Topic: A paradise for dissenters

Target group

6th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

X. Beginnings of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth. Student:

characterizes religious and national relations in the Commonwealth; explains the main assumptions of the Warsaw Confederation;

General aim of education

The student will learn about the specificity of the followers of different religions in the lands of the Commonwealth.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• what religions predominated during the existence of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth;

• what the Union of Brest of 1596 was about.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

The course of classes

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. On the basis of the timeline and information from available sources, the students indicate the event that they think is the most important to the Church of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth era. Then they argue their choice on the class forum. Colleagues assess their work, taking into account the manner in which applications are presented and the clarity of justification.

3. The teacher together with the students sums up the current course of classes.

4. The teacher displays the map from Task 2. He reads out the task and, if necessary, helps student work out the answers.

5. Students analyze the gallery of illustrations and execute Task 3. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

6. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

Summary

1. The teacher asks a willing student to summarize the lesson from his point of view. He asks other students if they would like to add anything to their colleague's statements.

2. The teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer?
   If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Write a short note about the topics covered in the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

A paradise for dissenters

The period of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth was very diversified in respect of denominations. Earlier, there were two dominating religions. In the area of Greater Poland, Mazovia, Royal Prussia and Lithuania – Western Catholicism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the east. In the Catholic church, the hierarchy was linked with the state administration. Large social events were always combined with religious activities (e.g. coronation, election). The second largest denomination after Catholicism was the Eastern Orthodox Church. In 1596, Union was signed in Brest‑on‑the‑Bug, in the result of which the Greek Catholic Church in Poland was created. It was a church formed by a part of the Orthodox clergy and believers who recognised the authority of the Pope as the head of the Church and adopted the Western Catholic dogmas.

The beginning of the 15th century was the time of the Protestant Reformation. When the works of Martin Luther arrived to Poland from Germany, where they had been printed, many clerics – following the reformer – abandoned their orders and parishes, and rejected celibacy. Other, who had not abandoned the clerical status, started to preach in the Lutheran spirit. The Lutheran doctrine developed in the Polish land mainly in the areas formerly belonging to the Teutonic Order. Calvinism also found supporters in our country. The social group which found it the most suitable, were medium nobles. This denomination met with the approval of these circles, because it ensured the increase of their power at the expense of the clergy, and subordinated local life to landowners. A large non‑Christian religious group in the Commonwealth were Jews. Jewish religious communities enjoyed broad autonomy in the administrative system of the Commonwealth. The religious diversity had a positive impact on Polish culture. It contributed to the development of literature – especially literary language, education and science.