Explain the conflict and name one question you would ask before buying it.
3. Packaging and distance: Explain why little packaging and a short distance can be useful clues but do not describe the complete sustainability of a product.
4. Changing your mind: Read a partner's reason. State whether one new piece of evidence changes your choice and explain why.
5. Transfer: Create four criteria for choosing a school backpack. Use at least two criteria from this course and add one new sensible criterion.
6. Communication: Give a 60-second recommendation, answer one follow-up question and improve one sentence after feedback.

Lernnachweis

For a successful Lernnachweis, show that you can:

1. understand key data in a simple product table,
2. compare products correctly in English,
3. use price, durability, packaging and distance in context,
4. give reasons with because and show contrast with but or however,
5. react to another opinion,
6. write a short structured recommendation,
7. improve your work after feedback,
8. use media and AI feedback responsibly without giving away private data.

Self-check: Can do

Give yourself one mark for each statement you can do without help.

1. I can explain the four criteria in simple English.
2. I can make at least three correct comparisons.
3. I can give a choice and a reason.
4. I can ask a follow-up question.
5. I can react politely to another opinion.
6. I can improve a short recommendation after feedback.

5–6 marks: Ready for the next challenge.

3–4 marks: Repeat one speaking or writing task.

0–2 marks: Use the hints and the product table again, then try a shorter task.

Mini-transfer

You need a new school folder. Imagine two fictional products.

Folder A: cheaper, plastic packaging, long transport distance, about two years of use.

Folder B: more expensive, paper band, short transport distance, about five years of use.

Say or write four sentences. Compare the folders, choose one and explain your main reason.

Folgekurs

Continue with E7 M - Sustainable shopping: convincing others. There you can turn a product comparison into a short presentation and respond to questions from an audience.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

E7 M - Sustainable shopping choices Englisch Wortschatz Komparativ Speaking Writing Mediation Nachhaltiger Konsum Verbraucherbildung Medienbildung