Topic: May Coup d'État and its consequences

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

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

3. discusses the crisis of parliamentary democracy in Poland – the causes, course and effects of the May coup.

General aim of education

Students learn the causes, course and effects of the May Coup d'État.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to describe the causes and the course of J. Piłsudski’s May Coup d'État;

• to recognize the documents and photographs from this period;

• to explain the consequences of the Coup.

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 introduction to the lesson and to execute Exercise 1 from the e‑textbook.

Introduction

1. The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

2. Students perform Exercise 1, describing the government of Wincenty Witos. The teacher, referring to the parts of the e‑textbook read by the students in advance, explains to them the reasons for the public's poor opinion on the Chjeno‑Piast coalition's rule. He explains what were the economic conditions at that time.

Realization

1. The teacher asks the students to familiarize themselves with the various aspects of the May Coup of 1926 . The students perform (individually or in pairs) Task 1 (they reflect on factors that have made the situation of II RP in the international arena worse), Exercise 2, Task 2 and Task 3 referring to the social moods accompanying the coup. The aim of their work is to prepare arguments for the discussion on the May Coup (debate for and against).

2. Then students follow Task 4. Analyze photographs from 1926. Then they perform Exercise 3 and 4 (referring to the attitude of President Stanisław Wojciechowski) and Task 5 (they confront the number of losses and wounded soldiers with the deaths of civilians). The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and provides feedback.

3. The teacher chooses two students who will conduct the debate: Pilsudski had to conduct a coup (or, for example, Piłsudski did not have to do that). The third student performs the function of a secretary: he measures the time of the participants' speeches, he monitors the order of the discussion, allows the willing to speak.

Summary

1. The teacher sums up the debate and, if necessary, adds further conclusions. Students perform Exercise 5. Arrange the illustrations in the correct order.

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. Students have two options: Variant I - Exercises 9‑11 from e‑textbook. Students fill the text and table and the choose correct answers. Variant II - time capsule. Students use it to make a multimedia presentation on a given topic.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

May Coup d'État and its consequences

Due to the growing political crisis of the Second Polish Republic, marshal Józef Piłsudski decided to take over the power. On May 12th, 1926, Piłsudski took command of the troops gathered in Rembertów and set out for the capital. He met with president Stanisław Wojciechowski on the Poniatowski bridge. Wojciechowski probably decided not to violate the constitution and not to give in to Piłsudski’s demands to dissolve the government and hand over the power to him. On May 12th, the fights between forces faithful to the government and Józef Piłsudski’s troops began. After three days of fighting, Piłsudski’s forces won and the government resigned. On May 31st, 1926, the parliament approved members of the new cabinet, thereby sanctioning the May Coup d'État. Piłsudski, however, declined to become president, and Ignacy Mościcki was elected for the office.