Topic: Struggle for the political shape of Poland's statehood. The March Constitution

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

7th‑grade students of elementary school

XXIX. Second Polish Republic in 1921‑1939. Student:

2) characterizes the political system of Poland based on the March 1921 constitution.

General aim of education

Students learn about the political system of the Second Polish Republic based on the March Constitution of 1921

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to describe the events which led to the women's suffrage in Poland;

• to characterize the system of government of the Second Polish Republic in the first years of independence;

• to list the facts and causes of the assassination of Gabriel Narutowicz.

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.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. The teacher asks the students to read the March Constitution on the Internet and to reflect on the obligations of Polish citizens to the state embedded in it and the rights they have been entitled to.

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. Students carry out ** Task 1 **, analyzing posters and election flyers. The teacher introduces the students to the composition of the Legislative Sejm, using the appropriate overview materials. He explains why the so‑called Small Constitution was put in place.

Realization

1. Then the students, referring to homework and **Task 1**, talk about the March Constitution of 1921. During the conversation, the teacher helps the students to understand the political consequences of the adopted political system. The teacher introduces the students to the circumstances of electing the first president of the Second Polish Republic, Gabriel Narutowicz, and the reasons for his assassination by a political extremist. The purpose of this conversation, as well as further work during the lesson, is to prepare the students for the Oxford‑style debate (after preparing the statements). In the course of the conversation, the teacher asks auxiliary questions, remembering that they are to be formulated as the key questions:

   • Was it possible to expect the inhabitants of Polish lands to be familiar with the democratic process?

   • What was the significance of adopting the March Constitution for such a young state?

   • Was such a great advantage of the parliament over the executive power a good idea? What could it result in?

   • Was the National Democracy responsible for the murder of President Narutowicz?

2. The teacher asks the students to perform ** Task 2 ** (analyze the interactive illustration showing the path of women to obtain electoral rights) and ** Exercise 1 **, in which they choose the correct statements based on the obtained knowledge. Then the students follow ** Task 3 **. They examine how voters' preferences have changed, and look for reasons behind these changes. The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and provides feedback.

3. The teacher divides the students into three groups. Two will lead the debate (Proposition and Opposition), the third group will ask questions and evaluate the discussion (depending on the teacher's decision and the preparation of the students, the debate can be carried out during this or the next lesson). Then, together with the class, he sets the leading theme of the Oxford‑style debate (eg * The parliamentary system in the Second Polish Republic failed * or: * The Poles were not ready for a parliamentary system * etc.).

4. Proposition and Opposition groups divide the tasks, prepare their statements. Students carry out the debate.

Summary

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

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare a self‑assessment questionnaire.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: Imagine that the meeting presented in the photo (e‑textbook Command 9) took place a few hours after the election of Gabriel Narutowicz for the presidency. What could Pilsudski and Narutowicz talk about? Write the likely dialogue.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Struggle for the political shape of Poland's statehood. The March Constitution

Works on the new constitution commenced already in 1919, but it was only enacted on 17 March 1921. The President was elected on 9 December 1922. It was Gabriel Narutowicz. On 16 December 1922, he was shot to death by painter Eligiusz Niewiadomski, a supporter of the National Democracy (ND), while attending an art exhibition at Warsaw's National Gallery of Art „Zachęta”. The next President was Stanisław Wojciechowski.